Ex parte SWOBODA et al.

Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences

Jun 1, 1998

07832661 (B.P.A.I. Jun. 1, 1998)

Application for patent filed February 4, 1992. Accord-1
ing to appellants, the application is a continuation of Appli-
cation 07/388,286, filed July 31, 1989, abandoned.
1
THIS OPINION WAS NOT WRITTEN FOR PUBLICATION
The opinion in support of the decision being entered today
(1) was not written for publication in a law journal and
(2) is not binding precedent of the Board.
Paper No. 33
UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
_____________
BEFORE THE BOARD OF PATENT APPEALS
AND INTERFERENCES
_____________
Ex parte GARY L. SWOBODA
and
PETER N. EHLIG
_____________
Appeal No. 94-3053
Application 07/832,6611
______________
ON BRIEF
_______________
Appeal No. 94-3053
Application 07/832,661
We note that the summary of action incorrectly states2
the status of the final rejection of the claims.
2
Before HAIRSTON, BARRETT and FLEMING, Administrative Patent
Judges.
FLEMING, Administrative Patent Judge.
DECISION ON APPEAL
This is a decision on appeal from the final rejec-
tion of claims 2 through 17, 20 through 28, 31 through 35, 39,
40, 55, and 60 through 64. Claims 36 through 38, 56 through
59, 65 and 66 stand objected to as depending from a rejected
claim. Claims 41, 46 through 48, 50 and 51 have been
allowed. Appellants state on page 2 of the brief that claims2
1, 18, 19, 29, 30, 32 through 40, 42 through 45, 49, 52
through 54 and 62 through 66 have been cancelled. Therefore,
claims 2 through 17, 20 through 28, 31, 55, 60 and 61 are
properly before us for our consideration.
Appellants’ invention relates to an electronic data
processing device which utilizes a processor and a serial scan
Appeal No. 94-3053
Application 07/832,661
3
circuit to monitor another processor on a semiconductor chip.
The serial scan circuit is used to set the invention’s proces-
sor to particular predetermined conditions and then check the
chip’s
processor for the existence of such conditions. When a
predetermined condition is met, the invention’s processor
controls the operation of the monitored processor.
Independent claim 55 is reproduced as follows:
55. A data processing device comprising:
a semiconductor chip;
an electronic processor on-chip;
an on-chip condition sensor connected to said
electronic processor for analysis of the operations
thereof, including means for recognizing the
occurrence of a predetermined condition during real
time operation of said electronic processor and
means responsive to the recognition of said
predetermined condition for applying a control input
to said electronic processor during said real time
operation thereof; and
a serial scan circuit connected to said on-chip
condition sensor for inputting to said on-chip
condition sensor control information which causes
Appeal No. 94-3053
Application 07/832,661
4
said on-chip condition sensor to assume a selected
one of a plurality of sensing configurations.
The references relied on by the examiner are as
follows:
d’Angeac et al. (d’Angeac) 4,597,042 June 24, 1986
Poret et al. (Poret) 4,674,089 June 16, 1987
Hester et al. (Hester) 4,788,683 Nov. 29, 1988
Rodnay Zaks and Alexander Wolfe (Zaks), From Chips to Systems:
An Introduction to Microcomputers, (1987).
We note that the Examiner has maintained the
following rejections: claims 2, 11 through 15, 17 and 55 under
35 U.S.C. § 102(b) as being unpatentable over Hester; claims
3, 23 through 26 under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable
over Hester and Poret; claims 4, 5 and 16 under 35 U.S.C. §
103 as being unpatentable over Hester and Zaks; and claims 6
through 10 and 27 under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable
over Hester and d’Angeac. The Examiner also sets forth in the
Examiner's answer three new grounds of rejection which are as
follows: claims 20 through 22, 28, 31, 60 and 61 under
35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over Hester; claims 8
Appeal No. 94-3053
Application 07/832,661
5
through 10 under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over
Hester, d’Angeac and Poret; and claims 28 and 31 under
35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over Hester and Poret.
