Appeal No. 2001-1621 Page 5
Application No. 09/111,308
embodiment of the electrode array loop having spaced electrodes in the form of tubular
segments as shown at 136.
In the anticipation rejection before us in this appeal (final rejection, p. 2), the
examiner appears to rely on the embodiment shown in Avitall's Figures 6A-6D as the
basis for this rejection.
In our view, claim 50 is not anticipated by Avitall for the following reasons. First,
the embodiment of the electrode array loop shown in Figures 1A-2E of Avitall lacks
electrodes adapted to face each other across an area of tissue with no portions of the
catheter body or other electrodes therebetween as recited in claim 50. Second, the
embodiment of the electrode array loop shown in Figures 6A-6D of Avitall lacks
sufficient details to determine whether or not any of the pairs of electrodes separated by
an arc of at least about 180 degrees and facing each other across an area of tissue
with no portions of the catheter body or other electrodes therebetween are sized and
spaced such that a substantially continuous lesion will be formed across the area of
tissue between the electrodes in response to simultaneous transmission of energy from
each of the electrodes into the tissue area to an indifferent electrode as recited in claim
50. In that regard, the embodiment of the electrode array loop shown in Figures 6A-6D
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007