Ex Parte Flick - Page 8

                Appeal 2007-1535                                                                                 
                Application 10/626,969                                                                           
                                                                                                                
                to Nykerk, Appellant notes that the data bus 64 likewise does not extend                         
                throughout the vehicle as claimed, but is confined within the control module                     
                57 of the self-contained alarm system 55.  According to Appellant, Nykerk’s                      
                data bus extends throughout the control module -- not throughout the vehicle                     
                (Br. 8-9; Reply Br. 3-5).                                                                        
                       The Examiner argues that both Suman and Nykerk disclose a data bus                        
                means that extend through a vehicle between points of connection (i.e.,                          
                between the microprocessor 60 and interface 88 in Nykerk or between an                           
                interface means and a conductor in Suman) (Answer 8).                                            
                       Appellant further argues that there is no motivation to selectively                       
                discard the hardwired connections of Hwang ‘407 and replace them with the                        
                confined data bus suggested by either Nykerk or Suman (Br. 10-12).  The                          
                Examiner responds that the skilled artisan would have found it obvious to                        
                use a conventional bus connected to a vehicle alarm system as suggested by                       
                Suman, Nykerk, or Boreham in conjunction with an alarm system using a                            
                prealarm function to, among other things, employ the well-known                                  
                advantages of data buses, such as bi-directional communication with various                      
                components (Answer 8-9).                                                                         
                       We will not sustain the Examiner’s rejection of representative claim 1                    
                essentially for the reasons noted by Appellant.  As shown in Figures 6A and                      
                6B, Suman’s data bus 111 is part of driver circuit 75.  Specifically, the data                   
                bus 111 is connected between input interface circuitry 100 and                                   
                microcontroller 77 (Suman, Figs. 6A-6B).  Driver circuit 75, however, is                         
                mounted on a circuit board 71 in housing 63 -- a housing that is attached to                     
                the vehicle roof (Suman, col. 4, ll. 21-23 and 52-54; Fig. 2).  Therefore, the                   



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