Therefore, claims 2, 11 through 15, 17 and 55 stand
rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 102(b) as being unpatentable over
Hester. Claims 20 through 22, 28, 31, 60 and 61 stand
rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over
Hester. Claims 3, 23 through 26, 28 and 31 stand rejected
under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over Hester and
Poret. Claims 4, 5 and 16 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. §
103 as being unpatentable over Hester and Zaks. Claims 6
through 10 and 27 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as
being unpatentable over Hester and d’Angeac. Claims 8 through
10 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being
unpatentable over Hester, d’Angeac and Poret.
Appeal No. 94-3053
Application 07/832,661
Appellants filed an appeal brief on October 28, 1993. 3
We will refer to this appeal brief as simply the brief.
Appellants filed a reply appeal brief on June 6, 1994. We
will refer to this reply appeal brief as the reply brief. The
Examiner responded to the reply brief in the supplemental
Examiner’s answer, mailed June 12, 1996 and thereby has
entered and con-sidered the reply brief.
The Examiner responded to the brief with an Examiner's4
answer, mailed January 11, 1994. We will refer to the
Examiner's answer as simply the answer. The Examiner
responded to the reply brief with a supplemental Examiner's
answer, mailed June 12, 1996. We will refer to the
supplemental Examiner's answer as simply the supplemental
answer.
6
Rather than repeat the arguments of Appellants or
the Examiner, we make reference to the briefs and the answers3 4
for the details thereof.
OPINION
After a careful review of the evidence before us, we
agree with the Examiner that: claims 2, 11 through 15, 17 and
55 are properly rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 102(b) over Hester;
claims 20 through 22, 60 and 61 are properly rejected under 35
U.S.C. § 103 over Hester; claims 3 and 23 through 26 are
properly rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 over Hester and Poret;
Appeal No. 94-3053
Application 07/832,661
7
and claims 4, 5 and 16 are properly rejected under 35
U.S.C. § 103 over Hester and Zaks. Thus, we will sustain the
rejection of these claims. However, we will reverse the
rejections of claims 6 through 10, 27, 28 and 31 for the
reasons set forth infra.
At the outset, we note that Appellants have argued,
on pages 4-7 of their brief and in the reply brief, the
following groupings of claims:
(1) claims 2, 11-15, 17, 55;
(2) claims 20, 21, 60;
(3) claims 23-26;
(4) claims 4, 5, 16; and
(5) claims 6-8.
37 CFR § 1.192(c)(5), amended October 22, 1993, which was
controlling at the time of Appellants filing the brief,
states:
For each ground of rejection which
appellant contests and which applies to
more than one claim, it will be presumed
that the rejected claims stand or fall
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Application 07/832,661
8
together unless a statement is included
that the rejected claims do not stand or
fall together, and in the appropriate part
or parts of the argument under subparagraph
(c)(6) of this section appellant presents
reasons as to why appellant considers the
rejected claims to be separately
patentable.
As per 37 CFR § 1.192(c)(7), which was also controlling at the
time of Appellants’ filing the brief, we will, thereby,
consider the claims in each above group to stand or fall
together as a group, with the broadest claim deemed to be the
representative claim for that group.
In addition, Appellants separately argue claims 3,
9, 10, 22, 27, 28, 31 and 61. Therefore, we treated each of
these claims separately.
Group (1) - representative claim 55
Claim 55 stands rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 102(b) in
view of Hester. It is axiomatic that anticipation of a claim
under § 102 can be found only if the prior art reference
discloses every element of the claim. See In re King, 801
F.2d 1324, 1326, 231 USPQ 136, 138 (Fed. Cir. 1986) and
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Application 07/832,661
9
Lindemann Maschinenfabrik GMBH v. American Hoist & Derrick
Co., 730 F.2d 1452, 1458, 221 USPQ 481, 485 (Fed. Cir. 1984).
"Anticipation is established only when a single prior art
reference discloses, expressly or under principles of
inherency, each and every element of a claimed invention."
RCA Corp. v. Applied Digital Data Systems, Inc., 730 F.2d
1440, 1444, 221 USPQ 385, 388 (Fed. Cir.), cert. dismissed,
468 U.S. 1228 (1984), citing Kalman v.
Kimberly-Clark Corp., 713 F.2d 760, 772, 218 USPQ 781, 789
(Fed. Cir. 1983), cert. denied, 465 U.S. 1026 (1984).
