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.
Claim 1-15 are 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.
For claim 1, it is not understood which “the control signal”, “the drive voltage output module”, “the first control signal” and “the second control signal” refer to since a plurality of control signals and drive voltage output modules are defined by the claim, as shown below (emphasis added):
“…at least two drive units, wherein each drive unit comprises a control signal generation module and a drive voltage output module;
the control signal generation module is connected to the drive voltage output module;
the control signal generation module is configured to generate a first control signal and a second control signal, and to output the first control signal and the second control signal to the drive voltage output module, so as to control the drive voltage output module to output a voltage; and
…the drive voltage output module is configured to adjust a signal output mode according to the first control signal and the second control signal and to output the drive voltage to an external electrical device.”
Furthermore, it is unclear whether “the drive voltage output module to output a voltage”, “a drive voltage to each drive voltage output module” and “a signal output node…to output the drive voltage to an external device” all refer to the same signal.
Lastly, it cannot be understood what is meant by “the charge pump is configured to time-share a provision of a drive voltage to each drive voltage output module” since Applicant’s Specification teaches that the drive voltage output module outputs the drive voltage ([47]).
For the purposes of examination, Examiner will interpret the scope of the claims as follows:
Claim 1. A charge pump drive circuit, comprising:
a charge pump receiving a clock signal and generating an output voltage ; and
at least two drive units, each drive unit comprising:
a control signal generation module; and
a drive voltage output module;
wherein each control signal generation module is connected to a corresponding drive voltage output module; and
wherein each control signal generation module:
generates a first control signal and a second control signal;
outputs the first control signal and the second control signal to a corresponding drive voltage output module; and
wherein each drive voltage output module:
outputs a drive voltage to a corresponding external device based upon the output voltage; and
adjusts a signal output mode according to the first control signal and the second control signal.
wherein based on the clock signal, the charge pump alternatively provides the output voltage to each drive voltage output module in a non-overlapping manner.
For claim 2, examiner will interpret:
“wherein the drive voltage output module comprises” as “wherein each drive voltage output module comprises”.
For claim 3, examiner will interpret:
“wherein the control signal generation module comprises a first signal generator” as “wherein each control signal generation module comprises a first signal generator”.
For claim 5, examiner will interpret:
“wherein the control signal generation module further comprises a second signal generator” as “wherein each control signal generation module further comprises a second signal generator”
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-15 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action. Specifically, the prior art fails to teach “the charge pump is configured to time-share a provision of a drive voltage to each drive voltage output module according to the clock signal”.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: Lin et al (CN101335486A) teaches time-share multiplexing a charge pump circuit but fails to teach time-share multiplexing between a plurality of drive voltage output modules according to a clock signal.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANIEL CALRISSIAN PUENTES whose telephone number is (571)270-5070. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-6:30 (flex).
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Menatoallah Youssef can be reached at 571-270-3684. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DANIEL C PUENTES/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2849
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