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, see page 8, filed 2/5/2026, with respect to the specification objection have been fully considered and are persuasive. The objection of the specification has been withdrawn.
Applicant's arguments filed 2/5/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. In particular, the 101 rejection regarding the independent claims is not persuasive. In particular, the mention of the processor is used to signify the technical environment of the invention and is considered to not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application nor is considered significantly more than the judicial exception. The addition of the last claim limitations can still be performed mentally or with pencil and paper used to assign a page number to images seen or images taken with a camera. The user can continue to write page numbers onto pages or assign these page numbers to pages and exclude the pages already containing a page number. The additional element of being performed by a processor does not incorporate this feature into a practical application, nor is considered significantly more than the judicial exception. Thus, the 101 rejection of the claims is maintained.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15 and 16 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on all references applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument. The arguments in the remarks state that the applied references do not disclose the features of “extracting a document on a platen that has a far side that is closest to the first coordinate axis among far sides of all the documents on the platen” and “extracts, as a document image of a same group, a second document image overlapping an extension of the first side of the extracted first document image”. Some of this deficiency is cured by the reference of Miyata and this is explained briefly below after the maintaining of Ogasawara on the second contended feature is disclosed.
Regarding the second contended feature, the in ¶ [47]-[50] of the primary reference, it is taught that documents in a row or column are extracted. The second document extracted can be considered as a part of the overall documents on the platen that are extracted over a scanning operation. After these images are extracted, an order is assigned to the images. As seen in figure 7, document B or C can overlap an extension of document A. The same can be said of documents D, E and F. These documents are a part of the same group that are extracted. However, this reference does not perform the first contended feature, which is cured by Miyata.
Regarding the reference of Miyata, similar to the primary reference, Miyata discloses having several documents on a platen. The documents have an axis that is in proximity to several documents on the platen. There is a document that has a side that is closest to the center line than the other documents and their respective sides. The images are scanned and identified in ¶ [50]-[52] and their arrangement is explained in ¶ [59]-[63]. Therefore, with this reference performing the first contended feature of the remarks, this reference combined with the previously applied references performs the features of the claims.
Thus, based on the above, the features of the claims are disclosed below.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to abstract idea without significantly more. The claim(s) recite(s) mental step(s) in the extraction of position coordinates of each document in an entire image of documents viewed, performing extraction of first and second documents in a direction of arrangement, part of a same group and setting page numbers on the extracted document images based on how close the images are to a set origin on a local area. The additional claim features of excluding a document image having a page number out of the document images within the entire image, and iterate the first second and third operations until all the documents images are set with a page number can occur with the use of paper, pencil and user actinons. The user can assign or write on a sheet of paper, that have been captured or viewed, a page number until all the captured or viewed pages have been assigned or contain a written page number. The user can gather these into a document after the page number is written on the pages or assigned. This is also considered as a mental step or a method of organizing human activity of gathering a document. This judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application because the use of photographing details the technological environment or is considered as a data gathering step. The claim(s) does/do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception because the processor is considered as another limitation that conveys the technological environment. Claims 16 is rejected with the same rationale. Claim 15 is also rejected with the same rationale with the non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program that causes a computer to execute a process is considered as conveying the technological environment, which does not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application nor is considered significantly more than the judicial exception.
Claim 2 is considered as a mental process of excluding documents that have already received a page number mentally or physically on a sheet of paper on a platen or flat surface. Continue to perform the first, second and third operations to number sheets until sheets are no longer present without a number. This limitation, when taken alone or in combination, does not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application. The claim(s) does/do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception because the processor is considered as another limitation that conveys the technological environment.
Claims 3 and 4 contains a mental step of regarding a shape of a document as rectangle if it is rectangle and at a tilt or not rectangle at all. The rest of the claim could be done by shifting the shape and placing it at a certain arrangement with sides parallel to a certain direction of arrangement. This step, taken alone or in combination with the other abstract idea, does not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application. The claim(s) does/do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception because the processor is considered as another limitation that conveys the technological environment.
Claims 5-8 are considered as mental steps that can be performed by a user or at the instruction of another user. For example, the changing the considered origin of the entire image on a surface or the direction of arrangement of images on a surface can be performed mentally or physically with sheets of paper. In addition, the considering the direction of arrangement vertically, horizontally from either top right or top left of a surface with a fixed origin after receiving instructions from a user to set an origin and direction of arrangement can be done mentally. These limitations, taken alone or in combination with the other abstract ideas, do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application. The claim(s) does/do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception because the processor is considered as another limitation that conveys the technological environment.
Claims 9 and 10 are considered as additional limitations of having a display being used to show document images with page numbers. This limitation is linking the invention to a particular technological environment, which does not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application. Moreover, the display of page numbers on a page is a well-known, conventional and routine activity that is not sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception.
