Appeal No. 97-1631 Page 7
Application No. 08/245,267
and the indicia, and out of the plane of the indicia, the
masking means carrying at least one coded symbol; ....”
Independent claim 20 specifies inter alia an analogous step of
“positioning masking means in the beam intermediate the
scanning means and the indicia, and the masking means being
out of the plane of the indicia, the masking means carrying at
least one coded symbol; ....”
Guthmueller employs a Video Processor Unit (VPU) to
detect and read bar codes. An optical scanner of the VPU
generates video data representing data written, printed, or
coded on mail. A Video Controller processes the video data
and then transmits it to a Bar Code Reader (VPUBR). The VPUBR
moves a template mask, Fig. 1, over the scanned video data to
find tall and short bars of the code, Col. 2, ll. 19-47, which
represent binary ones and zeros, respectively. Col. 1, ll.
15-17.
Comparison of the claim’s language to the reference’s
teachings evidences that Guthmueller fails to teach or suggest
the claimed masking means or the step of positioning it. The
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