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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because Figure 1should be designated by a legend such as --Prior Art-- because only that which is old is illustrated. See MPEP § 608.02(g). Corrected drawings in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. The replacement sheet(s) should be labeled “Replacement Sheet” in the page header (as per 37 CFR 1.84(c)) so as not to obstruct any portion of the drawing figures. If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the “ultrasonic detection device, comprising: an underlayer substrate; a plurality of detection units located on a side of the underlayer substrate, wherein the detection units comprises an ultrasonic sensor, and the ultrasonic detection circuit according to claim 1” (recited in claim 10), “wherein the plurality of detection units are arrayed in a row direction and/or a column direction” (recited in claim 11), and “the ultrasonic detection device further comprises an ultrasonic emitter, and the ultrasonic emitter is configured to emit an ultrasonic signal in response to a second driving signal” (recited in claim 12, in addition to an ultrasonic sensor recited earlier in claim 10) must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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 1-16 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, the recitation “the drive transistor and a control electrode are connected to the first node, a first electrode is connected to the compensation module, and a second electrode is connected to the second node” recites on lines 9-11 is indefinite because it is not clear if “a control electrode”, “a first electrode” and “a second electrode” in the above phrase are the electrodes of the drive transistor. To overcome this problem, it is suggested “the drive transistor and a control electrode are connected to the first node, a first electrode is connected to the compensation module, and a second electrode is connected to the second node” recites on lines 9-11 be changed to “the drive transistor has a control electrode connected to the first node, a first electrode is connected to the compensation module, and a second electrode is connected to the second node”. Clarification and/or appropriate correction is required.
Claims 2-16 are indefinite because they depend on claim 1.
Also, for claim 3, the recitations “a control electrode” (line 3), “a first electrode” (line 3-4), and “a second electrode” (line 4) cause the claim to be indefinite because it is not clear they are the electrodes of the second transistor in this claim. To overcome this problem, it is suggested “a control electrode” (line 3) be changed to “a control electrode of the second transistor”, “a first electrode” (line 3-4) be changed to “a first electrode of the second transistor”, and “a second electrode” (line 4) be changed to “a second electrode of the second transistor”. Clarification and/or appropriate correction is required.
Also, for claim 4, the recitations “a control electrode” (line 3), “a first electrode” (line 3-4), “the first electrode” (line 4), and “a second electrode” (line 5) cause the claim to be indefinite because it is not clear they are the electrodes of the third transistor in this claim. To overcome this problem, it is suggested “a control electrode” (line 3) be changed to “a control electrode of the third transistor”, “a first electrode” (line 3-4) be changed to “a first electrode of the third transistor”, “the first electrode” (line 4) be changed to “the first electrode of the third transistor”, and “a second electrode” (line 5) be changed to “a second electrode of the third transistor”. Clarification and/or appropriate correction is required.
Also, for claim 5, the recitations “a first electrode” (line 3) and “a second electrode” (line 3-4) cause the claim to be indefinite because it is not clear they are the electrodes of the capacitor in this claim. To overcome this problem, it is suggested “a first electrode” (line 3) be changed to “a first electrode of the capacitor”, and “a second electrode” (line 3-4) be changed to “a second electrode of the capacitor”. Clarification and/or appropriate correction is required.
Also, for claim 6, the recitations “a control electrode” (line 3), “a first electrode” (line 4), and “a second electrode” (line 4) cause the claim to be indefinite because it is not clear they are the electrodes of the fourth transistor in this claim. To overcome this problem, it is suggested “a control electrode” (line 3) be changed to “a control electrode of the fourth transistor”, “a first electrode” (line 4) be changed to “a first electrode of the fourth transistor”, and “a second electrode” (line 4) be changed to “a second electrode of the fourth transistor”. Further, the recitation “a first electrode of the drive transistor” (line 5) is unclear antecedent basis (see claim 1, lines 9-10) and should be changed to “the first electrode of the drive transistor”. Clarification and/or appropriate correction is required.
Also, for claim 7, the recitations “a control electrode” (line 3), “a first electrode” (line 3-4), and “a second electrode” (line 4) cause the claim to be indefinite because it is not clear they are the electrodes of the fifth transistor in this claim. To overcome this problem, it is suggested “a control electrode” (line 3) be changed to “a control electrode of the fifth transistor”, “a first electrode” (line 3-4) be changed to “a first electrode of the fifth transistor”, and “a second electrode” (line 4) be changed to “a second electrode of the fifth transistor”. Clarification and/or appropriate correction is required.
