Appeal No. 2004-0115 Page 7
Application No. 09/363,637
Here, Karp's "invention relates to a data processing system having a floating
point arithmetic unit and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for performing
floating point division and square root operations." Col. 1, ll. 8-11. "To determine a
square root of a value (A), the Newton-Raphson method first determines a reciprocal of
the square root of the value and then the resulting reciprocal is multiplied by the value."
Col. 10, ll. 51-54. The equation cited by the examiner represents "iterations for the
reciprocal of the square root of the value (A) according to the conventional Newton-
Raphson method." Although designing Karp's arithmetic unit to perform the claimed
steps may be possible, the examiner shows no objective evidence of the desirability of
the modification. His statement that "the reference is a floating point system for
performing square root operation as claimed," (Examiner's Answer at 3), does not
allege that, let alone explain why, such an extension would have been desirable. We
will not "resort to speculation," In re Warner, 379 F.2d 1011, 1017, 154 USPQ 173, 178
(CCPA 1967), as to a possible explanation. Therefore, we reverse the obviousness
rejection of claims 17; of claims 18-21, which depend therefrom; of claim 22; of claims
23; of claims 24 and 25, which depend therefrom; of claim 26; of claims 27-29, which
depend therefrom; of claim 30; of claim 31; of claims 32-34, which depend therefrom; of
claim 35; of claims 36-40, which depend therefrom.
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007