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.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 15, 16, and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kumar (US 9,600,062).
Regarding claims 1 and 15, fig. 3 and 4 of Kumar discloses an integrated circuit comprising: an input node configured to receive an input voltage [VIN]; a first switch [S1a], a second switch [S2a], and a third switch [S3a] sequentially connected in series between the input node and a ground terminal; a fourth switch [S1b], a fifth switch [S2b], and a sixth switch [S3b] sequentially connected in series between the input node and the ground terminal; a capacitor [CF] including a first end connected to the first switch and the second switch, and a second end connected to the fifth switch (through S3b when S3b is on) and the sixth switch; a first inductor [L2] including a first end connected to the fourth switch (through S2b when S2b is on) and the fifth switch, and a second end connected to an output node [VOUT]; a second inductor [L1] including a first end connected to the second switch and the third switch, and a second end connected to the output node; and a controller [that controlling the switches] configured to control the first switch through the sixth switch; wherein the capacitor is shared by the first inductor and the second inductor (T1 of fig. 4 shows where CF is coupled to L1 and T3 shows where CF is coupled to L2).
Regarding claims 2 and 16, fig. 3 and 4 of Kumar discloses wherein the controller is configured to determine an operation mode based on a voltage conversion ratio (as based on the desired output conversion), which is a ratio of an output voltage of the output node to the input voltage, and perform switching operations on the first switch through the sixth switch.
Regarding claim 20, this claim is merely a method to operate the circuit having structure recited in claims 1, 2, 15, and 16. Since Kumar above teaches the structure, the method to operate such a circuit is similarly disclosed.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-14 and 17-19 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.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1, 15, and 20 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.
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.
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/SIBIN CHEN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2836
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