Appeal No. 2004-1025
Application No. 09/572,674
DISCUSSION
Koizumi, the examiner’s primary reference, discloses a word
processing input apparatus “that allows those who are severely
physically handicapped . . . to enter characters by shifting
their heads and operating a breath-operated switch while looking
at an image display device on which entered characters are shown”
(column 1, lines 5 through 9). The apparatus comprises a headset
device 4 including an optical signal transmitter 1 and a breath-
operated switch 5, and an image display device 3 (e.g., a
personal computer) including an optical signal receiver 2. In
use, the operator dons the headset, sits opposite the image
display device which shows a virtual keyboard 17 and a cursor 18,
moves his or her head to shift the cursor to a desired key and
actuates the breath-operated switch to enter the character
designated by the selected key (see column 5, line 48, through
column 7, line 13).
The examiner (see pages 3 and 4 in the answer) concedes that
the Koizumi apparatus does not respond to the limitations in
independent claim 1, or the corresponding limitations in
independent claim 9, relating to the mouth-held unit or device.
As indicated above, the Koizumi apparatus embodies a head-held
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