Appeal No. 2005-1033 Page 12
Application No. 10/236,460
servicing procedures from the local information store 50 and performing
troubleshooting via welding diagrams such as schematics, for example. If it is
determined that a hardware component needs to be replaced as part of routine
servicing or troubleshooting, and/or if a new welder program/procedure is
desired, the welding operator may initiate an automatic order of the component
or program/procedure by selecting (e.g., mouse click part on a schematic) the
component/program from the remote interface 32,34. As will be described in
more detail below, the welding information broker 60 can be linked to an
inventory and distribution system 74 wherein component and supplier information
(e.g., part numbers, supplier address, price, shipping terms) are updated within
the broker and associated with the hardware, software, and/or other version
codes within the broker. An ordering system 76 (e.g., remote server) linked to the
welding information broker 60 provides purchase history and related information
for the welding system 20. The ordering system 76 includes information relating
to an entity that purchased the welding system 20, billing and shipping addresses
for the entity, and credit information concerning account status and warranty
information associated with the welding system 20 and the entity. For example, if
a replacement component is under warranty, a flag may be set within the
ordering system 76 indicating that no charge is to be accessed relating to the
replacement component. The ordering system 76 and the information contained
therein enables automatic acquisition of the selected replacement component by
linking the entity's billing, shipping and warranty information with the welding
information broker 60, thus mitigating manual purchase order generation and
negotiations involved with conventional welding systems.
The appellant argues (brief, pp. 4-7; reply brief, pp. 2-4) that when the term
"budget" is given its correct meaning, Spear does not disclose that its automation
component includes a budget for payment of the order. We agree. Using the definition
of the term "budget" arrived at above, it is clear to us that Spear does not disclose that
its automation component includes a "budget" for payment of the order. In that regard,
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007