Fortinet, Inc.Download PDFPatent Trials and Appeals BoardJul 20, 20212021000221 (P.T.A.B. Jul. 20, 2021) Copy Citation UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE United States Patent and Trademark Office Address: COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS P.O. Box 1450 Alexandria, Virginia 22313-1450 www.uspto.gov APPLICATION NO. FILING DATE FIRST NAMED INVENTOR ATTORNEY DOCKET NO. CONFIRMATION NO. 15/269,466 09/19/2016 Zhi Hon Yang FORT-022600(16062) 1075 176502 7590 07/20/2021 Douglas M. Hamilton HDC Fortinet 224 S. Main Street, 114 Springville, UT 84663 EXAMINER BROWN, ADAM WAYNE ART UNIT PAPER NUMBER 3745 NOTIFICATION DATE DELIVERY MODE 07/20/2021 ELECTRONIC Please find below and/or attached an Office communication concerning this application or proceeding. The time period for reply, if any, is set in the attached communication. Notice of the Office communication was sent electronically on above-indicated "Notification Date" to the following e-mail address(es): dhamilton@hdciplaw.com miquelchamilton@hamiltonshome.com PTOL-90A (Rev. 04/07) UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE ____________ BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD ____________ Ex parte ZHI HON YANG, SHENGHUA JIANG, and KEQIN CHEN ____________ Appeal 2021-000221 Application 15/269,466 Technology Center 3700 ____________ Before STEFAN STAICOVICI, EDWARD A. BROWN, and MICHAEL L. WOODS, Administrative Patent Judges. STAICOVICI, Administrative Patent Judge. DECISION ON APPEAL STATEMENT OF THE CASE. Appellant1 appeals under 35 U.S.C. § 134(a) from the Examiner’s decision in the Final Office Action (dated Oct. 4, 2019, hereinafter “Final Act.”) rejecting claims 1–23. We have jurisdiction over this appeal under 35 U.S.C. § 6(b). 1 We use the word “Appellant” to refer to “applicant” as defined in 37 C.F.R. § 1.42. Fortinet, Inc. is identified as the real party in interest in Appellant’s Appeal Brief (filed Mar. 3, 2020, hereinafter “Appeal Br.”). Appeal Br. 3. Appeal 2021-000221 Application 15/269,466 2 SUMMARY OF DECISION We AFFIRM IN PART. INVENTION Appellant’s invention is directed “to fan vibration damping devices and methods for damping vibrations utilizing one or more fan vibration damping devices.” Spec. para. 2. Claims 1, 11, and 21 are independent. Claim 1 is illustrative of the claimed invention and reads as follows: 1. A vibration damping device for a fan, the fan including an inlet side of a frame and an exhaust side of the frame, the frame retaining a fan mechanism; the vibration damping device comprising: a mass mT comprising one or more solid weight elements; and at least one solid resilient attachment member having a first spring characteristic, wherein said at least one solid resilient attachment member is configured to be connected to the frame and said mass mT and retain said mass mT between the inlet side of the frame and the exhaust side of the frame; wherein said vibration damping device is tunable to damp the vibration of the fan by at least one or a combination of (a) varying the mass mT by replacement or addition or subtraction of one or more solid weight elements, and (b) replacing said at least one solid resilient attachment member having the first spring characteristic with a second solid resilient attachment member having a second spring characteristic. Appeal Br. 24 (Claims App.). Appeal 2021-000221 Application 15/269,466 3 REJECTIONS I. The Examiner rejects claims 1–7, 9–17, and 19–23 under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over Higham2 and Sehgal.3,4 II. The Examiner rejects claims 8 and 18 under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over Higham, Sehgal, and Rodewalt.5 ANALYSIS Rejection I Claims 1, 2, 4, 6, 9 and 10 Appellant does not present separate arguments for the patentability of claims 2, 4, 6, 9, and 10 apart from claim 1. See Appeal Br. 11–18. Therefore, in accordance with 37 C.F.R. § 41.37(c)(1)(iv), we select claim 1 as the representative claim to decide the appeal of the rejection of these claims, with claims 2, 4, 6, 9, and 10 standing or falling with claim 1. The Examiner finds Higham discloses a tunable vibration damping device including, inter alia, fan 193, mass mT having one or more elements 140, and at least one resilient block 141, 142 having a first spring characteristic, “wherein said vibration damping device is tunable to damp 2 Higham, US 4,819,439, issued Apr. 11, 1989. 3 Sehgal et al., US 5,647,726, issued July 15, 1997. 