A B737-300 CROSSES THE SJC VOR ABOVE THE ASSIGNED ALT OF 12000 FT.

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DEPARTED SJC FOR ORD XA15 RWY 30L. FO HAND FLYING ACFT. CLRED LOUPE 9 WITH LINDEN TRANSITION. WHILE ON HDG 120 DEGS AND WITH OAK DEP; CLRED TO CLB 12000 FT PRIOR TO SJC 047 DEG RADIAL. MY RESPONSE; ROGER CLRED UNRESTR CLB TO 12000 FT. SHORTLY THEREAFTER; DEP GAVE US 'PLT'S DISCRETION R TURN DIRECT SJC VOR CROSS SJC VOR AT OR ABOVE 12000 FT (AS WE UNDERSTOOD) CLB 15000 FT.' THIS CLRNC WAS INTERPED BY US TO BE AT OR ABOVE 12000 FT AT SJC. I READ BACK; 'PLT'S DISCRETION R TURN DIRECT SJC VOR CROSS SJC AT OR ABOVE 12000 FT CLBING 15000 FT.' I SET 15000 FT IN MCP ALT WINDOW AND FO (PF) ACKNOWLEDGED; 'CLBING 15000 FT; CROSS SJC VOR AT OR ABOVE 12000 FT; STARTING R TURN.' ABOUT 5 MI SSE OF SJC VOR INBOUND CLBING THROUGH 12000 FT; DEP SAID TO CONTINUE CLB TO 15000 FT. WE ACKNOWLEDGED DOING SO. CTLR THEN SAID 'YOUR CLRNC WAS TO CROSS SJC AT 12000 FT; CLB 15000 FT.' MY RESPONSE WAS 'SORRY I THINK WE READ BACK CROSS SJC AT OR ABOVE 12000 FT CLBING 15000 FT.' THAT WAS OUR CLRNC AS WE UNDERSTOOD IT. HANDED OFF TO ZOA. NO TFC NOTED ON TCASII. NO OFF COURSE VECTORS. IT WAS MY SECOND TIME INTO SJC IN MANY YRS. EARLY MORNING/ALL NIGHT FLYING. RATHER LENGTHY CLRNC.