Appeal No. 1999-1790
Application 08/707,206
burst of a higher level of electrical energy is applied to move the
lock from an open to a locked position."
This description is consistent with the operation of Waltz’s
power circuit 22 with its enhancing circuit 39 depicted in Figure 1
as discussed in the paragraph bridging columns 2 and 3. These power
circuits are further detailed in Figure 7; the most pertinent
portion corresponding to it for our purposes is the paragraph
bridging columns 5 and 6. On the basis of the nature of the
operation of the circuit controlling the electromagnetic lock in
Waltz, we cannot conclude that the artisan would have found it
obvious to have utilized a pulse width modulation approach as in
Oyama to replace the operation of the power actuating circuits in
Figures 1 and 7 of Waltz. Waltz’s power circuit operates upon the
principle of providing a high current initial pulse derived both
from the power supply voltage +V in addition to the initial current
supplied by the discharge of the capacitor 234 in Figure 7, both
cumulatively providing an initial high current value to actuate the
lock and, upon discharge of the capacitor 234, providing a holding
current for the coil 242 in Figure 7 supplied only by the +V power
supply voltage. Thus, in accordance with the examiner’s views about
the deficiencies of Waltz alone meeting the subject matter of the
independent claims on appeal, there is no series of pulse-width-
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