With regard to the 774 patent, flash memory stores the data after all the received signal processing is completed. RAM, though not spelled out in the patent, is an obvious requirement as seen in Norris' diagrams to aid in performing all the signal processing. My understanding is they are not the same thing. In other words, a designer in 1994 probably would not (or perhaps could not) have chosen flash memory to do what RAM does.
Whether the patent requires RAM was a huge issue in yesterday's hearing. But since Norris' invention of the Flashback product was identified over a dozen times in the patent's prosecution history, and since Mr. Yungwirth got Dr. Mihran to agree that the Flashback has DRAM, I really feel good on this issue. Norris even demonstrated how the Flashback worked to the examiner!
I found the "Applicants Argument-Remarks Made in the Amendment" document on the USPTO website and uploaded to box.net. Check out how many times the Flashback is mentioned starting on page 22 and going through 24. These are the page numbers shown on the actual document, not the PDF page numbers.
http://www.box.net/files#/files/0/f/25265498/ZZZ_Miscellaneous_Documents
