Appeal No. 2006-2525
Application No. 10/178,672
typical in CMOS chips. The “active components” described by Leipold are CMOS
devices. The teachings of placement of the buried layer relate only to active CMOS
components, in the examiner’s view. (Answer at 6-7.)
Appellants reiterate, in turn, the contention that Leipold teaches forming a buried
layer under all active devices, whether CMOS or any other type. As for the teaching in
Leipold that the buried layer prevents latch-up in CMOS devices, appellants posit that
the prevention of latch-up is just one advantage of the buried layer if the active devices
are CMOS devices, which is just one embodiment. Appellants refer again to column 2,
lines 20 through 21 in support of the view that Leipold’s teachings relating to the buried
layer are not limited to CMOS devices. (Reply Brief at 2.)
Leipold’s patent is entitled, “Integrated CMOS Circuit For Use At High
Frequencies.” All the claims (1-7) specify an integrated CMOS circuit and active CMOS
components. The first sentence of the patent states that “[t]he invention relates to an
integrated CMOS circuit for use at high frequencies with active CMOS components and
passive components.”
The text at column 1, lines 46 through 54 of Leipold appears, in our view, to
relate that the buried layer created under active CMOS components prevents
undesirable latch-up effects. Appellants seem to agree that latch-up effects are peculiar
to CMOS circuits. (See, e.g., spec. at 2, 2nd ¶.) The text at column 2, lines 20 through
25 of Leipold, when read in context, seems to refer to CMOS components, or active
CMOS components, rather than all active components. For example, Schottky diodes
-5-
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007