DETAILED ACTION
Application filed 10/4/2024 has been examined.
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claims 1-27 are pending.
Specification and drawings are accepted.
IDS has been considered. PTO-1449 is attached.
Application is pending.
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 1-27 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 example, claim 1 recites:
A processor-implemented method for testing comprising:
accessing a testing environment, wherein the testing environment includes an instruction RAM, an instruction fetch and decode unit (FAD), a code exerciser, a command interface, and a trace RAM, wherein a device under test (DUT) is accessible by the command interface, and wherein the testing environment includes a test instruction set architecture (TISA);
programming a test sequence, by a user, wherein the test sequence includes one or more instructions from within the TISA;
storing, in the instruction RAM, the test sequence that was programmed;
fetching, by the FAD, a first instruction from the test sequence that was stored, wherein the fetching includes decoding the first instruction;
translating, by the code exerciser, the first instruction, wherein the translating produces a first packetized communication, wherein the DUT is responsive to the first packetized communication;
sending the first packetized communication, by the command interface, to the DUT;
receiving a first packetized response, by the command interface, from the DUT, wherein the first packetized response is stored in a trace RAM; and
reporting, to the user, the first packetized response that was stored in the trace RAM.
The claim lacks clarity.
The claim states, “…programming a test sequence, by a user, wherein the test sequence includes one or more instructions from within the TISA…”
If the test instruction set is already loaded into the TISA then what exactly does the use program?
Is the test sequence input by the user or does the user select a test sequence from the TISA?
What is the distinction between the user input and the test instructions in the TISA?
Essential elements are missing from the claim.
Then the claim states, “…storing, in the instruction RAM, the test sequence that was programmed…”
Is the test sequence programmed and download by the user or is does the use select a test sequence on the TISA?
Next the claim states, “…fetching, by the FAD, a first instruction from the test sequence that was stored, wherein the fetching includes decoding the first instruction…”
Is the first instruction fetched from the TISA?
How is this instruction set related to the user test sequence?
It is not clear what exactly is being stated in the claim.
Essential elements are missing from the claim.
The claim states, “…sending the first packetized communication, by the command interface, to the DUT; receiving a first packetized response, by the command interface, from the DUT, wherein the first packetized response is stored in a trace RAM”
What is the first packetized communication?
Is this used to test the DUT? Is it test data?
Is the response received from the DUT stored ahead of time in the trace RAM or is this compared to something previous stored in the trace RAM?
Essential elements are missing.
Independent claims 26 and 27 are rejected for similar reasons. Respective dependent claims 2-25 are rejected at least based on dependency. Applicants are requested to review all claims.
Corrections are requested.
It is the Examiner’s conclusion that the claims of the present application, as presented, are not clear. Applicants are encouraged to formulate claim language that clear defines the novelty of the application. Pertinent prior arts have been cited for Applicants review.
Conclusion
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The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See PTO-892.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MUJTABA M CHAUDRY whose telephone number is (571)272-3817. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9am-5:30pm.
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MUJTABA M. CHAUDRY
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2112
/MUJTABA M CHAUDRY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2112