Appeal No. 1998-3135 Page 7
Application No. 08/789,519
precharge gate electrodes; therefore, the charge-to-voltage
conversion factor of the device in Kadota is selectively
changed.” The appellants assert (brief, page 4) that the
examiner has made an unsupported allegation that the reference
renders obvious appellants’ claimed adjustment of the charge-
to-voltage conversion factor of the device. Specifically, the
appellants assert (id.) that “the Kadota reference is merely
directed to resetting the diffusion region. It does not
disclose or suggest adjustment of the dynamic range as claimed
in the present invention.” The examiner responds (answer,
page 6) by asserting that “[t]here is no ‘adjustment of the
dynamic range’ in claim 5 as argued by Appellants in the end
of page 4.”
We note that claim 5 sets forth selectively changing the
charge-to-voltage conversion factor. We find that Kadota is
directed to an electric charge transferring device. Kadota
(translation, page 4) discloses that the voltage of power
source 7 of the charge transferring element is normally
10-20V. In some instances, the voltage of the power source 7
has to be lowered, resulting in a “greatly reduced” final
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