Appeal No. 2003-1334
Application No. 09/651,714
OPINION
We have carefully considered the entire record before us,
and we will reverse the obviousness rejection of claims 1 through
12.
Gagnon uses a plurality of strain gauge sensors 20 to
determine the weight of someone sitting in an automobile seat
(Figures 8 through 10; column 5, lines 44 through 53). A signal
from each sensor is passed through an amplifier to a
microprocessor that determines the weight placed on the seat
(Figure 11; column 6, lines 56 through 63; column 7, lines 5
through 9).
We agree with the examiner (answer, page 4) that “it is
self-evident to the ordinary practioner [sic, practitioner] that
Gagnon would inherently need some way to convert the analog
strain gage sensor signal into a digital form that the digital
controller can use in order for the system disclosed in Figure 11
of Gagnon to be operative.” We additionally agree with the
examiner (answer, page 5) that “a commonly used technique in the
A/D converter art to change an analog signal into a digital one
was to compare the unknown analog signal with a ramp reference
signal to produce a pulse-width modulated square wave output;
Examples of these types of A/D converters are shown by the
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