Appeal No. 1999-0259
Application 08/596,857
Rudolph F. Graf, Modern Dictionary of Electronics 10 (7th ed.
1999). Although all the definitions are suitable for our
purposes, we rely on the fourth and broadest definition of the
term, i.e. any device that can switch or amplify by
application of low level signals.
It is well settled that “[c]laims must be read in
view of the specification of which they are a part.” Markman
v. Westview Instruments, Inc., 52 F.3d 967, 979, 34 USPQ2d
1321, 1329 (Fed. Cir. 1995. Appellants provide precise
specification cites to support the amended claim language
“that the circuit cells include active elements.” The
specification, page 1,
lines 16-24, reads in part:
The standard cell library includes a myriad
of functional blocks such [as] NAND and NOR
gates, multiplexers, memories, counters,
multipliers, flipflops, etc. The standard
cell can be as simple as an inverter and as
complex as an arithmetic logic unit.
Further, the specification at page 3, lines 8-13, discloses in
part:
10
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