In re Hyatt
United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
708 F.2d 712, 218 U.S.P.Q. 195 (1983)
- Written by Eric Miller, JD
Facts
Gilbert Hyatt applied for a patent on a Fourier-transform processor comprising incremental means for achieving incremental output signals. The United States Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) examiner rejected the application on the ground that it claimed every conceivable means for achieving the output signals while disclosing no more than the means known to Wyatt. The PTO board of appeals affirmed. To justify the rejection, the board cited § 112 of the patent statute—and more specifically, the statute’s second paragraph, which required patent specifications to be written in precise and definite language. Wyatt appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.
Rule of Law
Issue
Holding and Reasoning (Rich, J.)
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