Appeal No. 2000-0935
Application 08/567,447
presence of identical key words. It should be noted that in
the English language often even the same word would have
opposite meanings in different contexts. These words are
sometimes known as autoantonyms, contronyms, or antagonyms.
Examples are: “cleave,” “buckle,” “clip,” “oversight,”
“sanction,” and “replace.” We are not suggesting that the
word “abstract” is of that nature here, but only find that the
examiner has not met his burden in establishing that an
“abstract base class” of query nodes as described in Spencer
constitutes an “abstract” as is claimed by the applicants.
Based on the applicants’ argument, it cannot simply be assumed
that an “abstract base class” of query nodes provides an
abstract in the sense of a summary of particulars.
As is pointed out by the applicants, the term “abstract”
as used in the specification is in the nature of a noun. The
same word in either “abstract class” or “abstract base class”
is an adjective. It should be noted that while an “abstract”
of a document or publication gives the notable particulars of
the document or publication, an “abstract” painting is vague
and is not expected to provide particulars. It is uncertain
how an “abstract class” of virtual objects which require
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