DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application is being examined under the pre-AIA first to invent provisions.
Response to Amendment
This Action is in response to Applicant’s amendment filed November 13, 2025. Claims 1-10 are still pending in the present application. This Action is made FINAL.
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on May 7, 2026 has been entered. Claims 1-10 are pending in the present application.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(b) the invention was patented or described in a printed publication in this or a foreign country or in public use or on sale in this country, more than one year prior to the date of application for patent in the United States.
Claims 1-10 are rejected under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(b) as being anticipated by “HP Mobile Printing for Pocket PC User Guide” (hereinafter “Pocket PC User Guide”).
Regarding claim 1, Pocket PC User Guide teaches a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer-readable instructions therein that, when executed by a processor of a communication device (Pocket PC inherently includes the claimed features) comprising a first wireless communication unit configured to communicate using a first wireless communication method, a second wireless communication unit configured to communicate using a second wireless communication method different from the first wireless communication method (page 3 - Direct Printing lets you print directly from a Pocket PC to a printer which can be a Bluetooth, infrared, or network printer (Wi-Fi direct printing only), and a display unit (figure on page 11 shows display of “My Printers”), instruct the communication device to execute:
receiving a selection operation (Step 3 on page 18 mentions “select Bluetooth”) to a displayed first user interface of the display unit (second figure on page 18 corresponds to claim “first user interface”) selecting an external printer from one or more candidate external printers configured to communicate via one or more of the first wireless communication method and the second wireless communication method, and selecting a wireless communication method from one or more candidate wireless communication methods including one or more of the first wireless communication method and the second wireless communication method (step 3 on page 18, which recites “select Bluetooth, and then tap Next”, results in figures on page 19 and 20 which shows a found printer DJ450 which is understood a Bluetooth printer),
in response to finishing the selection operation in a state that a first external printer and the first wireless communication method are selected (figures on page 19 and 20 show Bluetooth printer dj450 is found and selected), displaying, on the displaying unit, a second user interface (first figure of page 21 corresponds to claimed second user interface) including a first plurality of fields not included in the first user interface (second figure on page 18 and first figure of page 21 include different information), wherein both of first character strings indicating the selected first external printer and second character strings indicating the selected first wireless communication method to be used for communication with the selected first external printer are displayed simultaneously in one of the first plurality of fields (first figure on page 21: “Hewlett-Packard” and “DeskJet 450” corresponds to claimed first character strings indicating a printer being selected. “Specify Bluetooth Printer” and address being “BT” correspond to claimed “second character strings” indicating Bluetooth communication is used),
in response to finishing the selection operation in a state that a second external printer and the second wireless communication method are selected (in step 1 on page 24, when the user “tap Network, and then tap Next”, step 2 page 25 user “In the Specify Network Printer screen, use the drop-down boxes to select the printer manufacture and model”), displaying, on the display unit, a third user interface (first figure on page 26 corresponds to claimed “third user interface”) including a second plurality of fields not included in the first user interface, wherein both of third character strings indicating the selected second external printer and fourth character strings indicating the selected second wireless communication method to be used for communication with the selected second external printer are displayed simultaneously in one of the second plurality of fields (first figure on page 26: “Hewlett-Parkard” and “DeskjJet 450” correspond to third character strings indicating a printer being selected. “Specify Network Printer” corresponds to claimed “fourth character string” indicating the network interface for the selected printer. Also on page 26 “Note: Network printer use WiFi printing over the network, make sure the Wi-Fi radio on your iPAQ or other Pocket PC device is turned on” indicates the network interface uses Wi-Fi communication. Similarly, second figure on page 28, shows text “Hewlett-Parkard” and “DeskjJet 450” as a printer being selected and “Specify IR printer” and “Address: IR” indicate a wireless interface),
wherein the first user interface is different from the second user interface and from the third user interface (figure on page 11, second figure on page 18, first figure on page 26 and second figure on page 28 are different from each other).
Regarding claim 2, Pocket PC User Guide teaches claim 1 and further teaches wherein the candidate wireless communication methods include Wi-Fi (first figure of page 26 shows information of the “Network Printer” which corresponds to Wi-Fi because Wi-Fi radio must be turned on – see note below the figure).
Regarding claim 3, Pocket PC User Guide teaches claim 1 and further teaches wherein the candidate wireless communication methods include a communication unit of Bluetooth interface (first figure of page 21 shows information of the “Bluetooth Printer”).
Regarding claim 4, Pocket PC User Guide teaches claim 1 and further teaches wherein, in the displaying, the first character strings and the second character strings are aligned with each other (first figure of page 21 shows lines “Specify Bluetooth Printer”, “Mfg: Hewlett-Packard” and “Model: DeskJet 405” are left aligned).
