Appeal No. 95-1123
Application 08/028,757
As pointed out by the examiner, Acosta teaches the
invention of claim 1 except for the recited interrupt handling
means in which the number of uncompleted instructions is
stored in the instruction window. Examiner’s Answer at 5-6.
Inagami teaches storing the number of uncompleted
instructions in the instruction window. Column 3, line 17,
through column 5, line 58. This is done to restart the
execution of an interrupted program at the appropriate point
effectively without waste, i.e., to provide a precise
interrupt point. Abstract, lines 8-10.
We agree with the examiner that Inagami suggested
the desirability of storing the number of uncompleted
instructions in the instruction window of Acosta in order to
restart the execution of an interrupted program at the
appropriate point effectively without waste.
Appellants argue that the combination is
inappropriate because Inagami cannot process out-of-order
instructions. Appeal Brief at 8-9. However, Inagami was not
relied on for this. Acosta is an out-of-order machine, and we
find that one of skill in the art could have easily applied
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