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 3, 5, 11, 13 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.
Claim 3 recites the limitation "a capacitor" in line 3. It is not clear if this is the same capacitor cited in line 5 of parent claim 2, or some other capacitor, thus rendering the claim indefinite.
Claim 5 recites the limitation "a capacitor" in line 3. It is not clear if this is the same capacitor cited in line 5 of parent claim 4, or some other capacitor, thus rendering the claim indefinite.
Claim 5 recites the limitation "a first resistor" in line 7. It is not clear if this is the same first resistor cited in line 5 of the same claim, or some other resistor, thus rendering the claim indefinite.
Claim 11 recites the limitation "a capacitor" in line 3. It is not clear if this is the same capacitor cited in line 4 of parent claim 10, or some other capacitor, thus rendering the claim indefinite.
Claim 13 recites the limitation "a capacitor" in line 3. It is not clear if this is the same capacitor cited in line 5 of parent claim 12, or some other capacitor, thus rendering the claim indefinite.
Claim 13 recites the limitation "a first resistor" in line 7. It is not clear if this is the same first resistor cited in line 5 of the same claim, or some other resistor, thus rendering the claim indefinite.
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 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lehr et al (8,559,996).
Regarding claim 8, Lehr’s Fig. 5 shows a circuit comprising:
a reference voltage source (406) configured to provide a reference voltage (VREF);
a timing controller (410) configured to provide a timing signal (the output of timer 410); and
a current limit circuit (408) configured to receive the timing signal (via flip-flop 412) and the reference voltage (via comparator 404).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, and 16-20 are presently allowed.
Claims 9, 10, 12, 14, and 15 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.
Claims 11 and 13 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejections under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claims 3 and 5 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejections under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US Patent Application Publication 2018/0045779 teaches a switch control circuit with a power management chip in a feedback loop.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WILLIAM HERNANDEZ whose telephone number is (571)272-8979. The examiner can normally be reached Mon to Fri; 10am to 6pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Taelor Kim can be reached at (571) 270-7166. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/WILLIAM HERNANDEZ/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2836
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