Appeal No. 1999-1101
Application 08/727,125
hand-held meter (under "The chlorophyll meter as an N
management tool").
We conclude that Appellants have not demonstrated error
in the prima facie case of obviousness. The rejection of
claim 1 is sustained.
Claims 17-21
Claim 17 depends on claim 1 and recites that the sensed
characteristic is electromagnetic radiation affected by the
crop. Appellants argue that the limitation defines a further
invention (Br17). However, Demetriades-Shah discloses sensing
electromagnetic radiation affected by the crop and this
teaching has not been addressed by Appellants. It is also
noted that Peterson discloses that remote sensing by satellite
or aircraft could be used to determine nitrogen content, which
implies sensing electromagnetic radiation affected by the
crop. The rejection of claim 17 is sustained.
Claim 18 depends on claim 1 and recites that the step of
determining the physical attribute includes the substep of
comparing the sensed characteristic with a reference value.
Appellants argue that while Peterson discloses the use of a
reference crop, it does not teach any mechanism by which
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