Appeal No. 2004-0613
Application No. 09/857,551
the physical value and the operating condition of the sensor element. (See brief at page
7.) The examiner maintains that Wellman teaches a logic block 124 in Figure 7 which
mixes and overlays the primary and secondary signals to form a combined signal. (See
answer at pages 3 and 5.) From our review of Wellman, we disagree with the examiner
and do not find that multiplexer 124 combines two signals to form a single output signal
containing both information quantities. Additionally, the examiner maintains that the A/D
converter “converts the analog output signal 102 into digital output signal and combines
it with the digital output signal 104 to output one combined signal (figure 7).” (See brief
at page 5.) We find no clear support for the examiner’s position and merely find that the
signals are transmitted to the microprocessor, but not disclosed as combined as recited
in independent claim 20. Therefore, we do not find that Wellman teaches every
limitation recited in independent claim 20, and we cannot sustain the rejection of
independent claim 20 and its dependent claims.
Similarly, we do not find that the examiner has made a persuasive showing of the
obviousness of the invention as recited in independent claim 20 and dependent claim
23, and we cannot sustain the rejection of dependent claims 23 and 24.
CONCLUSION
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