Appeal No. 2001-1827
Application No. 08/696,404
BACKGROUND
The appellant's invention relates to a semiconductor integrated circuit having a
function determination circuit. An understanding of the invention can be derived from a
reading of exemplary claim 13, which is reproduced below.
13. A semiconductor integrated circuit including a first voltage line, a
second voltage line, and a function determination circuit, said
semiconductor integrated circuit being functionally determined by an
output signal of said function determination circuit, said function
determination circuit comprising:
a bonding pad connectable to said second voltage line, an output
node connected to said bonding pad which supplies said output signal to a
signal processing circuit in said semiconductor integrated circuit to
determine the function of said semiconductor integrated circuit, and a first
transistor having a source-drain path connected between said first voltage
line and said output node and a gate supplied to a reference voltage,
wherein said reference voltage prevents said bonding pad from existing in
a floating state and has a value between a potential of said first voltage
line less approximately one threshold voltage value, and a potential of said
second voltage line plus said approximately one threshold voltage value.
The prior art references of record relied upon by the examiner in rejecting the
appealed claims are:
Eaton, Jr. 5,117,177 May 26, 1992
Appellant’s Admitted Prior Art (AAPA) in Figures 1 and 2.
Claims 13-17 and 20 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being
unpatentable over AAPA in view of Eaton, Jr.
2
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