Appeal No. 2002-0029 2
Application No. 09/437535
Appellants’ invention pertains to a method and apparatus for controlling
deployment of a side airbag.
The references relied upon by the examiner in the final rejection are:
White et al. (White) 5,071,160 Dec. 10, 1991
Kaji et. al. (Kaji) 5,222,761 Jun. 29, 1993
The appealed claims stand finally rejected as follows:1
(1) claims 20-22, 24, 25, 28-30, 32 and 33, rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 102(b) as
being anticipated by Kaji;
(2) claims 20-22, 24, 25, 28-30, 32 and 33, rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) as
being unpatentable over White; and
(3) claims 1-3, 7, 8, 10-12, 16-19 and 36-40, rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a)
as being unpatentable over Kaji in view of White.
Reference is made to appellants’ main and reply briefs (Paper Nos. 13 and 15)
and to the examiner’s final rejection and answer (Paper Nos. 9 and 14) for the
respective positions of appellants and the examiner regarding the merits of these
rejections.
1Although the examiner grouped rejections (1) and (2) in a single paragraph in
the final rejection and answer, it is clear that claims 20-22, 24, 25, 28-30, 32 and 33
have been finally rejected on two separate grounds of rejection.
LJS/
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