Ex parte CHANG et al. - Page 5




          Appeal No. 1998-1408                                       Page 5           
          Application No. 08/569,529                                                  


               In reaching our decision in this appeal, we considered                 
          the  subject matter on appeal and the rejection advanced by                 
          the examiner.  Furthermore, we duly considered the arguments                
          and evidence of the appellants and examiner.  After                         
          considering the totality of the record, we are persuaded that               
          the examiner did not err in rejecting claims 1, 5-7, and 15-                
          18.  We are also persuaded, however, that he did err in                     
          rejecting claims 2-4.  Accordingly, we affirm-in-part.  Our                 
          opinion addresses the grouping and obviousness of the claims.               


                               Grouping of the Claims                                 
               When the appeal brief was filed, 37 C.F.R. § 1.192(c)(7)               
          (1997) included the following provisions.                                   
               For each ground of rejection which appellant                           
               contests and which applies to a group of two or more                   
               claims, the Board shall select a single claim from                     
               the group and shall decide the appeal as to the                        
               ground of rejection on the basis of that claim alone                   
               unless a statement is included that the claims of                      
               the group do not stand or fall together and ...                        
               appellant explains why the claims of the group are                     
               believed to be separately patentable.  Merely                          
               pointing out differences in what the claims cover is                   
               not an argument ... why the claims are separately                      
               patentable.                                                            










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