Appeal 2006-3270
Application 10/369,089
factors (Col. 9, ll. 5-10). Alvarez does not teach performing the second
heating step at a temperature that exceeds 100°C. Schulze describes a
process for treating absorbent catalysts with gaseous acid such as halogen
halides to increase and improve the activity of the catalyst (p. 1, left col.,
ll.1-39). Schulze discloses the gaseous acid can be partially or completely
saturated with water vapor at the temperature of treatment (p. 1, left col.,
lines 42-45). Schulze discloses the operating temperature of the gases
treatment can range up to 500°C (p. 1, right col., ll. 9-40). Thus, a person of
ordinary skill in the art would have reasonably expected that the gas
dehydration step of Alvarez can be performed at a temperature that was
greater than 100°C as proposed by the Examiner. Therefore, we conclude
this person in routinely following the combined teachings of Alvarez and
Schulze would have reasonably arrived at a process in which the second step
of Alvarez is conducted at a temperature less than the first step but greater
than 100°C as taught by Schulze.
The Examiner’s § 103 rejection is affirmed.
ORDER
The rejection of claims 1-8 under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) as unpatentable
over Alvarez in view of Schulze has been affirmed.
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