Appeal No. 1998-0927
Application No. 08/343,939
The Funches et al. reference reveals an ISR for
applying a control signal to a voice coil motor
(VCM), thereby controlling head velocity. Funches
et al. furnish normal and low velocity seek mode
ISRs, equivalent to the claimed search and
transition mode ISRs, depending on whether the
difference between the current head location and the
destination track is greater than four tracks. . . .
Funches et al. also provide a FINE CONTROL mode ISR,
corresponding to the claimed track following mode
ISR. On lines 62-64 of column 18, Funches et al.
declares that the “FINE CONTROL mode is also
referred to as the Track Following mode, and is used
to maintain the heads centered on the desired
track”. Thus, the Funches et al. patent provides
all three claimed ISR modes.
At the time of the invention, it would have been
obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have
applied the teachings of Funches et al. to AAPA.
The motivation would have been to more accurately
control the VCM, as suggested by Funches et al.
Appellant argues (Brief, pages 9 and 10) that:
Funches et al. provides a teaching of a single
interrupt service routine as shown in Figs. 12A-12C
and described starting at col. 14, line 37. In col.
14, Funches et al. indicates that the main interrupt
service routine is performed “every 42 microseconds”
as a result of an interrupt being sent to servo
microprocessor 96 on a “constant recurring basis”,
i.e., “once for each servo frame”. Accordingly,
Funches is contrary to claim 15, wherein the
invention calls for the enablement of one of a
search mode interrupt service routine, a transition
mode interrupt service routine and a track following
mode interrupt service routine according to the
selected one of said search mode, transition mode
and track following mode the selected one of a
search mode, transition mode and track following
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