Appeal No. 96-3442
Application No. 08/253,884
at least a pair of drivers and one capacitor
coupled in a configuration forming a bootstrap
node, each of said drivers also having an input
port;
a transistor coupled to the bootstrap node; and
a clamping circuit coupled to said transistor.
As can be seen, this claim requires a clamping circuit coupled
to a transistor which in turn is coupled to a bootstrap node
formed by a configuration of a pair of drivers and a
capacitor. Aside from the general assertion that it would be
obvious to add a clamping circuit to the prior art, the
Examiner has not indicated how and where such clamping circuit
would be coupled to the prior art bootstrap circuit to achieve
the claimed invention. We are not inclined to dispense with
proof by evidence when the proposition at issue is not
supported by a teaching in a prior art reference, common
knowledge or capable of unquestionable demonstration. Our
reviewing court requires this evidence in order to establish a
prima facie case. In re Knapp-Monarch Co., 296 F.2d 230, 232,
132 USPQ 6, 8 (CCPA 1961); In re Cofer,
354 F.2d 664, 668, 148 USPQ 268, 271-72 (CCPA 1966).
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