Opinion ID: 4199981
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Pressman-Kassakian

Text: Vicor argues that the Board erred as a matter of law in holding that it would not have been obvious to combine Pressman Figures 3-3 and 3-4(B) because the Board made factual findings that ineluctably lead to a conclusion that it would be obvious to combine the two figures. We agree with Vicor on this point but, for the reasons below, hold that the Board’s error on this issue was harmless. As noted by SynQor, Figure 3-4(B) includes a pre-regulator that renders the depicted embodiment a regulating isolation stage. See J.A. 851–52. But Pressman contemplates removal of the pre-regulator under the facts as found by the Board. Specifically, the Board found that Figure 3-4(B) was “a modified version of Figure 3-4(A).” This finding is supported by substantial evidence. See, e.g., J.A. 851–52 (depicting Figure 3-4(B) as an extension of Figure 3-4(A) and explaining modifications made to Figure 3-4(A) to arrive at Figure 3-4(B)). This finding is important because Pressman also states that the preregulator in Figure 3-4(A), which is inherited by Figure 3- 4(B), is optional. J.A. 851 (“[E]ach post-regulator [i.e., switching regulator] can give adequately constant voltage without pre-regulation and the cost and parts count of the pre-regulator [in Figure 3-4(A)] can be saved.” (emphasis added)). Moreover, Pressman states that “[t]he schemes of Figures 3-3 and 3-4 can be used with only one transformer secondary winding and one filter capacitor to generate a multiplicity of different output voltages at high VICOR CORP. v. SYNQOR, INC. 9 efficiency as shown in Fig. 3-4(B)” and that “[t]his becomes possible by the use of switching post-regulators.” J.A. 852. Thus, Pressman effectively discloses an alternative embodiment of Figure 3-4(B) which omits a preregulator and adopts Figure 3-3’s front end. This alternative embodiment would be a non-regulating isolation stage. Regarding the proposed incorporation of Kassakian’s synchronous rectifiers into Pressman, Vicor argues that the Board erred by requiring “‘bodily incorporation’” of Kassakian’s synchronous rectifiers into Pressman. Open. Br. at 46 (quoting In re Keller, 642 F.2d 413, 425 (CCPA 1981)). We disagree that the Board so required. The Board instead opined that Vicor failed to prove that a person of ordinary skill in the art would be able to incorporate controlled rectifiers into Pressman in view of Kassakian. See J.A. 47. This finding is supported by substantial evidence. Kassakian discloses experimental synchronous rectifiers for use in a particular resonant topology without any guidance as to how such rectifiers could be modified for use in a square-wave circuit such as Pressman’s. See J.A. 804 (Pressman disclosing squarewave topology); J.A. 2021–23 (Kassakian disclosing experimental resonant topology). Dr. Schlecht, who coauthored the Kassakian reference, explained in testimony submitted to the Board that the Kassakian article “discussed advanced research” conducted by Drs. Kassakian and Schlecht at MIT, and that the “technical discussions therein were not directed to persons having ordinary skill, but to persons highly skilled in the field.” J.A. 1335. There is no evidence in the record that Kassakian’s synchronous rectifiers would be transferrable to a squarewave system. The Board was free to weigh the foregoing evidence and determine that a person of ordinary skill would not know how to combine Kassakian with Pressman. Because this serves as an independent basis to find the combination of Pressman and Kassakian non-obvious, 10 VICOR CORP. v. SYNQOR, INC. the Board’s error with respect to the combination of Pressman Figures 3-3 and 3-4(B) was harmless, and we affirm the Board’s ultimate decision on the PressmanKassakian combination.