Appeal No. 1999-2099
Application No. 08/475,627
On page 5 of the specification, lines 3 to 17, appellants
disclose (emphasis added):
Due to the increased popularity of paper
protective packaging material, manufacturers often
employ a plurality of cushioning dunnage conversion
machines with preset parameters to produce
protective packaging for articles of different sizes
and shapes. This arrangement often reduces setup
time and allows a manufacturer to produce and ship
out goods in a minimal amount of time. In addition,
manufacturers now incorporate programmed controllers
to control the operation of cushioning dunnage
conversion machines. These controllers result in
reduced manpower, more uniform products, lower
production costs, less error, and a safer working
environment.
The controllers operate by continuously monitoring
its [sic] respective machine through employment of
sensing circuits connected to the machine, which
provide output signals to a pre-programmed
processor to control the respective machine
according to the manufacturer's specifications.
Each different machine typically has a
respective independent controller unique to that
particular machine. Employing a different
controller for each machine type often results
in increased manufacturing costs and chances of
error in manufacture, and complicates
replacement and repair.
The examiner, noting the reference to a pre-programmed
processor in the underlined portion of the foregoing, asserts
that this constitutes a disclosure of plural controllers (one
on each machine) sending output signals to a single processor,
so that "each of the machines are [sic] in communication with
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