Upon a review of the limitations recited in
Appellants' claim 55, we find that Hester discloses "a data
processing device" (at col. 1, lines 1-2), "an electronic
processor on-[a
semiconductor] chip" (at col. 2, line 33), "an on-chip
condition
Appeal No. 94-3053
Application 07/832,661
10
sensor connected to said electronic processor . . ." (at col.
2, lines 32-34), "means for recognizing the occurrence of a
pre-determined condition during real time operation of said
electronic processor" (at col. 3, lines 22-26), "means
responsive to the recognition of said predetermined condition
for applying a control input to said electronic processor . .
." (at col. 2, lines 50-61; col. 3, lines 26-37; col. 4, lines
4-7), and “a serial scan circuit connected to said on-chip
condition sensor
. . ." (at col. 2, lines 32-34).
On page 4 of the brief and page 2 of the reply
brief, Appellants only argue that Hester fails to disclose the
following limitations recited in claim 55:
an on-chip condition sensor . . . including
. . . means responsive to the recognition
of said predetermined condition [of the
electronic processor under test] for
applying a control input to said electronic
processor during said real time operation
thereof.
Appellants do not argue in their briefs that the above claim
language should be interpreted any more narrowly than its
Appeal No. 94-3053
Application 07/832,661
11
ordinary meaning. We must therefore give this claim language
its broadest reasonable interpretation. See In re Morris,
127 F.3d 1048, 1054, 44 USPQ2d 1023, 1027 (Fed. Cir. 1997);
In re Zletz, 893 F.2d 319, 321, 13 USPQ2d 1320, 1322 (Fed.
Cir. 1989).
With respect to the above-argued claim language,
Hester discloses "an on-chip condition sensor" by teaching
that "support processor 26 attaches to the microprocessor 28
in the system under test through the LSSD scan strings 30a and
30b." Col. 2, lines 32-34. Hester also discloses a "means
responsive to the recognition of said predetermined condition
for applying a control input to said electronic processor . .
. ." More specifically, the device of Hester has
"predetermined conditions" by disclosing that "[a]n
instruction compare address register"
contains "the desired instruction . . . compare values." Col.
3, lines 22-26. As to the limitation of "responsive to . . .
for applying a control input . . .," Hester teaches that the
condition sensor "include[s] the ability to examine and alter
Appeal No. 94-3053
Application 07/832,661
12
registers in the system microprocessor" (col. 2, lines 59-61)
and
"control[s] and examine[s] the contents of all facilities
within the microprocessor" (col. 4, lines 6-7). Hester
performs this alter/control function by using the desired
instruction “to enable the stop-on-address function" of the
microprocessor. Col. 3, lines 22-37. Thus, the claim
language that Appellants argue for claim 55 is met by Hester.
Accordingly, we will sustain the Examiner’s rejection of claim
55 under 35 U.S.C. § 102(b) in view of Hester.
Aside from the above claim language for claim 55,
Appellants have chosen not to argue any of the other specific
limitations as a basis for patentability. As stated by our
reviewing Court in In re Baxter Travenol Labs., 952 F.2d 388,
391, 21 USPQ2d 1281, 1285 (Fed. Cir. 1991), "[i]t is not the
function of this court to examine the claims in greater detail
than argued by an appellant, looking for nonobvious
distinctions over the prior art." 37 CFR § 1.192(a), as
amended at 58 Fed. Reg. 54510, Oct. 22, 1993, which was
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Application 07/832,661
13
controlling at the time of Appellants filing the brief, states
as follows:
The brief . . . must set forth the
authorities and arguments on which the
appellant will rely to maintain the appeal.
Any arguments or authorities not included
in the brief may be refused consideration
by the Board of Patent Appeals and
Interferences.
Also, 37 CFR § 1.192(c)(6)(iii) states:
For each rejection under 35 U.S.C. 102, the
argument shall specify the errors in the
rejection and why the rejected claims are
patentable under 35 U.S.C. 102, including
any specific limitations in the rejected
claims which are not described in the prior
art relied upon in the rejection.