Claims 11 and 12 are considered as mental steps since a document image can be moved on a flat surface at the instruction of another user and if pages are moved, the page numbers can be erased for configuration of a new page number on the moved page. This limitation, taken alone or in combination, does not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application. The claim(s) does/do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception because the processor is considered as another limitation that conveys the technological environment.
Claims 13 and 14 are considered as additional limitations of having a display being used to show document images in an order associated with page numbers on the document. This limitation is linking the invention to a particular technological environment, which does not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application. Moreover, the display of page numbers on a page in an order is a well-known, conventional and routine activity that is not sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1, 9, 11, 13, 15 and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ogasawara (US Pub 2018/0167525) in view of Shimazaki (JP Pub 2008-034973 (Pub Date: 2/14/2008)), Shimamura (US Pub 2018/0115680), Hasegawa (US Pub 2014/0078557) and Miyata (US Pub 2011/0292457).
Re claim 1: Ogasawara discloses an image processing apparatus comprising:
a processor (e.g. a CPU is used to control the device, which is taught in ¶ [86] and [87].) configured to:
[0086] As depicted in FIG. 2, the calculation processing unit 841 includes a central processing unit (CPU) 841a that controls driving of the sheet feeder 10, the manual sheet feeder 20, the image forming unit 30, and the image scanning device 820 and a memory 841b that stores various programs to operate the CPU 841a and various pieces of information that are used by the CPU 841a. The calculation processing unit 841 forms an image on a sheet by coordinately controlling operation of the sheet feeder 10, the manual sheet feeder 20, the image forming unit 30, and the image scanning device 820 in accordance with an operation performed on the operation panel 843 by the user.
[0087] The calculation processing unit 841 may also control operation of the image scanning device 820.
extract position coordinates of each document image from an entire image resulting from photographing a plurality of documents (e.g. after a document is placed on a platen, the coordinates of each document are acquired, which is taught in ¶ [45]-[47].);
[0045] First, a temporal change in a combination of document presence states detected by the plurality of sensors S1 to S8 is detected and stored while a user or the like places documents on the platen 826 in succession (step S201).
[0046] Then, when all the documents have been placed, placement-area image data corresponding to an area where the plurality of documents are placed on the platen 826 is captured following an operation by the user or the like (step S203).
[0047] Next, in accordance with the placement-area image data corresponding to the area where the plurality of documents are placed on the platen 826, which is obtained in step S203, a plurality of pieces of document image data (for example, document image data A to document image data I), each of which corresponds to one of the plurality of documents (for example, the document A to the document I) placed on the platen 826, are captured, and the positions of the plurality of pieces of document image data (for example, the center coordinates of document images represented by the plurality of pieces of document image data with respect to a predetermined position on the platen 826) are acquired (step S205).
perform a first operation that extracts, from the document images included in the entire image, a first document image having two sides parallel with a direction of arrangement of the documents and having a first side of the two sides being a far side from a first coordinate axis, the first side having a shortest distance to the first coordinate axis, the first coordinate axis being in parallel with the direction of the arrangement of the documents set with respect to an origin of the entire image (e.g. as seem in figure 7, the documents are aligned in a row manner with the upper and lower parts of the document in parallel with the top part of the platen area. The far side of document A is parallel with the top part of the platen area, and the top part of document A is closest to and aligned in parallel with the top part of the platen area. The origin is considered to be the top right corner of the platen in figure 7. This is taught in ¶ [47] above and [48]-[50].);
perform a second operation that extracts, as an document image of a same group, a second document image overlapping an extension of the first side of the extracted first document image, the extension extending in the direction of the arrangement (e.g. the invention extracts document image data from a second and other documents within the first row of the documents on the platen. The second and other documents overlap on the same row of the first document, which is taught in ¶ [47]-[50] above.); and
perform a third operation that sets a page number of the extracted document images of the same group in an order of closeness from near to far distance to the origin (e.g. when a set of documents are scanned, a capture area extracts images from the scanned documents. The documents are ordered from the origin to the right, which is seen in figure 12 within the sequence table and explained in ¶ [64].).
[0064] Next, whether addition or removal of a document candidate has occurred is determined by comparing document candidates acquired in the most recent step S225 and document candidates acquired in the preceding step S225 (step S229). If no addition or removal of a document candidate is detected (NO in step S229), the process returns to step S221. If addition or removal of a document candidate is detected (YES in step S229), a sequence table is updated (step S231). The sequence table, an example of which is depicted in FIG. 12, contains an entry for each document candidate. The entry includes the order in which a document candidate is added to the sequence table and the coordinates of an area of the document candidate. When a new document candidate is added, an entry for the new document candidate is added to the sequence table along with a newly assigned sequence number, which is subsequent to the maximum sequence number in the sequence table before the new document candidate is added. When a document candidate is removed, the entry for the removed document candidate is removed from the sequence table, and the sequence numbers of document candidates following the removed document candidate are decreased by one.
