Appeal No. 2000-1888
Application No. 08/885,984
also disagree with Appellants’ arguments (reply brief, pages 1 &
2) that a directional microphone having maximum sensitivity in
one direction “does not inherently preclude significant
sensitivities to noise sources in other directions.” McAteer
clearly teaches that each directivity pattern has its specific
characteristics including the location/direction of the nulls.
We note that all the directivity patterns disclosed by McAteer
have decreased responsiveness in directions around their nulls
which are different from the direction that receives the user’s
voice. Thus, by placing the microphone assembly with its maximum
sensitivity in the direction that receives the user’s voice, the
noise from other sources including the computer internal noise
that propagates in a direction close to the direction of the
nulls is inherently compensated. Therefore, the Examiner has met
the burden of providing a prima facie case of anticipation.
Accordingly, the rejection of claims 1, 5, 32 and 44 under
35 U.S.C. § 102 over McAteer is sustained. 2
35 U.S.C. § 102 Rejection over Lundgren
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