Appeal No. 2000-1006
Application 08/974,148
The pH level of the cleaning solution must be
such that the electrostatic charge sign of
the surface to be cleaned remains the same
during cleaning. The dissociation of surface
hydroxides on the substrate in an aqueous
solution takes place at the isoelectric
point, when the surface has zero charge.
Page 6, lines 4-9.
DISCUSSION
The initial burden of presenting a prima facie case of
obviousness rests on the examiner. In re Oetiker, 977 F.2d 1443,
1445, 24 USPQ2d 1443, 1444 (Fed. Cir. 1992). In determining
whether an invention is obvious, the examiner must consider:
(1) the scope and content of the prior art;
(2) the differences between the prior art and the
claimed invention;
(3) the level of ordinary skill in the art; and
(4) any objective considerations of nonobviousness that
may be present.
Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 17-18, 148 USPQ 459, 466-67
(1966).
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