However, Ogasawara fails to specifically teach the features of sets a page number on each of the extracted document images of the same group.
However, this is well known in the art as evidenced by Shimazaki. Similar to the primary reference, Shimazaki discloses placing a page number on an extracted image (same field of endeavor or reasonably pertinent to the problem).
Shimazaki discloses sets a page number on each of the extracted document images of the same group (e.g. the invention discloses setting a page number onto an extracted image from a scanned document, which is taught in ¶ [97] and figure 13.).
[0097] In addition, in a case where a page number is given to each document placed on the document table, the arrangement pattern may be automatically set using information of the page number. FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of a reading setting screen in a case where a document to which a page number is attached is placed.
Therefore, in view of Shimazaki, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill at the time the invention was made to have the feature of sets a page number on each of the extracted document images of the same group, incorporated in the device of Ogasawara, in order to set a page number to a document that is not already set, which can aid in differentiating between images (as stated in Shimazaki ¶ [05] and [99].).
However, the combination above fails to specifically teach the features of wherein the processor is programmed to: exclude a document image having a page number out of the document images included in the entire image, iterate, until a document image without page number is no longer present, a fourth operation that sequentially performs the first operation, the second operation, and the third operation in order, and create a document by arranging the document images in the set order of page numbers.
However, this is well known in the art as evidenced by Shimamura. Similar to the primary reference, Shimamura discloses assigning page numbers to pages (same field of endeavor or reasonably pertinent to the problem).
Shimamura discloses wherein the processor is programmed to: exclude a document image having a page number out of the document images included in the entire image, iterate, until a document image without page number is no longer present, a fourth operation that sequentially performs the first operation, the second operation, and the third operation in order (e.g. the invention discloses excluding pages that have ordinal numbers assigned to a page from being considered for the ordinal numbering process. If a page has not received an ordinal number, the system goes through the process of acquiring the coordinates of scanned documents on the platen in order to decide on an ordinal number for the page without an ordinal number, which is taught in ¶ [60]-[66].),
[0060] In S601, the CPU 111 acquires upper-right coordinates of the original document (original document 502) in S600. In the case of FIG. 6, the upper-right coordinates are 502{x2, y2}.
[0061] In S602, the CPU 111 searches for all images with upper-left coordinates on the left side (on which an X-coordinate value is small) with respect to the upper-right coordinates in S601. In the case of FIG. 6, when images with the upper-left coordinates (500{x1, y1}, 502{x1, y1}, and 503{x1, y1}) smaller than 502{x2, y2} in X-coordinate value are searched for, the original documents 500, 502, and 503 are extracted.
[0062] In S603, among the original documents in S602, the CPU 111 searches for an original document whose upper-left coordinates represent an uppermost position. In the case of FIG. 6, among the upper-left coordinates (500{x1, y1}, 502{x1, y1}, and 503{x1, y1}) of the original documents 500, 502, and 503, when an original document located at an uppermost position (a Y-coordinate value is small) is selected, the original document 500 is selected.
[0063] In S604, the CPU 111 decides on the ordinal number of the original document selected in 5603. In the case of FIG. 6, the original document 500 is the first.
[0064] In S605, the CPU 111 determines whether the ordinal numbers of the original documents of all the images have been decided. If the ordinal numbers of all the original documents have been decided, the processing ends. If there is an original document whose ordinal number has not been decided, the original document whose ordinal number has been decided in S604 is omitted, and the CPU 111 performs the processes of S600 to S604.
[0065] When the CPU 111 performs the processes of S600 to S605, the ordinal numbers of original documents can be decided from the uppermost original document placed on the left portion. In the case of FIG. 6, the ordinal numbers of original documents are decided in the order of 500, 502, 503, and 501. In the case of FIG. 5, the ordinal numbers of original documents are decided in the order of the original documents A, B, and C.
[0066] In this embodiment, although, when the ordinal numbers of original documents are decided, preference is given to original documents placed on the left side, preference can be given to original documents placed on the right side. In this case, the ordinal numbers of the original documents are decided in the order of 501, 500, 502, and 503.
and create a document by arranging the document images in the set order of page numbers (e.g. the system creates a document by arranging documents in a set order of page numbers that can be changed, which is taught in ¶ [71], [76] and [77].).
Page Order Change Unit S204
[0071] The page order change unit denoted by S204 displays, in at least one embodiment, on the display and operation unit 121, thumbnail images of the original documents arranged in the order automatically decided by the CPU 111 in S203, and provides a UI display for prompting the user to check the order and change the order.
