Appeal No. 1997-1381
Application 08/188,925
Appellant argues:
The Examiner has relied heavily on a statement
in the prior art reference at column 15, lines 55-
58, which states that “image data supplied from host
system is compressed and is then stored as backup
data when paper jamming occurs”.
The sentence is ambiguous because the phrase
“when paper jamming occurs” could be interpreted to
apply to the compression and storage steps together,
or, alternatively, it could be interpreted as
applying only to the storage step.
The Examiner has interpreted this statement as
if the “when paper jamming occurs” phrase applies to
both the compression and the storage steps.
However, as set forth in the Brief for the
Appellant, the Examiner’s interpretation is
inconsistent with the remainder of the reference.
If the Examiner’s interpretation was correct,
there would be no compression of the data until a
paper jam occurs. Thus, there would be no
compressed data in the backup buffer region unless a
paper jam occurs. However, attention is directed to
column 36, lines 61-63, wherein it states that when
a page is completely discharged, i.e., successfully
printed, the data is canceled from the backup buffer
region. If the Examiner’s interpretation was
correct, there would be no reason for data to be in
the backup buffer if a page was completely
discharged, because according to the Examiner’s
position, data is only compressed and stored upon
the detection of a paper jam. Thus, according to
the Examiner’s position, it would be impossible for
data in the backup buffer to be canceled if a page
was completely discharged. (Reply brief-pages 1 and
2.)
The Examiner responds:
(a)Attention is directed to column 36, lines 61-
63, wherein the recitation is “When data regarding a
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