Appeal No. 2006-3126 Page 8
Application No. 10/154,060
the manner asserted by the examiner. We note that Flynn discloses
microprocessor 112 can obtain relevant values for a smart battery by
sending commands or messages to ASIC 204 [see col. 9, lines 37-57]. In
particular, we note that Flynn explicitly discloses the command “AT RATE
TIME TO EMPTY” (see fig. 6A, command code 0X06) provides an “estimate of
how long the battery can supply power based on the previously defined rate
value” [fig. 6A, see also discussion col. 11, lines 31-36]. Therefore, we find
that Flynn’s disclosure of the aforementioned command directly contravenes
appellant’s assertion that Flynn does not disclose how the rate of current
consumption is determined and thus does not disclose a power estimator
[brief, page 6].
We also agree with the examiner that Flynn’s microprocessor 112 acts
as a controller to independently allocate power from the power supply to a
first component (e.g., disabling Display 108, fig. 4 and col. 14, lines 33-36)
and a second component (e.g., disabling the transmit operation in RF section
116, col. 14, lines 3-7). We note that Flynn discloses “low capacity,” “critical
capacity,” and “dead capacity” threshold levels where current-consuming
operations or components are progressively disabled [col. 11, lines 6-21].
Flynn discloses that “high current-consuming operations or components”
(such as the display) are disabled first, this occurring when the “critical
capacity” threshold is detected [id.] Flynn further discloses that low current
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