DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Drawings
The specification describes Fig. 1 and 2 as “for illustrating the basic principle” and “principle circuit diagram” (see specification paragraph sections [0037]-[0040]). Therefore, Figures 1 and 2 appear to illustrate the state of the art and should be designated by a legend such as --Prior Art-- because only that which is old is illustrated (see MPEP § 608.02(g)).
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the “drive circuit” in claim 1, relating to the instant invention disclosed in Fig. 3, must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Objections
Claims 1 and 4 are objected to because of the following informalities: the first recitation of MEMS should be spelled out for clarity. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Claims 1-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as failing to set forth the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant regards as the invention.
Regarding claims 1 and 7, the claims recite “a MEMS gyroscope” without disclosing any particular MEMS structures. The claims are incomplete for omitting essential elements, such omission amounting to a gap between the elements (see MPEP § 2172.01). The omitted elements are: MEMS structures. For examination purposes, the MEMS gyroscope will be interpreted as a gyroscope.
The claims recite the phrase “the second analog signal includes an analog rotation rate signal component and an analog quadrature signal component”. However, the specification does not appear to disclose specifically that “the second analog signal includes an analog rotation rate signal component and an analog quadrature signal component”. The claimed phrase is mentioned verbatim in the Abstract without further clarification or discussion in the remainder of the Specification. The disclosure has not appeared to explain the claimed limitation of “the second analog signal includes an analog rotation rate signal component and an analog quadrature signal component”.
Furthermore, the claims recite the phrases “first switch-capacitance structure” and “second switch-capacitance structure”. While the specification discloses “first switch-capacitance structure” “second switch-capacitance structure” with respect to the embodiments of Fig. 1 and 2 (which are considered prior-arts) and “a first switch-capacitance circuit 400” and “a second switch-capacitance circuit 410” with respect to the embodiments of Fig. 3 and 4, the recitation of “first switch-capacitance structure” and “second switch-capacitance structure” in the claims appears to disclose the embodiments of the prior arts and not those of the instant invention. For examination purposes, these “structures” will be considered as “circuits”.
Further clarification is respectfully requested.
Regarding claim 1, the phrase “the drive detection circuit is configured such that, due to a movement of the oscillatable seismic element in a drive direction, a first analog signal is detected and is supplied to an input of the first interface amplifier” implies that “a first analog signal is detected and is supplied to an input of the first interface amplifier” but not that the drive detection circuit is configured to detect the first analog signal and to supply the first analog signal to the input of the first interface amplifier. The claim is incomplete for omitting essential elements, such omission amounting to a gap between the elements (see MPEP § 2172.01). The omitted element is the device for detecting the first analog signal and the device for supplying the first analog signal to the first interface amplifier.
The phrase “a quadrature compensation circuit, which is configured with the drive detection circuit such that an analog compensation signal of the quadrature compensation circuit for compensating the analog quadrature signal component is applied to the input of the second interface amplifier” implies that “an analog compensation signal of the quadrature compensation circuit for compensating the analog quadrature signal component is applied to the input of the second interface amplifier” without disclosing the device for generating the analog compensation signal and to apply the analog compensation signal to the input of the second interface amplifier. The claim is incomplete for omitting essential elements, such omission amounting to a gap between the elements (see MPEP § 2172.01). The omitted elements are: the device for generating the analog compensation signal and to apply the analog compensation signal to the input of the second interface amplifier.
Regarding claim 6, the claim recites that “the digital test signal […] is derived from the drive detection circuit using a structure” without disclosing “a structure” and/or whether “a structure” is related to the “first switch-capacitance structure” and “second switch-capacitance structure” as disclosed in the independent claim 1. Further clarification is respectfully requested.
Claims 2-5 are rejected as being dependent on the rejected base claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hayner et al. (Pat. No. US 8,578,775) (hereafter Hayner) in view of Opris et al. (Pat. No. US 9,069,006) (hereafter Opris).
