REVERSED
Tech Center 1700 Chemical & Materials Engineering
1734 Ex Parte Ahsan et al 12227654 - (D) NAGUMO 103 Cantor Colburn LLP - SABIC Americas LEE, REBECCA Y
1744 Ex Parte KUMAGAE et al 12822792 - (D) WILSON 103 Browdy and Neimark, PLLC LE, NINH V
It is well established that a patentable invention may lie in the discovery of the source of a problem, even though the remedy may be obvious once the source of the problem is identified. See, e.g., In re Nomiya, 509 F.2d 566, 572 (CCPA 1975).
Nomiya, In re, 509 F.2d 566, 184 USPQ 607 (CCPA 1975) 2129 , 2258
Tech Center 2100 Computer Architecture and Software
2123 Ex Parte Fultheim et al 10828465 - (D) SAADAT 103 D. Kligler I.P. Services LTD SILVER, DAVID
Tech Center 2600 Communications
2652 Ex Parte Swick 10449963 - (D) PAULRAJ 103 SOFER & HAROUN LLP. AL AUBAIDI, RASHA S
Tech Center 2800 Semiconductors, Electrical and Optical Systems and Components
2816 Ex Parte Amann et al 12100237 - (D) PERRY 103 IBM Corporation OH, JAEHWAN
2836 Ex Parte Hussein et al 12858281 - (D) HUGHES 103 Crawford Maunu PLLC AMRANY, ADI
Tech Center 3600 Transportation, Construction, Electronic Commerce, Agriculture, National Security, and License & Review
3633 Ex Parte Duernberger 10596992 - (D) BAHR 102/103 RENNER OTTO BOISSELLE & SKLAR, LLP FIGUEROA, LUZ ADRIANA
3687 Ex Parte von Helmolt et al 11607948 - (D) PETRAVICK 112(2)/103 SAP / FINNEGAN, HENDERSON LLP REFAI, RAMSEY
Tech Center 3700 Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing, and Products & Design
3779 Ex Parte Kimoto et al 11642234 - (D) PAULRAJ 102 SCULLY SCOTT MURPHY & PRESSER, PC NEWTON, ALEXANDRA L
We also disagree with the Examiner’s treatment of the claimed functional language for the analyzing unit as merely an intended use that “does not differentiate the claimed apparatus from a prior art apparatus satisfying the claimed structural limitations” (Ans. 6). We consider the claimed “analyzing unit” to be akin to a processor programmed to perform the particular function of determining the direction of the capsule. When the functional language of a claim is associated with programming or some other structure required to perform the function, that programming or structure must be present in order to meet the claim limitation. See Typhoon Touch Techs., Inc. v. Dell, Inc., 659 F.3d 1376, 1380 (Fed. Cir. 2011); see also Vizio, Inc. v. Int'l Trade Comm’n, 605 F.3d 1330, 1341 (Fed. Cir. 2010) (“[T]he ‘for decoding’ language . . . is properly construed as a limitation, and not merely a statement of purpose or intended use for the invention, because ‘decoding’ is the essence or a fundamental characteristic of the claimed invention.”).
