Appeal No. 2001-1866 Page 9
Application No. 08/478,606
multiplexing the various metering function output signals and pulse rates over optical
port 40 alone." (Id. (emphasis added).) More specifically, the portion of the
specification referenced by the appellants explains that the "optical port 40 will echo the
watthour pulses received by the microcontroller over the transmitting LED 112 to
conform to traditional testing practices without the necessity of an additional LED."
(Id. (emphasis added).) In summary, although added claims 16-24 require an LED
separate from an optical port, the original specification discloses using an optical port
alone.
Second, observing that their specification discloses that "'[m]eter 10 interfaces to
the outside world via liquid crystal display 30, optical port 40, or option connector 38,'"
(Req. Reh'g at 7 (emphasis in original)), the appellants argue that "claim 16 can also be
read to cover a structure in which the 'communications interface' is provided by an
option connector (e.g., option connector 38), while the 'test interface' is provided by an
LED (e.g., LED 112 of optical port 40)." (Id.)
Although the specification mentions that "[m]eter 10 interfaces to the outside
world via . . . option connector 38," (Spec. at 16), the appellants fail to show that the
option connector performs the claimed function of "receiving a data command" that
identifies a selected "one of the various power measurements" so as to support their
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