Ex Parte Sikorski - Page 9




            Appeal No. 2006-3033                                                                            
            Application No. 10/748,992                                                                      

            examiner’s rejection of these claims as being anticipated by Manchester for                     
            the same reasons set forth in the rejection.                                                    
                                     OBVIOUSNESS REJECTIONS                                                 
                   In rejecting claims under 35 U.S.C. § 103, it is incumbent upon the                      
            examiner to establish a factual basis to support the legal conclusion of                        
            obviousness.  See In re Fine, 837 F.2d 1071, 1073, 5 USPQ2d 1596, 1598                          
            (Fed. Cir. 1988).  In so doing, the examiner is expected to make the factual                    
            determinations set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 17, 148                       
            USPQ 459, 467 (1966).  The examiner must articulate reasons for the                             
            examiner’s decision.  In re Lee, 277 F.3d 1338, 1342, 61 USPQ2d 1430,                           
            1433 (Fed. Cir. 2002).  In particular, the examiner must show that there is a                   
            teaching, motivation, or suggestion of a motivation to combine references                       
            relied on as evidence of obviousness.  Id. at 1343, 61 USPQ2d at 1433-34.                       
            The examiner cannot simply reach conclusions based on the examiner’s own                        
            understanding or experience - or on his or her assessment of what would be                      
            basic knowledge or common sense.  Rather, the examiner must point to                            
            some concrete evidence in the record in support of these findings.  In re                       
            Zurko, 258 F.3d 1379, 1386, 59 USPQ2d 1693, 1697 (Fed. Cir. 2001).  Thus                        
            the examiner must not only assure that the requisite findings are made,                         
            based on evidence of record, but must also explain the reasoning by which                       

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