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, 4, 13, and 14 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.
Regarding claims 3 and 13, it is claimed that the level shifter has the second power supply voltage. Since parent claim 2 describes how the master and slave have the first power supply voltage VDD1, the second power supply voltage must be VDD2. However, from the figures, the level shifter 350, 550, 750, and 850 are all coupled to VDD1 and not VDD2.
Regarding claims 4 and 14, it is rejected since it depends on claim 3 above.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1, 2, 5-12, and 15-20 allowed.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Pant describes a power management system with flip-flops. Purushothaman describes a latched logic state device with immunity. Huang describes a data retention circuit. Kim describes a multi-bit flip-flop with a scan chain.
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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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/SIBIN CHEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2836
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