Appeal No. 1998-0628
Application 08/197,100
"means" are not intended to be in means-plus-function format.
Our interpretation is consistent with dependent claim 33 which
recites an "area determination means," indicating that the
structure for performing the function is not recited in
claim 30. Appellants do not argue the area determination
limitation of claim 30.
Schmalfuss discloses testing transparent components, such
as optical or ophthalmic lenses, for flaws, particularly
surface flaws (col. 1, lines 13-17). However, Schmalfuss uses
dot scanning and does not disclose (1) dark-field
illumination, and (2) recording an image of the whole
component at one single time.
Remy discloses testing transparent containers, such as
bottles, using dark-field illumination (col. 2, lines 38-41)
and recording an image of the "container or its regions"
(col. 4, line 14) on a detector comprising an array of
photocells (right side of figure 1) or a picture scanning tube
(Vidicon tube) (left side of figure 1) (col. 4, lines 12-36).
The scanned output is connected to a logical circuit 24 which
compares the output to a threshold to provide a control signal
and which may have signal processing circuits (col. 4, line 53
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