Ex Parte Black-Ziegelbein et alDownload PDFBoard of Patent Appeals and InterferencesJun 18, 200910968235 (B.P.A.I. Jun. 18, 2009) Copy Citation UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE ____________ BEFORE THE BOARD OF PATENT APPEALS AND INTERFERENCES ____________ Ex parte ELIZABETH ANN BLACK-ZIEGELBEIN, GENNARO A. CUOMO, MARC E. HABERKORN, and BARTON C. VASHAW ____________ Appeal 2009-001850 Application 10/968,235 Technology Center 2600 ____________ Decided:1 June 18, 2009 ____________ Before JOSEPH F. RUGGIERO, JOHN A. JEFFERY, and KARL D. EASTHOM, Administrative Patent Judges. JEFFERY, Administrative Patent Judge. 1 The two-month time period for filing an appeal or commencing a civil action, as recited in 37 C.F.R. § 1.304, begins to run from the decided date shown on this page of the decision. The time period does not run from the Mail Date (paper delivery) or Notification Date (electronic delivery). Appeal 2009-001850 Application 10/968,235 2 DECISION ON APPEAL Appellants appeal under 35 U.S.C. § 134(a) from the Examiner’s rejection of claims 1-9. We have jurisdiction under 35 U.S.C. § 6(b). We affirm-in-part. STATEMENT OF THE CASE Appellants invented a method, machine and computer program product encoded on a computer-readable memory for displaying a treemap having hierarchical information in a variety of shapes and colors. This process improves the color and shading processing of a nested treemap.2 Independent claim 1 is reproduced below with the key disputed limitations emphasized: 1. A process for displaying hierarchical information in a finite display space, the hierarchical information comprising a plurality of nodes divided into at least two clusters, each cluster having a distinct color comprising a RGB triplet, and each node having a primary weight and a secondary weight; the process comprising: converting each RGB triplet to an equivalent HSL triplet, each equivalent HSL triplet comprising: a hue component, a saturation component, and a lightness component; adjusting the lightness component to generate a discrete color gradient for each secondary weight of each node in each cluster; 2 See generally Spec. ¶¶ 6, 21, 22, 24, 27, and 28; Figs. 1, 3, and 4. Appeal 2009-001850 Application 10/968,235 3 converting each discrete color gradient to an equivalent RGB triplet; and drawing a treemap on an output device so that the treemap comprises a nested treemap for each cluster, the nested treemap having the cluster's distinct color and comprising a bounding box for each node in the cluster, each bounding box having an area proportional to the primary weight of the node and a discrete color gradient of the equivalent RGB triplet that represents the secondary weight of the node. The Examiner relies upon the following as evidence in support of the rejection: Dawson US 5,270,688 Dec. 14, 1993 Choe US 2004/0013298 A1 Jan. 22, 2004 Walker US 2004/0169654 A1 Sep. 2, 2004 (1) Claims 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, and 8 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) as being unpatentable over Walker and Choe (Ans. 3-5). (2) Claims 3, 6, and 9 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) as being unpatentable over Walker, Choe, and Dawson (Ans. 5-6). Rather than repeat the arguments of Appellants or the Examiner, we refer to the Briefs and the Answer3 for their respective details. In this decision, we have considered only those arguments actually made by Appellants. Arguments which Appellants could have made but did not make in the Briefs have not been considered and are deemed to be waived. See 37 C.F.R. § 41.37(c)(1)(vii). 3 Throughout the opinion, we refer to: (1) the Appeal Brief filed January 14, 2008; (2) the Examiner’s Answer mailed February 15, 2008; and (3) the Reply Brief filed April 14, 2008. Appeal 2009-001850 Application 10/968,235 4 OBVIOUSNESS REJECTION OVER WALKER AND CHOE Appellants group the claims as follows: (1) claims 1 and 2; (2) claims 4 and 5; and (3) claims 7 and 8 (App. Br. 7-16). We will address each grouping separately. Claims 1 and 2 The Examiner finds that Walker discloses all the limitations of representative claim 1,4 except for the step of converting each RGB triplet to an equivalent HSL triplet and converting the discrete color gradient to an equivalent RGB triplet. Ans. 3-4. The Examiner relies on Choe and the ordinarily skilled artisan’s common knowledge to cure this deficiency. Ans. 4-5. Appellants argue that neither Walker nor Choe teaches or suggests: (1) both nodes and clusters; (2) the adjusting lightness component step that generates a discrete color gradient for each secondary weight of each node; and (3) the recited nested treemap. App. Br. 7-16; Reply Br. 3-7. ISSUES The following issues have been raised in the present appeal: (1) Under § 103, have Appellants shown that the Examiner erred in finding that Walker discloses the “plurality of nodes divided into at least two clusters” in rejecting claim 1? (2) Under § 103, have Appellants shown that the Examiner erred in finding that the combined Walker and Choe method results in the step of 4 Appellants group claims 1 and 2 (App. Br. 10). Accordingly, we select independent claim 1 as representative. 