4 As claims 8 and 18 are separately rejected, we view the Examiner’s inclusion of claims 8 and 18 in the heading of this rejection as a mere typographical error. See Final Act. 2, 5. See also id. at 5 (“Higham in view of Sehgal . . . fails to teach that said one or more plates are of substantially triangular shape.”). 5 Rodewalt, US 3,504,533, issued April 7, 1970. Appeal 2021-000221 Application 15/269,466 4 the vibration of the fan by being tunable to match the resonance frequency of said fan.” Final Act. 3 (citing Higham, Abstract, col. 4, ll. 11–20, Fig. 1). The Examiner further finds that Higham fails to disclose tuning the vibration damping device by either varying mass mT by adding or subtracting elements 140 or by replacing the at least one resilient block 141, 142 having a first spring characteristic with at least one resilient block 141, 142 having a second spring characteristic. Id. at 4. Nonetheless, the Examiner finds Sehgal discloses damping vibrations “by adjusting (i.e. adding or changing) either the mass or changing the spring” of a spring-mass damping system. Id (citing Sehgal, col. 3, l. 55–col. 4, l. 10). Thus, the Examiner concludes that it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art “to modify the vibration damper and corresponding method of using the damper of Higham by tuning the damper . . . [as a result of] adjusting the mass or the spring as taught by Sehgal as a combination of prior art elements to achieve the predictable result of tuning the vibration damper.” Id. at 4–5 (citing Higham, col. 4, ll. 11–20, Sehgal, col. 3, l. 55–col. 4, l. 10). In response, Appellant argues that both Higham and Sehgal constitute non-analogous art to the claimed invention. Appeal Br. 11. Appellant contends that both Higham and Sehgal are “outside of the field of the inventor’s endeavor relating to damping vibrations originating from a fan” because Higham relates to damping “vibrations caused by reciprocating motion” of linear motors and Sehgal relates to reducing vibrations caused by helicopter rotor blades. Id. at 12, 14 (citing Higham, Abstract, col. 1, ll. 15– 18, col. 4, ll. 11–13; Sehgal, col. 1, ll. 9–63, col. 2, ll. 61–62, col. 3, ll. 55– 64). Appellant asserts that because Higham’s compressor driven by a linear motor and Sehgal’s helicopter rotor hub represent “very different Appeal 2021-000221 Application 15/269,466 5 environment[s] than that of a conventional cooling fan,” neither Higham nor Sehgal are “‘reasonably pertinent’ to the particular problem [of the inventor] relating to the negative impacts of vibrations originating from a cooling fan.” Id. at 13, 15 (emphasis omitted). “Criteria for determining whether prior art is analogous may be summarized as ‘(1) whether the art is form the same field of endeavor, regardless of the problem addressed, and (2) if the reference is not within the field of the inventor’s endeavor, whether the reference still is reasonably pertinent to the particular problem with which the inventor is involved.’” Scientific Plastic Prods., Inc. v. Biotage AB, 766 F.3d 1355, 1359 (Fed. Cir. 2014) (citing In re Clay, 966 F.2d 656, 658–59 (Fed. Cir. 1992)). In this case, we agree with the Examiner that Appellant’s invention, Higham, and Sehgal, all address the common problem of “how to damp mechanical vibrations.” Examiner’s Answer (dated June 12, 2020, hereinafter “Ans.”) 3. Whether Higham addresses damping vibrations from compressors driven by linear motors (see Appeal Br. 13) or Sehgal addresses damping vibrations from helicopter rotor hubs (see id. at 14), the function of the damping systems of Higham and Sehgal is evidently to dampen vibrations. A reference is reasonably pertinent if . . . it is one which, because of the matter with which it deals, logically would have commended itself to an inventor’s attention in considering his problem. If a reference disclosure has the same purpose as the claimed invention, the reference relates to the same problem, and that fact supports use of that reference in an obviousness rejection. Innovention Toys, LLC v. MGA Entm’t, Inc., 637 F.3d 1314, 1321 (Fed. Cir. 2011) (quoting Clay, 966 F.2d at 659). Appeal 2021-000221 Application 15/269,466 6 In contrast, Appellant’s statement of the problem would focus the analysis not on the problem at issue but on the specific application and setting identified in the Specification—“[v]ibration damping devices and methods . . . for damping vibrations in a fan.” Spec. para. 6 (emphasis added); see also Appeal Br. 13 (“particular problem relating to the negative impacts of vibrations