DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 12/31/25 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. In regards to applicant’s argument that Kondo in view for Matsuzawa does not teach “the registering of paid information corresponding to the specific identification data when payment for a printing fee associated with the specific identification data is completed prior to the printer receiving a print job associated with the specific identification data by a contract processing server,” the examiner respectfully disagrees. The argument appears to be based on the teachings as it relates to the payment with respect to the job. Kondo teaches with respect to Fig. 4 in paragraph 68 that information is stored for each print job in association with a print job ID, the user ID, Billing ticket ID, and ticket amount. This information is registered for each job accordingly in the waiting job table which is stored, paragraph 65. This means that through the use of Kondo, Kondo calculates the cost of the printing required for the job. Each job is paid for separately and therefore payment is made based on each job, paragraphs 104 and 113. The billing ticket indicates the calculated amount for the print job and therefore is paid accordingly.
Matsuzawa is used to teach that a determination of when the payment has been received is made, paragraph 76. This can be applied to the billing ticket ID of Kondo. Kondo’s billing ticket ID is updated based on the user account update with respect to the job, paragraph 123. The combination would then yield the billing ticket ID being used in conjunction with the print job through the life of the print job with the payment information.
It is also noted that Matsuzawa teaches determining whether a payment token is valid, paragraph 61-76. The payment token is received prior to a print job. Kondo is teaching if the payment is sufficient and therefore Matsuzawa would teach the determination that the payment is received before the job is printed. The combination would therefore yield determination of the payment for the job before the job is printed. This would be registered accordingly. Therefore, Kondo in view of Matsuzawa does teach “the registering of paid information corresponding to the specific identification data when payment for a printing fee associated with the specific identification data is completed prior to the printer receiving a print job associated with the specific identification data by a contract processing server.”
In response to applicant's argument that the examiner's conclusion of obviousness is based upon improper hindsight reasoning, it must be recognized that any judgment on obviousness is in a sense necessarily a reconstruction based upon hindsight reasoning. But so long as it takes into account only knowledge which was within the level of ordinary skill at the time the claimed invention was made, and does not include knowledge gleaned only from the applicant's disclosure, such a reconstruction is proper. See In re McLaughlin, 443 F.2d 1392, 170 USPQ 209 (CCPA 1971).
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.
Claim(s) 1-4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kondo (US 2011/0170131) in view of Matsuzawa (US 2021/0157531).
Regarding Claim 1, Kondo teaches a printing system (paragraph 2) comprising:
a printer comprising a controller (Paragraph 41, wherein there is an image forming apparatus including a control); and
a contract processing server (Element 103 and 104, wherein they can be the same server, paragraph 165),
the contract processing server being configured to perform:
(1a) issuing a specific identification data (Paragraph 66, wherein the billing ticket ID is issued by the billing server), and
the controller being configured to perform
(2a) in response to receiving from a user terminal device a print job including print data representing an image and including specific identification data, determining, using the specific identification data, whether authority information indicating an authority to print the image has been issued (Paragraph 102 and 104, wherein it is analyzed if the print job has authorization information associated with it. The billing ticket ID is associated with the print job and therefore used, in conjunction with the job, to determine authority to print); and
(2b) transmitting, in response to determining in the (2a) determining that the authority information has been issued, to the contract processing server an inquiry for determining whether the authority information is valid (Paragraph 104 and 106, wherein when it is determined if there is billing information associated with the job, it is confirmed),
wherein the controller is configured to further perform
(2c) determining, in response to receiving the first response transmitted in the (1c) transmitting, that the authority information is valid (Paragraph 119 and 123, wherein the job is processed in regards to confirmation of the data from the server),
(2e) printing, in response to determining in the (2c) determining that the authority information is valid, the image on a print medium by controlling the printer (Paragraphs 107 and 119, wherein the job is printed accordingly).
Kondo does not teach the contract processing server being configured to perform
(1b) registering paid information corresponding to the specific identification data when payment for a printing fee associated with the specific identification data is completed prior to the printer receiving a print job associated with the specific identification data,
(1c) in response to receiving the inquiry transmitted in the (2b) transmitting,
transmitting a first response to the controller in a case where the paid information corresponding to the specific identification data is registered, and
transmitting a second response to the controller in a case where the paid information corresponding to the specific identification data is not registered, and
wherein the controller is configured to further perform
(2c) determining, in response to receiving the first response transmitted in the (1c) transmitting, that the authority information is valid,
(2d) determining, in response to receiving the second response transmitted in the (1c) transmitting, that the authority information is not valid, and
(2e) printing, in response to determining in the (2c) determining that the authority information is valid, the image on a print medium by controlling the printer.
