cohesive tech, schreiber, swinehart

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REVERSED
Tech Center 1600 Biotechnology and Organic Chemistry
1611 Ex Parte Snyder et al 10821745 - (D) MCCOLLUM 103 DOBRUSIN & THENNISCH PC GHALI, ISIS A D

Tech Center 1700 Chemical & Materials Engineering
1716 Ex Parte Mooring et al 11015968 - (D) HASTINGS 103 MARTINE PENILLA GROUP, LLP MACARTHUR, SYLVIA

Tech Center 2800 Semiconductors, Electrical and Optical Systems and Components
2857 Ex Parte Ainsworth et al 11453881 - (D) WINSOR 112(2)/103 37 C.F.R. § 41.50(b) 103 FINNEGAN, HENDERSON, FARABOW, GARRETT & DUNNER LLP KUNDU, SUJOY K

Tech Center 3600 Transportation, Construction, Electronic Commerce, Agriculture, National Security, and License & Review
3644 Ex Parte Canter et al 11521672 - (D) COCKS 102/103 Boeing - GATES & COOPER LLP GREEN, RICHARD R

3653 Ex Parte Nago et al 11253872 - (D) McCARTHY 103 BACHMAN & LAPOINTE, P.C. BEAUCHAINE, MARK J

For example, in Re Schreiber, 128 F.3d 1473 (Fed. Cir. 1997), the Board found that a spout useful for purposes such as dispensing oil from an oil can anticipate a claim reciting a “dispensing top for passing only several kernels of a popped popcorn at a time from an open-ended container filled with popcorn.” Id at 1475. The Court held that,

where the Patent [& Trademark] Office has reason to believe that a functional limitation asserted to be critical for establishing novelty in the claimed subject matter may, in fact, be an inherent characteristic of the prior art, it possesses the authority to require the applicant to prove that the subject matter shown to be in the prior art does not possess the characteristic relied on.

Id. at 1478 (quoting In re Swinehart, 439 F.2d 210, 212 (CCPA 1971)). Our reviewing court agreed with the Board that the Examiner had articulated a reason to believe that the prior art spout inherently possessed the dimensions necessary to perform the function of “passing only several kernels of a popped popcorn at a time from an open-ended container filled with popcorn.” Id at 1478. Alternatively, the court agreed with the Board’s fact finding that the prior art spout was “capable of functioning to dispense kernels of popped corn in the manner set forth in claim 1.” Id. On these alternative bases, our reviewing court affirmed the rejection.

Schreiber, In re, 128 F.3d 1473, 44 USPQ2d 1429 (Fed. Cir. 1997) . . 2111.02, 2112, 2114

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

Tech Center 3700 Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing, and Products & Design
3732 Ex Parte Chenvainu et al 11114987 - (D) FREDMAN 103 THE PROCTER & GAMBLE COMPANY EIDE, HEIDI MARIE

AFFIRMED
Tech Center 1700 Chemical & Materials Engineering
1729 Ex Parte Zhang et al 11646203 - (D) GAUDETTE 103 CARLSON, GASKEY & OLDS, P.C. BARROW, AMANDA J

When "about" is used as part of a numeric range, "the use of the word `about,' avoids a strict numerical boundary to the specified parameter. Its range must be interpreted in its technologic and stylistic context." In determining how far beyond the claimed range the term "about" extends the claim, "[w]e must focus ... on the criticality of the [numerical limitation] to the invention." Cohesive Techs, Inc. v. Waters Corp. 543 F.3d 1351, 1368 (Fed. Cir. 2008) (Citations omitted)

1732 Ex Parte Galligan 12335903 - (D) BEST 103/double patenting BASF CORPORATION LI, JUN

1742 Ex Parte Bradford et al 11566973 - (D) OWENS 103 WOOD, HERRON & EVANS, LLP JOHNSON, CHRISTINA ANN

Tech Center 2100 Computer Architecture and Software
2161 Ex Parte Asmussen et al 09921057 - (D) JEFFERY 103 BANNER & WITCOFF, LTD DAYE, CHELCIE L

Tech Center 3700 Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing, and Products & Design
3732 Ex Parte Wen 11050050 - (D) PRATS 103 ALIGN TECHNOLOGY C/O WAGNER BLECHER LLP EIDE, HEIDI MARIE

3739 Ex Parte Friedman et al 11196831 - (D) GRIMES 103 EVELYN M. SOMMER SMITH, KAITLYN ELIZABETH  

REHEARING  

GRANTED
Tech Center 2100 Computer Architecture and Software
2166 Ex Parte Murthy 11388300 - (D) COURTENAY 103 ORACLE / HICKMAN PALERMO TRUONG BECKER BINGHAM WONG AHLUWALIA, NAVNEET K