originating from a cooling fan.”) (emphasis omitted). The analogous prior art should not be so limited. See Graham v. John Deere Co. of Kansas City, 383 U.S. 1, 35 (1966) (rejecting the argument that the cited references were not “pertinent prior art” and stating that “[t]he problems confronting [the patentee] and the insecticide industry were not insecticide problems; they were mechanical closure problems”). Rather, the scope of analogous art is to be construed broadly. Wyers v. Master Lock Co., 616 F.3d 1231, 1238 (Fed. Cir. 2010) (“The Supreme Court’s decision in KSR International Co. v. Teleflex, Inc., 550 U.S. 398 (2007), directs us to construe the scope of analogous art broadly, stating that ‘familiar items may have obvious uses beyond their primary purposes, and a person of ordinary skill often will be able to fit the teachings of multiple patents together like pieces of a puzzle.’” Id. at 402 (emphasis added).”). Thus, the Examiner correctly found that both Higham and Sehgal are analogous art, and properly considered their teachings in determining that the subject matter of independent claim 1 would have been obvious to a skilled artisan. Appellant further argues that because Higham’s system dampens linear vibrations resulting from a reciprocating armature and Sehgal’s system dampens vibrations of a helicopter rotor mast, the combined teachings of Higham and Sehgal fail to disclose a “vibration damping device [that] is tunable to damp the vibration of the fan.” See Appeal Br. 16 Appeal 2021-000221 Application 15/269,466 7 (emphasis omitted). According to Appellant, it is not reasonable to equate damping vibrations from Higham’s reciprocating armature 110 with the claimed damping of “the vibration of the fan” or to equate Sehgal’s helicopter rotor mast “with a fan.” Id. at 17, 18. We are not persuaded by Appellant’s arguments because we agree with the Examiner that the configuration of Higham’s spring-mass damping system of “two resilient attachment members (141, 142) with a mass (140) attached [there]between” is the same as Appellant’s configuration “with mass 112 located between resilient attachment members 108 and 110.” Ans. 4. The Examiner is also correct that the tuning of Sehgal’s spring-mass damping system “by adjusting . . . either the mass or changing the spring” is the same as Appellant’s tuning. Final Act. 4 (citing Sehgal, col. 3, l. 55–col. 4, l. 10). As such, the Examiner has made explicit findings that the structure and function of Higham’s damping system, as modified by Sehgal, and Appellant’s claimed “vibration damping device,” are so similar as to shift the burden to Appellant to show that the damping system of Higham, as modified by Sehgal would not perform like Appellant’s, that is, would not “damp the vibration of the fan.” In other words, the Examiner is on solid ground in finding sufficient structural similarity between Higham’s damping system, as modified by Sehgal, and Appellant’s claimed “vibration damping device,” that the recited functional limitation “to damp the vibration of the fan” would also be present in the damping system of Higham and Sehgal. See In re Schreiber, 128 F.3d 1473, 1477–78 (Fed. Cir. 1997) (once the Examiner finds that the prior art structure would be capable of performing all of the functions claimed, the burden shifts to the applicant to show this this is not the case)). Appeal 2021-000221 Application 15/269,466 8 In this case, Appellant does not provide sufficient evidence or persuasive reasoning to indicate that Higham’s damping system, as modified by Sehgal, despite its structural similarity to the claimed “vibration damping device,” would not be capable of performing the function “to damp the vibration of the fan.” Appellant further contends that Higham’s vibration damper is not “tunable,” as called for by independent claim 1, because tuning “appears to be the result of machining the coiled portions 141 and 142 from a hollow cylinder,” and, thus, “does not appear to be something repeatable after the initial tuning.” Appeal Br. 17 (emphasis omitted) (citing Higham, col. 2, ll. 21–24, col. 4, ll. 51–53). Thus, Appellant asserts that “there is no teaching or reasonable suggestion in Higham that after performing the machining process . . . the dynamic absorber 139 could be or is even desired to be further tuned.” Id. We are not persuaded by Appellant’s argument because “[n]onobviousness cannot be established by attacking references individually where the rejection is based upon the teachings of a combination of