Regarding claim 1, Hayner teaches a sensor system with a MEMS gyroscope, the sensor system comprising:
a drive circuit, which is configured to generate an analog drive signal for driving an oscillatable seismic element of the MEMS gyroscope and includes a first interface amplifier of a drive detection circuit (i.e., capacitance-to-voltage (C-V) amplifier 125) (see Fig. 1),
wherein the drive detection circuit is configured such that, due to a movement of the oscillatable seismic element in a drive direction, a first analog signal is detected and is supplied to an input of the first interface amplifier (i.e., drive resonator 114 is maintained in a constant amplitude oscillation by the AGC loop 127 which provides feedback to the Drive Actuator Unit (DAU) which has the drive electrodes used in the drive resonator 114 to apply a driving (force) signal to the drive mass in a predetermined drive direction (e.g., in the y-direction)) (see Column 3, line 26, to Column 4, line 35);
a detection circuit, which is coupled to the drive circuit and the oscillatable seismic element and includes a second interface amplifier (i.e., capacitance-to-voltage (C-V) amplifiers 124) (see Fig. 1),
wherein the detection circuit is configured such that, due to a movement of the oscillatable seismic element in a detection direction substantially perpendicular to the drive direction (i.e., angular rate signal 116 modulated on the carrier frequency w.sub.D induces a change in capacitance that is measured by the Sense Measurement Unit (SMU) in the sense resonator 112 which are used to measure the position of the sense mass in a predetermined sense direction (e.g., in the z-axis)) (see Column 3, line 26, to Column 4, line 35), a second analog signal is detected and supplied to an input of the second interface amplifier (i.e., the change in capacitance is converted to a voltage by the C-V amplifier 124) (see Column 3, line 26, to Column 4, line 35), wherein the second analog signal includes an analog rotation rate signal component and an analog quadrature signal component (i.e., synchronous demodulation of this carrier by signals cos(w.sub.Dt) and sin(w.sub.Dt) by the synchronous demodulation block 123 results in the quadrature baseband signals I(t) 135 and Q(t) 136) (see Column 3, line 26, to Column 4, line 35);
a quadrature compensation circuit, which is configured with the drive detection circuit such that an analog compensation signal of the quadrature compensation circuit for compensating the analog quadrature signal component is applied to the input of the second interface amplifier (i.e., a measure of the quadrature offset may be generated by the system parameter estimator 162 and supplied on signal line 176 which drives the quadrature nulling unit 188. The output of quadrature nulling unit 188 is converted to an analog signal by DAC 190 prior to modulation onto the carrier w.sub.D at modulator 192, and driven by drive amplifier 194 into the appropriate drive resonator 114 electrodes at the Quadrature Control Unit (QCU) which are positioned under the drive mass to help cancel unwanted motion of the drive mass in a predetermined direction (e.g., the z direction)) (see Column 4, line 48, to Column 5, line 37); and
a digital test signal generator circuit, which is configured to apply a digital test signal to a digital-to-analog converter for conversion into an analog test signal (i.e., the pilot tone block 164 generates a series of predetermined pilot tone signals 166 which are injected into the system in quadrature to the rate signal. These pilot tone signals 166 are summed with the quadrature feedback signal 146 at summer 168, converted to an analog signal by DAC 128, modulated into the quadrature channel by modulator 129, and driven to the sense resonator by driver 185) (see Column 4, line 48, to Column 5, line 37),
wherein the analog test signal can be applied to the first interface amplifier and/or to the second interface amplifier (i.e., The quadrature feedback signal 146 is converted to an analog signal in digital to analog convertor (DAC) 128, modulated onto the carrier w.sub.D by modulator 129 and summed with the digital to analog converted and modulated rate feedback signal 145 prior to driving the sense resonator via driver 185) (see Column 4, line 48, to Column 5, line 37);
wherein a phase difference can be detected by selectively applying the first analog test signal to the input of the first interface amplifier and/or by selectively applying the second analog test signal to the input of the second interface amplifier (i.e., By injecting predetermined pilot tone signals 166 with known signal structure(s), the system parameter estimator 162 can extract key system parameters at much lower computational cost. These recovered parameters may be used to alter or tune the operation of various other processing blocks in the sensor system 100. For instance, drive to sense offset frequency information may be utilized to ensure that the sense resonator 112 center frequency is a fixed frequency offset from the driver resonator 114 center frequency) (see Column 4, line 48, to Column 5, line 37); but does not explicitly teach that an output of the digital-to-analog converter is connected to the input of the first interface amplifier via a first switch-capacitance structure and to the input of the second interface amplifier via a second switch-capacitance structure,
wherein the analog test signal can be applied to the first interface amplifier using the first switch-capacitance structure and/or to the second interface amplifier using the second switch-capacitance structure;
wherein, using the analog test signal, a first analog test signal can be provided by the first switch-capacitance structure,
wherein, using the analog test signal, a second analog test signal can be provided by the second switch-capacitance structure.
