Appeal No. 2001-0445
Application No. 09/017,338
a thin layer of a second metal, different from said first
metal, on said layer of said first metal.
The examiner relies upon the following reference as evidence
of obviousness:
Makoto et al. (Makoto) JP 08-139148 May 31, 1996
(Japanese published unexamined patent application)
Appellants' claimed invention is directed to an electrical
card structure having a wire bond pad located on a substrate and
a layer of a first metal located on the wire bond pad. In
addition, a thin layer of a second metal is located on the first
metal. The first metal layer is substantially free of hydrogen.
Appealed claims 12-17 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C.
§ 103(a) as being patentable over Makoto.
Appellants submit at page 4 of the Brief that "[t]he claims
are one group." Accordingly, all the appealed claims stand or
fall together with claim 12.
We have thoroughly reviewed the respective positions
advanced by appellants and the examiner. In so doing, we find
that the examiner's conclusion of obviousness is not supported by
the prior art evidence relied upon. Accordingly, we will not
sustain the examiner's rejection.
At the outset, we are not persuaded by appellants' argument
that Makoto does not disclose a wire bonded to a first layer
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