references. [Each reference] must be read, not in isolation, but for what it fairly teaches in combination with the prior art as a whole.” In re Merck & Co. Inc., 800 F.2d 1091, 1097 (Fed. Cir. 1986). In this case, although Appellant is correct that Higham fails to disclose a “tunable” damper, the Examiner acknowledged this precise point and relied upon Sehgal to disclose this element of claim 1, that is, a “tunable” spring-mass damping system that is tuned “by adjusting . . . either the mass or changing the spring.” Final Act. 3–4 (citing Sehgal, col. 3, l. 55–col. 4, l. 10); Ans. 7. Appellant has not persuasively challenged Sehgal’s disclosure in this regard. Appeal 2021-000221 Application 15/269,466 9 In conclusion, for the foregoing reasons, we sustain the rejection under 35 U.S.C. § 103 of independent claim 1 as unpatentable over Higham and Sehgal. Dependent claims 2, 4, 6, 9 and 10 fall with claim 1. Claim 3 Claim 3, which depends from independent claim 1, adds the limitation “wherein said vibration damping device is tunable . . . to match the resonance frequency of said fan.” Appeal Br. 24 (Claims App.). Appellant argues that Higham’s disclosure of tuning the resonance frequency of Higham’s damping system to match the compressor’s operating frequency is not a disclosure “involving the use of the resonance frequency of the fan.” Appeal Br. 18 (citing col. 4, ll. 11–20) (emphasis omitted). For the reasons discussed supra, the Examiner is on solid ground in finding sufficient structural similarity between Higham’s damping system, as modified by Sehgal, and Appellant’s claimed “vibration damping device,” that the recited functional limitation “to damp the vibration of the fan” would also be present in the damping system of Higham and Sehgal. We further agree with the Examiner that because Higham’s damping system is tuned to resonate at one frequency, that is, the compressor’s operating frequency, and Sehgal discloses a tunable spring-mass damping system, the damping system of Higham, as modified by Sehgal, would be capable of being tuned to resonate at another frequency, that is, at a fan’s operating frequency. Ans. 8. Appellant does not provide sufficient evidence or persuasive reasoning that Higham’s damping system, as modified by Sehgal, despite its structural similarity to the claimed “vibration damping device,” would not be capable of performing the intended use or function of “being Appeal 2021-000221 Application 15/269,466 10 tunable to match the resonance frequency of said fan.” In particular, Appellant does not adequately explain why Higham’s damping system, as modified by Sehgal, would not be capable of resonating at a fan’s operating frequency, when Higham specifically discloses a tuned damping system that can resonate at a compressor’s operating frequency and Sehgal discloses a tunable spring-mass damping system. Accordingly, for the foregoing reasons, we sustain the rejection under 35 U.S.C. § 103 of claim 3 as unpatentable over Higham and Sehgal. Claims 5 and 7 Claims 5 and 7, which depend from independent claim 1, add the limitations of “wherein said at least one solid resilient attachment is made of a rubber material” and “wherein said one or more plates are made of a metallic material,” respectively. Appeal Br. 25. The Examiner determines that: Because Higham teaches that these materials are suitable for use within its pump environment, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the resilient attachment and plates by using rubber and metallic materials, respectively, because these materials are suitable for use within the pump. Final Act. 5 (citing Higham, col. 3, ll. 42–43, col. 4, ll. 36–39). Appellant argues that “the mere fact that certain materials might be ‘suitable for use’ within a particular environment provides no indication regarding the reasonable expectation of success, for example, in the context of usage for a particular purpose.” Appeal Br. 20. Appeal 2021-000221 Application 15/269,466 11 The Examiner responds that because Higham discloses the use of iron to form a mass component and the use of elastomeric materials to perform a damping function, “[t]here would be a reasonable expectation of success in using the same material to perform the same function in the vibration damping device because it would operate under the same conditions.” Ans. 9. We are not persuaded by the Examiner’s position because the Examiner has not established sufficiently that it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to make the least one solid