Appeal No. 2006-1554 Page 9
Application No. 10/369,819
housing (15), it is clear from Figure 3 that the push button (14) is located on the
bottom surface portion of the housing (15). Jezbera further teaches that the push
button (14) is hidden inside the indicator housing (15) so that it will not be
accidentally depressed, with concomitant erroneous resetting of the display (12).
Jezbera, col. 3, lines 35-37; see also col. 2, lines 42-45.
The HP Jornada User’s Guide similarly shows a personal computer device
having a reset button (17) located on the normally hidden bottom surface portion of
the device. HP Jornada User’s Guide, p. 10. The User’s Guide teaches that to
reset the device, the user must use a stylus to press the reset button (17) on the
back of the device. HP Jornada User’s Guide, pp. 99-101. By locating the reset
button on the normally hidden bottom surface portion and by further requiring the
use of a stylus to depress the button, the HP Jornada was designed to avoid
inadvertent actuation of the reset button.
These two prior art references demonstrate that it was well known at the
time of the invention to place push buttons on the normally hidden bottom surface
portion of a computer device to avoid inadvertent actuation of the button. We find
no difference in this case because the claimed method is for replacing a side panel
of a casing rather than for triggering a reset switch.
The person of ordinary skill in the art is a hypothetical
person who is presumed to know the relevant prior art.
Custom Accessories, Inc. v. Jeffrey-Allan Indus., Inc.,
807 F.2d 955, 962, 1 USPQ2d 1196, 1201 (Fed. Cir.
1986). In determining this skill level, the court may
consider various factors including “type of problems
encountered in the art; prior art solutions to those
problems; rapidity with which innovations are made;
sophistication of the technology; and educational level
of active workers in the field.” Id. In a given case, every
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