Appeal No. 1999-0727
Application No. 08/814,901
a register solder mask prior to the desensitizing coating in the
process of Knopp. Id.
As our reviewing court stated in In re Dow Chemical Co.,
837 F.2d 469, 473, 5 USPQ2d 1529, 1531-32 (Fed. Cir. 1988):
[T]he full field of the invention must be considered;
for the person of ordinary skill is charged with
knowledge of the entire body of technological
literature, including that which might lead away from
the claimed invention... Evidence that supports,
rather than negates, patentability must be fairly
considered.
However, the examiner’s analysis fails to consider the entire
body of teachings in the applied prior art references as
required by Section 103.
As argued by appellant, Schneble teaches various
disadvantages in using a conventional registered solder mask on
a printed circuit board. See column 2, lines 9-25. As a
solution to this problem, Schneble applies a non-registered
permanent solder mask and an adhesive coated, mechanically
strippable temporary plastic mask on a printed circuit board.
See column 4, lines 51-54 and column 2, lines 25-55. Similarly,
Leech also teaches various disadvantages in using a conventional
registered solder mask on a printed circuit board. See column
5
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