Appeal No. 2000-1234 Page 5
Application No. 08/911,442
identical cassette bin is able to accommodate a plurality of
different types of cassettes, whereas in Kulakowski, each
cassette bin may be specifically designed to hold a particular
mix of cassettes, but each cassette bin is not substantially
identical and designed to accommodate a plurality of different
types of cassettes." (Appeal Br. at 10.)
In deciding obviousness, “[a]nalysis begins with a key
legal question -- what is the invention claimed?” Panduit
Corp. v. Dennison Mfg. Co., 810 F.2d 1561, 1567, 1 USPQ2d
1593, 1597 (Fed. Cir. 1987). Here, independent claims 1 and 4
specify in pertinent part the following limitations: "a
cassette accommodating portion including a plurality of
accommodating units each having a plurality of substantially
identical cassette bins, each individual cassette bin being
adapted to accommodate a plurality of different types of
cassettes housing different types of recording media having
different types of recording formats. . . ." Accordingly,
limitations require inter alia substantially identical
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007