File Creation Unit S205
[0076] In the file creation unit denoted by S205, in at least one embodiment, the CPU 111 in the image processing apparatus 100 creates a file of multiple pages on a basis of the images stored in the storage unit 112 and the order finally decided in S204. As a format in which multiple images can be stored separately for each page and converted into one file, there is portable document format (PDF). Furthermore, there are XML paper specification (XPS), multi-page tagged image file format (TIFF), and the like. When a file is created in any of these formats, the control unit 110 arranges pages of the original document images obtained by segmentation in multiple cropping in the order finally decided in S204 and stores them in one file.
[0077] FIG. 9 illustrates how a file to be created looks. The CPU 111 uses the original document A 300, the original document B 301, and the original document C 302 that are original document images obtained by segmentation in the multiple cropping processing unit denoted by S201, and the page order checked and changed in S204, and creates a file in the order illustrated in FIG. 9. Here, the changed page order is the original document A 300 on page 1, the original document C 302 on page 2, and the original document B 301 on page 3. In the file to be created, pages are delimited for each original document and stored in the order of the original document A 300 on page 1, the original document C 302 on page 2, and the original document B 301 on page 3.
Therefore, in view of Shimamura, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill at the time the invention was made to have the feature of wherein the processor is programmed to: exclude a document image having a page number out of the document images included in the entire image, iterate, until a document image without page number is no longer present, a fourth operation that sequentially performs the first operation, the second operation, and the third operation in order, and create a document by arranging the document images in the set order of page numbers, incorporated in the device of Ogasawara, as modified by Shimazaki, in order to exclude pages that already have an assigned ordinal number, which can ease the work of numbering pages (as stated in Shimamura ¶ [05]-[07]).
However, the combination above fails to specifically teach the feature of after setting the page numbers on all document images.
However, this is well known in the art as evidenced by Hasegawa. Similar to the primary reference, Hasegawa discloses generating a pdf file with placed page numbers in the document (same field of endeavor or reasonably pertinent to the problem).
Hasegawa discloses after setting the page numbers on all document images (e.g. the system discloses pdf page numbers that are attached to the pages of the pdf, which is taught in ¶ [64] and [65]. The system discloses generating a PDF file with attached or placed pdf page numbers, which is taught in ¶ [73] and [74].).
[0064] Also, the file generating unit 170 attaches PDF page numbers PPN beginning with 1 to one or more area images 20 having the same PDF file number PN, in the order of arrangement. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 8, to five area images 20 having PDF file numbers PN of 1, PDF page numbers PPN of 1 to 5 are attached in the order of arrangement. To two area images 20 having PDF file numbers PN of 2, PDF page numbers PPN of 1 and 2 are attached in the order of arrangement. To four area images 20 having PDF file numbers PN of 3, PDF page numbers PPN of 1 to 4 are attached in the order of arrangement.
[0065] In Step S390, the area image generating unit 160 performs an area image data generating process on the three document image data to generate area image data representing the twelve area images 20 included in the three document images SI. However, an area image data representing an area image 20 of (3-4) determined as a subject of skip may not be generated.
[0073] If the area image data generating process terminates, in Step S400 of FIG. 5, the file generating unit 170 uses the plural generated area image data to generate a file in a portable document format (PDF) (a PDF file). The PDF file is a file having the concept of pages, and can store one or more image data in association with an arbitrary page. In the PDF file, with respect to an image represented by each image data associated with a page, it is possible to designate the layout position on the page, a layout angle, and so on. The user can use a browsing program (viewer) to browse images represented by the image data stored in the PDF file like plural pages of sheets, on a display.
[0074] FIGS. 10A and 10B are views illustrating generation of a PDF file. Specifically, the file generating unit 170 generates three PDF files PFA, PFB, and PFC according to the PDF file number PN and the PDF page number PPN recorded for each area image 20 in the management table MT shown in FIG. 8. In the PDF file PFA, five area image data having PDF file numbers PN of 1 are stored. Five area images 20 represented by the five area image data stored in the PDF file PFA are disposed in pages of corresponding PDF page numbers PPN. Similarly, in the PDF file PFB, two area image data having PDF file numbers PN of 2 are stored, and the two area image data are disposed in pages of corresponding PDF page numbers PPN. In the PDF file PFC, four area image data having PDF file numbers PN of 3 are stored, and the four area image data are disposed in pages of corresponding PDF page numbers PPN. Here, an area image data corresponding to one area image 20 determined as a subject of skip is not stored in the generated PDF files.
Therefore, in view of Hasegawa, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to have the feature of after setting the page numbers on all document images, incorporated in the device of Ogasawara, as modified by Shimazaki and Shimamura, in order to generate a file with page numbers placed, which allows for more convenient storage of document images including a plurality of image areas (as stated in Hasegawa ¶ [08]).
However, the combination above fails to specifically teach the features of the first side having a shortest distance to the first coordinate axis among far sides of the plurality of documents, the first coordinate axis being in parallel with the direction of the arrangement of the documents.
