Appeal No. 1999-1117
Application 08/674,308
references teach or suggest this feature. In particular,
Asada teaches two separate sensors, one for scan detection
(e.g., photodetector 22 in figure 2) and one for intensity
control (e.g., photodetector 9 in figure 2).
Claims 1 and 4 recite, in relevant part:
a photodetector for converting the intercepted laser
beam that leaves said exit end into a beam current which
depends upon said laser beam intensity;
a scan detection circuit for producing a
start-of-scan signal from said beam current; and
a beam intensity circuit for producing said beam
control signal from said beam current. [Emphasis added.]
Only one photodetector which produces a beam current is
recited. Both the scan detection circuit and the beam
intensity circuit refer to "said beam current," which must be
the beam current produced by the single claimed photodetector,
the only beam current for which there is antecedent basis.
The Examiner has not explained how the claim language can be
interpreted in any other way. Accordingly, we conclude that
the Examiner erred in interpreting the claims as not requiring
the feature of only one photosensor for producing both a start
of scan signal and beam intensity signal. Because none of the
references teach or suggest that both start of scan detection
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