Appeal No. 1997-2774
Application No. 08/080,471
35 U.S.C. § 112, sixth paragraph, to that disclosed for the
capturing means.
Furthermore, regarding the memory, appellant argues
(Brief, page 37) that Tanaka neither discloses a memory nor
requires a memory, since the digitized television signal is
immediately transmitted to another location. The examiner, on
the other hand, contends (Answer, page 11) that memory devices
are well-known in the art for temporarily storing information
to be processed and "would normally be an inherent feature."
Although the examiner's rationale for including a memory is
reasonable, it appears to be based on mere conjecture, as the
inclusion of a memory is not suggested by the reference. In
re Warner, 154 USPQ 173, 177 (CCPA 1967). Accordingly, the
examiner has failed to establish a prima facie case of
obviousness, and we cannot sustain the rejection of claim 6.
Claims 9, 43, and 44 each recite a means for or step of
converting a portion of the image viewed by the television
camera into a sequence of integers, with "the remaining
portions of the analog electrical signal not being used."
Appellant (Brief, pages 45-6) points to A/D converter 25,
microprocessor 15, sync separator 29, gate 31, D flip-flop 35,
9
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