Appeal No. 96-2444
Application 08/360,194
interpreted as a user power management command and sustained
actuation is interpreted as a case closed condition;
independent claim 30 recites "at least two modes of
operation"); (3) the single button is actuable by a user's
digit and is also positioned to be actuated by closing the
case and cover (claims 1-31); and (4) switching between modes
(independent claims 1, 2, 4, 30, and 32) or interpretation of
switch operation as a user power management command or case
closed condition (independent claim 3) depends upon the
duration the button is depressed. Features (1), (3), and (4)
are considered dispositive of the obviousness issue.
(1) Single button that performs multiple functions
(3) Single button actuable by user's digit and case closure
The examiner concludes that it would have been obvious
from Carter to switch from the normal mode to the sleep or
standby mode, and vice versa, by pressing a button (Paper
No. 4, page 3). We agree. Appellants do not contest this
teaching of Carter (see appellants' description at Br6,
lines 3-16). However, Carter teaches no more than the
admitted prior art, which discloses a "Standby Button which,
when pushed, puts the computer into a Standby Mode"
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