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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-10 and 12 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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) 1-5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wadhwa (US 8,350,631).
Regarding claim 1, Wadhwa discloses an oscillator device (FIG. 2B), comprising: a control circuit (216a, 216b,216c,216d, 222, D1, D2, C1, C2, S1 and S2) configured to receive a first input signal (D1’)and a second input signal (D2’), and generate a first control signal (VRAMP1) and a second control signal (VRAMP2); and an oscillator circuit (210a, 210b 212, 214a, 214b, 218a, 218b), coupled to the control circuit, and configured to receive the first control signal (VRAMP1), the second control signal (VRAMP2), a first reference voltage (T1 to + input of 210a via S4) and a second reference voltage (T2 to + input of 210b via S3), and generate a first oscillating signal (D1’) and a second oscillating signal (D2’) according to the first control signal, the second control signal, the first reference voltage and the second reference voltage, wherein the first reference voltage and the second reference voltage are different (because of resistance value of R, 216c).
Regarding claim 2, Wadhwa discloses the oscillator device wherein when the first input signal and the second input signal are the same, a frequency of the first oscillating signal and a frequency of the second oscillating signal are the same (they are the same with different phase).
Regarding claim 3, Wadhwa discloses the oscillator device wherein when the first input signal and the second input signal are different (in phase), a frequency of the first oscillating signal and a frequency of the second oscillating signal are different (in some degree).
Regarding claim 4, Wadhwa discloses the oscillator device wherein when the first input signal is higher than the second input signal, the frequency of the first oscillating signal is higher than the frequency of the second oscillating signal (in some degree).
Regarding claim 5, Wadhwa discloses the oscillator device wherein when the first input signal is lower than the second input signal, the frequency of the first oscillating signal is lower than the frequency of the second oscillating signal (in some degree).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-10 and 12 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 cited references discloses nor suggests the claimed invention including “current source” as set forth in the claims.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Joseph Chang whose telephone number is (571)272-1759. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:00- 17:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Menatoallah M 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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/JOSEPH CHANG/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2849
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