Appeal No. 2006-2963
Application No. 10/309,969
tangent is actually counter to Peters’ teachings. Rather, Peters derives coefficient C
from a sequence of data points [Reply Brief, pages 2, 3, and 6]. Appellants add that
even if points b0 - b4 correspond to Bezier coefficients P, B0, C, B1, P+ described in
Peters, for Peters to anticipate the claim, Peters must determine the Bezier coefficients
P, B0, C, B1, P+ based upon a pair of positions, directions, and curvatures. Appellants
contend that Peters, however, discloses just the opposite – determining tangent based
upon Bezier coefficient C [Reply Brief, page 5].
The Examiner also argues that the independent claims do not require providing
directions and curvature data as original fixed inputs, but rather merely recite that the
pair of positions “includes” associated directions and curvatures. Therefore, the claims
do not preclude directions and curvatures that are functions of positional data [Answer,
pages 16 and 17]. Appellants respond that the claimed invention requires including
directions and curvatures as part of the provided positions rather than merely
associating the provided pair of positions, directions, and curvatures [Reply Brief, page
5].
We will sustain the Examiner’s rejection of independent claims 1, 11, and 21. At
the outset, we note that any point on a curve inherently has an associated direction (i.e.,
established by the tangent at that point1) and curvature. Therefore, the pair of
1 Although Peters discloses defining tangent t in terms of the pair C and C- as appellants indicate, Peters
nevertheless teaches that such an approach is “somewhat less flexible than the actual prescription of
tangents at each data point” [Peters, page 238; emphasis added]. Such a statement not only suggests
that each point on a curve inherently has an associated tangent, but prescribing such tangents at each
data point is actually more flexible than defining them in terms of the pair C and C-.
5
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007