Appeal No. 1997-1238
Application 08/169,570
Turning to claims 17 through 24, we note that claim
17 recites a computer program product for graphically indicat-
ing dynamic data links between a plurality of objects in a
data processing system, the computer program product compris-
ing "first instruction means, for each object visible in a
graphic user interface, displaying at least one connections
icons . . . and second instruction means for altering the icon
. . . ." Further- more, we note that claims 18 through 24
depend from claim 17, and thereby, claims 17 through 24 are
reciting a computer program product comprising means for doing
a particular function. We fail to find that the claims could
be interpreted as claiming descriptive information which is
not functional.
Our reviewing court has stated in In re Donaldson
Co., Inc., 16 F.3d 1189, 1993, 29 USPQ2d 1845, 1848 (Fed. Cir.
1994) that the "plain and unambiguous meaning of paragraph six
is that one construing means-plus-function language in a claim
must look to the specification and interpret that language in
light of the corresponding structure, material, or acts de-
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