Ex Parte SCHWARTZ - Page 7



         Appeal No. 2006-0681                                                       
         Application No. 09/072,412                                                 

         the art the invention as set forth in claims 1-4, 28, and 33.              
         Accordingly, we affirm.                                                    
              In rejecting claims under 35 U.S.C. § 103, the Examiner               
         bears the initial burden of establishing a prima facie case of             
         obviousness.  In re Oetiker, 977 F.2d 1443, 1445, 24 USPQ2d 1443,          
         1444 (Fed. Cir. 1992).  See also In re Piasecki, 745 F.2d 1468,            
         1472, 223 USPQ 785, 788 (Fed. Cir. 1984).  The Examiner can                
         satisfy this burden by showing that some objective teaching in             
         the prior art or knowledge generally available to one of ordinary          
         skill in the art suggests the claimed subject matter.  In re               
         Fine, 837 F.2d 1071, 1074, 5 USPQ2d 1596, 1598 (Fed. Cir. 1988).           
         Only if this initial burden is met does the burden of coming               
         forward with evidence or argument shift to the Appellant.                  
         Oetiker, 977 F.2d at 1445, 24 USPQ2d at 1444.  See also Piasecki,          
         745 F.2d at 1472, 223 USPQ at 788.                                         
              An obviousness analysis commences with a review and                   
         consideration of all the pertinent evidence and arguments.  “In            
         reviewing the [E]xaminer’s decision on appeal, the Board must              
         necessarily weigh all of the evidence and argument.”  Oetiker,             
         977 F.2d at 1445, 24 USPQ2d at 1444.  “[T]he Board must not only           
         assure that the requisite findings are made, based on evidence of          
         record, but must also explain the reasoning by which the findings          
                                         7                                          



Page:  Previous  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13  14  15  Next 

Last modified: November 3, 2007