Ex Parte Alden et alDownload PDFBoard of Patent Appeals and InterferencesSep 11, 200609740585 (B.P.A.I. Sep. 11, 2006) Copy Citation The opinion in support of the decision being entered today was not written for publication and is not binding precedent of the Board. UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE __________ BEFORE THE BOARD OF PATENT APPEALS AND INTERFERENCES __________ Ex parte JEFFREY MORGAN ALDEN AND DANIEL J. REAUME __________ Appeal No. 2006-2379 Application No. 09/740,585 ___________ ON BRIEF ___________ Before HAIRSTON, RUGGIERO, and MACDONALD, Administrative Patent Judges. HAIRSTON, Administrative Patent Judge. DECISION ON APPEAL This is an appeal from the final rejection of claims 1 through 22. The disclosed invention relates to a method and system for automatically making corresponding changes to entities in a visual representation and cells in a spreadsheet. Claim 10 is illustrative of the claimed invention, and it reads as follows: 10. A method for corresponding a visual representation and a spreadsheet, said method comprising the steps of: identifying cells in the spreadsheet as data cells or calculation cells; identifying a collection of data entities and calculation entities for the visual representation; Appeal No. 2006-2379 Application No. 09/740,585 2 corresponding the data cells to the data entities and the calculation cells to the calculation entities so that the visual representation and the spreadsheet have a functional equivalence; detecting changes in the cells of the spreadsheet and changes in the entities of the visual representation; and automatically changing the entities in the visual representation to correspond to the detected changes in the cells of the spreadsheet and automatically changing the cells in the spreadsheet to correspond to detected changes in the entities in the visual representation so as to automatically maintain a functional equivalence between the visual representation and the spreadsheet. The references relied on by the examiner are: Himmel et al. (Himmel) 6,041,360 Mar. 21, 2000 Brandywine Software LLC, Spreadsheet x1NavigatorTM, Sept. 28, 2000, pages 1 through 9. Claims 1 through 22 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) as being unpatentable over the Brandywine Software publication in view of Himmel. Reference is made to the briefs and the answer for the respective positions of the appellants and the examiner. OPINION We have carefully considered the entire record before us, and we will reverse the obviousness rejection of claims 1 through 22. Brandywine displays entities in a visual representation that correspond to cells of a spreadsheet (pages 4 and 7). The appellants agree with the examiner that “Brandywine does not teach or suggest automatically making a change to a visual representation based on changes made to a Appeal No. 2006-2379 Application No. 09/740,585 3 spreadsheet, and automatically making changes to the spreadsheet based on changes made to the visual representation” (brief, page 7; answer, page 4). The appellants additionally agree with the examiner that “Himmel discloses a method for automatically updating an internet bookmark that is used to access a webpage by detecting changes in the webpage data” (brief, page 8; answer, page 4). Appellants argue (brief, page 11) that “automatically updating a dynamic bookmark in a web browser is completely different and unrelated to maintaining a functional equivalence between a spreadsheet and a visual representation of the spreadsheet.” We agree. In summary, the obviousness rejection of claims 1 through 22 is reversed because the teachings of the applied references neither teach nor would have suggested to one of ordinary skill in the art that any changes made to the spreadsheet are automatically shown in the visual representation, and that any changes made to the visual representation are automatically shown in the spreadsheet. DECISION The decision of the examiner rejecting claims 1 through 22 under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) is reversed. Appeal No. 2006-2379 Application No. 09/740,585 4 REVERSED KENNETH W. HAIRSTON ) Administrative Patent Judge ) ) ) ) ) BOARD OF PATENT JOSEPH F. RUGGIERO ) APPEALS Administrative Patent Judge ) AND ) INTERFERENCES ) ) ) ALLEN R. MACDONALD ) Administrative Patent Judge ) EAK/kis Appeal No. 2006-2379 Application No. 09/740,585 5 GEORGE A. GROVE GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION LEGAL STAFF P. O. BOX 300 MAIL CODE 482-C23-B21 DETROIT, MI 48265-3000 Copy with citationCopy as parenthetical citation