Appeal No. 2005-2439
Application No. 09/754,378
fact that Von Kohorn also teaches a coupon distribution system as
claimed. Von Kohorn also teaches that the disclosed method is
useful for preventing forged coupons [see for example, column 16,
lines 55-58 and column 17, lines 10-20]. With respect to Saigh,
it was cited to show that it was known to use the Internet to
distribute coupons on demand. Although Saigh has much wider
applicability than the distribution of coupons, it is clearly
analogous art with respect to the claimed distribution of
coupons. Therefore, we find that Von Kohorn and Saigh are
analogous art with respect to the claimed invention.
With respect to the second argument noted above, appellants
argue that the proposed modification would render Von Kohorn
unsuitable for its intended purpose and would change the
principle of operation of Von Kohorn. Appellants also argue that
the examiner has not properly addressed why it would have been
obvious to modify the particular system of Von Kohorn to include
the Internet [brief, pages 18-20]. The examiner responds that
both Von Kohorn and Saigh teach the distribution of coupons to
users over a network. The examiner asserts that the artisan
would have been motivated to utilize the Internet in Von Kohorn
to take advantage of a network that is far reaching and readily
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