Ex parte MIFSUD et al. - Page 6




          Appeal No. 96-1983                                                          
          Application No. 08/222,784                                                  


          of the claim language depends on whether one of ordinary skill              
          in the art would understand what is claimed in light of the                 
          specification.  Seattle Box Co., v. Industrial Crating &                    
          Packing, Inc., 731 F.2d 818, 826, 221 USPQ 568, 574 (Fed. Cir.              
          1984).                                                                      
          We are unable to find merit in any of the examiner’s                        
          objections to claim 1.  First, the phrase “said memory” in                  
          line                                                                        
          4 of claim 1 cannot possibly be misinterpreted because there                
          is only one memory or memory means recited in the claim.                    
          Second, typographical errors are not properly the subject of a              
          rejection under 35 U.S.C. § 112.  The examiner can always                   
          correct typographical errors at the time of allowance.  Third,              
          the examiner’s objections regarding the functional language                 
          and the structural connections do not make any sense.                       
          Independent claim 1 clearly recites how the various components              
          (means) are interconnected, and the recitation of the                       
          components as “means” allows the components to be claimed                   
          according to the functions which are performed.  Therefore, we              
          do not understand what the examiner finds unclear and                       
          indefinite about the structural and functional recitations of               
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