Ex Parte OLEFSON - Page 3


             Appeal No. 2004-1929                                                                              
             Application No. 08/664,164                                                                        
                   Reference is made to the examiner’s answer, appellant’s specification, and                  
             Appeal brief for the full details of the rejections and the appellant’s response thereto.         
                                                  OPINION                                                      
                   We have carefully reviewed the arguments of the appellant and the examiner.                 
             As a result of this review, we have reached the conclusion that the applied prior art             
             establishes a prima facie case of obviousness with respect to all the claims on appeal.           
             Accordingly, we affirm the rejection of the claims on appeal.  Our reasons follow.                
                   Turning first to claims 1, 5-6, 8-9, 34-35, and 37 which stand rejected under               
             35 U.S.C.  § 103(a) as being obvious over Keithley in view of Hansen, these claims                
             recite a method where 360 degree rotational panoramic images are recorded and                     
             stored in a central database.  The user can enter selection criteria and display rotational       
             panoramic images for each property through the use of a terminal.  An audio                       
             accompaniment can be recorded and played for each property.  The centralized                      
             computer stores and matches entered user identification and passwords.                            
                   We find that Keithley teaches a method for recording and storing digitized                  
             property information in a central database.  The Keithley method provides the user with           
             a terminal for communicating with the database.  A centralized computer stores and                
             matches entered user identification.  The user enters criteria and matching properties            
             are displayed.  Digitized pictures of the property are provided.  Keithley also discusses         
             viewing digitized pictures while listening to detailed property descriptions.  With the           
             exception of using 360-degree rotational panoramic visual images, we find that the                
             Keithley reference teaches the elements of claims 1, 5-6, 8-9, 34-35, and 37.  The                




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