Appeal No. 1996-3507
Application 08/041,209
characteristics of said shock absorbers are maintained at a
preselected high damping coefficient within the range between
the preselected higher and lower damping coefficients when the
vehicle speed is substantially zero and the vertical speed is
below a preselected threshold value for a preselected period
of time.
Claim 1, by calling for the higher damping
characteristics to be selected and maintained whenever the
vehicle speed is substantially zero, is directed to the
squatting control routine (Fig. 13) employed in the first
embodiment of appellants' control system, wherein selection of
the higher damping coefficients is based solely on the
condition of a substantially zero vehicle speed. As conceded
by counsel at the oral hearing, this means that dependent
claim 2, which calls for selection of the higher
damping coefficients to be based on a combination of a
substantially zero vehicle speed and a "vehicle attitude
change . . . below a preselected degree," fails to further
limit claim 1, as required by 35 U.S.C. § 112, fourth
paragraph. The same criticism applies equally to the claims
that depend on claim 2, i.e., claims 3, 4, 6, and 7. We leave
it to the examiner to consider entering a rejection of these
claims under § 112, fourth paragraph, following this appeal.
- 7 -
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007