Appeal No. 2002-1755
Application No. 09/173,286
as the claimed “wherein a universe of contributing users to which
the message can be directed is restricted according to the
information for at least one contributing user provided by the
originating user.”
We would agree with the examiner’s analysis but for the
claimed limitation of the universe of contributing users to which
a message can be directed “is restricted” according to the
information for at least one contributing user provided by the
originating user. There is nothing in Microsoft Office which
restricts any recipient from forwarding a message to other
recipients who may not be on the originating user’s list, or
universe, of contributing users to which the message can be
directed.
In elucidating on his position, at page 22 of the answer,
the examiner explains that in Figure 7.1 (page 538) of the
reference, a mail application comprising an original message from
Elizabeth Watkins is shown. The message is sent, via “reply
all,” to two recipients, Jennifer Flynn and Rhonda Kuntz. The
examiner interprets the recipients, Flynn and Kuntz, as the
claimed “universe” of contributing users originally identified.
The examiner further contends that this “universe” of
contributing users is restricted to the people listed, viz.,
-5–
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