Ex Parte Belknap et al - Page 7

                    Appeal 2007-0264                                                                                                       
                    Application 09/986,248                                                                                                 
                    the client computer recreates the exact directory structure (col.2, lines 38-                                          
                    45).                                                                                                                   


                                                      PRINCIPLES OF LAW                                                                    
                                                      1.      ANTICIPATION                                                                 
                            It is axiomatic that anticipation of a claim under § 102 can be found                                          

                    only if the prior art reference discloses every element of the claim.  See In re                                       
                    King, 801 F.2d 1324, 1326, 231 USPQ 136, 138 (Fed. Cir. 1986) and                                                      
                    Lindemann Maschinenfabrik GMBH v. American Hoist & Derrick Co., 730                                                    
                    F.2d 1452, 1458, 221 USPQ 481, 485 (Fed. Cir. 1984).                                                                   

                            In rejecting claims under 35 U.S.C. § 102, a single prior art reference                                        
                    that discloses, either expressly or inherently, each limitation of a claim                                             
                    invalidates that claim by anticipation.  Perricone v. Medicis Pharmaceutical                                           
                    Corp., 432 F.3d 1368, 1375-76, 77 USPQ2d 1321, 1325-26 (Fed. Cir. 2005),                                               
                    citing Minn. Mining & Mfg. Co. v. Johnson & Johnson Orthopaedics, Inc.,                                                
                    976 F.2d 1559, 1565, 24 USPQ2d 1321, 1326 (Fed. Cir. 1992).  Anticipation                                              
                    of a patent claim requires a finding that the claim at issue “reads on” a prior                                        
                    art reference.  Atlas Powder Co. v. IRECO, Inc., 190 F.3d 1342, 1346, 51                                               
                    USPQ2d 1943, 1945 (Fed Cir. 1999) (“In other words, if granting patent                                                 
                    protection on the disputed claim would allow the patentee to exclude the                                               
                    public from practicing the prior art, then that claim is anticipated, regardless                                       
                    of whether it also covers subject matter not in the prior art.”) (internal                                             
                    citations omitted).                                                                                                    

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