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 .
Specification
Applicant is reminded of the proper language and format for an abstract of the disclosure.
The abstract should be in narrative form and generally limited to a single paragraph on a separate sheet within the range of 50 to 150 words in length. The abstract should describe the disclosure sufficiently to assist readers in deciding whether there is a need for consulting the full patent text for details.
The language should be clear and concise and should not repeat information given in the title. It should avoid using phrases which can be implied, such as, “The disclosure concerns,” “The disclosure defined by this invention,” “The disclosure describes,” etc. In addition, the form and legal phraseology often used in patent claims, such as “means” and “said,” should be avoided.
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because the phrase “Various embodiments include…” can be implied. A corrected abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
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, 11 and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Samuelson, et al. (US 5,361,776).
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Regarding claim 1, Samuelson discloses “receiving a first plurality of time domain reflectometry (TDR) signals from a test system (abstract: “time domain reflectometry (TDR) impedance sensor”; “detect a plurality… signals”); generating, for each TDR signal included the first plurality of TDR signals, a corresponding waveform included in a first plurality of waveforms (column 12, lines 63-65); and generating a three-dimensional (3D) visualization of the first plurality of waveforms (Fig. 10), wherein each waveform included in the first plurality of waveforms is at a different offset from all other waveforms included in the first plurality of waveforms along one dimension of the 3D visualization (Fig. 10).”
Regarding claim 2, Samuelson discloses “transmitting a test signal from a signal driver (Fig. 1, ref.# 18) through a transmission line, wherein: a first TDR signal included in the first plurality of TDR signals comprises a reflection of the test signal (column 9, lines 15-19), and a first waveform included in the first plurality of waveforms corresponding to the first TDR signal is used to determine a time for the first TDR signal to propagate from the signal driver through a transmission line and to reflect back to a signal receiver that is proximate to the signal driver (column 17, lines 10-15).”
Regarding claim 11, Samuelson discloses “wherein: a first waveform included in the first plurality of waveforms corresponding to a first TDR signal included in the first plurality of TDR signals, and the first waveform is associated with at least one of a signal propagation of the first TDR signal or a delay of the first TDR signal.” (column 6, lines 14-18)
Regarding claim 16, Samuelson discloses “receiving a selection of a subset of waveforms included in the first plurality of waveforms; and modifying the three-dimensional (3D) visualization to display the subset of waveforms and refrain from displaying waveforms included in the first plurality of waveforms that are excluded from the subset of waveforms.” (column 19, lines 23-25)
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shimanouchi (US 7,120,840) in view of Freer, et al. (US 2017/0184343).
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Shimanouchi – Figure 22
Regarding claim 1, Shimanouchi discloses “receiving a first plurality of time domain reflectometry (TDR) signals from a test system (column 6, lines 39-44); generating, for each TDR signal included the first plurality of TDR signals, a corresponding waveform included in a first plurality of waveforms (Fig. 15; column 9, lines 14-18)”.
Shimanouch does not teach (Claim 1) “generating a three-dimensional (3D) visualization of the first plurality of waveforms, wherein each waveform included in the first plurality of waveforms is at a different offset from all other waveforms included in the first plurality of waveforms along one dimension of the 3D visualization”; (Claim 12) “the 3D visualization displays a first waveform included in the first plurality of waveforms corresponding to a first TDR signal included in the first plurality of TDR signals as the first TDR signal propagates through the electrical trace line”; (Claim 13) “the 3D visualization displays the first waveform as the first TDR signal propagates through one or more layers of the application loadboard”; (Claim 14) “the 3D visualization displays the first waveform as the first TDR signal propagates through one or more connectors of the application loadboard”; (Claim 15) “the 3D visualization displays the first waveform as the first TDR signal propagates through one or more vias of the application loadboard”; (Claim 16) “modifying the three-dimensional (3D) visualization to display the subset of waveforms and refrain from displaying waveforms included in the first plurality of waveforms that are excluded from the subset of waveforms” and (Claim 17) “generating a three-dimensional (3D) visualization of the first plurality of waveforms, wherein each waveform included in the first plurality of waveforms is at a different offset from all other waveforms included in the first plurality of waveforms along one dimension of the 3D visualization.”