However, this is well known in the art as evidenced by Miyata. Similar to the primary reference, Miyata discloses extracting images from documents set on a scanner (same field of endeavor or reasonably pertinent to the problem).
Miyata discloses the first side having a shortest distance to the first coordinate axis among far sides of the plurality of documents, the first coordinate axis being in parallel with the direction of the arrangement of the documents (e.g. the invention discloses having a plurality of documents set on a platen. The first document in the middle can be considered as the first document having two sides parallel with a direction of arrangement of documents on the left of the document. The document P3 in figure 12 can have sides on the lateral sides. One of the sides can be far from a center line and another side can be the shortest distance from the first coordinate axis. The center line can be considered parallel to the left to right arrangement of the documents set in respect to an origin. These images are scanned and the image data identified, which is taught in ¶ [50]-[52]. The arrangement of images is explained in figure 12 and ¶ [59]-[63].).
[0050] At least one document is placed on the FB glass 8 and the operation panel 5 is operated by the user to start the scan process. Then, the image sensor 14 is moved in the subsidiary scanning direction and the image scanning section 6 scans the at least one document placed on the FB glass 8 as one image data by a single scan on the FB glass 8. The CPU 31 stores the one image data scanned by the image scanning section 6 in the RAM 33 (S101).
[0051] Next, the CPU 31 identifies at least one image data, which is scanned by the single scan and is based on the at least one document, from the one image data stored in the RAM 33. An identified at least one image data is numbered beginning at 1 to be stored in the RAM 33 (S102). For example, in a case that a plurality of documents are placed on the FB glass 8, the CPU 31 detects an end portion of each of the documents to identify each of the plurality of pieces of image data.
[0052] When each of the plurality of pieces of image data is numbered in the step S102, the CPU 31 stores in the RAM 33 a maximum number assigned to one of the plurality of pieces of image data, as a total number of the plurality of pieces of image data. Further, for each of the plurality of pieces of image data to which the number is assigned, the CPU 31 obtains an occupied rate indicating a percentage of each of the plurality of scanning areas in the image data, based on the number of pixels of the image data and the number of pixels of the image data in each of the plurality of scanning areas. The CPU 31 stores an obtained occupied rate in the RAM 33 while associating the obtained occupied rate with the image data.
[0059] In a case that the user previously inputs the keywords in the keyword setting screen shown in FIG. 4 before the step S101, the keywords are associated with the plurality of scanning areas on the FB glass 8 respectively as shown in FIG. 5. Then, when the user places the pictures P1, P2 and P3 on the FB glass as shown FIG. 10, positions of the pictures P1, P2 and P3 with respect to the plurality of scanning areas become as shown in FIG. 12.
[0060] In the steps S103 and S104, it is judged that 30 percent of the picture P1 corresponding to the image data numbered "1" is placed on (overlaps with) the upper left scanning area and 70 percent of the picture P1 is placed on (overlaps with) the lower left scanning area, as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12. In other words, it is judged that the picture P1 corresponding to the image data numbered "1" has overlapping portions which overlap with the upper left scanning area and the lower left scanning area respectively. Since the keyword corresponding to the upper left scanning area is the "father" and the keyword corresponding to the lower left scanning area is the "brother", two keywords of the "father" and the "brother" are added to the image data numbered "1" in the step S105. Note that since the image data numbered "1" corresponds to the picture P1 showing the father and the brother, a content of the image shown in the picture P1 corresponds with the content of the keywords added to the image data. For adding the keyword, it is allowable that the keywords are embedded in the image data, or a table in which the image data is associated with the keywords is made and stored.
[0061] After the keywords corresponding to all the scanning areas, on which the picture P1 is placed, are added to the image data numbered "1", 1 is added to the counter i in the step S106, and the keywords corresponding to all the scanning areas, on which the picture P2 is placed, are added to the image data numbered number "2" subsequent to the number "1" (S104 and S105). Then, the processes which are the same as or equivalent to those performed in the image data numbered "1" are repeated until the value of the counter i is greater than "3" which is the total number of the plurality of pieces of image data stored in the RAM 33 (from S104 to S107).
[0062] As shown in FIG. 12, 100 percent of the picture P2 corresponding to the image data numbered "2" is placed on the upper left scanning area. The keyword corresponding to the upper left scanning area is the "father" and the picture P2 is placed only on the upper left scanning area. Accordingly, only the keyword "father" is added to the image data numbered "2". Since the image data numbered "2" corresponds to the picture P2 showing only the father, the content of the image shown in the picture P2 corresponds with the content of the keyword added to the image data.
