Appeal No. 97-3451
Application 08/325,832
provided to both a data channel decoder and a servo signal
decoder.
The argument, however, is not commensurate in scope with
many claims on appeal. Specifically, it is noted that
independent claims 8, 14, and 22, as well as the claims depending
from claims 8, 14, and 22, do not require the providing of a
thermometer code from anything to either a data channel decoder
or a data channel logic circuit. In that regard, claims 22-24 do
not even recite a thermometer code in any context. Accordingly,
the appellant’s argument is unpersuasive as applied to claims
8-13, 14, 17-21, and 22-24.
Independent claims 1, 25 and 26 do require that a
thermometer code be provided from a comparator circuit both to a
data channel decoder or logic circuit and to a servo signal
decoder or logic circuit. The examiner states (answer at 3):
Figure 1 [of Cheung] meets all the limitations of the
claims, including showing asynchronous operation of the
servo burst information and data channel information,
except for showing the details of the "thermometer
code" technique.
It is uncertain precisely what the examiner regards as the above-
quoted "thermometer code" technique, but it is evident that
Cheung does not disclose or suggest providing a thermometer code
input to a data channel decoder and to a servo signal decoder.
With regard to the "thermometer code" techniques, the examiner
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