Appeal No. 2003-1509
Application 09/853,575
optical fibers, as taught by Appeldorn '643, as the backing layer
in Crossland, is not supported by Appeldorn '643 or Crossland for
the reasons previously argued, i.e., Crossland does not suggest
anything other than layer 17 as a light guide and Appeldorn '643
teaches to use optical fibers as direct sources of light (Br7-8).
These arguments have been previously addressed.
Appellants argue that the function and operation of optical
fibers, particularly notched optical fibers which are capable of
selectively emitting light only at the notches, are quite
different from the light-diffusing panels which receive light
from a source and provide a plane of light as implemented in
Crossland (Br8). Thus, it is argued, without benefit of
appellants' own disclosure, one skilled in the art would not have
been motivated to replace Crossland's layer 17 designed to
illuminate all of the lenslets in a two-dimensional array with an
array of optical fibers wherein each fiber is designed to provide
selective illumination in only one direction, i.e., only at the
notches thereof (Br8-9).
The examiner responds that Crossland teaches that
indentations or protuberances (notches) may be provided in the
backing layer, forming points from which the radiation is emitted
and, therefore, Crossland does teach that light is selectively
emitted at points formed by the indentations or protuberances
(notches) formed in the backing layer (EA9-10).
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