[0063] Also as shown in FIG. 12, 30 percent of the picture P3 corresponding to the image data numbered "3" is placed on the upper left scanning area, 45 percent of the picture P3 is placed on the upper right scanning area, 15 percent of the picture P3 is placed on the lower left scanning area, and 10 percent of the picture P3 is placed on the lower right scanning area. The keyword corresponding to the upper left scanning area is the "father", the keyword corresponding to the upper right scanning area is the "mother", the keyword corresponding to the lower left scanning area is the "brother", and the keyword corresponding to the lower right scanning area is the "sister". Thus, the four keywords "father", "mother", "brother", and "sister" are added to the image data numbered "3". Since the image data numbered "3" corresponds to the picture P3 showing the father, the mother, the brother, and the sister, the content of the image shown in the picture P3 corresponds with the content of the keywords added to the image data.
Therefore, in view of Miyata, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to have the feature of the first side having a shortest distance to the first coordinate axis among far sides of the plurality of documents, the first coordinate axis being in parallel with the direction of the arrangement of the documents, incorporated in the device of Ogasawara, as modified by Shimazaki, Shimamura Hasegawa, in order to assign additional information to image data after scanning in a certain manner, which improves the ease of use of the device (as stated in Miyata ¶ [68]).
Re claim 9: However, Ogasawara fails to specifically teach the features of the image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to display together with each of the document images a page number set on the document image in the entire image.
However, this is well known in the art as evidenced by Shimazaki. Similar to the primary reference, Shimazaki discloses placing a page number on an extracted image (same field of endeavor or reasonably pertinent to the problem).
Shimazaki discloses wherein the processor is configured to display together with each of the document images a page number set on the document image in the entire image (e.g. the invention discloses the feature of scanning pages and displaying the page numbers on the pages, which is taught in ¶ [93]-[99].).
[0093](Modified example)In the above-described first embodiment, it has been described that the screen is divided into four at the step S807 when a plurality of documents exist. However, when there are two original images, the output order can be set by designating only one direction (one dimension).[0094]FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating an example of a reading setting screen in a case where two documents are placed.[0095]In the preview area 1402, two documents are detected as a reading area 1502, and the documents are arranged substantially in the horizontal direction. In this case, the document arrangement 1501 is changed from that shown in FIG. 11. That is, in FIG. 12, it is configured so as to select from two ways of "from left to right" and "from right to left".[0096]In "from left to right", the output order is set in accordance with the main scanning direction 407 of the platen 406. On the other hand, in the case of "from right to left", the output order is set along a direction opposite to the main scanning direction 407 of the platen 406.
[0097]In addition, in a case where a page number is given to each document placed on the document table, the arrangement pattern may be automatically set using information of the page number. FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of a reading setting screen in a case where a document to which a page number is attached is placed.[0098]In the example of FIG. 13, four reading areas 1601,1603,1605,1607 are detected, and the page number 1601,1603,1605 is held in the reading area 1602,1604,1606 . In other words, an example is illustrated in which there are pages that are consecutive pages but are not assigned page numbers.[0099]In such a case, according to the method described in the background art, the output order of the reading area 1607 in which no page number exists is not set. However, in the present modified example, the outputting pattern can be determined based on the page number 1602,1604,1606 , and the outputting order of the reading region 1607 in which the page number is not held in the document can be automatically set as the third.
Therefore, in view of Shimazaki, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill at the time the invention was made to have the feature of wherein the processor is configured to display together with each of the document images a page number set on the document image in the entire image, incorporated in the device of Ogasawara, in order to set a page number to a document that is not already set, which can aid in differentiating between images (as stated in Shimazaki ¶ [05] and [99].).
Re claim 11: However, Ogasawara fails to specifically teach the features of the image processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to: be enabled to move each of the document images in the entire image in response to an instruction from a user; and reset the page number of each of the document images in response to a movement of the document image.
However, this is well known in the art as evidenced by Shimamura. Similar to the primary reference, Shimamura discloses assigning page numbers to pages (same field of endeavor or reasonably pertinent to the problem).
Shimamura discloses wherein the processor is configured to: be enabled to move each of the document images in the entire image in response to an instruction from a user; and reset the page number of each of the document images in response to a movement of the document image (e.g. a user can change the order of documents by selecting an image and dragging the image to a different order. The page number is reset automatically for the moved document on the page depending on where the page is inserted in the current page order, which is taught in ¶ [71]-[75].).
Page Order Change Unit S204
[0071] The page order change unit denoted by S204 displays, in at least one embodiment, on the display and operation unit 121, thumbnail images of the original documents arranged in the order automatically decided by the CPU 111 in S203, and provides a UI display for prompting the user to check the order and change the order.
[0072] A reference numeral 700 in FIGS. 8A and 8B represents the display and operation unit 121. On 700, a UI screen (including display and operation functions) denoted by 701 and hardware buttons denoted by 702 are provided. The CPU 111 provides a notification that prompts the user to check and modify the order on 701. In this embodiment, a message that prompts the user to check and change a page order is displayed in a message display region 703. Thumbnail images (704 to 706) of the original document images are arranged and displayed in the order decided in S203.
