Appeal 2007-2240
Application 09/818,016
1 The Appellants have argued claims 1-3, 5-8 and 10 together. Accordingly, we
2 select claim 1 as a representative claim.
3 We first note that there is no contention that any of the claim elements are not
4 met by the combined teachings of Lesaint and Bergeron (FF 06). We further note
5 that the broadest claims are directed toward automation of the well known
6 activities of planning, informing, communicating, providing feedback, and billing
7 for tasks. One of ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to combine
8 an old combination of basic commercial tasks with programmed electronic
9 circuitry to update it using modern electronic components in order to gain the
10 commonly understood benefits of such adaptation, such as decreased size,
11 increased reliability, simplified operation, and reduced cost. The combination is
12 thus the adaptation of an old idea or invention using newer technology that is
13 commonly available and understood in the art. (See Leapfrog supra).
14 The Appellants first argue that there is no reason to combine Lesaint and
15 Bergeron. Both Lesaint and Bergeron are directed toward the application of
16 resources, particularly human resources such as a field force, toward tasks. Lesaint
17 is directed toward the optimizing the overall allocation (FF 01), whereas Bergeron
18 is directed toward applying the best resources to spontaneous events signaled by
19 some alarm (FF 08). Thus, Bergeron is directed toward the handling of discrete
20 specialized events within the overall allocation optimization sought by Lesaint, and
21 one of ordinary skill would have sought Bergeron to accomplish that after working
22 with Lesaint.
23 The Appellants next argue that Bergeron does not provide any benefit to
24 Lesaint because it does not make that system any more efficient to reach its
25 intended objectives, and, in fact, it appears at least somewhat contrary to the
19
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