Also, for claim 9, the recitations “a control electrode” (line 3), “a first electrode” (line 3), and “a second electrode” (line 4) cause the claim to be indefinite because it is not clear they are the electrodes of the sixth transistor in this claim. Similarly, the recitations “a control electrode” (line 5), “a first electrode” (line 5), and “a second electrode” (line 6) also cause the claim to be indefinite because it is not clear they are the electrodes of the seventh transistor in this claim. To overcome this problem, it is suggested “a control electrode” (line 3) be changed to “a control electrode of the sixth transistor”, “a first electrode” (line 3) be changed to “a first electrode of the sixth transistor”, “a second electrode” (line 4) be changed to “a second electrode of the sixth transistor”; “a control electrode” (line 5) be changed to “a control electrode of the seventh transistor”, “a first electrode” (line 5) be changed to “a first electrode of the seventh transistor”, and “a second electrode” (line 6) be changed to “a second electrode of the seventh transistor” . Clarification and/or appropriate correction is required.
Also, for claim 10, the recitation “an ultrasonic sensor” (line 4) is unclear antecedent basis (see claim 1, line 6) and thus it should be changed to “the ultrasonic sensor”. Clarification and/or appropriate correction is required.
Claims 11-12 are also indefinite because they depend on claim 10.
Also, for claim 12, the recitations “an ultrasonic signal” (line 2 and line 5) are unclear antecedent basis (see claim 10, line 5-6) and thus it should be changed to “the ultrasonic signal”. Clarification and/or appropriate correction is required.
Also, for claim 13, the recitations “a reset control signal” (line 3), “a compensation control signal” (line 4), “an acquisition control signal” (line 7), “a signal received by the ultrasonic sensor” (line 8), “a compensation control signal” (line 9), “a reading control signal” (line 10), and “a detection signal” are all unclear antecedent basis (see claim 1 which already recited all the respective signals) and thus, to overcome the indefinite problem, the following should be changed: “a reset control signal” (line 3) be changed to “the reset control signal”, “a compensation control signal” (line 4) be changed to “the compensation control signal”, “an acquisition control signal” (line 7) be changed to “the acquisition control signal”, “a signal received by the ultrasonic sensor” (line 8) be changed to “the signal received by the ultrasonic sensor”, “a compensation control signal” (line 9) be changed to “the compensation control signal”, “a reading control signal” (line 10) be changed to “the reading control signal”, and “a detection signal” be changed to “the detection signal”. Clarification and/or appropriate correction is required.
Claims 14-16 are also indefinite because they depend on claim 13.
Also, for claim 14, the recitation “an acquisition control signal” is unclear antecedent basis (see claim 13 and claim 1 which the recitation is already recited), and thus it should be changed to “the acquisition control signal”. Clarification and/or appropriate correction is required.
Also, for claim 15, the recitations “a compensation control signal” (line 4), “a reset control signal” (line 6), and “a read control signal” (line 6) are all unclear antecedent basis (see claim 13 and 1 which already recited all the respective signals) and thus, to overcome the indefinite problem, they should be changed to “the compensation control signal”, “the reset control signal”, and “the read control signal”, respectively. Clarification and/or appropriate correction is required.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-16 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.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Claim 1 would be allowed because the prior art of record fails to teach or suggest an ultrasonic detection circuit comprising a reset module, an acquisition module, a drive transistor, a storage module, a compensation module and a reading module with the connections and operations as recited in claim 1. In particularly, the closet the prior arts of record (US 2021/0406498 and US 2021/0264126) fail to teach or suggest the limitations “the drive transistor has a control electrode connected to the first node, a first electrode is connected to the compensation module, and a second electrode is connected to the second node; the storage module is respectively connected to the first node and the second node, and is configured to store a voltage between the first node and the second node; the compensation module is further connected to a compensation control end and a first voltage end, and is configured to write a threshold voltage of the drive transistor into the second node in response to a compensation control signal of the compensation control end; and the reading module is respectively connected to a read control end, the second node and an output end, and is configured to output a detection signal at the output end according to potentials of the first node and the second node in response to a reading control signal of the read control end” in combination with other limitations as recited in claim 1.
Claims 2-16 would be allowed because they depend on claim 1.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directly to Examiner Long Nguyen whose telephone number is (571) 272-1753. The Examiner can normally be reached on Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 5:00pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Regis Betsch, can be reached at (571) 270-7101. The fax number for this group is (571) 273-8300.
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/Long Nguyen/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2836
Prosecution Insights