Appeal No. 2005-2341 Παγε 10
Application No. 10/420,187
problems are detected and to prevent the laptop computer from shuffling when the
vehicle is moving in the test environment." This obviousness determination was
amplified by the examiner on pages 9-10 of the answer as follows:
Replacing the test module 16 and the operator interface 17 (fig.1) with the laptop
computer that can perform diagnostic test on board the vehicle of Steinmetz by
connecting the laptop to the connector 18 (fig.1) of Sonehara would have been
obvious when an on-board diagnosis on the vehicle of Sonehara is desired.
Concerning [the] "mounting'' feature, since Steinmetz also teaches that the laptop
computer (the diagnostic aid (DA)) (col.8, lines 51-59) is capable of acquiring
data directly via data bus from other subsystems of the vehicle when certain
subsystem in the vehicle is operating in a certain way (col.11, lines 30-36.,
col.18, lines 36-44), and since it is well known actual running of the vehicle to
obtain operating data from [a] vehicle subsystem is normally a necessary
procedure for collecting operating data of the subsystems in [a] diagnostic
process, fixedly mounting the laptop computer on a proper support so that the
laptop does not fall or fly around when the vehicle is running for data collection
during the diagnostic data collection procedure is well motivated within the level
of an ordinary person skilled in the art at the time the invention was made.
The appellant argues that the applied prior art does not suggest mounting the
control module and the operator interface of Sonehara on-board the vehicle. We agree.
In that regard, while Steinmetz would have suggested substituting a laptop computer
for the control module and the operator interface of Sonehara, there is no teaching or
suggestion in Steinmetz to mount the laptop computer on-board Sonehara's vehicle. To
supply this omission in the teachings of the applied prior art, the examiner made the
above-noted determination that this difference would have been obvious to an artisan.
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