Matsuzawa does teach the contract processing server being configured to perform
(1c) in response to receiving the inquiry transmitted in the (2b) transmitting,
transmitting a first response to the controller in a case where the paid information corresponding to the specific identification data is registered (Paragraph 76, wherein the print job can be completed after receiving confirmation of the payment. The specific identification data is registered according to Kondo in association with the job), and
transmitting a second response to the controller in a case where the paid information corresponding to the specific identification data is not registered (Paragraphs 61-76, wherein a payment can be made based on determining if a payment token is valid. If the token is not valid, then a payment cannot be made and information is sent to verify that no payment has been made as the token is not valid. Furthermore, the print data is obtained after the token. In addition, the print data can be printed after payment has been made. The specific identification data is registered according to Kondo in association with the job), and
wherein the controller is configured to further perform
(2c) determining, in response to receiving the first response transmitted in the (1c) transmitting, that the authority information is valid (Paragraphs 61-76, wherein it is determined if the payment token is valid which corresponds also to authority information),
(2d) determining, in response to receiving the second response transmitted in the (1c) transmitting, that the authority information is not valid (Paragraphs 61-76, wherein it is determined if the payment token is valid which corresponds also to authority information), and
(2e) printing, in response to determining in the (2c) determining that the authority information is valid, the image on a print medium by controlling the printer (Paragraphs 61-76, wherein a payment can be made based on determining if a payment token is valid. If the token is not valid, then a payment cannot be made and information is sent to verify that no payment has been made as the token is not valid. Furthermore, the print data is obtained after the token. In addition, the print data can be printed after payment has been made).
Kondo teaches producing a print job based on a request for payment from an authorized user.
Matsuzawa teaches producing a print job based on a request for payment or after payment has been made from an authorized user.
At the time of the invention, there has been a recognized problem or need in the art to ensure that payment has been made before producing a print job.
There were a finite number of identified and predictable potential solutions to the recognized need or problem which are to either collect payment before the print job is produced or after the job is produced at a later date.
One of ordinary skill ion the art could have pursed the known potential solutions with a reasonable expectation of success since both solutions are present in the teachings of Matsuzawa which allow for the job to be produced with the need for payment being met. This shows that the processing of payment timing could be interchanged and not affect the results.
Therefore, the claimed subject matter would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application.
Kondo in view of Matsuzawa teaches (1b) registering paid information corresponding to the specific identification data when payment for a printing fee associated with the specific identification data is completed prior to the printer receiving a print job associated with the specific identification data (Kondo: Paragraphs 123 and 87, wherein the billing ticket ID is associated with the payment information as the payment information is performed in the sense of determining if payment is made. Matsuzawa discloses in paragraphs 61-76 that the payment token is associated with the job and determines if payment has been made based accordingly).
Regarding Claim 2, Kondo further teaches wherein the controller is configured to further perform:
(2f) transmitting a request to the contract processing server, the request requesting the contract processing server to transmit restriction information, the restriction information indicating a restriction imposed on the (2e) printing (Paragraph 114, wherein the server can indicate that the job cannot be processed),
wherein the contract processing server is configured to further perform:
(1d) transmitting, in response to receiving the request transmitted in the (2f) transmitting, the restriction information (Paragraph 114, wherein the job is not processed based upon the restriction), and
wherein the controller performs the (2e) printing within the restriction indicated by the restriction information (Paragraph 114, wherein the job is not printed).
Regarding Claim 3, Kondo further teaches wherein the restriction indicated by the restriction information restricts the maximum number of pages allowed to be printed in the (2e) printing (Paragraph 61, wherein the amount is associated with the number of pages to printed according to the bill amount), and
wherein the controller performs the (2e) printing within the maximum number of pages restricted by the restriction indicated by the restriction information (Paragraph 61 and 114, wherein the job is rejected based on the billed amount, which includes number of pages).
Regarding Claim 4, Kondo further teaches wherein the specific identification data is used as the authority information (Paragraphs 102 and 104, wherein the job can be secured through the user ID associated with the job. This can also be associated with an authorization with respect to a billing ticket).
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 NICHOLAS PACHOL whose telephone number is (571)270-3433. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th: 8-4.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, George Eng can be reached on 571-272-7495. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/NICHOLAS PACHOL/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2699