Appeal No. 1997-1698
Application No. 08/348,447
Milana discloses optical apparatus for detecting surface
defects in a workpiece in which a comparator 42 is used to compare
the output signal from the detector with a reference threshold to
derive an indication of the roughness of the surface.
Horn discloses optical apparatus for determining the
reflective characteristics of surfaces. The apparatus includes a
converging or condensing lens 4 to cause a light beam to converge
on detector 7.
Reinsch discloses a hand held optical device for measuring
roughness of a surface.
Opinion
After consideration of the positions and arguments presented
by both the examiner and the appellants, we have concluded that
the rejection of sole independent claim 8 should not be sustained.
We agree with the examiner that Frohardt teaches a comparator
to compare a threshold signal to the output of detector 5. This
is evidenced by Frohardt’s disclosure at column 3, lines 12-17,
that circuit 14 receives the signal from light detector 5,
evaluates the signal by comparing the intensity of the signal to
8
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