Appeal No. 96-1286
Application 08/259,360
claim elements, all of which must be accounted for in
establishing a case of prima facie obviousness.
Moreover, neither Nissen nor Fuss is directed to a look-
up table implementing logical functions for multiple
variables. The general idea of grouping identical data to
reduce memory requirements would not have reasonably suggested
the specific features of the appellants’ claims concerning
logical functions, grouping of output states each representing
an array of logical function responses, elimination of
selected output states and assignment of a programmable
architecture element to the remaining output states. The mere
fact that the prior art may be modified in the manner
suggested by the examiner does not make the modification
obvious unless the prior art suggested the desirability of the
modification. In re Fritch, 972 F.2d 1260, 1266 n.14, 23
USPQ2d 1780, 1783-84 n.14 (Fed. Cir. 1992); In re Gordon, 733
F.2d 900, 902, 221 USPQ 1125, 1127 (Fed. Cir. 1984).
Obviousness may not be established using hindsight or in view
of the teachings or suggestions of the inventor. Para-
Ordnance Mfg. Inc. v. SGS Importers Int’l Inc., 73 F.3d 1085,
1087, 37 USPQ2d 1237, 1239 (Fed. Cir. 1995), cert. denied, 117
9
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007