Appeal No. 2006-1107
Application No. 09/382,442
be implicit from the prior art as a whole, rather than expressly
stated in the references. The test for an implicit showing is
what the combined teachings, knowledge of one of ordinary skill
in the art, and the nature of the problem to be solved as a whole
would have suggested to those of ordinary skill in the art. In
re Kahn, 441 F.3d 977, 987, 78 USPQ2d 1329, 1336 (Fed. Cir. 2006)
citing In re Kotzab, 217 F.3d 1365, 1370, 55 USPQ2d 1313 (Fed.
Cir. 2000). See also In re Thrift, 298 F.3d 1357, 1363, 63
USPQ2d 2002, 2008 (Fed. Cir. 2002). These showings by the
examiner are an essential part of complying with the burden of
presenting a prima facie case of obviousness. Note In re
Oetiker, 977 F.2d 1443, 1445, 24 USPQ2d 1443, 1444 (Fed. Cir.
1992). If that burden is met, the burden then shifts to the
applicant to overcome the prima facie case with argument and/or
evidence. Obviousness is then determined on the basis of the
evidence as a whole and the relative persuasiveness of the
arguments. See Id.; In re Hedges, 783 F.2d 1038, 1039, 228 USPQ
685, 686 (Fed. Cir. 1986); In re Piasecki, 745 F.2d 1468, 1472,
223 USPQ 785, 788 (Fed. Cir. 1984); and In re Rinehart, 531 F.2d
1048, 1052, 189 USPQ 143, 147 (CCPA 1976). Only those arguments
actually made by appellant have been considered in this decision.
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