Thus, 37 CFR § 1.192 provides that, just as the Court is not
under any burden to raise and/or consider issues not raised by
an appellant, this board is also not under any such burden and
declines to do so for this group of claims.
Group (2) - representative claim 60
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Application 07/832,661
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Claim 60 stands rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 in
view of Hester. It is the burden of the Examiner to establish
why one having ordinary skill in the art would have been led
to the claimed invention by the express teachings or
suggestions found
in the prior art, or by implications contained in such
teachings or suggestions. In re Sernaker, 702 F.2d 989, 995,
217 USPQ 1, 6 (Fed. Cir. 1983). "Additionally, when
determining obviousness, the claimed invention should be
considered as a whole; there is no legally recognizable
'heart' of the invention." Para-Ordnance Mfg. v. SGS
Importers Int’l, Inc., 73 F.3d 1085, 1087, 37 USPQ2d 1237,
1239 (Fed. Cir. 1995), cert. denied, 117 S.Ct. 80 (1996),
citing W. L. Gore & Assocs., Inc. v. Garlock, Inc., 721 F.2d
1540, 1548, 220 USPQ 303, 309 (Fed. Cir. 1983), cert. denied,
469 U.S. 851 (1984).
On page 2 of the reply brief and page 4 of the
brief, Appellants only argue that Hester fails to teach the
limitations recited here below:
Appeal No. 94-3053
Application 07/832,661
15
an on-chip condition sensor . . . including
. . . means for stopping said electronic
processor automatically upon occurrence of
said predetermined condition.
Hester meets the above language by teaching that the
support processor "include[s] the ability to examine and alter
registers in the system microprocessor" (col. 2, lines 59-61)
and
"control[s] and examine[s] the contents of all facilities
within the microprocessor [under test]" (col. 4, lines 6-7).
Hester performs this alter/control function by having a
"desired instruction" that is used "to enable the stop-on-
address function" of the microprocessor. Col. 3, lines 22-37;
col. 4, line 10. Thus, the claim language that Appellants
argue with respect to claim 60 is met by Hester and since
anticipation is the epitome of obviousness, In re Fracalossi,
681 F.2d 792, 794, 215 USPQ 569, 571 (CCPA 1982), we will
sustain the Examiner’s rejection of claim 60 under 35 U.S.C.
§ 103 in view of Hester.
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Application 07/832,661
16
Aside from the above claim language for claim 60,
Appellants have chosen not to argue any of the other spe-
cific limitations as a basis for patentability. 37 CFR
§ 1.192(c)(6)(iv) states:
For each rejection under 35 U.S.C. 103, the
argument shall specify the errors in the
rejection and, if appropriate, the specific
limitations in the rejected claims which
are not described in the prior art relied
on in the rejection, and shall explain how
such limitations render the claimed subject
matter
unobvious over the prior art. If the
rejection is based upon a combination of
references, the argument shall explain why
the references, taken as a whole, do not
suggest the claimed subject matter, and
shall include, as may be appropriate, an
explanation of why features disclosed in
one reference may not properly be
combined with features disclosed in another
reference. A general argument that all the
limitations are not described in a single
reference does not satisfy the requirements
of this paragraph.
Just as our reviewing Court is not under any burden to raise
and consider issues not raised by an Appellant, Baxter, 952
F.2d at 391, 21 USPQ2d at 1285, this board is also not under
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Application 07/832,661
17
any such burden, 37 CFR § 1.192, and declines to look beyond
that argued by Appellants in their brief in this case.
Group (3) - representative claim 23
Claim 23 stands rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 in
view of Hester and Poret. The extent of Appellants’ argument
for this group is "[t]hese rejections of Claims 23-26 are
traversed for the same reasons given above (in Argument
Section A) with respect to Claim 60." Brief at page 5. Thus,
since Appellants have not
argued anything in addition to that which they argued for
claim 60, the rejection of claim 23 is also sustained for the
reasons set forth above for claim 60. This board declines to
look beyond that which has been argued by Appellants. Baxter,
952 F.2d at 391, 21 USPQ2d at 1285; 37 CFR § 1.192.
Group (4) - representative claim 4
Claim 4 stands rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 in
view of Hester and Zaks. The extent of Appellants’ argument
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Application 07/832,661
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for this group is "[t]hese rejections of Claims 4-5 and 16 are
traversed for the same reasons given above (in Argument
Section A) with respect to Claim 55." Brief at page 6. Thus,
since Appellants have not argued anything in addition to that
which they argued for claim 55, the rejection of claim 4 is
also sustained for the reasons set forth above for claim 55.
