Appeal No. 96-2379
Application 07/837,240
number is the same as adding the number in its entirety at once
in a larger adder sufficient to add all of the bit positions. In
our view, that is within the realm of the basic skills and common
sense intrinsically possessed by one with ordinary skill in the
art. It should be noted that a conclusion of obviousness may be
made from common knowledge and common sense of the person of
ordinary skill in the art without any specific hint or suggestion
in a particular reference. In re Bozek, 416 F.2d 1385, 1390, 163
USPQ 545, 549 (CCPA 1969). That one number can be added to
another in a single adder without splitting the first into two
parts is not a novel idea by any means. Certain basic skills are
to be presumed. See In re Sovish, 769 F.2d 738, 743, 226 USPQ
771, 775 (Fed. Cir. 1985) ("[The appellant's] argument presumes
stupidity rather than skill"). We are not persuaded by the
appellant that there is patentable distinction based on whether
the carry bit is naturally carried in a single adder or
externally carried through use of two adders.
In any event, neither the word “single” nor the words
“natural carry” appear in any claim and we do not read the claims
as requiring only a single adder or a “natural carry” operation.
With respect to all independent claims 1, 2 and 12, the
appellant argues that the claimed invention requires input data
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