Appeal No. 2006-2920 Page 9
Application No. 10/813,501
output is saturated in the positive direction (i.e., comparator output =
HIGH), this means that the non-inverting (+) input (Vr) has a greater, or
more positive, voltage than the inverting (-) input voltage (Vs), (i.e., where
all voltages measured with respect to ground). We further note that if the
comparator’s output voltage (Vd) is near the negative supply voltage (i.e.,
comparator output = LOW), it means that the inverting (-) input (Vs) has a
greater, or more positive, voltage than the non-inverting (+) input voltage
(Vr). Thus, the operation of comparator 840 (as shown in figs. 4 and 5) is
described by Table 1:
TABLE 1
Comparator 840 input condition Vd output of comparator
Vs < Vr HIGH
Vs > Vr LOW
We note that the above described operation of comparator 840 is
supported at col. 6, lines 24-28, where Asada discloses that a HIGH level
comparator output signal Vd is provided to NAND gate 502 when the voltage
drop Vs (across resistor 800) becomes lower than reference voltage Vr, and
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