Ex parte JENKIN et al. - Page 6




          Appeal No. 96-1200                                                            
          Application 08/011,453                                                        

               The claims stand or fall together (Br4).  Claim 1 is                     
          analyzed as representative.                                                   
               Appellants' two main arguments are that:  (1) the video                  
          drivers in Caine are not equivalent to the claimed "separately                
          controllable processor means" (Br8-10); and (2) the touch-                    
          sensitive device in Norwood does not suggest multiple display                 
          units, each display unit having an associated touch-sensitive                 
          screen and processor means (Br10-12).  Although not all of the                
          arguments made in support of these arguments are supported by                 
          specific claim limitations, we nevertheless conclude that the                 
          examiner has failed to establish a prima facie case of                        
          obviousness.  We review the rejection by analyzing the                        
          limitations of claim 1.                                                       
               The first paragraph of claim 1 recites "a plurality of                   
          basic display units each comprising separately controllable                   
          processor means having an output connected to at least one                    
          display."  No function is recited for the "processor means";                  
          thus, the term is not in means-plus-function format under                     
          35 U.S.C. § 112, sixth paragraph despite the use of the term                  
          "means."  A "processor" broadly encompasses a device for                      
          reading out video information from a memory and a video driver                

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