Appeal No. 2000-1961
Application 08/840,200
Hale discloses in the background of the invention that
"[f]ollowing this initial (or baseline) testing, periodic testing
is required to identify degradations and to insure that settings
remain adequate during the life of the facility" (col. 1,
lines 37-40). The "periodic testing" in Hale expressly suggests
repeating the comparison between on-line operating
characteristics and baseline operating characteristics.
Moreover, the valve-in-use trending indicates periodic comparison
to determine a trend, as recognized by appellants (Br6,
lines 11-13). Thus, the rejection of claim 17 over Hale is
sustained.
Arcella samples on-line characteristics of a valve (step 72
in figure 3) and compares them to the baseline characteristics
and logs the event if there is a deviation from the baseline data
(step 76 in figure 3; col. 8, line 64 to col. 9, line 5). This
is repeated as shown by the loop in figure 3. The frequency with
which data from each of the valves is recorded for trend analysis
is defined in a configuration database (col. 7, lines 8-26) and
the recorded historical data can be analyzed for trend analysis
to detect a trend in changes in the sensor signals (col. 10,
lines 27-32). Trend analysis requires repeating the comparison
between on-line operating characteristics and baseline operating
characteristic to determine a trend. The rejection of claim 17
over Arcella is sustained.
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