AFFIRMED-IN-PART
Tech Center 1700 Chemical & Materials Engineering
1792 Ex Parte Clarke et al 10597515 - (D) SMITH 103 103 Axiom Global Inc. THAKUR, VIREN A
Tech Center 2100 Computer Architecture and Software
2114 Ex Parte SIRIGIRI et al 12428487 - (D) WINSOR 103 103 HEWLETT-PACKARD COMPANY KO, CHAE M
Tech Center 2400 Networking, Multiplexing, Cable, and Security
2468 Ex Parte Friesen et al 11344914 - (D) FETTING 102 102 SCHWEGMAN LUNDBERG & WOESSNER, P.A. JENSEN, NICHOLAS A
Tech Center 3600 Transportation, Construction, Electronic Commerce, Agriculture, National Security, and License & Review
3669 Ex Parte Syed et al 12817711 - (D) HOSKINS 103 103 BROOKS KUSHMAN P.C./FGTL OLSZEWSKI, JOHN
Tech Center 3700 Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing, and Products & Design
3763 Ex Parte Vaillancourt 11134012 - (D) JENKS 103 103 Carella, Byrne, Bain, Gilfillan, Cecchi, Stewart & Olstein GRAY, PHILLIP A
AFFIRMED
Tech Center 1700 Chemical & Materials Engineering
1726 Ex Parte Iwasaki 11353172 - (D) OWENS 103 ANTONELLI, TERRY, STOUT & KRAUS, LLP TAKEUCHI, YOSHITOSHI
1727 Ex Parte Shirane et al 11513234 - (D) ABRAHAM 103 MCDERMOTT WILL & EMERY LLP ENIN-OKUT, EDU E
1761 Ex Parte Hernandez 11330447 - (D) PRAISS 102 BAKER BOTTS L.L.P. BOYER, CHARLES I
1772 Ex Parte Johansson et al 11420949 - (D) TIMM 112(1) 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY SHUMATE, ANTHONY R
1791 Ex Parte Schoenherr et al 12830893 - (D) PAK 103 COLGATE-PALMOLIVE COMPANY GWARTNEY, ELIZABETH A
Tech Center 2100 Computer Architecture and Software
2128 Ex Parte Callegari 12843635 - (D) CHUNG 103 CRAIN, CATON & JAMES MOLL, NITHYA JANAKIRAMAN
2158 Ex Parte Baran 12353793 - (D) McCARTNEY 102 Reed Smith LLP WU, YICUN
2165 Ex Parte Smyros et al 12192846 - (D) FISHMAN 102 Papalas PLLC PEACH, POLINA G
2169 Ex Parte Wagner 12170352 - (D) McCARTNEY 103 Go Daddy Operating Company, LLC SAEED, USMAAN
2173 Ex Parte Lee et al 11696769 - (D) SCHOPFER 102 NORTON ROSE FULBRIGHT CANADA LLP HAILU, TADESSE
2196 Ex Parte Dalberg et al 12019673 - (D) HAAPALA 103 HEWLETT-PACKARD COMPANY PATEL, HIREN P
Tech Center 2400 Networking, Multiplexing, Cable, and Security
2432 Ex Parte Yan et al 11889600 - (D) COURTENAY 102 Mintz Levin/San Diego Office GREGORY, SHAUN
Tech Center 2600 Communications
2622 Ex Parte LEE et al 12117258 - (D) DIXON 103 Jefferson IP Law, LLP TRUONG, NGUYEN H
2648 Ex Parte Kraft et al 11618078 - (D) FINK 103 Nokia Corporation and Alston & Bird LLP TSVEY, GENNADIY
2658 Ex Parte Jung et al 11198904 - (D) JEFFERY 112(2)/103 Constellation Law Group, PLLC DORVIL, RICHEMOND
Tech Center 2800 Semiconductors, Electrical and Optical Systems and Components
2872 Ex Parte Okumura et al 11477218 - (D) COLAIANNI 103 Cozen O'Connor SHAFER, RICKY D
Tech Center 3600 Transportation, Construction, Electronic Commerce, Agriculture, National Security, and License & Review
3621 Ex Parte Kraft et al 12256943 - (D) KIM 112(1) 102/103 Dana Legal Services COPPOLA, JACOB C
REHEARING
DENIED
Tech Center 2600 Communications
2644 Ex Parte Rinne et al 11651012 - (D) BOUCHER 103 Squire Patton Boggs (US) LLP Nokia Corporation HUYNH, CHUCK
Tech Center 3700 Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing, and Products & Design
3734 Ex Parte Hartley et al 11226611 - (D) JENKS 103 BGL/Cook - Chicago COLELLO, ERIN L
REVERSED
Tech Center 3600 Transportation, Construction, Electronic Commerce, Agriculture, National Security, and License & Review
3653 GRAPHIC PACKAGING INTERNATIONAL, INC. Patent Owner, Appellant Ex Parte 6,715,639 B2 et al 10/425,846 90012773 - (D) SONG 103 WOMBLE CARLYLE SANDRIDGE & RICE Third Party Requester: Wood, Herron & Evans, LLP GRAHAM, MATTHEW C original NOLAND, KENNETH W
AFFIRMED
Tech Center 3600 Transportation, Construction, Electronic Commerce, Agriculture, National Security, and License & Review
3671 Ex parte TRIC TOOLS, INC. Appellant Ex Parte 6524031 et al 09/939,084 90012624 - (D) STAICOVICI 305/112(2)/103 Brannon Sowers & Cracraft PC Third Party Requester SCHWEGMAN, LUNDBERG & WOESSNER, P.A. FOSTER, JIMMY G original MAYO-PINNOCK, TARA LEIGH
