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`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and Trademark Office
`Address: COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS
`P.O. Box 1450
`Alexandria, Virginia 22313-1450
`
`17/951,165
`
`09/23/2022
`
`Osamu Ohashi
`
`P220915US00
`
`7386
`
`WHDA, LLP
`8500 LEESBURG PIKE
`SUITE 7500
`TYSONS, VA22182
`
`© TOOLE, COLLEEN |
`
`2849
`
`PAPER NUMBER
`
`NOTIFICATION DATE
`
`DELIVERY MODE
`
`03/15/2024
`
`ELECTRONIC
`
`Please find below and/or attached an Office communication concerning this application or proceeding.
`
`The time period for reply, if any, is set in the attached communication.
`
`Notice of the Office communication was sent electronically on above-indicated "Notification Date" to the
`following e-mail address(es):
`
`patentmail @ whda.com
`
`PTOL-90A (Rev. 04/07)
`
`

`

`Application No.
`Applicant(s)
`17/951,165
`Ohashi, Osamu
`
`Office Action Summary Art Unit|AIA (FITF)StatusExaminer
`COLLEEN J O'TOOLE
`2849
`Yes
`
`
`
`-- The MAILING DATEof this communication appears on the cover sheet with the correspondence address --
`Period for Reply
`
`A SHORTENED STATUTORYPERIOD FOR REPLYIS SET TO EXPIRE 2 MONTHS FROM THE MAILING
`DATE OF THIS COMMUNICATION.
`Extensionsof time may be available underthe provisions of 37 CFR 1.136(a). In no event, however, may a reply betimely filed after SIX (6) MONTHSfrom the mailing
`date of this communication.
`If NO period for reply is specified above, the maximum statutory period will apply and will expire SIX (6) MONTHSfrom the mailing date of this communication.
`-
`- Failure to reply within the set or extended period for reply will, by statute, cause the application to become ABANDONED (35 U.S.C. § 133).
`Any reply received by the Office later than three months after the mailing date of this communication, evenif timely filed, may reduce any earned patent term
`adjustment. See 37 CFR 1.704(b).
`
`Status
`
`
`
`1) Responsive to communication(s) filed on 923/22.
`C} A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/werefiled on
`2a)() This action is FINAL.
`2b) (J This action is non-final.
`3) An election was madeby the applicant in responseto a restriction requirement set forth during the interview
`on
`; the restriction requirement and election have been incorporated into this action.
`4)(¥i Since this application is in condition for allowance except for formal matters, prosecution as to the merits is
`closed in accordance with the practice under Exparte Quayle, 1935 C.D. 11, 453 O.G. 213.
`
`Disposition of Claims*
`1-8 is/are pending in the application.
`)
`Claim(s)
`5a) Of the above claim(s) _ is/are withdrawn from consideration.
`Claim(s) 1-8 is/are allowed.
`£) Claim(s)__ is/are rejected.
`(] Claim(s)__ is/are objectedto.
`CL] Claim(s
`are subject to restriction and/or election requirement
`)
`* If any claims have been determined allowable, you maybeeligible to benefit from the Patent Prosecution Highway program at a
`participating intellectual property office for the corresponding application. For more information, please see
`http://www.uspto.gov/patents/init_events/pph/index.jsp or send an inquiry to PPHfeedback@uspto.gov.
`
`) ) ) )
`
`Application Papers
`10)() The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
`11) The drawing(s)filed on 9/23/22 is/are: a)(] accepted or b)(¥) objected to by the Examiner.
`Applicant may not request that any objection to the drawing(s) be held in abeyance. See 37 CFR 1.85(a).
`Replacement drawing sheet(s) including the correction is required if the drawing(s) is objected to. See 37 CFR 1.121(d).
`
`Priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119
`12)(¥) Acknowledgment is made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d)or (f).
`Certified copies:
`_—_c)L) None ofthe:
`b)L) Some**
`a)Y) All
`1.) Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
`2.1.) Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No. |
`3.2.) Copies of the certified copies of the priority documents have been receivedin this National Stage
`application from the International Bureau (PCT Rule 17.2(a)).
`*“ See the attached detailed Office action for a list of the certified copies not received.
`
`Attachment(s)
`
`1)
`
`Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
`
`Information Disclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/08a and/or PTO/SB/08b)
`2)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
`
`3)
`
`4)
`
`(LJ Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date
`(Qj Other:
`
`PTOL-326 (Rev. 11-13)
`
`Office Action Summary
`
`Part of Paper No./Mail Date 20240116
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/951,165
`Art Unit: 2849
`
`Page 2
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`DETAILED ACTION
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`Notice of Pre-AlA or AIA Status
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`The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013,
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`is being examined
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`underthefirst inventor to file provisions of the AIA.
`
`Drawings
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`Figure 3 should be designated by alegend such as--Prior Art-- because only
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`that which is oldis 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
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`abandonment of the application. The replacement sheet(s) should be labeled
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`“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
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`applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office
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`action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
`
`Allowable Subject Matter
`
`Claims 1-8 are allowed.
`
`The following is an examiner's statement of reasons for allowance: The prior art
`
`1.
`
`2.
`
`does notfairly teach or suggest a trigger circuit including a semiconductor switching
`
`element configured to output the switching pulse signal to the start-up terminal in
`
`response to the external trigger signal; a load resistor for the semiconductor switching
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`element; a one-shot pulse circuit configured to convert the switching pulse signal to be
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`input to the start-up terminal into a one-shot pulse with a predetermined pulse width;
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/951,165
`Art Unit: 2849
`
`Page 3
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`and a forcible-reset circuit connected to an input side of the semiconductor switching
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`element, the forcible-reset circuit being configured to temporarily turn on the
`
`semiconductor switching element in combination with the limitations of claim 1. Claims
`
`2-8 are allowed merely for being dependent from claim 1.
`
`Lee et al. (U.S. Patent 6,876,237, hereafter Lee) teachesa trigger circuit (Figure
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`2) configured to output a switching pulse signal (RESET) in response to an external
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`trigger signal (RST_STP#) provided to an external input terminal (to 28), a
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`semiconductor switching element (20) configured to output the switching pulse signal
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`(RESET) in response to the external trigger signal (POWER_ON), and a forcible-reset
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`circuit (22 and 28) connected to an input side of the semiconductor switching element
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`(20), the forcible-reset circuit being configured to temporarily turn on the semiconductor
`
`switching element (when 22 is ON, the output of 20 is high). Lee does not specifically
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`teach a load resistor or a one-shot pulse circuit configured to convert the switching
`
`pulse signal to be input to the start-up terminal into a one-shot pulse with a
`
`predetermined pulse width, the one-shot pulse circuit includes: a first coupling capacitor
`
`connected to the input side of the semiconductor switching element; andafirst charging
`
`resistor for the first coupling capacitor.
`
`Kim et al. (U.S. Patent 8,624,648, hereafter Kim) teaches a trigger circuit (Figure
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`4) configured to output a switching pulse signal (RESbar to 210) in response to an
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`external trigger signal (TRIGGER SIGNAL) provided to an external input terminal (to
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`220), a semiconductor switching element (250) configured to output the switching pulse
`
`signal in response to the external trigger signal (output of 220), and a forcible-reset
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`circuit (240 and 245) connected to an input side of the semiconductor switching element
`
`

