Appeal No. 2003-0258
Application 09/684,138
Claim 5
Rincon-Mora discloses a low drop-out voltage regulator
circuit (col. 1, lines 11-12) comprising a MOS pass through
transistor (20; col. 3, lines 42-46), a resistor feedback circuit
coupled to the MOS pass through transistor (figure 1, resistors
24 and 26; col. 3, lines 48-50), an error amplifier (16; col. 3,
lines 38-42) having an input coupled to the resistor feedback
circuit (figure 1), and a transient boost circuit (30; col. 3,
lines 57-58) coupled to the gate of the MOS pass through
transistor (figure 1). In one embodiment the transient boost
circuit (40; col. 4, line 32) is coupled also to a buffer (42) at
the output of the amplifier (col. 4, lines 35-40; figure 3).
The appellant argues that Rincon-Mora does not disclose that
the amplifier has a class A output stage (brief, page 4).
The examiner argues (answer, page 4):
[Rincon-Mora’s] transistor 42 is further described as
being an emitter follower connected NPN bipolar
transistor [col. 4, lines 35-37]. Applicant has
already associated emitter followers and class A output
stages as one and the same in lines 10-14 of page 4 of
the specification when describing the purpose and
function of transistor 28 of output stage 22. Thus the
circuitry as described and shown by Rincon-Mora et al
constitutes a class A output stage in a fashion similar
to the circuitry described and shown by applicant
constituting a class A output stage.
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