Ex parte GIFFORD - Page 7




          Appeal No. 1998-0631                                                        
          Application 07/957,990                                                      

          rejection or with the claims from which they depend.  See                   
          37 CFR § 1.192(c)(7) (1996) (claims stand or fall together                  
          unless appellant includes a statement that the claims do not                
          stand or fall together and, in the argument section,                        
          explains why the claims of the group are believed to be                     
          separately patentable).  Cf. In re Dillon, 919 F.2d 688,                    
          692, 16 USPQ2d 1897, 1900 (Fed. Cir. 1990) (in banc) ("It is                
          not the practice of this court to review claims that an                     
          applicant has not separately argued at the Board level,                     
          because, inter alia, we lack the benefit of the Board's                     
          reasoned decision on the separate patentability of those                    
          claims.")                                                                   

          Only argued limitations are addressed                                       
               We confine our analysis to issues and differences                      
          argued in the briefs.  Under USPTO rules, an appellant's                    
          brief is required to specify the specific limitations in the                
          rejected claims which are not described in the prior art or                 
          rendered obvious over the prior art.  See 37 CFR                            
          § 1.192(c)(8)(iii) & (iv).  Cf. In re Baxter Travenol Labs.,                
          952 F.2d 388, 391, 21 USPQ2d 1281, 1285 (Fed. Cir. 1991)                    
          ("It is not the function of this court to examine the claims                
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