Appeal 2007-1100
Application 10/384,642
disclosure.6 We find that Miyao’s ring-like formation of images reasonably
constitutes a ring-shaped “strip” of images giving the term “strip” its
broadest reasonable interpretation. The fact that the images overlap simply
does not preclude the array constituting a strip. In any event, the horizontal
array of images in Angiulo also reasonably constitutes a strip giving the term
its broadest reasonable interpretation.
Furthermore, Miyao’s partially overlapping images reasonably
constitute “mutually adjacent image display areas” as claimed. In Fig. 1,
each image in the ring has a corresponding “display area.” Although the
display areas partially overlap, they are nonetheless “mutually adjacent”
giving the term its broadest reasonable interpretation.
Additionally, the display image size (i.e., the “display area”)
decreases progressively from the foreground towards the back row (Miyao,
col. 11, ll. 16-34). Accordingly, the sizes of the adjacent display areas
diminish as their distance from the foreground image display areas increases
in the vertical direction (i.e., from the lower portion of the LCD display to
the upper portion of the display).
With this interpretation of Miyao, the fundamental issue before us is a
relatively narrow one: whether it would have been obvious to the skilled
artisan to display the array of image display areas in Miyao in a straight line
in lieu of a ring.
Turning to Angiulo, thumbnail images in a photo gallery are displayed
in an array which is oriented essentially along a straight horizontal line.
Using the forward and back controls 190a, 190b, the user can scroll through
6 See Fig. 16 and Specification 5:1 (“The image display strip may be ring-
shaped.”).
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