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 § 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.
Claims 1-2 and 14-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kwon et al. (US 2022/0321125).
In regards to claim 1, Kwon discloses of an electronic device comprising: a pad (for example 810) configured to be connected to an external device (120); and a transmitter (814) configured to drive the pad (810) in a first state, a second state, or a third state based on a signal being transmitted to the external device (120), wherein the first state includes a pull-up state (via 814U, see Fig 13), the second state includes a pull-down state (via 814D, see Fig 13), and the third state includes a state in which the pad (810) is connected to a ground node (VSSQ) to which a ground voltage is applied through a matching circuit (114d, see Figs 12-13, 15-16).
In regards to claim 2, Kwon discloses of the electronic device of claim 1, wherein the transmitter (814) is configured to deactivate the matching circuit (114d) based on the pad being (810) driven to one of the first state and the second state (see Fig 13, matching is disabled during transmission).
In regards to claim 14, Kwon discloses of the electronic device of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a memory device configured to receive a command and address signal and a clock signal from the external device (for example see Figs 1, 17), to communicate a data strobe signal with the external device, and to communicate a data signal with the external device in synchronization with the data strobe signal, and wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the data signal to the external device based on one of the first state, the second state, or the third state used to drive the pad (see Figs 1, 12-13, 15-17).
In regards to claim 15, Kwon discloses of the electronic device of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a memory device configured to receive a chip enable signal, a read enable signal, a write enable signal, and an address enable signal from the external device (for example see Figs 1, 17), to communicate a data strobe signal with the external device, and to communicate a data signal with the external device in synchronization with the data strobe signal, and wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the data signal to the external device based on one of the first state, the second state, or the third state (see Figs 1, 12-13, 15-17).
In regards to claim 16, Kwon discloses of a method of operating an electronic device that includes a transmitter (for example 814) and a receiver (for example 812) configured to communicate with an external device (120), the method comprising: when transmitting a first signal to the external device (120) using the transmitter (814), turning on a pull-up circuit (see 814U in Fig 13) of the transmitter (814), turning off a pull-down circuit (see 814D) of the transmitter, and deactivating a matching circuit (114d, see Fig 12) of the transmitter (814); when transmitting a second signal to the external device (120) using the transmitter (814), turning off the pull-up circuit (814U), turning on the pull-down circuit (814D), and deactivating the matching circuit (114s); and when transmitting a third signal to the external device (120) using the transmitter, turning off the pull-up circuit (814U), turning off the pull-down circuit (814D), and activating the matching circuit (114f, matching circuit activated when supplying a matching impedance during receiving).
In regards to claim 17, Kwon discloses of the method of claim 16, further comprising deactivating the matching circuit (114) based on a signal (C1) being received from the external device using the transmitter (see Figs 1, 12-13, 15-16).
In regards to claim 18, Kwon discloses of the method of claim 16, further comprising: performing ZQ calibration; and adjusting an impedance of the matching circuit (114) based on a result of the ZQ calibration (via 112, see Figs 1, 12-13, 15-16).
In regards to claim 19, Kwon discloses of an electronic system comprising: a first electronic device including a first transmitter (814) and a first receiver (812); and a second electronic device including a second transmitter (824) and a second receiver (822), wherein the second receiver (822) is configured to, based on the first transmitted being pulled up, generate a first signal in response to the first transmitter (814) being pulled up, wherein the second receiver (822) is configured to, based on the first transmitter (814) being pulled down, generate a second signal in response to the first transmitter (814) being pulled down, and wherein the second receiver (822) is configured to, based on the first transmitter (814) activating a first matching circuit (114d), generate a third signal (see Figs 12-13, 15-16).
In regards to claim 20, Kwon discloses of the electronic system of claim 19, wherein the second transmitter (824) is configured to, based on one of the first signal, the second signal, or the third signal being communicated to the second transmitter (824) by the first transmitter (814), deactivate a second matching circuit (124d, see Figs 12-13, 15-16).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-13 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:
In regards to claim 3, the prior art does not explicitly disclose of the electronic device of claim 1, wherein the matching circuit includes: a transistor connected to the pad and controlled by the internal circuit; and a resistor and a capacitor that are connected in series between the transistor and the ground node, nor would it have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to do so. Claims 4-7 are also objected to as being dependent on claim 3.
In regards to claim 8, the prior art does not explicitly disclose of the electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a receiver connected to the pad, wherein the receiver includes a transimpedance amplify receiver, nor would it have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to do so. Claims 9-13 are also objected to as being dependent on claim 8.
Conclusion
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/JASON M CRAWFORD/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2844