resilient attachment from a rubber material and the one or more weight plates from a metallic material. In particular, the Examiner’s reliance on Higham’s disclosure of using iron (i.e., metallic material) to make armature 110 because of iron’s “high magnetic permeability and high magnetic induction” is misplaced because the Examiner does not adequately explain why a skilled artisan would want mass 140 of Higham’s damper to have magnetic properties. See Higham, col. 4, ll. 43–44. The Examiner’s further reliance on Higham’s disclosure of using an elastomeric material (i.e., rubber material) to mount isolator springs 161, 171 because of the material’s damping properties is also misplaced. The Examiner does not sufficiently explain why making Higham’s resilient members 141, 142 from an elastomeric material would be suitable when considering their respective alternating compression and extension loading. See id., col. 2, ll. 19–20. As such, the Examiner’s determination of obviousness is not supported by sufficient explanation or citation to reflect a rational relationship between choosing a metallic material to make the one or more weight plates and a rubber material to make the at least one solid Appeal 2021-000221 Application 15/269,466 12 resilient attachment, and the suitability of making such a choice in the context of Higham’s system, as modified by Sehgal. Hence, for foregoing reasons, the Examiner fails to articulate a sufficient reason with rational underpinnings to further modify the structure Higham, as modified by Sehgal, and, thus, to arrive at the subject matter of claims 5 and 7. Accordingly, we do not sustain the rejection under 35 U.S.C. § 103 of claims 5 and 7 as unpatentable over Higham and Sehgal. Claims 11–17 and 19–23 With respect to independent claims 11 and 21, the Examiner makes the same findings and reaches the same conclusion of obviousness as discussed supra in the rejection of independent claim 1. See Final Act. 3–4. In particular, the Examiner notes that “[t]he method of claim 11 and system of claim 21 only nominally recite fan structure.” See Ans. 3 (emphasis added). We are not persuaded by the Examiner’s position because in rejecting claims under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a), the Examiner bears the initial burden of establishing a prima facie case of obviousness. In re Oetiker, 977 F.2d 1443, 1445 (Fed. Cir. 1992). Just because claims 11 and 21 “only nominally recite fan structure” does not mean that the Examiner is excused from making adequate findings regarding the limitations in claims 11 and 21 that recite a fan structure. See Ans. 3 (emphasis added). For example, independent claim 11, drawn to “[a] method of damping vibration of a fan” recites, inter alia, “disposing and retaining said vibration damping device between an inlet side of a frame and an exhaust side of the frame retaining . . . by connecting the vibration damping device to the inlet Appeal 2021-000221 Application 15/269,466 13 side of the frame and the exhaust side of the frame.” Appeal Br. 26 (Claims App.). The Examiner’s mere statement that “Higham . . . also teaches the steps of providing the elements as claimed in the method claims” is not supported by sufficient factual evidence. Final Act. 5. Similarly, independent claim 21 recites, inter alia, “a fan including: a fan mechanism; an inlet side of a frame; and an exhaust side of the frame, the frame retaining the fan mechanism therewithin; and, a vibration damping device configured to be connected to the frame.” Appeal Br. 28 (emphasis added). The Examiner’s mere statement of “said frame is a substantially rectangular frame that is configured to retain said fan mechanism” is likewise not supported by sufficient factual evidence; especially in light of the use of the phrase “configured to” which is generally used to mean “made to” or “constructed to” perform the claimed function. See Final Act. 3 (citing Higham, Fig. 1); see e.g., In re Giannelli, 739 F.3d 1375, 1379 (Fed. Cir. 2014). As such, the Examiner’s rejection fails to make adequate findings as to how and where Higham discloses the recitations of claims 11 and 21 related to a fan structure. Instead, the Examiner merely cites to Higham’s Figure 1 and refers to Higham’s fan 193 without explaining how Higham’s damping system, which the Examiner equates to the claimed “vibration damping device,” is related in any manner with damping the vibrations of fan 193. Thus, for the foregoing reasons, the Examiner’s legal conclusion of obviousness is