Appeal No. 96-2838
Application 08/336,721
generating means responsive to...to pass step increases in
current" and "means generating a trip signal in response to a
plurality of event signals within a preselected time
interval."
The Examiner states (answer at page 10) that "Claim 1
recites a means for generating a trip signal in response to a
plurality of event signals within a preselected time interval,
which Spencer does." However, we find that Appellants' event
signals are claimed to correspond to step increases in
current, but Spencer's events are half cycles of ac signal.
As noted for claim 13 supra, Spencer does not count step
increases in current in said electrical system within a
preselected time interval. Rather, Spencer counts half cycles
of ac signal (e.g., half cycle current increases) which
represent how long a current increase in said electrical
system has lasted. We find that Spencer does not meet this
similar limitation in claim 1.
Since the combination of Spencer, Dewey and Moser fails
to disclose the claim 1 limitation supra, the Examiner has
failed to set forth a prima facie case.
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