Appeal No. 2003-2176
Application No. 09/778,460
semiconductor device, comprising a bleeder resistance circuit as described by
claim 7.
The Appellant has not presented arguments directed to the Examiner’s
motivation for combining the teachings of the cited references. According to
Appellant, “Inaba discloses a method of connecting resistors together in series or in
parallel in a level shifter. However, contrary to the Examiner’s contention, Inaba
does not disclose or suggest combining together an N-type thin film resistor having
a low resistance region and a P-type thin film resistor having a low resistance region
to form a semiconductor thin film resistor unit, as required by independent claim 4.”
(Brief, p. 8). Appellant also argues that “Kim does not disclose or suggest the step
of combining together N-type and P-type thin film resistors to form a semiconductor
thin film resistor unit, as required by independent claim[s] 4 and 7.” (Brief, p. 11).
The Erdeljac and Inaba references disclose that persons of ordinary skill in the art
would have recognized that the resistors can be connected in series and parallel to
function as one unit. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have reasonably
expected that the N-type thin film resistor having a low resistance region and a P-
type thin film resistor having a low resistance region could have been combined
together.
-7-
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007