However, generating a 3-D visualization of a plurality of waveforms from time domain reflectometry was well known in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claim invention as taught by Freer (See Fig. 12; paragraphs 0075, 0078). Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill it the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Shimanouch to include generating a three-dimensional (3D) visualization of the first plurality of waveforms, wherein each waveform included in the first plurality of waveforms is at a different offset from all other waveforms included in the first plurality of waveforms along one dimension of the 3D visualization; wherein “the 3D visualization displays a first waveform included in the first plurality of waveforms corresponding to a first TDR signal included in the first plurality of TDR signals as the first TDR signal propagates through the electrical trace line”; wherein “the 3D visualization displays the first waveform as the first TDR signal propagates through one or more layers of the application loadboard”; wherein “the 3D visualization displays the first waveform as the first TDR signal propagates through one or more connectors of the application loadboard”; wherein “the 3D visualization displays the first waveform as the first TDR signal propagates through one or more vias of the application loadboard”; and wherein “modifying the three-dimensional (3D) visualization to display the subset of waveforms and refrain from displaying waveforms included in the first plurality of waveforms that are excluded from the subset of waveforms”; and “generating a three-dimensional (3D) visualization of the first plurality of waveforms, wherein each waveform included in the first plurality of waveforms is at a different offset from all other waveforms included in the first plurality of waveforms along one dimension of the 3D visualization” in order assist the user in evaluating a large number of waveform and distinguishing patterns between the waveforms.
Regarding claim 2, Shimanouchi discloses “transmitting a test signal from a signal driver through a transmission line, wherein: a first TDR signal included in the first plurality of TDR signals comprises a reflection of the test signal, and a first waveform included in the first plurality of waveforms corresponding to the first TDR signal is used to determine a time for the first TDR signal to propagate from the signal driver through a transmission line and to reflect back to a signal receiver that is proximate to the signal driver.” (column 6, lines 39 – 55)
Regarding claim 3, Shimanouchi discloses “transmitting a test signal from a signal driver (Fig. 22, ref.# 2205) through an electrical trace line (Fig. 22, ref.# 2211) on an application loadboard (Fig. 22, ref.# 2201) included in a test system, wherein: a first TDR signal included in the first plurality of TDR signals comprises a reflection of the test signal (column 6, line 550), and a first waveform included in the first plurality of waveforms corresponding to the first TDR signal is used to determine a delay associated with the electrical trace line (column 6, lines 51-66).”
Regarding claim 4, Shimanouchi discloses “wherein the delay comprises a propagation delay for the first TDR signal to propagate through the electrical trace line (Fig. 22, ref.# 2211) on the application loadboard (Fig. 22, ref.# 2201).” (column 6, lines 39-61)
Regarding claim 5, Shimanouchi discloses “transmitting a first test signal from a signal driver to a test fixture included in a test system, wherein: a first TDR signal included in the first plurality of TDR signals comprises a reflection of the first test signal, and a first waveform included in the first plurality of waveforms corresponding to the first TDR signal is used to calibrate a first propagation delay associated with the test fixture.” (column 6, lines 39-61)
Regarding claim 6, Shimanouchi discloses “wherein: the test fixture comprises an application loadboard (Fig. 22, ref.# 2201) and a test socket (Fig. 22, ref. 2202), the first test signal is transmitted from the signal driver to the application loadboard when the test socket is disconnected from the application loadboard, and the first waveform is used to measure a second propagation delay from the signal driver to the application loadboard.” (column 6, lines 39-61)
Regarding claim 7, Shimanouchi discloses “wherein the second propagation delay is used to determine a distance from the signal driver a spring probe mounted on the application loadboard.” (column 4, lines 59-63)
Regarding claim 8, Shimanouchi discloses “transmitting a second test signal from the signal driver (Fig. 22, ref.# 2205) to the test fixture (Fig. 22, ref.# 2203) when the test socket (Fig. 22, ref.# 2202) is connected to the application loadboard (Fig. 22, ref.# 2201), wherein: a second TDR signal included in a second plurality of TDR signals comprises a reflection of the second test signal, and a second waveform included in a second plurality of waveforms corresponding to the second TDR signal is used to measure a third propagation delay from the signal driver to the test socket (column 6, lines 39-61).”
