Appeal No. 1998-3301 Page 14
Application No. 08/784,361
mail boxes is not shown or taught by Crowder, Wright or
Harmony.
The examiner responded to this argument of the appellant
(answer, p. 5) by determining that the surface adjacent the
mail boxes of Crowder, Wright and Harmony is a "driveway"
since a "driveway" is a surface "over which a vehicle may
pass."
We agree with the appellant's argument (brief, pp. 10-12,
and reply brief, pp. 2-3) that Crowder, Wright and Harmony do
not disclose a driveway , much less a driveway positioned in6
close proximity to the front panel of a plurality of mail
boxes so that a driver of a vehicle can reach out from the
vehicle and open and close the mail box front door without
having to leave the vehicle.
6It is our opinion that the appellant's definition of
"driveway" set forth in the brief (p. 17) and reply brief (pp.
2-3) is the proper definition. Claim language must be given
its broadest reasonable interpretation consistent with the
specification, and that claim language should be read in light
of the specification as it would be interpreted by one of
ordinary skill in the art. In re Sneed, 710 F.2d 1544, 1548,
218 USPQ 385, 388 (Fed. Cir. 1983).
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