37 C.F.R. § 41.37(c)(1)(vii). Appeal 2009-001850 Application 10/968,235 5 adjusting a lightness component to generate a discrete color gradient for the secondary weight of each node in rejecting claim 1? (3) Under § 103, have Appellants shown that the Examiner erred in finding that Walker teaches drawing a nested treemap for each cluster in rejecting claim 1? FINDINGS OF FACT The record supports the following findings of fact (FF) by a preponderance of the evidence. Walker 1. Walker discloses the database clients (e.g., “clients 1,” “client 2,” “client 3,” and “client 4”) are visually depicted as rectangle objects having a size or area that is proportional to a metric (e.g., number of queries against a database) and is colored to reflect the value of another metric (e.g., query response time). ¶¶ 82-83; Fig. 6. 2. In the context of discussing the color metric (e.g., average query response time), Walker states that the metric can be depicted using a plurality of colors (e.g., red and green). Walker also teaches the shade of a color can be selected to be brighter or duller. ¶¶ 83-84; Fig. 6. 3. As an example, Walker teaches that the tree map displays the different response times of the database clients using different colors (e.g., red and green). Walker states a database client that has the best average response time or good average response time will be green (e.g., “client 2” and “client 5” are bright green and “client 3” and “client 6” are duller green) Appeal 2009-001850 Application 10/968,235 6 and a database client that has the poorest average response time or a poor but better than average response time will be red (e.g., “client 1” is bright red and “client 4” is duller red). ¶¶ 84-85; Fig. 6. 4. Walker discloses each rectangle and its corresponding shade or brightness is colored with the user-specified color palette. ¶ 75. 5. Walker discloses client databases, Clients 1-4, are grouped with Server 1 and client databases, Clients 1, 2, and 5, are grouped with Server 2. ¶ 82, 83, and 89; Fig. 7. Choe 6. Choe teaches converting a red, green, and blue (RGB) triplet into a hue, saturation, and value (HSV) triplet to represent colors most similar to human vision. ¶¶ 91-96. Appellants’ Disclosure 7. Appellants state “‘lightness’ (also sometimes referred to as ‘luminance’ or ‘luminescence’) indicates the intensity of light per unit area of its source,” and define lightness in an HSL color model as equalling ((max(R,G,B)+min(R,G,B))/2. Spec. ¶ 24.5 8. Appellants describe “Cluster A” and “WebGroup” as nested treemap of the treemap visualization (e.g., “Main Tree.”) See Spec. ¶¶ 4, 19; Fig. 1. 5 The Specification incorporates the FreeDictionary.com link, http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/HLS%20color%20space, by reference. See Spec. ¶ 24. Appeal 2009-001850 Application 10/968,235 7 9. Claim 1 recites that each node in a cluster has a bounding box, “each bounding box having an area proportional to the primary weight of the node and a discrete color gradient of the equivalent RGB triplet that represents the secondary weight of the node.” Claim 1, ll. 15-17. 10. The Specification defines a “node” to include “any data structure unit having either data or a link to another data structure unit.” Spec. ¶ 2. PRINCIPLES OF LAW In rejecting claims under 35 U.S.C. § 103, it is incumbent upon the Examiner to establish a factual basis to support the legal conclusion of obviousness. See In re Fine, 837 F.2d 1071, 1073-74 (Fed. Cir. 1988). In so doing, the Examiner must make the factual determinations set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 17 (1966) (stating that 35 U.S.C. § 103 leads to three basic factual inquiries: the scope and content of the prior art, the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue, and the level of ordinary skill in the art). “[T]he examiner bears the initial burden, on review of the prior art or on any other ground, of presenting a prima facie case of unpatentability.” In re Oetiker, 977 F.2d 1443, 1445 (Fed. Cir. 1992). Furthermore, “there must be some articulated reasoning with some rational underpinning to support the legal conclusion of obviousness” . . . . [H]owever, the analysis need not seek out precise teachings directed to the specific subject matter of the challenged claim, for a court