Again, this board declines to look beyond that which has been
argued by Appellants. Baxter, 952 F.2d at 391, 21 USPQ2d at
1285; 37 CFR § 1.192.
Group (5) - representative claim 6
Claim 6 stands rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 in
view of Hester and d’Angeac. Appellants argue that this
rejection should be reversed because this claim recites that
"said on-chip condition sensor includes . . . sensor circuit
selection circuitry," and neither Hester nor D’Angeac
discloses this particular feature. Brief at page 6.
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Application 07/832,661
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In response, the Examiner states on page 6 of the
answer that:
[i]t would have been obvious to a person
having ordinary skill in the art to provide
a scan string selection logic network in
accordance with the claims on the chip
disclosed by Hester, because d’Angeac
evidences the necessity of such logic.
However, a review of d’Angeac fails to reveal why a person of
ordinary skill in the electronic processor art would have been
motivated to modify Hester’s support processor to include
circuitry for selecting particular sensor circuits in the
support processor. The Federal Circuit states that "[t]he
mere fact that the prior art may be modified in the manner
suggested by the
Examiner does not make the modification obvious unless the
prior art suggested the desirability of the modification." In
re Fritch, 972 F.2d 1260, 1266 n.14, 23 USPQ2d 1780, 1783-84
n.14 (Fed. Cir. 1992), citing In re Gordon, 733 F.2d 900, 902,
221 USPQ 1125, 1127 (Fed. Cir. 1984). We fail to find that
the prior art suggests the circuitry for selecting as claimed
Appeal No. 94-3053
Application 07/832,661
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by Appellants with the necessary reasons to combine it
with the support processor of Hester. Therefore, we will not
sustain this rejection.
Claim 3
Claim 3 stands rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 in
view of Hester and Poret. On page 5 of the brief, Appellants
set forth the only argument for this claim as follows: "[t]his
rejection of Claim 3 is traversed for the same reasons given
above (in Argument Section A) with respect to Claim 55."
Thus,
Appellants have not argued anything in addition to that which
they argued for claim 55. Therefore, we will sustain the
rejection of claim 3 for the reasons set forth above for claim
55.
This board declines to look beyond that which has been argued
by Appellants. Baxter, 952 F.2d at 391, 21 USPQ2d at 1285; 37
CFR
§ 1.192.
Appeal No. 94-3053
Application 07/832,661
21
Claim 9
Claim 9 stands rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 in
view of Hester, d’Angeac and Poret. Appellants argue that
this rejection should be reversed because this claim recites
that:
said serial scan circuit is interconnected
with said counter for loading said counter
with a value indicative of a predetermined
count to which said condition sensor is
thereby made sensitive,
and none of the references relied upon discloses these claimed
features. Brief at 6.
In response, the Examiner states on page 8 of the
answer that:
It would have been obvious to a person
having ordinary skill in the art to provide
Poret’s on-chip counters in Hester’s chip
because they support the clearly desirable
aspects of increased flexibility in
controlling debugging operations.
However, a review of Poret and d’Angeac fails to reveal why
a person of ordinary skill in the electronic processor art
would have reason to modify Hester’s circuitry to include
Poret’s counters such that the serial scan circuit would load
Appeal No. 94-3053
Application 07/832,661
22
the counters to a predetermined count for ultimately
activating the condition sensor. We fail to find that the
prior art suggests modifying Hester's serial scan circuit such
that it is interconnected with said counter for loading said
counter with a value indicative of a predetermined count to
which said condition sensor is thereby made sensitive.
Therefore, we will not sustain the Examiner's rejection of
Appellants' claim 9.
