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<p>Another angle that is sometimes helpful is that the proposed
motivation to combine is not supported by logical reasoning
underpinned by the <i>evidence <u>of record</u></i> as a <u>whole</u>.
Conceptually similar to David's point (a).<br>
</p>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 3/14/2025 10:58 AM, Dale Quisenberry
via Patentpractice wrote:<br>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Some
form language I\u2019ve used re item c:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:200%">Therefore,
the Office Action\u2019s proposed modification is not permitted.
<span class="ssrfcpassagedeactivated"><i>See In re Fritch</i>,
972 F.2d 1260, 1265 n.12 (\u201cA proposed modification [is]
inappropriate for an obviousness inquiry when the
modification render[s] the prior art reference inoperable
for its intended purpose.\u201d);
<i>In re Ratti</i>, 270 F.2d 810, 813 (CCPA 1959) (holding
the suggested combination of references improper under § 103
because it \u201cwould require a substantial reconstruction and
redesign of the elements shown in [the prior art reference]
as well as a change in the basic principles under which
[that reference\u2019s] construction was designed to operate.\u201d).
<i>See also </i>MPEP § 2143.01(V) (\u201cIf a proposed
modification would render the prior art invention being
modified unsatisfactory for its intended purpose, then there
is no suggestion or motivation to make the proposed
modification.\u201d) and (VI)</span> (\u201cIf the proposed
modification or combination of the prior art would change the
principle of operation of the prior art invention being
modified, then the teachings of the references are not
sufficient to render the claims prima facie obvious.\u201d).<span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">C.
Dale Quisenberry<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<div style="border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0cm 0cm 0cm">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black">From:
</span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black">Patentpractice
<a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:patentpractice-bounces@oppedahl-lists.com"><patentpractice-bounces@oppedahl-lists.com></a> on
behalf of David Boundy via Patentpractice
<a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:patentpractice@oppedahl-lists.com"><patentpractice@oppedahl-lists.com></a><br>
<b>Date: </b>Friday, 14 March 2025 at 9:03</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">\u202f</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black">am<br>
<b>To: </b>For patent practitioners. This is not
for laypersons to seek legal advice.
<a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:patentpractice@oppedahl-lists.com"><patentpractice@oppedahl-lists.com></a>, Krista
Jacobsen <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:krista@jacobseniplaw.com"><krista@jacobseniplaw.com></a><br>
<b>Cc: </b>David Boundy
<a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:PatentProcedure@gmail.com"><PatentProcedure@gmail.com></a><br>
<b>Subject: </b>Re: [Patentpractice] Effectiveness
(or not) of arguing lack of motivation to combine
references<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Yes
and no.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">I
argue "no motivation to combine" frequently. My
most frequent arguments are<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div style="margin-left:30.0pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">(a)
the examiner relies on personal observation and
common sense, not "substantial evidence," and<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div style="margin-left:30.0pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">(b)
The law requires a <i>problem</i> in B that
motivates solution, modification, combination with
a solution in A. The sentence the examiner relies
on says "In reference A, apparatus A has advantage
A." Great. advantage A applies to apparatus A.
But that has nothing to do with, and says nothing
fairly inferring that Apparatus A and advantage A
has any relevance to reference B.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div style="margin-left:30.0pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">(c)
"renders prior art suitable for its intended
purpose" and "changes principle of operation" from
MPEP 2143.01(V) and (VI)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">(a)
and (b) seldom (not never, seldom) succeed with
the examiner. (c) is better, but still not a
silver bullet. But all three have high (not
perfect, but high) success with the Board. When
they don't win, it's almost always because the
Board makes up a new rationale (and fails to
designate it as a new ground).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">If
you have Westlaw, it's easy to search PTAB
decisions for "motivation to combine" and you'll
get lots of hits.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Doreen
Trujillo, David Soucy, Ron Katznelson, and Tim
Snowden helped me with a big article on appeals
for JPTOS. I got markup from the editors this
morning, and should have it all worked in within a
couple days. It'll probably be published by end
of month. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">On
Fri, Mar 14, 2025 at 9:42</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">\u202f</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt">AM Krista Jacobsen via
Patentpractice <<a href="mailto:patentpractice@oppedahl-lists.com" moz-do-not-send="true" class="moz-txt-link-freetext">patentpractice@oppedahl-lists.com</a>>
wrote:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<blockquote style="border:none;border-left:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 6.0pt;margin-left:4.8pt;margin-right:0cm">
<div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">A long time ago, I
was told that arguing a lack of motivation to
combine references is never successful to
traverse a 103 rejection unless the resulting
combination is somehow broken (e.g., it
doesn\u2019t work at all, or the combination
eliminates some major goal/benefit of the
primary reference). This is one of those
nuggets that has always stuck with me.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">I often argue, in
both office action replies and appeal briefs,
that there is a lack of motivation to combine
references, even if the combination is
feasible but the Examiner's reasoning is
flimsy/bogus or uses hindsight. But I do not
think the lack of motivation to combine
references has ever been my only argument, so
I have always wondered about whether these
arguments are actually moving the needle, or
if they are just creating a record that the
applicant did not concede the point. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Because the
identification of a credible motivation to
combine is part of the Office's burden in a
103 rejection, the pragmatist in me wants to
believe that it is possible to traverse and
win on the basis of a lack of motivation to
combine the references, even if that is the
only argument. But what is the reality? Have
you ever traversed and won during examination
based solely on a lack of motivation to
combine references? (My guess is that I will
be able to find winning appeals based solely
on lack of motivation to combine references,
though I haven't researched it yet.)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Best regards,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Krista<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><br clear="all">
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">------------------------------------------<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Krista S.
Jacobsen<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Attorney
and Counselor at Law<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Jacobsen IP
Law<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><a href="mailto:krista@jacobseniplaw.com" target="_blank" moz-do-not-send="true" class="moz-txt-link-freetext">krista@jacobseniplaw.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">T:
408.455.5539<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><a href="http://www.jacobseniplaw.com" target="_blank" moz-do-not-send="true">www.jacobseniplaw.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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in error,
please advise
the sender by
replying to
this message
or by
telephone, and
then promptly
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