Appeal No. 1997-0800
Application No. 08/382,926
immaterial. See
In re Self, 671 F.2d 1344, 1350, 213 USPQ 1, 5 ((CCPA 1982).
The Examiner has combined Robinson with Darroch
stating that Robinson teaches all the claimed elements, except
the sensing apparatus (16a-16e, 18a-18b) is not disposed near
a finger joint. And, since Darroch teaches an input device
with a finger direction sensor (10) near a finger joint, it
would have been obvious to have modified Robinson with Darroch
since they both control movement of a cursor with finger
movement and mounting the sensor near a finger joint would
allow an operator’s hand to remain in a typing position while
the operator moves a finger to control cursor movement.
(Answer-pages 2 and 3.)
Appellant argues:
Robinson teaches sensing whether individual
fingertips have been pressured to control mouse
movement direction. Darroch teaches sensing the
absolute position of a finger to control cursor
movement. The Examiner then makes a leap in logic
to say that fingertip contact sensing (Robinson)
plus absolute finger position sensing (Darroch)
equals finger direction or finger joint rotation
sensing. (Brief-page 5.)
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