can take account of the inferences and creative steps that a person of ordinary skill in the art would employ. Appeal 2009-001850 Application 10/968,235 8 KSR Int’l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 418 (2007) (quoting In re Kahn, 441 F.3d 977, 988 (Fed. Cir. 2006)). ANALYSIS Appellants argue that Walker fails to teach or suggest the distinct limitations of a “node” and a “cluster.” App. Br. 7-8; Reply Br. 3. Specifically, Appellants contend that Walker’s rectangles are representation of an observable object and are either a “node” or a “cluster” but not both. App. Br. 8. As the Examiner explains (Ans. 6-7), Walker discloses clusters (e.g., Server 1 and Server 2) that are divided into nodes (e.g., database Clients 1-4 for Server 1 and Clients 1, 2, and 5 for Server 2). FF 5. Additionally, Walker teaches that the average query response time for a rectangle object (e.g., database client) may be visually depicted using a plurality of colors. FF 1-2. For example the database client or node’s box may be different colors depending on whether the database client’s response is good, adequate, or poor. See FF 1-3. Walker, therefore, suggests other organizational types than Server 1 and Server 2, such as a cluster of nodes that are treated collectively as a unit for purposes of displaying data (e.g., color) in order indicate the database’s response time. See id. Thus, Walker discloses and teaches the limitation of a plurality of clusters divided into at least two nodes recited in claim 1. Appellants recognize the Examiner’s explanation that Walker discloses hierarchical information comprising a plurality of clusters divided into two nodes. See Reply Br. 3 (noting that “the Examiner clarified that Server 1 and Server 2 of Walker FIG. 7 are interpreted as meeting the claim’s ‘clusters’ and that the smaller rectangles of Walker FIG. 7 are Appeal 2009-001850 Application 10/968,235 9 interpreted as meeting the claim’s ‘nodes.’”) However, Appellants further argue that Walker fails to teach the limitation of “each cluster having a distinct color.” App. Br. 8; Reply Br. 3-4. We disagree. Walker teaches that the tree map displays the different response times of the database clients using different colors (e.g., red and green). FF 1-3. Thus, Walker teaches a first cluster of nodes that is one color (e.g., green) when the database client has the best average response time or a good average response time. Walker teaches another cluster of nodes that is different color (e.g., red) when the database client has the poorest average response time or a poor but better than average response time than the client with the poorest average response time. See FF 3. Additionally, based on this teaching, Walker suggests a scenario where the Server 1’s client databases (e.g., Clients 1-4) would all have good or the best average response time and thus be different shades of green, and Server 2’s client databases (e.g., Clients 1, 2, and 5) would all have poor or poor but better than average response time and thus be different shades of red. See FF 1-3 and 5. Walker therefore teaches that each cluster can have a distinct color as recited in claim 1 to illustrate visually the client databases’ response times. Appellants next argue that the neither Walker nor Choe teaches the limitation of “adjusting the lightness component to generate a discrete color gradient for each secondary weight of each node in each cluster” as recited in claim 1. App. Br. 8-9; Reply Br. 4-6. Claim 1 recites that each node in a cluster has a bounding box, the box has an area proportional to the primary weight of the node and a discrete color gradient that represents the Appeal 2009-001850 Application 10/968,235 10 secondary weight of the node. FF 9. Thus, claim 1 recites two weights: (1) a primary weight of the node addressing the box’s area and (2) a secondary weight of the node addressing the color of the box. The adjusting step addresses generating a discrete color gradient for the secondary weight. Specifically, Appellants contend that Walker teaches selecting a color from a color palette and not adjusting the color’s lightness. App. Br. 9; Reply Br. 4. Appellants state “‘lightness’ (also sometimes referred to as ‘luminance’ or ‘luminescence’) indicates the intensity of light per unit are of its source.” FF 7. Appellants further define and the Examiner finds that lightness in an HSL color is equal to ((max(R,G,B)+min(R,G,B))/2. FF 7; Ans. 7-8. Thus, as the Examiner explains (Ans. 7-8), when the shade of a color (e.g., red) in Walker is adjusted (e.g., to a brighter or duller red) to indicate a different average response time (see FF 4-5), at least one of the red, green, and blue (RGB) values (e.g., at least the red value) changes. Since at