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 .
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.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim 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.
The term “critical path” in claim 19 is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “critical” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention. Therefore, it is unclear which paths are considered critical vs non-critical.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1, 2, and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Das et al (US Pat. Pub. 2018/0138900; hereinafter referred to as Das).
As per claims 1 and 20: Das teaches a method and microelectronic circuit, comprising:
at least one timing event detector circuit (Fig. 1, 20) configured to generate a timing event observation signal as a response to a change in a digital value (Fig. 1, 25; pulse) at an input of an associated register circuit (Fig. 1, 15) during a timing event monitoring window (Fig. 1, 45); and
a control input for adjusting at least a duration of the timing event monitoring window (Fig. 1, 50 and paragraph 41).
As per claim 2:
Das teaches the microelectronic circuit according to claim 1, wherein the timing event monitoring window is associated with a respective edge of a clock signal (Fig. 1, 50).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 15-18, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nikitin et al (US Pat. 8,265,742; hereinafter referred to as Nikitin) in view of Fredriksson (US Pat. 7,474,721).
As per claim 1:
Nikitin teaches a microelectronic circuit, comprising:
at least one timing event detector circuit configured to generate a timing event observation signal (col. 17, lines 54-59) as a response to a change in a digital value (col. 3, lines 43-45) during a timing event monitoring window (col. 4, lines 26-32); and
a control input for adjusting at least a duration of the timing event monitoring window (col. 8, lines 29-33, U(t)).
Not explicitly disclosed is the digital value at an input of an associated register circuit. However, Fredriksson in an analogous art teaches monitoring a change in a digital value (Fig. 1, M; Figs. 2) at an input of an associated register circuit (Fig. 1, 20).
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to use the method of Nikitin for monitoring the signal M of Fredriksson. This modification would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing because Nikitin states that any signal could have been monitored (col. 3, lines 62-65).
As per claim 2: Fredriksson further teaches the microelectronic circuit according to claim 1, wherein the timing event monitoring window is associated with a respective edge of a clock signal (Fig. 2A, W1 associated with third rising edge of S).
As per claim 15: Fredriksson further teaches the microelectronic circuit according to claim 2, wherein at least part of the timing event monitoring window is before the respective edge of the clock signal (Fig. 2A, beginning of W1 is before the third rising edge of S. alternatively, the beginning of W1 is before the second rising edge of S).
As per claim 16: Fredriksson further teaches the microelectronic circuit according to claim 15, wherein the timing event monitoring window is before the respective edge of the clock signal (Fig. 2A, beginning of W1 is before the third rising edge of S) and wherein the timing event monitoring window ends at the respective edge of the clock signal (Fig. 2A, W1 ends at the third rising edge of S).
As per claim 17: Fredriksson further teaches the microelectronic circuit according to claim 16, wherein a second timing event monitoring window is after the respective edge of the clock signal (Fig. 2A, W4 is after the third rising edge of S).
As per claim 18: Fredriksson further teaches the microelectronic circuit according to claim 15, wherein part of the timing event monitoring window is after the respective edge of the clock signal (Fig. 2A, the end of W1 is after the second rising edge of S).
As per claim 20: Nikitin teaches a method for operating a microelectronic circuit, the method comprising:
generating a timing event observation signal (col. 17, lines 54-59) as a response to detecting a change in a digital value (col. 3, lines 43-45) during a timing event monitoring window (col. 4, lines 26-32); and
adjusting at least a duration of the timing event monitoring window (col. 8, lines 29-33, U(t)).
Not explicitly disclosed is the digital value at an input of an associated register circuit. However, Fredriksson in an analogous art teaches monitoring a change in a digital value (Fig. 1, M; Figs. 2) at an input of an associated register circuit (Fig. 1, 20).
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to use the method of Nikitin for monitoring the signal M of Fredriksson. This modification would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing because Nikitin states that any signal could have been monitored (col. 3, lines 62-65).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-14 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: none of the prior art of record teach or fairly suggest: a timing event monitoring window clock generator circuit for generating a timing event monitoring window clock signal indicative of the duration of the timing event monitoring window and a position of the timing event monitoring window with respect to the respective edge of the clock signal; as recited in claim 3, particularly in combination with each and every limitation of parent claim 1 and intervening claim 2. Claims 4-14 inherit the limitations of claim 3 and are allowable for at least the same reasons.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The prior art are directed to various methods for measuring or detecting signal changes related to timing aspects for circuit operation.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to STEVE N NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-7214. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-5.
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/STEVE N NGUYEN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2111