Prior Art Need Not Provide The Exact Method Of Optimization For Variable To Be "Result-Effective"

In In re Applied Materials, Inc., Nos. 11-1461, -1462, -1463, -1464 (Fed. Cir. Aug. 29, 2012), the Federal Circuit affirmed the Board's rejections under 35 U.S.C. § 103 in four separate ex parte reexaminations.

Applied Materials, Inc. ("Applied") owns U.S. Patent Nos. 5,921,855 ("the '855 patent"); 6,520,847 ("the '847 patent"); 6,699,115 ("the '115 patent"); and 6,824,455 ("the '455 patent"), which are directed to polishing pads with grooved patterns for chemical mechanical polishing systems.  Claims to the pads include dimensional measurements:  grooves having a depth "between about 0.02 inches and 0.05 inches," a width "between about 0.015 inches and 0.04 inches," a pitch "between about 0.09 inches and 0.24 inches," and "sidewalls that are substantially perpendicular to the polishing surface."  Slip op. at 3 (citation omitted).