Appeal No. 97-0974
Application No. 08/234,294
It is true that the specification does state:
The computer can compute appropriate motor commands
to move the camera to achieve a desired
relationship with the surgeon's instrument. The
system can include a method of aligning the
manipulator center of motion to a body part and then
grabbing the part with an adjustable clamp. In the
simplest case, the computer could simply command
appropriate 2 and 2 commands to place the image ofx y
a single beacon attached to an instrument at any
desired place (e.g. the center) in the video image
seen by the video camera. This could be done either
in a continuously tracking mode or on command from
the surgeon. In more complex cases, the computer
would also use the distal 2 and sliding motors to
z
provide a "roll" and "zoom" capability. [Page 49,
lines 13-28.]
It does not follow, however, that just because it is broadly
stated (1) the computer can compute appropriate motor commands
to move the camera and (2) the computer commands an image to
be placed in the center of the video image seen by the camera,
that the computer necessarily functions as a "means" for
making an automatic selection of different ones of the sensing
modes to be used by the means for sensing (independent claims
50 and 74) or a selector for automatically selecting the
sensing mode to be used by the sensor (independent claim 75).
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