Appeal No. 2002-1865
Application 09/452,678
different types of sources or product offerings are provided from
different sponsors to a common consumer by means of a common
association to a given organization to which the customer is a
member. Thus, we do not agree with the appellants' assertions in
the principal brief and those focused upon at page 6 of the reply
brief that no cross sponsorship of individual benefits for the
purchase of a combination of goods and services is taught
according to the identified portion at column 6, lines 9 to 31 of
Baker. Even in the context of the teachings of Schultz, one of
the desirable aspects of his teachings is that a single or total
earnings reward is provided to a customer by means of "a" rewards
certificate. Certain common benefits are also provided to the
user in Baker by the user's membership in a sponsoring
organization. This clearly may be construed as a single benefit
to the customer or member. This is consistent with the
interpretation of representative claim 1 on appeal that the
benefit may be construed (unlike claims 20, 47) as a future or
present benefit because Baker provides clearly a current purchase
benefit to the user as recited in at least dependent claim 2 on
appeal, and Schultz makes clear that a future accumulated
discount or benefit may be earned by the use of the rewards
certificate for the customer to the extent recited in independent
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