Appeal 2007-1427
Application 09/826,240
consumption, we find the weight of the evidence supports the Examiner’s
position that Mittal discloses “reconfiguring said reconfigurable circuit by
altering a power characteristic applied to at least a portion thereof …,” as
claimed (claim 28).
Furthermore, we note that Appellant acknowledges in the
Specification that “power consumption in a digital circuit is directly related
to the frequency of switching of its internal nodes.” (Specification 17,
¶ 0031). We find Mittal explicitly discloses dividing a system clock by two
to implement a reduced-power mode (col. 8, ll. 29-32, Fig. 2). Because the
frequency of switching transitions in clock-driven digital circuits (e.g., a
microprocessor) is a function of the clock frequency, we agree with the
Examiner that Mittal also discloses the recited step of “determining a
transition rate of at least one node located within said reconfigurable
circuit,” as claimed (claim 28). Specifically, we find the recited step of
“determining a transition rate …” broadly but reasonably reads on altering a
clock rate to save power, as disclosed by Mittal (col. 5, ll. 1-3; col. 8, ll. 29-
32, Fig. 2).
Because we find Mittal discloses all that is claimed, we conclude the
Examiner has met the burden of presenting a prima facie case of
anticipation. Accordingly, we will sustain the Examiner’s rejection of
representative claim 28 as being anticipated by Mittal.
Pursuant to 37 C.F.R. § 41.37(c)(1)(vii), we have decided the appeal
with respect to the remaining claims in this group on the basis of the selected
claim alone. Therefore, we will sustain the Examiner’s rejection of
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