Appeal No. 1998-1387 Page 11
Application No. 08/208,791
Claims--American Perspectives, 21 Int'l Rev. Indus. Prop. &
Copyright L. 497, 499, 501 (1990)). “In the patentability
context, claims are to be given their broadest reasonable
interpretations. Moreover, limitations are not to be read
into the claims from the specification.” In re Van Geuns, 988
F.2d 1181, 1184, 26 USPQ2d 1057, 1059 (Fed. Cir. 1993)
(citing In re Zletz, 893 F.2d 319, 321, 13 USPQ2d 1320, 1322
(Fed. Cir. 1989)).
Here, representative claim 1 specifies in pertinent part
the following limitations:
focus condition detecting means for
detecting a focus condition of the skin colored
portion and providing a focus condition signal; and
exposure controlling means, operable only
in response to the skin-colored portion being
detected in an in-focus condition, for controlling
exposure so that an exposure of the skin-colored
portion signal is appropriate.
Giving the claim its broadest reasonable interpretation, the
limitations recite adjusting exposure of a skin-colored
subject that is in-focus.
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