Appeal No. 1998-1927
Application No. 08/703,276
and all acoustic energy which impinges thereupon, regardless of the location of origin of that
energy. This, of course, inherently includes acoustic energy originating at the focal point of the
concave surface defined by the sensing coil. The "elongated sensing means . . . for detecting
. . . " recitation of claim 1 requires no more than this, in our opinion.
Likewise, with respect to the second argued distinction, the detector hardware 20, 26
senses the phase difference between the sensing and reference coils and produces signals in
response to impingement along the sensing coil of acoustic energy from any and all locations of
origin, including the focal point of the inner surface defined by the sensing and reference coils.
Further, as the focal point of a spherical surface is equidistant from all points on such surface,
any acoustic energy originating from the focal point will impinge upon all points of the sensing
coil substantially simultaneously. We appreciate that the detector hardware of the Fisher patent
does not appear to affirmatively discriminate between acoustic energy originating from the focal
point and acoustic energy originating from other locations. However, claim 1 does not require
such discrimination.
Thus, notwithstanding that the Fisher patent does not make reference to the focal point
of the surface defined by the sensing and reference coils, the sensing coil 121 and detection
hardware 20, 26 of the Fisher patent reasonably appear to inherently meet the limitations
associated with the "sensing means" and "means for processing," respectively, recited in claim
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