Ex Parte MERRYMAN et al - Page 1




             The opinion in support of the decision being entered today was not written for publication and is not binding precedent of the Board.
                                                                                 Paper No. 13          
                       UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE                                       
                                             ____________                                              
                           BEFORE THE BOARD OF PATENT APPEALS                                          
                                       AND INTERFERENCES                                               
                                             ____________                                              
                        Ex parte KENNETH E. MERRYMAN and RONALD G. ARNOLD                              
                                             ____________                                              
                                          Appeal No. 2001-2692                                         
                                        Application No. 08/789,001                                     
                                             ____________                                              
                                               ON BRIEF                                                
                                             ____________                                              
            Before BARRY, BLANKENSHIP, AND SAADAT, Administrative Patent Judges.                       
            BARRY, Administrative Patent Judge.                                                        


                                         DECISION ON APPEAL                                            
                  A patent examiner rejected claims 1-38.  The appellants appeal therefrom under       
            35 U.S.C. § 134(a).  We affirm-in-part.                                                    


                                            BACKGROUND                                                 
                  The invention at issue on appeal relates to implementing input/output ("I/O")        
            functions for an integrated circuit ("IC").  Custom and semi-custom ICs are often          
            designed by assembling predefined components, i.e., "macro cells" selected from a          
            design library.  (Spec. at 1.)                                                             








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