Appeal No. 2000-0239 Page 14
Application No. 08/839,843
1993)(citing In re Zletz, 893 F.2d 319, 321, 13 USPQ2d 1320, 1322
(Fed. Cir. 1989)). 2
Here, independent claim 18 specifies in pertinent part the
following limitations: “said diffusion barrier metal is selected
from the group consisting of tantalum containing nitrogen,
chromium, chromium/chromium oxide, titanium, titanium nitride,
titanium-tungsten, hafnium, and any combination thereof.”
Giving the claim its broadest reasonable interpretation, the
limitations merely require inter alia a titanium diffusion
barrier. The claim does not require the other materials, e.g.,
nitrogen, chromium, chromium/chromium oxide, etc.
2“The PTO broadly interprets claims during examination of a
patent application since the applicant may ‘amend his claims to
obtain protection commensurate with his actual contribution to
the art.’” In re Yamamoto, 740 F.2d 1569, 1571, 222 USPQ 934,
936 (Fed. Cir. 1984)(quoting In re Prater, 415 F.2d 1393,
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