Ex parte SHOFNER et al. - Page 10




          Appeal No. 1997-3975                                                        
          Application No. 08/395,376                                                  
          Rudkin-Wiley Corp., 837 F.2d 1044,                                          




          1051, 5 USPQ2d 1434, 1438 (Fed. Cir.), cert. denied, 488 U.S.               
          825 (1988); Ashland Oil, Inc. v. Delta Resins & Refractories,               
          Inc., 776 F.2d 281, 293, 227 USPQ 657, 664 (Fed. Cir. 1985),                
          cert.                                                                       
          denied, 475 U.S. 1017 (1986); ACS Hosp. Sys., Inc. v.                       
          Montefiore Hosp., 732 F.2d 1572, 1577, 221 USPQ 929, 933 (Fed.              
          Cir. 1984).  These showings by the examiner are an essential                
          part of complying with the burden of presenting a prima facie               
          case of obviousness.  Note In re Oetiker, 977 F.2d 1443, 1445,              
          24 USPQ2d 1443, 1444 (Fed. Cir. 1992).  If that burden is met,              
          the burden then shifts to the applicant to overcome the prima               
          facie case with argument and/or evidence.  Obviousness is then              
          determined on the basis of the evidence as a whole and the                  
          relative persuasiveness of the arguments.  See Id.; In re                   
          Hedges, 783 F.2d 1038, 1039, 228 USPQ 685, 686 (Fed. Cir.                   
          1986); In re Piasecki, 745 F.2d 1468, 1472, 223 USPQ 785, 788               
          (Fed. Cir. 1984); and In re Rinehart, 531 F.2d 1048, 1052, 189              
          USPQ 143, 147 (CCPA 1976).  Only those arguments actually made              
          by appellants have been considered in this decision.                        
                                         10                                           





Page:  Previous  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  Next 

Last modified: November 3, 2007