not supported by sufficient factual evidence, and thus, cannot stand. See In re Warner, 379 F.2d 1011, 1017 (CCPA 1967) (holding that “[t]he legal conclusion of obviousness must be supported by facts. Where Appeal 2021-000221 Application 15/269,466 14 the legal conclusion is not supported by facts it cannot stand.”). Accordingly, we do not sustain the rejection under 35 U.S.C. § 103 of independent claims 11 and 21, and their respective claims 12–17, 19, 20, 22, and 23, as unpatentable over Higham and Sehgal. Rejection II Claims 8 and 18 Each of dependent claims 8 and 18 recites “wherein said one or more plates are of substantially triangular shape.” Appeal Br. 25, 28 (Claims App.). The Examiner finds that the combined teachings of Higham and Sehgal fail to disclose the above noted limitation, but relies on Rodewalt to disclose “a spring-mass system . . . wherein the masses are triangularly shaped.” Final Act. 5 (citing Rodewalt, Abstract, col. 3, ll. 4–9). According to the Examiner, Rodewalt discloses “that the mass element of a spring-mass system may take any shape which allows it to be connected to the spring element and stay attached while providing the required mass.” Id (citing Rodewalt, col. 2, l. 67–col. 3, l. 9). Thus, the Examiner concludes that it would have been obvious to a skilled artisan “to modify the system of Higham as modified by Sehgal by using triangularly shaped masses as taught by Rodewalt as a combination of prior art elements to achieve the predictable result of attaching the mass to the spring and providing the appropriate amount of mass.” Id. at 5–6. Appellant argues that “[n]owhere in Rodewalt is there any teaching or reasonable suggestion regarding damping of vibrations in general or specifically with respect to vibrations originating from a fan.” Appeal Br. Appeal 2021-000221 Application 15/269,466 15 21–22. Stated differently, Appellant argues that because Rodewalt’s spring- mass system does not damp vibrations, a skilled artisan would not have modified the vibration damper of Higham, as modified by Sehgal, to have a triangular mass, as taught by Rodewalt. We appreciate that Rodewalt discloses a spring-mass system having spring element 8 and triangular mass 9. See Rodewalt, col. 3, ll. 3–7, Fig. 4. However, the mere fact that the shape of Rodewalt’s mass 9 is triangular, is not, in itself, a reason to combine the respective teachings of Higham, Sehgal, and Rodewalt. The Examiner offers no explanation for why a person of ordinary skill in the art would modify the shape of Higham’s mass 140, as modified by Sehgal, to be triangular. Conclusory statements are not enough to satisfy the Examiner’s obligation to provide reasoned explanation for its decision. In re Van Os, 844 F.3d 1359, 1361 (Fed. Cir. 2017). The Examiner must explain why a person of ordinary skill in the art would modify the prior art references to create the claimed invention. In re Kotzab, 217 F.3d 1365, 1371 (Fed. Cir. 2000). Lastly, we note that Rodewalt’s mass 9, which the Examiner relies on to modify the shape of Higham’s mass 140, as modified by Sehgal, to be triangular, does not damp vibrations, but rather causes vibrations. See Rodewalt, col. 3, ll. 9–10 (“weight of member 9 . . . cause[s] element 8 to vibrate.”). Therefore, as Higham’s mass 140 is for dampening vibrations, whereas Rodewalt’s element 9 causes vibrations, the Examiner’s reasoning to modify the vibration damper of Higham, as modified by Sehgal, to have a triangular mass, as taught by Rodewalt, lacks rational underpinnings. Appeal 2021-000221 Application 15/269,466 16 Accordingly, for the foregoing reasons, we do not sustain the rejection under 35 U.S.C. § 103 of claims 8 and 18 as unpatentable over the combined teachings of Higham, Sehgal, and Rodewalt. In addition, we do not sustain the rejection of claim 18 over Higham, Sehgal, and Rodewalt because the Examiner’s use of the disclosure of Rodewalt does not remedy the deficiency of the Higham and Sehgal combination, as applied by the Examiner to independent claim 11, from which claim 18 depends. See Final Act. 5–6. CONCLUSION Claim(s) Rejected 35 U.S.C. § Reference(s)/ Basis Affirmed Reversed 1–7, 9–17, 19–23 103 Higham, Sehgal 1–4, 6, 9–10 5, 7, 11–17, 19–23 8, 18 103 Higham, Sehgal, Rodewalt 8, 18 Overall Outcome 1–4, 6, 9–10 5, 7, 8, 11–23 No time period for taking any subsequent action in connection with this appeal may be extended under 37 C.F.R. § 1.136(a). See 37 C.F.R. § 1.136(a)(1)(iv). AFFIRMED IN PART Copy with citationCopy as parenthetical citation