REVERSED

1700 Chemical & Materials Engineering
Ex Parte Busson et al ROBERTSON 103(a) GE HEALTHCARE BIO-SCIENCES CORP.

2100 Computer Architecture and Software
Ex Parte Walacavage et al DIXON 102(b)/103(a) BLISS MCGLYNN P.C.

2600 Communications
Ex Parte Kim et al HAIRSTON 103(a) STAAS & HALSEY, L.L.P.

3600 Transportation, Construction, Electronic Commerce, Agriculture, National Security, and License & Review
Ex Parte Hemphill et al BOALICK 102(b) Potomac Patent Group PLLC

Functional language in a patent claim is “an attempt . . . to define something . . . by what it does rather than by what it is.” In re Swinehart, 439 F.2d 210, 212, (CCPA 1971). “[T]here is nothing intrinsically wrong with the use of such a technique in drafting patent claims.” Id.

Swinehart, In re, 439 F.2d 210, 169 USPQ 226 (CCPA 1971) . . . . . .2114, 2173.01, 2173.05(g), 2183

3700 Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing, and Products & Designs
Ex Parte Lind et al GRIMES 112(1)/102(b) THE CULBERTSON GROUP, P.C.

The Examiner “‘bears the initial burden . . . of presenting a prima facie case of unpatentability.’ Insofar as the written description requirement is concerned, that burden is discharged by ‘presenting evidence or reasons why persons skilled in the art would not recognize in the disclosure a description of the invention defined by the claims.’” In re Alton, 76 F.3d 1168, 1175 (Fed. Cir. 1996), quoting In re Oetiker, 977 F.2d 1443, 1445 “If . . . the specification contains a description of the claimed invention, albeit not in ipsis verbis (in the identical words), then the examiner . . . , in order to meet the burden of proof, must provide reasons why one of ordinary skill in the art would not consider the description sufficient.” Alton, 76 F.3d at 1175.

Alton, In re, 76 F.3d 1168, 37 USPQ2d1578 (Fed. Cir. 1996) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2145, 2163,2163.06, 2164.05

Oetiker, In re, 977 F.2d 1443, 24 USPQ2d 1443 (Fed. Cir. 1992) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .707.07(f), 716.01(d), 1504.01(a), 2106, 2107.02, 2142, 2145, 2164.07

AFFIRMED-IN-PART

1700 Chemical & Materials Engineering
Ex Parte Kruik et al PAK 103(a) K & L GATES LLP

3600 Transportation, Construction, Electronic Commerce, Agriculture, National Security, and License & Review
Ex Parte Helbing GRIMES 102(b) RYAN KROMHOLZ & MANION, S.C.