least one of the R, G, and B values are altered when the particular shade of a color is selected for a particular client database or node, at least one of the max and min RGB values and, thus, the lightness component will be adjusted. Appellants further contend that Walker uses a color palette to select a color or shade of a color for a rectangle and does not generate a discrete color gradient for each secondary weight. App. Br. 9; Reply Br. 5. The Examiner finds that Walker’s palette of colors (FF 4) has a number of shades for each color going from bright to dull and reads on the recited gradient. See Ans. 9. We do not agree. Claim 1 recites that the adjusting step results in generating a discrete color gradient for each secondary weight of each node and not just generating a color palette. Furthermore, Walker discloses Appeal 2009-001850 Application 10/968,235 11 that the step of selecting a shade or a color or adjusting the lightness of a color generates a single color or secondary weight for each client database or node (e.g., Client 1). See FF 2-3. Thus, we agree with the Appellants to the extent that a single client database (e.g., Client 1) shown in Figure 7 is one shade of a color and not a color gradient. Nonetheless, the Specification does not limit a node to a single bounded box or a single client database in Walker. The Specification defines a “node” as “any data structure unit having either data or a link to another data structure unit.” FF 10. Thus, we find that two client databases can read on a “node” as recited in claim 1. These two client databases (e.g., either Client 1 and 2 of Server 1 or Client 3 and 4 of Server 1) can read on a single node that includes more than one shade of color (e.g., a brighter red to a duller red). Additionally, Walker only shows examples of the client databases that are part of each server or cluster (see FF 1-2) and does not limit the number of client databases within each server. Walker therefore suggests to an ordinary skilled artisan that a server (e.g., Server 1) can be expanded to include more client databases (e.g., Client 5 and 6) as part of a server (e.g., Server 1). Moreover, if more client databases are added to a cluster, a node can include multiple client databases (e.g., Clients 1-3), and each group of client databases form a shape that has an area proportional to the primary weight of the collective databases that are grouped into a node. We further note that while Walker discusses only two intensities of color (e.g., brighter and duller red), Walker suggest to a skilled artisan that more than two intensities of a color can be used to represent the degree of the good and poor response. See FF 2-3. One skilled in the art would have recognized using multiple intensities or shades of color for identifying the Appeal 2009-001850 Application 10/968,235 12 range of good to poor response time and presenting the response time in even greater detail. For example, this teaching suggests a positive average response time can be further presented into categories of good, better, and best. Walker’s teachings and suggestions yield no more than a predictable result of including more client databases with a server and more shades of a color to represent more detailed information. See KSR, 550 U.S. at 416-17. Thus, based on all of Walker’s teachings and suggestions, we find that Walker teaches adjusting the lightness component (e.g., adjusting shading) to generate a color gradient (e.g., dullest to the brightest red) for each secondary weight (e.g., color) of each node (e.g., multiple adjacent client databases) of a cluster as recited in claim 1. We, therefore, need not address whether Choe cures the purported deficiency of adjusting a lightness component. App. Br. 9. However, Choe is relied upon to teach converting a RGB triplet into a HSV triplet so as to represent colors that are most similar to the human eye. Ans. 4-5; FF 6. Appellants argue that the Examiner admits Choe teaches using a HSV color space and not a HSL color space. App. Br. 9 and Reply Br. 4-5. We agree. However, the Examiner further states that HSL and HSV color spaces are very closed related, and one skilled in the art would know to substitute one for another depending on the use. See Ans. 5, 9, and 10. The Examiner elaborates by citing to the previously-discussed FreeDictionary.com link incorporated by reference. See n.5 supra, of this opinion. This reference discusses that HSL and HSV are two related representations of the RGB color space and that some people prefer the HSL over the HSV color space because the HSL color space better reflects the intuitive notions of saturation and lightness. Thus, considering the collective Appeal 2009-001850 Application 10/968,235 13 teachings of Walker