Appeal No. 2005-2016 Παγε 5
Application No. 09/682,988
18. A system for restricted substance management and
recycling in a vehicle manufacturing environment, said
system comprising:
a computer system for inputting restricted substances
and recycle content data of parts supplied by a vehicle
supplier for a vehicle, for reviewing the inputted data and
determining parts with banned or recycled content or
substances over predetermined thresholds, and for reporting
the determined parts to the vehicle supplier and the vehicle
manufacture [sic: manufacturer].
We turn first to the examiner's rejection of claims 1-10 as being unpatentable
over Fukatsu. Fukatsu discloses an environmental information system for use in a
corporate procurement environment [paragraph 0093]. The system includes a database
of parts and material information on those parts, including whether such material is
recycled material, a substance to be reduced, a substance to be controlled or a
prohibited substance and including recycled material content (see, e.g., Figure 15). In
addition to permitting the user to query the system for material content of a particular
selected part, Fukatsu's system permits the user to query the system for all parts
containing a particular selected substance, which substance can be, for example, a
prohibited substance, such as asbestos, or a substance to be reduced, such as mercury
(see, e.g., Figure 17). Fukatsu does not specify use of the disclosed system in a
vehicle manufacturing environment1 and does not disclose a step of reviewing the
1 One of ordinary skill in the art, however, would have certainly understood from Fukatsu's
disclosure that Fukatsu's system is suitable for use in procurement in any design or manufacturing
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007