Appeal No. 1998-2847 Page 9
Application No. 08/521,873
number that would pass a transition location, the player can
choose to either remain on the present game board or
transition to the other game board. We do not see how
presenting such a choice to a player is "randomly causing" a
player to enter onto or exit the add-on board. Lastly, it is
not clear what structure corresponds to the means for
indicating since such structure may be the structure which
corresponds to the entry transition means, and/or the exit
transition means. Thus independent claims 1 and 27 and their
dependent claims fail to particularly point out and distinctly
claim the subject matter which the appellants regard as the
invention.
In addition, it is our view that the phrase
"substantially similar" as used in claim 27 fails to
particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter
which the appellants regard as the invention. The term
"substantially" is a term of degree. When a word of degree is
used, such as the term "substantially" in claim 27, it is
necessary to determine whether the specification provides some
standard for measuring that degree. See Seattle Box Company,
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