Appeal No. 1997-3820
Application 08/336,040
recite a computer docking system comprising a portable
computer, docking station, and determining means without
specifying the location of the determining means. Appellant
contends that because claim 11 requires the determining means
to be located within the docking station, our affirmance of
the rejection of that claim is inconsistent with our stated
assumption that the examiner is proposing to locate
Nishigaki's keyboard controller and
selector 41 within Mesfin's portable computer. Specifically,
in addressing claim 2, which calls for determining whether an
external keyboard is coupled to the docking station, we held
that
[b]ecause Nishigaki's common keyboard controller 23
and selector 41 are located within the laptop
computer, we assume the examiner intends to locate
both of these components in Mesfin's laptop computer
as well, in which case an external keyboard, when
connected to the docking station, will be connected
therethrough to the external keyboard connector of
the laptop computer. [Decision at 8.]
Furthermore, regarding claim 2, which like claim 11 calls for
the determining means to determine whether an external monitor
is coupled to the docking station, we noted (Decision at 8-9)
that appellant's brief fails to explain why the examiner was
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