Appeal No. 1998-2933
Application 08/439,082
We agree with the Examiner that it would have been
obvious to add a start bit to the transmitted data in the APA4
in view of Suman, but do not find support for the conclusion
that the start bit performs the same function as the idling
information. Since a start bit performs a control function,5
it is not clear that a start bit can technically be considered
an idle character. However, assuming a start bit is an idle
character, just because the start bit is at the front of the
data information does not imply that Suman performs the
function of identifying the bits to detect a transmission.
The problem is that Suman could use an electric field detector
as in the APA; we just do not know enough about Suman's
A "start bit" is defined as a "[s]ynonym for start4
signal," IBM Dictionary of Computing (George McDaniel ed.,
McGraw-Hill, Inc. 10th ed. 1993), and a "start signal" is
defined as follows, id.:
(1) In a start-stop transmission, a signal at the
beginning of a character that prepares the receiving
device for reception of the code elements. (I) (2) A
signal to a receiving mechanism to get ready to receive
data or perform a function. (A) (3) Synonymous with start
bit, start element.
An "idle character" is defined as "(1) A character5
transmitted on a telecommunication line that is not intended
to represent data and does not result in an output operation
at the accepting terminal," IBM Dictionary of Computing.
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