Authorities Cited: United States Patent and Trademark Office U.S. Patent No. 6,202,649 United States Code 28 U.S.C. § 1295(a)(1) 35 U.S.C. § 112 Code of Federal Regulations 37 C.F.R. § 1.56(b) Supreme Court 322 U.S. 238, 250-251 324 U.S. 806, 816 Circuit Courts 731 F.2d 818, 826 863 F.2d 867, 876 48 F.3d 1172, 1178-1181 82 F.3d 394, 398 120 F.3d 1253, 1256 141 F.3d 1059, 1069-1070 265 F.3d 1268, 1274 265 F.3d 1371, 1375 349 F.3d 1373, 1383-1384 351 F.3d 1139, 1146 363 F.3d 1235, 1239 403 F.3d 1331, 1341 417 F.3d 1342, 1347-1351 424 F.3d 1374, 1384 437 F.3d 1309, 1313-1315 439 F.3d 1335, 1340-1341 468 F.3d 1366, 1374-1375 476 F.3d 1359, 1363-1365 488 F.3d 982, 1000 514 F.3d 1244, 1251 522 F.3d 1279, 1297 528 F.3d 1365, 1376