Appeal 2006-1601 Application 09/828,579 11. A computer readable medium for providing for future rate changes in a billing system, comprising: logic for identifying that a future rate plan is to be changed; logic for selecting the future rate plan desired; and logic for implementing the future rate change. The Examiner entered a Final Rejection on February 10, 2004. The Examiner rejected claims 1, 6, 9, 11, 14, 16, and 19 under 35 U.S.C. § 102(e) as being anticipated by Ehlers et al. (Ehlers), U.S. Patent 5,924,486, issued July 20, 1999, based on an application filed October 29, 1997. The Examiner rejected claims 2-5, 7-8, 10, 12-13, 15, 17-18, and 20 under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) as being unpatentable over Ehlers. Appellant appealed from the Final Rejection and filed an Appeal Brief (the Brief) on January 10, 2005. The Examiner entered an Examiner’s Answer (the Answer) on October 20, 2005. Appellant filed a Reply Brief (the Reply) on December 19, 2005. We affirm. We also use our authority under 37 C.F.R. § 41.50(b) to enter a first new ground of rejection of claims 6-20 and a second new ground of rejection of claims 11-15. II. ISSUES The principal issues before the Board are whether Appellant has established (1) the Examiner erred in rejecting claims 1, 6, 9, 11, 14, 16, and 19 based on anticipation and (2) the Examiner erred in rejecting claims 2-5, 7-8, 10, 12-13, 15, 17-18, and 20 based on obviousness. 3Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Next
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