Appeal 2006-1601
Application 09/828,579
states at page 4 of the Brief, this claimed step is exemplified by box
56 in Appellant’s Figure 4. Appellant’s box 56 specifically states
“INPUT CURRENT DATE AS EFFECTIVE CONTRACT
CHANGE DATE AND CHANGE RATE PLAN”. The key word
here is “contract.” We find no disclosure in Appellant’s Specification
that implementing requires anything more than the parties agreeing to
a contract change.
Thus, we conclude the implementing step merely requires that
anyone or anything tangibly or intangibly agree in any way with
respect to a rate change to occur as to the customer either immediately
or at some later time.
Upon our review of Appellant’s claim 9 in light of Appellant’s
Specification, we conclude the following:
(e) Step of “selecting the effective date of the future rate plan” –
As above, no limitation is placed on this step as to the supplier
side or customer side. No limitation is placed on when this step
occurs in relation to the steps of claim 6. No limitation is placed on
how this step is to be carried out.
As Appellant states at page 5 of the Brief, this claimed step is
exemplified by box 57 in Appellant’s Figure 4. Appellant’s box 57
specifically states “INPUT EFFECTIVE CONTRACT CHANGE
DATE”. Again, the key word here is “contract.” We find no
disclosure in Appellant’s Specification that selecting requires
anything more than the parties agreeing to the date of a contract
change.
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