Appeal No. 2006-2920 Page 6
Application No. 10/813,501
because of the comparator input offset voltage [id.]. The examiner points to
extrinsic evidence (see Millman non patent reference) as providing support
for the contention that the voltage at the negative input terminal of Asada’s
comparator (i.e., Vs as shown in fig. 4) must be at least 1 millivolt above Vr
in order for the output of the comparator to change state [id.]. The
examiner further asserts that transistor 841 would not turn off immediately
after the voltage potential at the comparator’s negative input terminal
increased from a potential below Vr to a potential above Vr because there
are delays in Asada’s second driving circuit 7 and NAND gate 501 [id.]. The
examiner asserts that the comparator and the delays of second driving
circuit 7 and NAND gate 501 create a voltage offset [id.]. The examiner
asserts that the voltage at the negative input terminal of the comparator
must be a positive voltage in order to turn OFF transistor 841 [id.]. The
examiner further asserts that when the negative terminal of the comparator
reaches a voltage above ground, the current flowing through transistor 841
is a positive current [answer, page 8]. The examiner concludes the “less
negative voltage” referred to in Appellants’ arguments that causes transistor
841 to turn off must be a positive voltage, and therefore Asada anticipates
the limitations of claim 1 [answer, page 8; see also brief page 5].
At the outset, we note that for the purpose of this appeal we adopt the
electrical engineering convention that positive current flows from positive to
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