DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1-20 are currently pending
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 11/27/25 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
The Applicant argues on page 14 of the response in essence that: Para. 82 of Miyajima further explains that each function enable/disable value is stored in a “function enable/disable value storage unit (1006)”, which only indicates which programs are enabled or disabled, not that an exchange between devices occurs. In Miyajima, after a license is transferred, the source device simply becomes unable to use that function. The process is unidirectional and pertains to different devices, not to different users managing the same device.
Shigeeda discloses storing a plurality of authorities that are distributed and managed by a plurality of users and are provided for respectively changing a plurality of settings (paragraph 32, The access right information management apparatus 120 generates information for controlling the image forming apparatus 130 according to the previously registered use authority information for the principal based on the information received from the image forming apparatus 130). While Shigeeda discloses changing authority between users, Shigeeda does not disclose expressly that the transaction is an exchange. Miyajima discloses exchanging a second authority for a first authority (paragraph 82, FIG. 11 shows an example of a screen for selecting the type of a function that the user desires to transfer to a transfer destination device from a transfer source device. The type of a function that is enabled in the transfer source device, and furthermore is disabled in the transfer destination device is displayed). Applying the teaching of Miyajima of a two-way exchange to Shigeeda would result in exchanging authority between users.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 1, 2, 4-15, 19 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shigeeda et al. US Publication 2008/0028449 and Miyajima US Publication 2010/0161837 (hereafter “Miyajima”).
Referring to claims 1, 19 and 20, Shigeeda discloses an information processing apparatus comprising:
a storage device, storing a plurality of authorities that are distributed and managed by a plurality of users and are provided for respectively changing a plurality of settings, and storing a destination table in which information of each of the plurality of users is registered (paragraph 32, The access right information management apparatus 120 generates information for controlling the image forming apparatus 130 according to the previously registered use authority information for the principal based on the information received from the image forming apparatus 130);
a communication device, configured to communicate with a plurality of terminal devices being operated by the plurality of users, respectively, through a network (paragraph 128, In step S613, the access right information management apparatus A603 generates an ACT to the terminal A (A601) in response to the request from the terminal A (A601)); and
a processor configured to:
determine one of the plurality of users having logged in to the information processing apparatus through communication between the terminal device and the communication device (paragraph 97, An output of the processing in step S401 can be displayed on the display 208 (FIG. 2) by the display controller 207 (FIG. 2). Alternatively, the output can be transmitted to the information processing terminal 110, for example, via the communication unit 105 (FIG. 1));
receive an instruction of exchange between a first authority and a second authority among the plurality of authorities from one user having logged in, the first authority being assigned to a first user and provided for changing a setting of a first operation of the information processing apparatus to be changed, and the second authority being assigned to a second user and provided for changing a setting of a second operation of the information processing apparatus (paragraph 43, The association information updating unit 101 updates information for mutually associating an authority transfer source principal, an authority transfer destination principal, and processing that is an object of authority transfer, according to a user operation via the information processing terminal 110 and a user interface of the mapping information management apparatus 100 itself);
change the setting of the first operation from a setting enabled by the first user to a setting enabled by the second user (paragraph 48, After the inquiry has been issued, the access right information management apparatus 120 updates the use control information of an authority transfer destination principal with the use control information of an authority transfer source principal);
control the first operation of the information processing apparatus based on the changed settings, wherein the operation comprises printing, scanning, or facsimiling (paragraph 29, The access right information management apparatus 120 centrally manages access right information concerning use of the image forming apparatus 130 with respect to each principal).
While Shigeeda discloses changing the second authority for the first authority, Shigeeda does not disclose expressly that the transaction is an exchange.
Miyajima discloses changing the setting of the first operation from a setting enabled by the first user to a setting enabled by the second device, and change the setting of the second operation from a setting enabled by the second user to a setting enabled by the first device (paragraph 82, FIG. 11 shows an example of a screen for selecting the type of a function that the user desires to transfer to a transfer destination device from a transfer source device. The type of a function that is enabled in the transfer source device, and furthermore is disabled in the transfer destination device is displayed);
control the first operation and the second operation of the information processing apparatus based on the changed settings, wherein the operation comprises printing, scanning, or facsimiling (paragraph 41, Each function enabled/disabled value storage unit (1006) is an area for storing a setting value indicating which programs among the programs stored in the function storage unit (1003) have enabled or disabled functions. Functions are controlled so as to be enabled or disabled based on this information).