and Choe in light of an ordinarily skilled artisan’s background knowledge, the Examiner has presented a reason to combine Walker and Choe to convert a RGB triplet into an equivalent HSL triplet that is most similar to the user’s eye and based on the user’s preferences. See KSR, 550 U.S. at 417. Additionally, we see no reason why Walker’s teaching of adjusting the lightness component of a color through shading cannot equally be applied to the lightness component of a HSL triplet. Lastly, Appellants argue that Walker fails to teach the limitation of “the treemap comprises a nested treemap for each cluster” recited in claim 1 because Walker is silent to a “nested treemap.” App. Br. 10; Reply Br. 6-7. The Specification has no special definition of a nested treemap, but Appellants describe “Cluster A” and “WebGroup” as a nested treemap of Figure 1’s “Main Tree.” FF 8; App. Br. 4. Walker similarly discloses cluster “Server 1” and cluster “Server 2” that are part of the treemap visualization (i.e., unlabeled data base system that includes both Server 1 and Server 2). See FF 11. Additionally, each of Walker’s nodes has a distinct color (e.g., red or green) and forms a cluster or nested treemap with the other nodes of that distinct color. See FF 1-3 and 5. We, therefore, are not persuaded that Walker does not disclose the “nested treemap for each cluster” recited in claim 1. For the foregoing reasons, Appellants have not shown the Examiner erred in rejecting claims 1 and 2 under 35 U.S.C. § 103 based on Walker and Choe. Appeal 2009-001850 Application 10/968,235 14 Claims 4 and 5 Independent representative claim 46 recites a data processing machine with limitations similar in scope to claim 1, including “a plurality of nodes divided into at least two clusters, each cluster having a distinct color,” “a program in memory operable to cause the processor to convert each RGB triplet to an equivalent HSL triplet” and to “adjust the lightness component to generate a discrete color gradient to represent a discrete value of the secondary weight of each node in each cluster,” and “the treemap comprises a nested treemap for each cluster.” The Examiner finds that Walker and Choe collectively teach this limitation (Ans. 3-5). Appellants repeat the arguments made in connection with claim 1, such as neither Walker nor Choe teaches or suggests: (1) both nodes and clusters; (2) the adjusting lightness component step that generates a discrete color gradient for each secondary weight of each node; and (3) the recited nested treemap (App. Br. 10-13). The issues for claim 4 are, therefore, the same as those in connection with claim 1. ANALYSIS For the reasons previously discussed with regard to claim 1, we are not persuaded that Walker and Choe fail to teach the limitation of claim 4. These arguments also fail to persuasively rebut the Examiner’s prima facie case of obviousness – a position we find reasonable. 6 Appellants group claims 4 and 5 (App. Br. 13). Accordingly, we select independent claim 4 as representative. 37 C.F.R. § 41.37(c)(1)(vii). Appeal 2009-001850 Application 10/968,235 15 Since Appellants have not persuaded us of error in the Examiner’s rejection of claim 4, we will sustain the rejection of claim 4 and dependent claim 5 which falls with claim 4. Claims 7 and 8 Independent representative claim 77 includes a limitation of a computer program encoded on a computer-readable memory with limitations similar in scope to claim 1, including the memory is operable to cause a computer to render a treemap with hierarchical information having “a plurality of nodes divided into at least two clusters, each cluster having a distinct color,” the program product having “instructions for causing the computer to convert each RGB triplet to an equivalent HSL triplet,” “to adjust the lightness component to generate a discrete color gradient to represent a discrete value of the secondary weight of each node in each cluster,” and to render a treemap that “comprises a nested treemap for each cluster.” The Examiner finds that Walker and Choe collectively teach this limitation (Ans. 3-5). Appellants repeat the arguments made in connection with claim 1. App. Br. 13-16. The issues for claim 7 are, therefore, the same as those in connection with claim 1. 7 Appellants group claims 7 and 8 (App. Br. 16). Accordingly, we select independent claim 7 as representative. 