Appeal No. 1997-1071
Application No. 08/350,119
Akase suggests changing the threshold as a function
(in response to) rpm and load (see the Abstract, for
instance). Given that this technique is known in
the art, it would have involved only routine skill
to change or correct the threshold used in a
Maddock-like system, because load and rpm are known
to affect the operation of any internal combustion
engine, and thereby any measurements . . . made of
that engine's operation.
Thus, the examiner apparently turns to Akase for correcting
the threshold in response to rpm and load. Although the
examiner fails to specifically identify the referenced
advantages to provide a motivation for changing or correcting
the threshold, since Maddock's threshold is updated each
engine cycle in response to the engine speed, no such teaching
is necessary.
The examiner comments (Answer, page 2) that Akase's
threshold adjustment can be described "as either 'basing a
threshold value on a look-up table which is indexed by engine
operating parameters such as load and RPM' or, equivalently,
as 'correcting the threshold value based on changes in those
parameters.'" The examiner concludes (Answer, page 3) that
"Akase DOES change the threshold used based on combustion
state parameters (such as RPM and load)." We agree that Akase
does change the threshold based on RPM and load, but we
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