Appeal No. 1999-1101
Application 08/727,125
The difference between Monson and the subject matter of
claim 1 is that Monson measures physical characteristics of
the soil, not a characteristic of the crop, as claimed.
Peterson teaches the claimed subject matter of independent
method claims 1 and 3 except for controlling fertilizer
application "in real-time." The hand-held chlorophyll meter
in Peterson is not suitable for a continuous real-time
(on-line) fertilizer application method or apparatus and, so,
would not constitute the "means for measuring" of claim 9.
Peterson discloses that the hand-held chlorophyll meter for
measuring a crop characteristic (the chlorophyll content) is a
substitute for soil analysis (first page); thus, Peterson
suggested measuring the physical characteristics of a crop,
instead of the soil as in Monson, to determine fertilizer
requirements. Peterson further discloses that future
techniques would include remote sensing by satellite or
airplane in place of the hand-held meter (under "The
chlorophyll meter as an N management tool"); thus, Peterson
suggested using remote sensing of crop physical
characteristics in place of the hand-held meter and in place
of soil analysis. Demetriades-Shah teaches remote sensing of
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