Appeal No. 96-3090 Page 8
Application 08/287,409
& 3.) An actuator 24 is mounted on the wall switch and
engages the switch lever. (Fig. 3.) The actuator toggles the
switch lever to turn the light on and off. (1:50-61.)
We find that Schneidinger teaches the actuator is
programmable since it has "means to adjust the time cycle".
(6:10-12.) See " program" in Webster's New Collegiate2
Dictionary 912 (1979) (attached) ("2: to work out a sequence
of operations to be performed by (a mechanism)"). The
actuator can be set to turn the lights on and off
"intermittently". (2:1-3.) We find "intermittently" to
include both repetitive action and periodic action. See
"intermittent" in Webster's at 598 ("coming and going at
intervals" and "syn INTERMITTENT, RECURRENT, PERIODIC,
ALTERNATE"). We note in support of this finding that
Schneidinger points out that "the timer may be so constructed
as to be only actuated once and in its own mechanism (not
shown) to reverse its actuation after a given elapsed time.
Likewise, there may be two or more control dials or settings
for control of the timing device." (3:15-18.) Two or more
settings implies repeated actuations. The actuations may also
be light-triggered. (5:8-11.) If natural light is the
trigger, then the dominant actuation pattern would inherently
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