Regarding claim 5, Pocket PC User Guide teaches claim 1 and further teaches wherein, in the displaying, the first character strings and the second character strings are displayed in a print settings screen (first figure of page 21, first figure of page 26 and first figure of page 29 are “Print Config”)
Regarding claim 6, Pocket PC User Guide teaches A communication device comprising:
a first wireless communication unit configured to communicate using a first wireless communication method; a second wireless communication unit configured to communicate using a second wireless communication method different from the first wireless communication method (page 3 - Direct Printing lets you print directly from a Pocket PC to a printer which can be a Bluetooth, infrared, or network printer (Wi-Fi direct printing only);
a display unit (Figure on page 11 shows display of “My Printers”); a
processor; and memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor (Pocket PC inherently includes the claimed features), cause the communication device to:
receive a selection operation (Step 3 on page 18 mentions “select Bluetooth”) to a displayed first user interface of the display unit (second figure on page 18 corresponds to claim “first user interface”) selecting an external printer from one or more candidate external printers configured to communicate via one or more of the first wireless communication method and the second wireless communication method, and selecting a wireless communication method from one or more candidate wireless communication methods including one or more of the first wireless communication method and the second wireless communication method (step 3 on page 18, which recites “select Bluetooth, and then tap Next”, results in figures on page 19 and 20 which shows a found printer DJ450 which is understood a Bluetooth printer); and
in response to finishing the selection operation in a state that a first external printer and the first wireless communication method are selected (figures on page 19 and 20 show Bluetooth printer dj450 is found and selected), display, on the displaying unit, a second user interface (first figure of page 21 corresponds to claimed second user interface) including a first plurality of fields not included in the first user interface (second figure on page 18 and first figure of page 21 include different information), wherein both of first character strings indicating the selected first external printer and second character strings indicating the selected first wireless communication method to be used for communication with the selected first external printer are displayed simultaneously in one of the first plurality of fields (first figure on page 21: “Hewlett-Packard” and “DeskJet 450” corresponds to claimed first character strings indicating a printer being selected. “Specify Bluetooth Printer” and address being “BT” correspond to claimed “second character strings” indicating Bluetooth communication is used),
in response to finishing the selection operation in a state that a second external printer and the second wireless communication method are selected (in step 1 on page 24, when the user “tap Network, and then tap Next”, step 2 page 25 user “In the Specify Network Printer screen, use the drop-down boxes to select the printer manufacture and model”), displaying, on the display unit, a third user interface (first figure on page 26 corresponds to claimed “third user interface”) including a second plurality of fields not included in the first user interface, wherein both of third character strings indicating the selected second external printer and fourth character strings indicating the selected second wireless communication method to be used for communication with the selected second external printer are displayed simultaneously in one of the second plurality of fields (first figure on page 26: “Hewlett-Parkard” and “DeskjJet 450” correspond to third character strings indicating a printer being selected. “Specify Network Printer” corresponds to claimed “fourth character string” indicating the network interface for the selected printer. Also on page 26 “Note: Network printer use WiFi printing over the network, make sure the Wi-Fi radio on your iPAQ or other Pocket PC device is turned on” indicates the network interface uses Wi-Fi communication. Similarly, second figure on page 28, shows text “Hewlett-Parkard” and “DeskjJet 450” as a printer being selected and “Specify IR printer” and “Address: IR” indicate a wireless interface)
wherein the first user interface is different from the second user interface and from the third user interface (figure on page 11, second figure on page 18, first figure on page 26 and second figure on page 28 are different from each other).
Regarding claim 7, Pocket PC User Guide teaches claim 6 and further teaches herein the candidate wireless communication methods include Wi-Fi (first figure of page 26 shows information of the “Network Printer” which corresponds to Wi-Fi because Wi-Fi radio must be turned on – see note below the figure).
Regarding claim 8, Pocket PC User Guide teaches claim 6 and further teaches wherein the candidate wireless communication methods include a communication unit of Bluetooth interface (first figure of page 21 shows information of the “Bluetooth Printer”).
Regarding claim 9, Pocket PC User Guide teaches claim 6 and further teaches wherein, in the displaying, the first character strings and the second character strings are aligned with each other (first figure of page 21 shows lines “Specify Bluetooth Printer”, “Mfg: Hewlett-Packard” and “Model: DeskJet 405” are left aligned).
Regarding claim 10, Pocket PC User Guide teaches claim 6 and further teaches wherein, in the displaying, the first character strings and the second character strings are displayed in a print settings screen (first figure of page 21, first figure of page 26 and first figure of page 29 are “Print Config”).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed July 08, 2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed May 07, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding the rejection of claim 1, and 6, Applicant argues “when the Network Printer Screen on page 25 of the User Guide is displayed the Model of the network printer is not selected.” (Remarks, page 7)
The Examiner respectfully disagrees. Step 2 on page 25 recites “In the Specify Network Printer screen, use the drop-down boxes to select the printer manufacturer and model”.
Further Applicant argues “the address box in the screen on page 25 allows the user to fill in the address of the network printer to be specified. Consequently, the Network Printer screen on page 25 of the User Guide does not teach or suggest, "a third user interface including a second plurality of fields not included in the first user interface, wherein both of third character strings indicating the selected second external printer and fourth character strings indicating the selected second wireless communication method to be used for communication with the selected second external printer are displayed simultaneously in one of the second plurality of fields" as recited in claims 1 and 6”
The Examiner respectfully disagrees, the first figure on page 26 include the texts “Specify Network Printer” which teach the fourth character strings indicating the wireless communication being selected.
Also second figure on page 28, shows text “Hewlett-Parkard” and “DeskjJet 450”, corresponding to the “third character strings” indicating a printer being selected, and “Specify IR printer” and “Address: IR” corresponding to the “third character strings” indicating a wireless interface being selected.
Therefore, the Examiner submits Pocket PC User Guide teaches all features of claims 1 and 6.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to QUOC THAI NGOC VU whose telephone number is (571)270-5901. The examiner can normally be reached M-F, 9:30AM-6:00PM.
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/QUOC THAI N VU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2642
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