Regarding the switch capacitance structure, Opris teaches an output of the digital-to-analog converter is connected to the input of the first interface amplifier via a first switch-capacitance structure and to the input of the second interface amplifier via a second switch-capacitance structure, wherein the analog test signal can be applied to the first interface amplifier using the first switch-capacitance structure and/or to the second interface amplifier using the second switch-capacitance structure; wherein, using the analog test signal, a first analog test signal can be provided by the first switch-capacitance structure, wherein, using the analog test signal, a second analog test signal can be provided by the second switch-capacitance structure (i.e., the switch circuit can operate in a normal mode and in a test mode. In the normal operating mode, the switch circuit can couple the first and second Coriolis sensing capacitors Cgp and Cgn of the MEMS sensor 105 as a capacitive element pair. The capacitive element pair changes capacitance in response to a Coriolis effect acting on the MEMS sensor. In the test mode, the switch circuit provides access to one or more of the Coriolis sensing capacitors) (see Column 2, lines 10-55). In view of the teaching of Opris, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have added the switch-capacitance circuits in order to apply the test signal to one or more sensing resonators.
Regarding claim 2, Hayner as modified by Opris as disclosed above does not directly or implicitly teach that the first switch-capacitance structure has a first variable capacitance for adjusting the application of the first analog test signal and the second switch-capacitance structure has a second variable capacitance for adjusting the application of the second analog test signal. However, Opris teaches that the first switch-capacitance structure has a first variable capacitance for adjusting the application of the first analog test signal and the second switch-capacitance structure has a second variable capacitance for adjusting the application of the second analog test signal (i.e., the switch circuit can operate in a normal mode and in a test mode. In the normal operating mode, the switch circuit can couple the first and second Coriolis sensing capacitors Cgp and Cgn of the MEMS sensor 105 as a capacitive element pair. The capacitive element pair changes capacitance in response to a Coriolis effect acting on the MEMS sensor. In the test mode, the switch circuit provides access to one or more of the Coriolis sensing capacitors) (see Column 2, lines 10-55). In view of the teaching of Opris, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have added the switch-capacitance circuits in order to apply the test signal to one or more sensing resonators.
Regarding claim 3, Hayner as modified by Opris as disclosed above does not directly or implicitly teach that the first switch-capacitance structure has a first switch configured to interrupt the application of the first analog test signal, and the second switch-capacitance structure has a second switch configured to interrupt the application of the second analog test signal. However, Opris teaches that the first switch-capacitance structure has a first switch configured to interrupt the application of the first analog test signal, and the second switch-capacitance structure has a second switch configured to interrupt the application of the second analog test signal (i.e., the switch circuit can operate in a normal mode and in a test mode. In the normal operating mode, the switch circuit can couple the first and second Coriolis sensing capacitors Cgp and Cgn of the MEMS sensor 105 as a capacitive element pair. The capacitive element pair changes capacitance in response to a Coriolis effect acting on the MEMS sensor. In the test mode, the switch circuit provides access to one or more of the Coriolis sensing capacitors) (see Column 2, lines 10-55). In view of the teaching of Opris, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have added the switch-capacitance circuits in order to apply the test signal to one or more sensing resonators.
Regarding claim 4, Hayner teaches that the analog test signal is a periodic signal (i.e., the pilot tone generator may be configured to generate samples of a predetermined frequency or frequencies in accordance with a specific algorithm designed for generating this signal. In this described example, this may be a sine wave of a predefined amplitude and frequency, but other variations such as a combination of sine waves of various amplitudes, frequencies, and phase shifts may be used) (see Column 4, line 46, to Column 5, line 8).
