Appeal No. 2004-0403
Application 09/100,684
combined teachings of the references do not suggest the
limitation of "providing with the billing statement an offer to
said individual to pay at least a portion of an amount due on
said billing statement if said individual becomes a customer of
said second entity." Accordingly, the rejection of claims 1,
11-13, 22, and 29 is reversed. The added references to Jermyn
and Mori do not cure the deficiencies of the rejection. Thus,
the rejection of claims 2-10, 23-26, 28, and 30 is reversed.
CONCLUSION
The rejections of claims 1-13, 22-26, and 28-30 are
reversed.
A new ground of rejection has been entered as to claim 28
under 35 U.S.C. § 112, second paragraph, and as to claims 22-26
and 28-30 under § 101 pursuant to 37 CFR § 1.196(b).
This decision contains a new ground of rejection pursuant to
37 CFR § 1.196(b) (amended effective Dec. 1, 1997, by final rule
notice, 62 Fed. Reg. 53,131, 53,197 (Oct. 10, 1997), 1203 Off.
Gaz. Pat. & Trademark Office 63, 122 (Oct. 21, 1997)). 37 CFR
§ 1.196(b) provides that, "A new ground of rejection shall not be
considered final for purposes of judicial review."
37 CFR § 1.196(b) also provides that the appellant, WITHIN
TWO MONTHS FROM THE DATE OF THE DECISION, must exercise one of
the following two options with respect to the new ground of
- 21 -
Page: Previous 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007