Appeal 2006-1601
Application 09/828,579
(Specification 11:21-12:3). We conclude that a “system” is inclusive
of any group of mechanical components, any group of electrical
components, any economic organization1 (group of people), and
combinations thereof for carrying out the method of claim 6.
Appellant’s preferred “system” is a combination of electrical
components and people, e.g., telephones, computers, networks,
(Specification 4:16-24) and “user to select” (Abstract, ll. 4-5).
However, Appellant’s claim is not limited solely to the preferred
embodiment.
(b) Step of “identifying that a future rate plan is to be changed” –
A rate plan or tariff model is a “schedule of prices or fees,” 2
i.e., merely an abstraction in the form of information about prices or
fees.
The “is to be changed” language does not limit this step to only
rate changes that have not yet occurred as to the supplier. Rather, as
Appellant states at page 4 of the Brief, this claimed step is
exemplified by block3 63 in Appellant’s Figure 4. Block 63 occurs
after the rate change has occurred as to the supplier (block 61) but
before the rate change has occurred as to the customer.
No limitation is placed on this claimed step as to the supplier
side or customer side. No limitation is placed on how this claimed
step is to be carried out.
1 The American Heritage Dictionary 1234 (2nd College Ed. 1982).
2 Id. at 1244.
3 Appellant uses the terms block, box, and step interchangeably in the Brief and
Specification. We follow Appellant’s usage when referring to the Brief or
Specification.
9
Page: Previous 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Next
Last modified: September 9, 2013