37 C.F.R. § 41.37(c)(1)(vii). Appeal 2009-001850 Application 10/968,235 16 ANALYSIS For the reasons previously discussed with regard to claim 1, we are not persuaded that Walker and Choe fail to teach the limitation of claim 7. These arguments also fail to persuasively rebut the Examiner’s prima facie case of obviousness – a position we find reasonable. Since Appellants have not persuaded us of error in the Examiner’s rejection of claim 7, we will sustain the rejection of claim 7 and dependent claim 7 which falls with claim 8. REJECTION OVER WALKER, CHOE, AND DAWSON Claims 3, 6, and 9 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) as being unpatentable by Walker, Choe, and Dawson (Ans. 5-6). Appellants group the claims as follows: (1) claim 3; (2) claim 6; and (3) claim 9 (App. Br. 16- 18). We will address each grouping separately. Claim 3 Claim 3 recites the step of normalizing the saturation component to approximately fifty percent. The Examiner finds that Walker, Choe, and Dawson collectively teach all the limitations (Ans. 5-6). Appellants argue that Dawson does not teach the saturation component is normalized approximately fifty percent as recited (App. Br. 16; Reply Br. 8-9). Appeal 2009-001850 Application 10/968,235 17 ISSUE The following additional issue has been raised in the present appeal: Under § 103, have Appellants shown that the Examiner erred in finding that Dawson teaches normalizing the saturation component to approximately fifty percent? ADDITIONAL FINDINGS OF FACT The record supports the following additional findings of fact (FF) by a preponderance of the evidence. Dawson 11. Dawson teaches “the red component of the background is of shade which is toward the middle of the red shading (e.g., 50% saturation).” The code for the red shade is inverted and is used to produce a final cursor color in an effort to contrast with the background on a computer display. Title and col. 4, ll. 7-20. ANALYSIS Dawson teaches shading a background to a red shade at fifty percent saturation. See FF 11. As the word, “normalize” means “to make conform to or reduce to a norm or standard,”8 normalizing a saturation component involves more than just selecting a shade or saturation percentage for a background. Normalizing requires the shading to conform to a standard. 8 See Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, 11th ed., available at http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/normalize (last visited June 9, 2009). Appeal 2009-001850 Application 10/968,235 18 Dawson fails to discuss that the red shade is normalized or conforms to any standard. See FF 11. Additionally, the inversion of the code used to produce a final cursor color, as disclosed by Dawson (id.), does not teach or suggest normalizing or conforming the saturation component of the HSL triplet to any standard. Thus, we find that Dawson fails to teach or suggest the step of normalizing the saturation component of a HSL triplet as recited in claim 3. For the foregoing reasons, Appellants have shown the Examiner erred in rejecting claim 3 under 35 U.S.C. § 103 based on Walker, Choe, and Dawson. Claims 6 and 9 Claims 6 and 9 recite a similar normalization step to the recitation in claim 3. Thus, for the same reasons discussed above in connection with claim 3, we find that Appellants have shown the Examiner erred in rejecting claims 6 and 9 under 35 U.S.C. § 103 based on Walker, Choe, and Dawson. CONCLUSIONS (1) Under § 103, Appellants have not shown that the Examiner erred in finding that Walker discloses the “plurality of nodes divided into at least two clusters” in rejecting claims 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, and 8. (2) Under § 103, Appellants have not shown that the Examiner erred in finding that the combined Walker and Choe method results in the step of adjusting a lightness component to generate a discrete color gradient for the secondary weight of each node in a cluster in rejecting claims 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, and 8. Appeal 2009-001850 Application 10/968,235 19 (3) Under § 103, Appellants have not shown that the Examiner erred in finding that Walker teaches drawing a nested treemap for each cluster in rejecting claims 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, and 8. (4) Under § 103, Appellants have shown that the Examiner erred in finding that Dawson teaches normalizing the saturation component to approximately fifty percent in rejecting claims 3, 6, and 9. (5) Claims 1-9 are indefinite under § 112, second paragraph. DECISION We have sustained the Examiner's rejection of claims 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, and 8 and have not sustained the Examiner’s rejection of claims 3, 6, and 9. Accordingly, the Examiner’s decision rejecting claims 1-9 is affirmed-in- part. No period for taking any subsequent action in connection with this appeal may be extended under 37 C.F.R. § 1.136(a)(1)(iv). AFFIRMED-IN-PART pgc IBM CORPORATION 3039 CORNWALLIS RD. DEPT. T81 / B503, PO BOX 12195 RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC 27709 Copy with citationCopy as parenthetical citation