Appeal No. 2002-1732
Application No. 09/338,238
at the claimed invention. Such reason much stem from some
teachings, suggestions or implications in the prior art as a
whole or knowledge generally available to one having ordinary
skill in the art. Uniroyal, Inc. v. Rudkin-Wiley Corp., 837 F.2d
1044, 1051, 5 USPQ2d 1434, 1438 (Fed. Cir.), cert. denied, 488
U.S. 825 (1988); Ashland Oil, Inc. v. Delta Resins &
Refractories, Inc., 776 F.2d 281, 293, 227 USPQ 657, 664 (Fed.
Cir. 1985), cert. denied, 475 U.S. 1017 (1986); ACS Hosp. Sys.,
Inc. v. Montefiore Hosp., 732 F.2d 1572, 1577, 221 USPQ 929, 933
(Fed. Cir. 1984). These showings by the examiner are an
essential part of complying with the burden of presenting a prima
facie case of obviousness. Note In re Oetiker, 977 F.2d 1443,
1445, 24 USPQ2d 1443, 1444 (Fed. Cir. 1992). If that burden is
met, the burden then shifts to the applicant to overcome the
prima facie case with argument and/or evidence. Obviousness is
then determined on the basis of the evidence as a whole and the
relative persuasiveness of the arguments. See Id.; In re Hedges,
783 F.2d 1038, 1040, 228 USPQ 685, 687 (Fed. Cir. 1986); In re
Piasecki, 745 F.2d 1468, 1472, 223 USPQ 785, 788 (Fed. Cir.
1984); and In re Rinehart, 531 F.2d 1048, 1051, 189 USPQ 143,
146-147 (CCPA 1976). Only those arguments actually made by
appellant have been considered in this decision. Arguments which
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