Appeal No. 1998-3127
Application No. 08/703,418
With respect to independent claim 1, the Examiner
proposes to modify the radio frequency tuning indicator
disclosure of Nishimura which, as illustrated in Figure 1,
describes a plurality of user conditionable station selector
switch buttons. As recognized by the Examiner, the selector
switch buttons of Nishimura do not include a flat panel
display screen on the front surface of the buttons as claimed.
To address this deficiency, the Examiner turns to Leeder which
describes a flat panel display screen incorporated in a
programmable function key for displaying a message indicator
on the face of the key. In the Examiner’s line of reasoning
as stated at page 4 of the Answer:
Thus, it would have been obvious to one having
ordinary skill in the art at the time the
invention was made to modify each button of
Nishimura to have a flat panel display screen
as taught by Leeder so as to provide a direct
feedback to the operator indicating that the
desired key function has been initiated after
the key is hit, and to reduce the likelihood of
operator confusion, especially in comparison
with unlighted keys of the prior art.
In response, Appellant asserts that the Examiner has
failed to establish a prima facie case of obviousness since
the proposed combination of Nishimura and Leeder would not
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