Appeal No. 2001-0250 Page 16
Application No. 08/283,074
“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, claims 1-4, 6, 7, 10 and 11 specify in pertinent
part the following limitations: "said processor means provides
as said output signal an area signal that is characteristic of
crosssectional area of said confined volume as a function of
the distance from said opening in said confined volume."
Similarly, claims 12 and 17 specify in pertinent part the
following limitations: "processing said transduced parameters
to provide an output signal representative of said confined
volume, wherein said confined volume is characterized by
cross-sectional area as a function of distance from said
opening in said confined volume and said output signal is
representative of cross-sectional area of said confined volume
as a function of distance from said opening in said confined
volume." Also similarly, claims 18, 21, and 22 specify in
Page: Previous 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007