Appeal 2007-1552
Application 09/852,123
SUMMARY OF DECISION
We AFFIRM.
THE INVENTION
Appellants’ claimed invention is to a structure for providing electrostatic
discharge (ESD) protection to an integrated semiconductor circuit (Specification
1:10-12). Claim 1, reproduced below, is representative of the subject matter on
appeal.
1. An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protective structure that protects
an integrated circuit connected between a first voltage bus with a first supply
voltage (VCC) and a second voltage bus with a second supply voltage
(VSS), said electrostatic discharge protective structure comprising:
a plurality of laterally designed bipolar transistors each having a first
load line connected to the first voltage bus and a second load line connected
to the second voltage bus, wherein said first load lines are electrically
parallel to one another and said second load lines are electrically parallel to
one another, each of said laterally designed bipolar transistors includes a
control connection to one of the voltage buses;
a single track resistor (RB) co-integrated into a semiconductor body,
wherein said single track resistor precedes every control connection (B) of
said laterally designed bipolar transistors (T1-T3).
THE REJECTIONS
The Examiner relies upon the following as evidence of unpatentability:
Avery US 5,043,782 Aug. 27, 1991
Li US 5,623,387 Apr. 22 1997
Smith US 6,075,271 Jun. 13, 2000
Wong US 6,277,689 B1 Aug. 21, 2001
2
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