Appeal No. 94-3636
Application 07/889,660
Appellants argue that Kita fails to reasonably suggest the limitation of "searching the content
of each searchable record of each file that is associated with a selection button . . . for the search
string" (claim 1). The "content of each record" is said to refer to the body of data stored in each
record (Brief, page 10). Appellants argue that Kita "searches only category headings or 'retrieval
information' such as 'sort groups' and 'picture information'" (Brief, page 10), that "[u]nlike the claimed
invention, it does not search the content of the items held in memory (picture information in the case
of Kita et al.)" (Brief, page 10), and that Kita shows "that the 'retrieval information' is stored
separately from the content (Figs. 5, 8, and 11 show this and the supporting written description
indicates it more clearly)" (Brief, page 10).
The examiner finds the searching step at "figure 13A and the descriptive material in column 3,
line 64 through column 4, line 8" (Examiner's Answer, page 14) and at "column 7, lines 12-29"
(Examiner's Answer, pages 14-15). The examiner finds the cover search key 101 and page search
key 104 to correspond to the selection button (Examiner's Answer, page 15).
We do not agree with the examiner's analysis. Kita does not search contents for a search
string. A "string" is a finite sequence of alphanumeric characters. Manifestly, a string search is
inconsistent with the image information stored by Kita. Kita stores and retrieves images using
hierarchical category and sub-category menus. While the menu items in the broad sort name
menu 81a are strings of characters, Kita does not search contents for that string. The menu items lead
to sub-category menu items as in menu 81b and then to a list of files as in data area 81c. The files
are categorized by titles and keywords input by the operator (column 6, lines 47-51). The files are
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Last modified: November 3, 2007