Appeal No. 1998-0408
Application No. 08/176,861
code disposed thereon for use in a fair and since
the relating [of] bar codes to information such as
goods and services utilizing instruments such as bar
code reader[s] and computer[s] is old and well known
in the art, the method limitation[s] are inherent
[answer, page 6].
Melin discloses a water resistant paper strip having a
bar code thereon (column 1, line 61) and, further, appears to
suggest use of such a strip as a limb band for identification
of persons (column 1, lines 24-296). Additionally, we accept
the examiner's assertion that relating bar codes to
information such as goods and services was known in the art at
the time of appellants' invention. However, we find no
teaching or suggestion in either Melin or Hansen of using a
wristband having bar coding in a method of facilitating
payment for goods or services at an amusement park, including
a step of relating the bar coding of the wristband to a
particular amount of [for] goods or services that a human
patron wearer of the wristband is entitled to purchase, as
required by claim 20, and the examiner has offered no
6 U.S. Pat. No. 2,561,894, issued to F. R. Wallich on July 24, 1951 and
referenced in Melin, provides such disclosure. We also note of interest the
disclosure in the Wallich patent of a varnish applied over the legend or name
inscribed on the band (column 2, lines 21-28), which appears pertinent to the
subject matter of claims 1-12 and 23-27.
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