Playtex

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REVERSED
Tech Center 3700 Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing, and Products & Design
3742 Ex Parte Ott 11276288 - (D) BROWNE 102/103 FLETCHER YODER (ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.) MAYE, AYUB A

AFFIRMED
Tech Center 2400 Networking, Multiplexing, Cable, and Security
2424 Ex Parte Kikinis 10071091 - (D) HOMERE 102/103 BANNER & WITCOFF, LTD. SHANG, ANNAN Q

2456 Ex Parte McQuaide et al 10108348 - (D) KUMAR 112(2)/103 AT&T Legal Department - SZ BARQADLE, YASIN M

Tech Center 2800 Semiconductors, Electrical and Optical Systems and Components
2814 Ex Parte KADOGUCHI et al 12143029 - (D) WHITEHEAD, JR. 103 TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED CAO, PHAT X

Appicant's rely upon a holding from Playtex Products, Inc. v. Procter & Gamble Co., 400 F. 3d 901, 908 (Fed. Cir. 2005), wherein the court held that "[t]he disputed claim term [flatten] is clearly a comparative term. Comparison requires a reference point. Therefore, to flatten something, one must flatten it with respect to either itself or some other object."

However the court in Playtex also stated that, "[t]he issue is whether the patentee properly claimed an oval as a "substantially flattened" circle, or more specifically, an elliptical cylinder as a "substantially flattened" cylinder." Playtex v. P.G. 400 F. 3d 901, 909 (Fed. Cir. 2005).  We are faced with a similar issue here, and that is did appellants properly claim the "flatten metallic free air ball" in a  manner that would distinguish it from the product by process based claim.  We find that Appellants did not. 

2894 Ex Parte Alba et al 11855229 - (D) WHITEHEAD, JR. 103 Dorsey & Whitney LLP-IP Dept.-MTI PAYEN, MARVIN

2896 Ex Parte Zuniga-Ortiz et al 11050059 - (D) WHITEHEAD, JR. 103 TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED KALAM, ABUL

Tech Center 3600 Transportation, Construction, Electronic Commerce, Agriculture, National Security, and License & Review
3663 Ex Parte Price et al 10703693 - (D) FISHMAN 102/103 Driggs, Hogg, Daugherty & Del Zoppo Co., L.P.A. EL CHANTI, HUSSEIN A

Tech Center 3700 Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing, and Products & Design
3764 Ex Parte Berg et al 10881888 - (D) KAUFFMAN 102/103 THE PROCTER & GAMBLE COMPANY ANDERSON, CATHARINE L