Regarding claim 9, Shimanouchi discloses “wherein the third propagation delay is used to determine a distance from the signal driver to the test socket connected to the application loadboard.” (Fig. 5; column 6, lines 5-13)
Regarding claim 10, Shimanouchi discloses “wherein the first propagation delay is determined by subtracting the second propagation delay from the third propagation delay.” (column 6, lines 39-61)
Regarding claim 11, Shimanouchi discloses “wherein: a first waveform included in the first plurality of waveforms corresponding to a first TDR signal included in the first plurality of TDR signals, and the first waveform is associated with at least one of a signal propagation of the first TDR signal or a delay of the first TDR signal.” (Fig. 15; column 9, lines 14-18)
Regarding claim 12, Shimanouchi discloses “transmitting a test signal from a signal driver (Fig. 22, ref.# 2205) through an electrical trace line (Fig. 22, ref.# 2207), wherein: a first TDR signal included in the first plurality of TDR signals comprises a reflection of the test signal (column 6, lines 39-61)…”.
Regarding claim 13, Shimanouchi discloses “wherein: the electrical trace line (Fig. 22, ref.# 2211) is on an application loadboard (Fig. 22, ref.# 2201)…”.
Regarding claim 14, Shimanouchi discloses “wherein: the electrical trace line (Fig. 22, ref.# 2211) is on an application loadboard (Fig. 22, ref.# 2201)…”.
Regarding claim 15, Shimanouchi discloses “wherein: the electrical trace line (Fig. 22, ref.# 2211) is on an application loadboard (Fig. 22, ref.# 2201)…”.
Regarding claim 16, Shimanouchi discloses “receiving a selection of a subset of waveforms included in the first plurality of waveforms (Fig. 15)…”.
Regarding claim 17, Shimanouchi discloses “an application loadboard (Fig. 22, ref.# 2201) configured to receive a test socket (Fig. 22, ref.# 2202) to which a reference device under test (DUT) (Fig. 22, ref.# 2203) can be mounted; and a time domain reflectometer (column 6, lines 39-40) that: receives a first plurality of time domain reflectometry (TDR) signals from the application loadboard (Fig. 22, ref.# 2201); generating, for each TDR signal included the first plurality of TDR signals, a corresponding waveform included in a first plurality of waveforms (Fig. 15; column 9, lines 14-18)…”.
Regarding claim 18, Shimanouchi discloses “a signal driver (Fig. 22, ref.# 2205) that transmits a first test signal to the application loadboard (Fig. 22, ref.# 2201) when the test socket (Fig. 22, ref.# 2202) is disconnected from the application loadboard, wherein the first waveform is used to measure a second propagation delay from the signal driver to the application loadboard (column 6, lines 39 – 55).”
Regarding claim 19, Shimanouchi discloses “a test socket (Fig. 22, ref.# 2202) that is connected to the application loadboard (Fig. 22, ref.# 2201), wherein: the signal driver transmits a second test signal to the application loadboard when the test socket is connected to the application, a second TDR signal included in a second plurality of TDR signals comprises a reflection of the second test signal, and a second waveform included in a second plurality of waveforms corresponding to the second TDR signal is used to measure a third propagation delay from the signal driver to the test socket (column 6, lines 39-61).”
Regarding claim 20, Shimanouchi discloses “wherein the first propagation delay is determined by subtracting the second propagation delay from the third propagation delay.” column 6, lines 39-61
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Shang, et al. (US 12,560,640), Peschke, et al. (US 2019/0302183), Hickling (US 7,009,382) and Maassen, et al. (US 6,492,797) teach generating a waveform with a time domain reflectometry system.
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/RODNEY E FULLER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2852 June 25, 2026
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