Claim 10
Claim 10 stands rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 in
view of Hester, d’Angeac and Poret. Appellants argue that
this rejection should be reversed because this claim includes
“a multiplexer having inputs connected to said sensor circuits
and an output connected to said counter," and none of the
references relied upon discloses these claimed features.
Brief at 6. In response, the Examiner states:
d’Angeac discloses testing a field
replaceable unit, such as a chip, having
plural scan strings (see column 1, lines
37-40). Each scan string 41, including
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LSSD second latches serving as "condition
sensors", is addressable by a on-chip
addressing "logic network" 42-48 that
provides a "multiplexer having inputs
connected to said sensor circuits" for
"determining selections of sensor
circuits". LSSD latches 42-44 receive
"control bits". It would have been obvious
to a person having ordinary skill in the
art to provide a scan string selection
logic network in accordance with the claims
on the chip disclosed by Hester, because
d’Angeac evidences the necessity of such
logic,
answer at 6, and
[a]s the examiner’s answer indicates that
d’Angeac provides scan loop string
selection by a logic network 42-48 and the
examiner’s answer also indicates that
Hester provides a counter in the form of a
scannable control register IAR that can
have its’ data scanned
out and in, no further response is deemed
necessary,
supplemental answer at 2.
However, a review of the references relied upon
fails to reveal why a person of ordinary skill in the
electronic processor art would have any reason to modify
Hester’s circuitry to include "a multiplexer having inputs
connected to said sensor circuits and an output connected to
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Application 07/832,661
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said counter." We fail to find a teaching of this limitation
with the necessary suggestions found in the prior art to
combine it with the circuitry of Hester. Therefore, we will
not sustain the Examiner's rejection of Appellants' claim 10.
Claim 22
Claim 22 stands rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 in
view of Hester. Appellants only argue that Hester fails to
teach "said read-only memory is on-chip." Brief at 4. On
this point, Hester discloses that:
The support processor may be a general
purpose computer, such as an IBM PC, IBM
Series 1, etc., containing programs which
interface to the LSSD scan strings . . . to
implement the required debug functions.
Col. 2, lines 51-55.
The above-described types of general purpose
computers have read-only memory and, for saving space and cost
reasons, such memory is typically on the same semiconductor
chip as its related support processor or "condition sensor."
To the extent that Hester’s read-only memory may not have been
Appeal No. 94-3053
Application 07/832,661
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on the same semiconductor chip as his support processor, it
would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the
electronic processor art to put the memory and processor on
the same chip in order to save space and the costs of an
additional chip. See In re Sovish, 769 F.2d 738, 743, 226
USPQ 771, 774 (Fed. Cir. 1985) (ordinary skill is presumed not
something less). Accordingly, we will sustain the rejection
of claim 22 under 35 U.S.C. § 103 in view of Hester.
Claim 27
Claim 27 stands rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 in
view of Hester and d’Angeac. Appellants argue that this
rejection should be reversed because this claim recites that:
said on-chip condition sensor includes . .
. a logic network connected to said sensor
circuits, said serial scan circuit being
. . . interconnected with said logic
network
for determining selections of sensor
circuits by said logic network,
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Application 07/832,661
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and neither Hester nor d’Angeac discloses these claimed
features. Brief at 7.
In response, the Examiner states:
[i]t would have been obvious to a person
having ordinary skill in the art to provide
a scan string selection logic network in
accordance with the claims on the chip
disclosed by Hester, because d’Angeac
evidences the necessity of such logic.
Answer at 6. However, a review of d’Angeac fails to reveal
why a person of ordinary skill in the electronic processor art
would have reason to modify Hester’s support processor to
include circuitry for selecting particular sensor circuits in
the support
processor. We fail to find a teaching of an on-chip condition
sensor which includes a logic network connected to said sensor
circuits, said serial scan circuit being interconnected with
said logic network for determining selections of sensor
circuits by said logic network with the necessary reasons
found in the prior art to combine it with the support
processor of Hester. Therefore, we will not sustain the
Examiner's rejection of Appellants' claim 27.
