Opinion ID: 764877
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Jefferts Article

Text: 52 A prior art reference anticipates a patent claim if the reference discloses, either expressly or inherently, all of the limitations of the claim. See Kalman v. Kimberley-Clark Corp., 713 F.2d 760, 771, 218 USPQ 781, 789 (Fed.Cir.1983). The obvious shortcoming of the Jefferts article is that it does not expressly disclose the use of nonresonance ejection, a limitation of claims 1 and 8 as we have construed them. The ALJ was able to close this gap between the Jefferts article and the claim by concluding that one skilled in the art would understand the article to disclose nonresonance ejection. Because of the ALJ's reliance on the understanding of one skilled in the art, we understand the ALJ to have relied on an inherency theory in finding the claims anticipated. 53 The operation of inherency in anticipation was aptly explained by this court in Continental Can Co., U.S.A. v. Monsanto Co., 948 F.2d 1264, 20 USPQ2d 1746 (Fed.Cir.1991): 54 To serve as an anticipation when the reference is silent about the asserted inherent characteristic, such gap in the reference may be filled with recourse to extrinsic evidence. Such evidence must make clear that the missing descriptive matter is necessarily present in the thing described in the reference, and that it would be so recognized by persons of ordinary skill. In re Oelrich, 666 F.2d 578, 581, 212 USPQ 323, 326 (CCPA 1981) (quoting Hansgirg v. Kemmer, 26 C.C.P.A. 937, 102 F.2d 212, 214, 40 USPQ 665, 667 (CCPA 1939)) [states]: 55 Inherency, however, may not be established by probabilities or possibilities. The mere fact that a certain thing may result from a given set of circumstances is not sufficient. If, however, the disclosure is sufficient to show that the natural result flowing from the operation as taught would result in the performance of the questioned function, it seems to be well settled that the disclosure should be regarded as sufficient. 56 This modest flexibility in the rule that anticipation requires that every element of the claims appear in a single reference accommodates situations where the common knowledge of technologists is not recorded in the reference; that is, where technological facts are known to those in the field of the invention, albeit not known to judges. 57 Continental Can, 948 F.2d at 1268-69, 20 USPQ2d at 1749-50. The ALJ's understanding of the knowledge of one skilled in the art was informed solely by the testimony of Jefferts. The relevant portions of that testimony are as follows: 58 Jefferts: [Figure 2] is a diagram that's appropriate to the first experiment that I did in Bell Laboratories. 59 ALJ: All right. Now, were you using a nonresonant ejection technique in your first experiment ... [a]t Bell Laboratories? 60 Jefferts: At least part of the time, yes. 61 ALJ: And does [Figure 2] express that or depict that experiment? 62 Jefferts: I think so. 63 ALJ: Could you explain that? 64 Jefferts: I think it can be interpreted to mean nonresonant ejection almost exclusively. It shows no orbit drive, as it were, or associated RF field to drive the ions out. On the other hand, this is a pretty general box, and if it-- 65 ALJ: Which is the general box? 66 Jefferts: That says 'trap drive voltage.' And the fact is that it's the same diagram also applied to later versions of this system, wherein I did selective excitation and selective ejection [i.e., resonance ejection]. 67 Joint App. at A2034 (emphasis added). The portions of this testimony that we have emphasized show that Jefferts' testimony was far from unequivocal. In the end, Jefferts as much as admitted that Figure 2 might disclose a set-up for performing either resonance or nonresonance ejection. The mere possibility that Figure 2 might be understood by one of skill in the art to disclose nonresonance ejection is insufficient to show that it is inherently disclosed therein. See Continental Can, supra. As such, because one skilled in the art would not necessarily recognize that nonresonance ejection is disclosed in the Jefferts article, the evidence is not clear and convincing that the Jefferts article inherently anticipates claims 1 and 8.