Appeal No. 2003-2003
Application No. 09/746,474
obvious for an artisan with ordinary skill to develop workable or
even optimum ranges for an art-recognized, result-effective
parameter. In re Woodruff, 919 F.2d 1575, 1578, 16 USPQ2d 1934,
1936-37 (Fed. Cir. 1990); In re Boesch, 617 F.2d 272, 276, 205
USPQ 215, 219 (CCPA 1980); In re Aller, 220 F.2d 272, 276, 205
USPQ 233, 235 (CCPA 1955). Here, Meckel repeatedly discloses
that varying the ratios and amounts of his coating composition
ingredients including nitrogen results in varying colors (e.g.,
see lines 40-49 in column 2, lines 21-28 in column 7, and lines
2-14 in column 8). Because the Meckel patent evinces that the
amount of ingredients including nitrogen in color coating
compositions is an art-recognized, result-effective parameter
vis-à-vis color, we conclude that it would have been obvious for
the artisan to develop workable or even optimum ranges for the
parameter of nitrogen content, thereby yielding a nitrogen
content for patentee’s lustrous gray or silver color coatings
which is in the substoichiometric range as required by the
independent claim on appeal.
Finally, in an apparent attempt to support their
nonobviousness position, the appellants state that “Meckel
teaches, varying both the nitrogen content and carbon content in
the carbonitride coating” (brief, page 10). As properly
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