Regarding claim 5, Hayner teaches that the analog test signal is a sine signal (i.e., the pilot tone generator may be configured to generate samples of a predetermined frequency or frequencies in accordance with a specific algorithm designed for generating this signal. In this described example, this may be a sine wave of a predefined amplitude and frequency, but other variations such as a combination of sine waves of various amplitudes, frequencies, and phase shifts may be used) (see Column 4, line 46, to Column 5, line 8).
Regarding claim 6, Hayner teaches that the digital test generator circuit is configured such that the digital test signal: (i) is generated using a generation element, the generation element including a second-order Butterworth filter, and/or (ii) is derived from the drive detection circuit using a structure, including deriving from an internal time signal which is regulated to an output of the drive detection circuit (i.e., operation and complexity of the system parameter estimator block 162 which functions to extract such disturbance data and estimate various system parameters, selected embodiments of the present invention use pilot tones to reduce the computation burden required in system parameter estimator block 162. To this end, the pilot tone block 164 generates a series of predetermined pilot tone signals 166 which are injected into the system in quadrature to the rate signal. These pilot tone signals 166 are summed with the quadrature feedback signal 146 at summer 168, converted to an analog signal by DAC 128, modulated into the quadrature channel by modulator 129, and driven to the sense resonator by driver 185. Using the pilot tone generator 164, the pilot tone signals 166 may be designed to simplify the extraction of specific system parameters) (see Column 4, line 48, to Column 5, line 37)
Regarding claim 7, Hayner teaches a method for operating a sensor system with a MEMS gyroscope, the sensor system including:
a drive circuit, which is configured to generate an analog drive signal for driving an oscillatable seismic element of the MEMS gyroscope and includes a first interface amplifier of a drive detection circuit (i.e., capacitance-to-voltage (C-V) amplifier 125) (see Fig. 1), wherein the drive detection circuit, due to a movement of the oscillatable seismic element in a drive direction, detects a first analog signal that is supplied to an input of the first interface amplifier (i.e., drive resonator 114 is maintained in a constant amplitude oscillation by the AGC loop 127 which provides feedback to the Drive Actuator Unit (DAU) which has the drive electrodes used in the drive resonator 114 to apply a driving (force) signal to the drive mass in a predetermined drive direction (e.g., in the y-direction)) (see Column 3, line 26, to Column 4, line 35),
a detection circuit, which is coupled to the drive circuit and the oscillatable seismic element and includes a second interface amplifier (i.e., capacitance-to-voltage (C-V) amplifiers 124) (see Fig. 1), wherein the detection circuit, due to a movement of the oscillatable seismic element in a detection direction substantially perpendicular to the drive direction (i.e., angular rate signal 116 modulated on the carrier frequency w.sub.D induces a change in capacitance that is measured by the Sense Measurement Unit (SMU) in the sense resonator 112 which are used to measure the position of the sense mass in a predetermined sense direction (e.g., in the z-axis)) (see Column 3, line 26, to Column 4, line 35), detects a second analog signal that is supplied to an input of the second interface amplifier (i.e., the change in capacitance is converted to a voltage by the C-V amplifier 124) (see Column 3, line 26, to Column 4, line 35), wherein the second analog signal includes an analog rotation rate signal component and an analog quadrature signal component (i.e., synchronous demodulation of this carrier by signals cos(w.sub.Dt) and sin(w.sub.Dt) by the synchronous demodulation block 123 results in the quadrature baseband signals I(t) 135 and Q(t) 136) (see Column 3, line 26, to Column 4, line 35),
a quadrature compensation circuit (i.e., quadrature nulling unit 188) (see Fig. 1), a digital test signal generator circuit (i.e., pilot tone block 164) (see Fig. 1), and a digital-to-analog converter (i.e., DAC 128) (see Fig. 1),
wherein an output of the digital-to-analog converter is connected to the input of the first interface amplifier and to the input of the second interface amplifier (i.e., the pilot tone block 164 generates a series of predetermined pilot tone signals 166 which are injected into the system in quadrature to the rate signal. These pilot tone signals 166 are summed with the quadrature feedback signal 146 at summer 168, converted to an analog signal by DAC 128, modulated into the quadrature channel by modulator 129, and driven to the sense resonator by driver 185) (see Column 4, line 48, to Column 5, line 37); the method comprising the following steps:
