Appeal No. 1998-0908
Application No. 08/506,292
Appellants, the terms “blocking” and “limiting” are essentially
synonymous as urged by Appellants and, therefore, the addition of
“limiting” language to the specification does not constitute new
matter. The original disclosure described the operation of
current and voltage blocking circuitry 54 and 58 as operating in
conjunction with voltage and current monitoring circuitry 56 and
60 to shut down power to integrated circuits under test which
experience abnormal current and voltage levels. In our view, the
skilled artisan would recognize that the functions of voltage and
current “limiting” circuitry would include the turn off or
partial turn off of power to affected circuits in accordance with
Appellants’ original “blocking” disclosure.
We consider next the Examiner’s rejection of claims 57, 58,
and 66-71 under the “written description” requirement of the
first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. § 112. "The function of the
description requirement [of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C.
§ 112] is to ensure that the inventor has possession, as of the
filing date of the application relied on, of the specific subject
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