At the time of the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to exchange one authority for another. The motivation for doing so would have been to allow transferring the ability to use restricted resources while preventing the resources from being used outside their intended scope. Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine Miyajima with Shigeeda to obtain the invention as specified in claims 1, 19 and 20.
Referring to claim 2, Shigeeda discloses wherein the processor is configured to:
notify the first user of authority information regarding the exchanged authority and information for canceling the exchange of the authority (paragraph 152, In step S629, after receiving the notification of completion of the processing, the mapping information management apparatus A604 notifies the terminal A (A601) that the processing performed according to the transferred authority has been normally completed).
Referring to claims 4-6, Shigeeda discloses wherein the processor is configured to:
in a case where a predetermined cancellation condition is established, cancel the exchange between the first authority and the second authority (paragraph 154, For example, when the number of times of authorized print operations is set to "1", the authority transfer destination principal can no longer perform the once-performed processing).
Referring to claims 7-9, Shigeeda discloses wherein the case where the predetermined cancellation condition is established is a case where the cancellation of the exchange by the first user using information for canceling the exchange of the authority is received (paragraph 134-136, The user A enters an the authority transfer source principal ID, a processing ID, an authority transfer destination principal ID, an expiration date, information indicating the presence or absence of a deletion flag, a function ID, a device ID, a BOX ID, and a data ID, which are entered via the terminal A (A601). Then, in step S618, the user A sends the entered information from the information processing terminal 110 (A601) to the mapping information management apparatus A604).
Referring to claims 10-15, Shigeeda discloses wherein the case where the predetermined cancellation condition is established is a case where a predetermined time has elapsed from the exchange between the first authority and the second authority (paragraph 77, After the lapse of the expiration date, the mapping information management apparatus 100 automatically deletes the association information).
Claims 3 and 16-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shigeeda et al. US Publication 2008/0028449 and Miyajima US Publication 2010/0161837 as applied to claims 2 and 4-6 above, and further in view of Fukuda US Publication 2012/0268770 (hereafter “Fukuda”).
Referring to claim 3, Shigeeda discloses notifying a first and second user of the authority information, but does not disclose expressly notifying a user other than the first and second user.
Fukuda discloses wherein the processor is configured to:
notify a user other than the first user and the second user among the plurality of users, of the authority information (paragraph 225, As shown in FIG. 20, "Printer" is displayed in "From:" indicating the origination address of the first mail. Nothing is displayed in "To:" indicating the destination address of the first mail, and "Cc:" indicating the destination address of the copy. In "Bcc:" indicating the non-displayed destination address of the copy, "User1_Print data creating person<User1@XXXX.jp>", "User2_Administrative authority transferred person 1<User2@XXXX.jp>", and "User3 Administrative authority transferred person 2<User3@XXXX.jp>" are displayed).
At the time of the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to notify a user other than the first and second user of authority information. The motivation for doing so would have been to allow transferring authority to multiple users. Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine Fukuda with Shigeeda to obtain the invention as specified in claim 3.
Referring to claims 16-18, Shigeeda discloses wherein the processor is configured to:
in a case where the exchange between the first authority and the second authority has been canceled, notify the first user of information indicating that the exchange between the first authority and the second authority has been canceled (paragraph 152, In step S629, after receiving the notification of completion of the processing, the mapping information management apparatus A604 notifies the terminal A (A601) that the processing performed according to the transferred authority has been normally completed).
While Shigeeda discloses notifying the first user when the exchange of authority has been cancelled, Shigeeda does not disclose expressly notifying the plurality of users.
Fukuda discloses notifying the plurality of users of information indicating that the exchange between the first authority and the second authority has been canceled (paragraph 230, As shown in FIG. 21, "Printer" is displayed in "From:" indicating the origination address of the second mail. Nothing is displayed in "To:" indicating the destination address of the second mail, and "Cc:" indicating the destination address of the copy. In "Bcc:" indicating the non-displayed destination address of the copy, "User1_Print data creating person<User1@XXXX.jp>", "User2 Administrative authority transferred person 1<User2@XXXX.jp>", and "User3_Administrative authority transferred person 2< User3@XXXX.jp>" are displayed. "Completion notification of authentication print" is displayed in "Title:" indicating the subject of the second mail)
At the time of the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to notify a plurality of users that authority has been canceled. The motivation for doing so would have been to improve transparency by informing each user when authority has been cancelled. Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine Fukuda with Shigeeda to obtain the invention as specified in claims 16-18.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PETER K HUNTSINGER whose telephone number is (571)272-7435. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8:30 - 5:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Benny Q Tieu can be reached at 571-272-7490. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/PETER K HUNTSINGER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2682