BLR Your outline was great. No problem until you get to the following:

"Based on this, it is POSSIBLE that the appeals court could remove the 108 patent from the estoppel ruling. "

And again I ask, why would the appeals court separate the 108 patent issue from the whole appeal. Who are these board members that tout this? Why would they be looking for early resolution of this one item? Yes, if the appeals court were to give an early ruling on it, it would be great for us. I'm just asking for the reasoning behind such an "early ruling on 108" idea. I don't see it.

Why is this such an uncomfortable question?

ORY