in a first method step, applying by the quadrature compensation circuit with the drive detection circuit an analog compensation signal of the quadrature compensation circuit for compensating the analog quadrature signal component to the input of the second interface amplifier (i.e., a measure of the quadrature offset may be generated by the system parameter estimator 162 and supplied on signal line 176 which drives the quadrature nulling unit 188. The output of quadrature nulling unit 188 is converted to an analog signal by DAC 190 prior to modulation onto the carrier w.sub.D at modulator 192, and driven by drive amplifier 194 into the appropriate drive resonator 114 electrodes at the Quadrature Control Unit (QCU) which are positioned under the drive mass to help cancel unwanted motion of the drive mass in a predetermined direction (e.g., the z direction)) (see Column 4, line 48, to Column 5, line 37);
in a second method step, applying by the digital test signal generator circuit a digital test signal to the digital-to-analog converter for conversion into an analog test signal (i.e., The quadrature feedback signal 146 is converted to an analog signal in digital to analog convertor (DAC) 128, modulated onto the carrier w.sub.D by modulator 129 and summed with the digital to analog converted and modulated rate feedback signal 145 prior to driving the sense resonator via driver 185) (see Column 4, line 48, to Column 5, line 37);
wherein the analog test signal is applied to the first interface amplifier using and/or to the second interface amplifier (i.e., The quadrature feedback signal 146 is converted to an analog signal in digital to analog convertor (DAC) 128, modulated onto the carrier w.sub.D by modulator 129 and summed with the digital to analog converted and modulated rate feedback signal 145 prior to driving the sense resonator via driver 185) (see Column 4, line 48, to Column 5, line 37); and
wherein a phase difference is detected by selectively applying the first analog test signal and/or by selectively applying the second analog test signal to an input of the first interface amplifier and/or of the second interface amplifier in each case (i.e., By injecting predetermined pilot tone signals 166 with known signal structure(s), the system parameter estimator 162 can extract key system parameters at much lower computational cost. These recovered parameters may be used to alter or tune the operation of various other processing blocks in the sensor system 100. For instance, drive to sense offset frequency information may be utilized to ensure that the sense resonator 112 center frequency is a fixed frequency offset from the driver resonator 114 center frequency) (see Column 4, line 48, to Column 5, line 37); but does not explicitly teach that an output of the digital-to-analog converter is connected via a first switch-capacitance structure to the input of the first interface amplifier and via a second switch-capacitance structure to the input of the second interface amplifier; wherein the analog test signal is applied to the first interface amplifier using the first switch-capacitance structure and/or to the second interface amplifier using the second switch-capacitance structure; wherein, using the analog test signal, a first analog test signal is provided by the first switch-capacitance structure; wherein, using the analog test signal, a second analog test signal is provided by the second switch-capacitance structure.
Regarding the switch-capacitance structure, Optis teaches that an output of the digital-to-analog converter is connected via a first switch-capacitance structure to the input of the first interface amplifier and via a second switch-capacitance structure to the input of the second interface amplifier; wherein the analog test signal is applied to the first interface amplifier using the first switch-capacitance structure and/or to the second interface amplifier using the second switch-capacitance structure; wherein, using the analog test signal, a first analog test signal is provided by the first switch-capacitance structure; wherein, using the analog test signal, a second analog test signal is provided by the second switch-capacitance structure (i.e., the switch circuit can operate in a normal mode and in a test mode. In the normal operating mode, the switch circuit can couple the first and second Coriolis sensing capacitors Cgp and Cgn of the MEMS sensor 105 as a capacitive element pair. The capacitive element pair changes capacitance in response to a Coriolis effect acting on the MEMS sensor. In the test mode, the switch circuit provides access to one or more of the Coriolis sensing capacitors) (see Column 2, lines 10-55). In view of the teaching of Opris, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have added the switch-capacitance circuits in order to apply the test signal to one or more sensing resonators.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: see PTO-892
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/Tran M. Tran/Examiner, Art Unit 2855
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