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`Application/Control Number: 17/951,165
`Art Unit: 2849
`
`Page 4
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`(250). Kim does not specifically teach a load resistor or a one-shot pulse circuit
`
`configured to convert the switching pulse signal to be input to the start-up terminal into a
`
`one-shot pulse with a predetermined pulse width, the one-shot pulse circuit includes: a
`
`first coupling capacitor connected to the input side of the semiconductor switching
`
`element; and a first charging resistor for the first coupling capacitor.
`
`Balmelli (U.S. Patent 8,872,554) teaches a trigger circuit (Figure 3A) configured
`
`to output a switching pulse signal (rsto_core) in response to an external trigger signal
`
`(208 via 310 and 311). Balmelli does not specifically teach a load resistor or a one-shot
`
`pulse circuit configured to convert the switching pulse signal to be input to the start-up
`
`terminal into a one-shot pulse with a predetermined pulse width, the one-shot pulse
`
`circuit includes: a first coupling capacitor connected to the input side of the
`
`semiconductor switching element; and a first charging resistor for the first coupling
`
`capacitor.
`
`Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later
`
`than the paymentof the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably
`
`accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on
`
`Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
`
`Conclusion
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`3.
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`This application is in condition for allowance exceptfor the following formal
`
`matters: The objection to the drawings as stated above.
`
`Prosecution on the merits is closed in accordance with the practice under Ex
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`parte Quayle, 25 USPQ 74, 453 O.G. 213, (Comm’r Pat. 1935).
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 17/951,165
`Art Unit: 2849
`
`Page 5
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`A shortened statutory period for reply to this action is set to expire TWO (2)
`
`MONTHSfrom the mailing date of this letter. Extensions of time may be granted under
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`37 CFR 1.136 but in no case can any extension carry the date for reply to this Office
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`action beyond the maximum period of SIX MONTHS setbystatute (85 U.S.C. 133).
`
`Anyinquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
`
`examiner should be directed to COLLEEN J O'TOOLEwhosetelephone numberis
`
`(571)270-1273. The examiner can normally be reached Monday- Friday, 9:00 am -
`
`6:00pm.
`
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 17/951,165
`Art Unit: 2849
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`Page 6
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`
`/C.J.O/
`Examiner, Art Unit 2849
`
`/RYAN JOHNSON/
`Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2849
`
`