Appeal No. 96-2865
Application No. 08/081,561
§ 112, second paragraph, rejection of claims 1 through 31 and 33
through 41.
We shall sustain, however, the standing 35 U.S.C. § 112,
second paragraph, rejection of claim 32. In short, this claim
does not set out and circumscribe the apparatus recited therein
with any degree, much less a reasonable degree, of precision and
particularity. The appellants’ explanation that claim 32 is a
linking claim (see page 38 in the main brief) is of no moment.
Finally and with regard to the standing 35 U.S.C. § 102(b)
rejection of claims 1 through 31 and 33 through 41, Smith
discloses an interactive videodisc system which allows students
to study chemical reactions that are too hazardous, too expensive
or too time consuming to study in a wet lab. As described in the
reference, the system includes
four videodiscs containing 39 lessons that not only
demonstrate laboratory simulations and techniques, but
are also totally interactive, that is, they require
extensive student response. These lessons expand
course content, reinforce learning and allow students
to perform procedures and make decisions about
laboratory experiments that would be difficult with
traditional instructional techniques.
The lessons are used to replace, not just
supplement, up to half of the wet lab experience,
depending on the course. For example, students find
that salts ionize in water by performing experiments
then testing for the presence of ions. They generate
hypotheses about the ionization of salts and can
perform any of several tests to check their ideas,
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