[0073] The user checks the order in which pages displayed in FIG. 8A are arranged. If the user accepts the order, the user directly presses a store button 707 to perform storage. If the user wants to change the order, the user performs a change operation on the screen of the display and operation unit 121. For example, if the user wants to insert the page of the thumbnail image 706 between the pages of the thumbnail images 704 and 705, the user touches the display and operation unit 121 on which the thumbnail image 706 is displayed and performs a drag-and-drop operation. Thus, the thumbnail image 706 is moved to a position between the thumbnail images 704 and 705, and the order can be changed easily. When the order is changed, the order of the thumbnail images 705 and 706 displayed is changed as illustrated in FIG. 8B, and the order is determined. After the page order is changed, the user finally checks the order and presses the store button 707 to perform storage.
[0074] The method described in this embodiment in which a page order is checked and changed is an example. There are various methods that may be used, such as a method in which thumbnail images are sequentially touched and selected beginning at page 1, and a method in which page numbers are input by using hardware keys, and thus this embodiment is not limited to the above-described method.
[0075] The function of the page order change unit denoted by S204 has so far been described.
Therefore, in view of Shimamura, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill at the time the invention was made to have the feature of wherein the processor is configured to: be enabled to move each of the document images in the entire image in response to an instruction from a user; and reset the page number of each of the document images in response to a movement of the document image, incorporated in the device of Ogasawara, as modified by Shimazaki, in order to reset a page number based on a movement of a document, which can aid in easily changing the page order (as stated in Shimamura ¶ [73]).
Re claim 13: However, Ogasawara fails to specifically teach the features of the image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to display the document images arranged in an order of page numbers set on the document images.
However, this is well known in the art as evidenced by Shimazaki. Similar to the primary reference, Shimazaki discloses placing a page number on an extracted image (same field of endeavor or reasonably pertinent to the problem).
Shimazaki discloses wherein the processor is configured to display the document images arranged in an order of page numbers set on the document images (e.g. the invention discloses the feature of displaying the page numbers on the pages in an order, which is taught in ¶ [93]-[99] above.).
Therefore, in view of Shimazaki, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill at the time the invention was made to have the feature of wherein the processor is configured to display the document images arranged in an order of page numbers set on the document images, incorporated in the device of Ogasawara, in order to set a page number to a document that is not already set, which can aid in differentiating between images (as stated in Shimazaki ¶ [05] and [99].).
Re claim 15: Ogasawara discloses a non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program causing a computer to execute a process for processing information, the process comprising:
extracting position coordinates of each document image from an entire image resulting from photographing a plurality of documents (e.g. after a document is placed on a platen, the coordinates of each document are acquired, which is taught in ¶ [45]-[47] above.);
performing a first operation that extracts, from the document images included in the entire image, a first document image having two sides parallel with a direction of arrangement of the documents and having a first side of the two sides being a far side from a first coordinate axis, the first side having a shortest distance to the first coordinate axis, the first coordinate axis being in parallel with the direction of the arrangement of the documents set with respect to an origin of the entire image (e.g. as seem in figure 7, the documents are aligned in a row manner with the upper and lower parts of the document in parallel with the top part of the platen area. The far side of document A is parallel with the top part of the platen area, and the top part of document A is closest to and aligned in parallel with the top part of the platen area. The origin is considered to be the top right corner of the platen in figure 7. This is taught in ¶ [47] above and [48]-[50] above.);
performing a second operation that extracts, as an document image of a same group, a second document image overlapping an extension of the first side of the extracted first image document image, the extension extending in the direction of the arrangement (e.g. the invention extracts document image data from a second and other documents within the first row of the documents on the platen. The second and other documents overlap on the same row of the first document, which is taught in ¶ [47]-[50] above.); and
performing a third operation that sets a page number of the extracted document images of the same group in an order of closeness from near to far distance to the origin (e.g. when a set of documents are scanned, a capture area extracts images from the scanned documents. The documents are ordered from the origin to the right, which is seen in figure 12 within the sequence table and explained in ¶ [64] above.).
However, Ogasawara fails to specifically teach the features of sets a page number on each of the extracted document images of the same group.
However, this is well known in the art as evidenced by Shimazaki. Similar to the primary reference, Shimazaki discloses placing a page number on an extracted image (same field of endeavor or reasonably pertinent to the problem).
Shimazaki discloses sets a page number on each of the extracted document images of the same group (e.g. the invention discloses setting a page number onto an extracted image from a scanned document, which is taught in ¶ [97] above and figure 13.).
Therefore, in view of Shimazaki, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill at the time the invention was made to have the feature of sets a page number on each of the extracted document images of the same group, incorporated in the device of Ogasawara, in order to set a page number to a document that is not already set, which can aid in differentiating between images (as stated in Shimazaki ¶ [05] and [99].).