Appeal No. 94-3053
Application 07/832,661
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Claim 28
Claim 28 stands rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 in
view of Hester and Poret. Appellants argue that this
rejection should be reversed because this claim recites that:
said serial scan circuit being
interconnected with said counter for
loading said counter . . . with a value
indicative of a predetermined count to
which said condition sensor is thereby made
sensitive,
and neither Hester nor Poret discloses these claimed features.
Brief at 4.
In response, the Examiner states:
It would have been obvious to a person
having ordinary skill in the art to provide
Poret’s on-chip counters in Hester’s chip
because they support the clearly desirable
aspects of increased flexibility in
controlling debugging operations.
Answer at 8. However, a review of Poret fails to reveal why a
person of ordinary skill in the electronic processor art would
have reason to modify Hester’s circuitry to include Poret’s
counters such that the serial scan circuit would load the
Appeal No. 94-3053
Application 07/832,661
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counters to a predetermined count for ultimately activating
the condition sensor. We fail to find a teaching of a serial
scan circuit being interconnected with said counter for
loading said counter with a value indicative of a
predetermined count to which said condition sensor is thereby
made sensitive with the necessary reasons to modify the
circuitry of Hester. Therefore, we will not sustain the
Examiner's rejection of claim 28.
Claim 31
Claim 31 stands rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 in
view of Hester and Poret. Appellants argue that this
rejection should be reversed because this claim recites that:
counting occurrences of selected conditions
of the electronic processor and producing a
signal when a predetermined count is
reached,
and neither Hester nor Poret discloses these claimed features.
Brief at 5. In response, the Examiner states:
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Application 07/832,661
29
It would have been obvious to a person
having ordinary skill in the art to provide
Poret’s on-chip counters in Hester’s chip
because they support the clearly desirable
aspects of increased flexibility in
controlling debugging operations.
Answer at 8. In view of the above discussion with regard to
claim 28, we will not sustain this rejection.
Claim 61
Claim 61 stands rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 in
view of Hester. Appellants concede that all of the
limitations recited in that claim are met by Hester except:
issuing a signal from the on-chip condition
sensor to the electronic processor upon
detection of the predetermined condition.
Brief at 4-5.
However, Hester meets the above language by teaching
that the support processor "include[s] the ability to examine
and
alter registers in the system microprocessor" (col. 2, lines
59-61) and "control[s] and examine[s] the contents of all
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Application 07/832,661
30
facilities within the microprocessor [under test]" (col. 4,
lines 6-7).
Hester performs this alter/control function by having a
“desired instruction" that is used "to enable the stop-on-
address function" of the microprocessor. Col. 3, lines 22-37;
col. 4, line 10. Thus, the claim language that Appellants
argue for claim 61 is met by Hester and since anticipation is
the epitome of obviousness, Fracalossi, 681 F.2d at 794, 215
USPQ at 571, we will sustain the Examiner’s rejection of claim
61 under 35 U.S.C. § 103 in view of Hester.
Aside from the above claim language for claim 61,
Appellants have chosen not to argue any of the other specific
limitations as a basis for patentability and this board
declines to look beyond that which has been argued by
Appellants. Baxter, 952 F.2d at 391, 21 USPQ2d at 1285; 37
CFR § 1.192.
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Application 07/832,661
31
In view of the foregoing, the decision of the
Examiner rejecting claims 2, 11-15, 17 and 55 under 35 U.S.C.
§ 102(b)
and claims 3-5, 16, 20-26, 60 and 61 under 35 U.S.C. § 103
is affirmed; however, the decision of the Examiner rejecting
claims 6-10, 27, 28 and 31 is reversed.
No time period for taking any subsequent action in
connection with this appeal may be extended under 37 CFR
§ 1.136(a).
AFFIRMED-IN-PART
KENNETH W. HAIRSTON )
Administrative Patent Judge )
)
)
) BOARD OF
PATENT
LEE E. BARRETT ) APPEALS AND
Administrative Patent Judge )
INTERFERENCES
)
)
)
MICHAEL R. FLEMING )
Administrative Patent Judge )
Appeal No. 94-3053
Application 07/832,661
32
Scott B. Stahl
Texas Instruments, Inc.
Patent Department, M/S 219
P.O. Box 655474
Dallas, TX 75262