However, the combination above fails to specifically teach the features of wherein the process comprises: excluding a document image having a page number out of the document images included in the entire image, iterating, until a document image without page number is no longer present, a fourth operation that sequentially performs the first operation, the second operation, and the third operation in order, and creating a document by arranging the document images in the set order of page numbers.
However, this is well known in the art as evidenced by Shimamura. Similar to the primary reference, Shimamura discloses assigning page numbers to pages (same field of endeavor or reasonably pertinent to the problem).
Shimamura discloses wherein the process comprises: excluding a document image having a page number out of the document images included in the entire image, iterating, until a document image without page number is no longer present, a fourth operation that sequentially performs the first operation, the second operation, and the third operation in order (e.g. the invention discloses excluding pages that have ordinal numbers assigned to a page from being considered for the ordinal numbering process. If a page has not received an ordinal number, the system goes through the process of acquiring the coordinates of scanned documents on the platen in order to decide on an ordinal number for the page without an ordinal number, which is taught in ¶ [60]-[66] above.),
and creating a document by arranging the document images in the set order of page numbers (e.g. the system creates a document by arranging documents in a set order of page numbers that can be changed, which is taught in ¶ [71], [76] and [77] above.).
Therefore, in view of Shimamura, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill at the time the invention was made to have the feature of wherein the process comprises: excluding a document image having a page number out of the document images included in the entire image, iterating, until a document image without page number is no longer present, a fourth operation that sequentially performs the first operation, the second operation, and the third operation in order, and creating a document by arranging the document images in the set order of page numbers, incorporated in the device of Ogasawara, as modified by Shimazaki, in order to exclude pages that already have an assigned ordinal number, which can ease the work of numbering pages (as stated in Shimamura ¶ [05]-[07]).
However, the combination above fails to specifically teach the feature of after setting the page numbers on all document images.
However, this is well known in the art as evidenced by Hasegawa. Similar to the primary reference, Hasegawa discloses generating a pdf file with placed page numbers in the document (same field of endeavor or reasonably pertinent to the problem).
Hasegawa discloses after setting the page numbers on all document images (e.g. the system discloses pdf page numbers that are attached to the pages of the pdf, which is taught in ¶ [64] and [65] above. The system discloses generating a PDF file with attached or placed pdf page numbers, which is taught in ¶ [73] and [74] above.).
Therefore, in view of Hasegawa, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to have the feature of after setting the page numbers on all document images, incorporated in the device of Ogasawara, as modified by Shimazaki and Shimamura, in order to generate a file with page numbers placed, which allows for more convenient storage of document images including a plurality of image areas (as stated in Hasegawa ¶ [08]).
However, the combination above fails to specifically teach the features of the first side having a shortest distance to the first coordinate axis among far sides of the plurality of documents, the first coordinate axis being in parallel with the direction of the arrangement of the documents.
However, this is well known in the art as evidenced by Miyata. Similar to the primary reference, Miyata discloses extracting images from documents set on a scanner (same field of endeavor or reasonably pertinent to the problem).
Miyata discloses the first side having a shortest distance to the first coordinate axis among far sides of the plurality of documents, the first coordinate axis being in parallel with the direction of the arrangement of the documents (e.g. the invention discloses having a plurality of documents set on a platen. The first document in the middle can be considered as the first document having two sides parallel with a direction of arrangement of documents on the left of the document. The document P3 in figure 12 can have sides on the lateral sides. One of the sides can be far from a center line and another side can be the shortest distance from the first coordinate axis. The center line can be considered parallel to the left to right arrangement of the documents set in respect to an origin. These images are scanned and the image data identified, which is taught in ¶ [50]-[52] above. The arrangement of images is explained in figure 12 and ¶ [59]-[63] above.).
Therefore, in view of Miyata, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to have the feature of the first side having a shortest distance to the first coordinate axis among far sides of the plurality of documents, the first coordinate axis being in parallel with the direction of the arrangement of the documents, incorporated in the device of Ogasawara, as modified by Shimazaki, Shimamura Hasegawa, in order to assign additional information to image data after scanning in a certain manner, which improves the ease of use of the device (as stated in Miyata ¶ [68]).
Re claim 16: Ogasawara discloses an image processing method comprising:
extracting position coordinates of each document image from an entire image resulting from photographing a plurality of documents (e.g. after a document is placed on a platen, the coordinates of each document are acquired, which is taught in ¶ [45]-[47] above.);
performing a first operation that extracts, from the document images included in the entire image, a first document image having two sides parallel with a direction of arrangement of the documents and having a first side of the two sides being a far side from a first coordinate axis, the first side having a shortest distance to the first coordinate axis, the first coordinate axis being in parallel with the direction of the arrangement of the documents set with respect to an origin of the entire image (e.g. as seem in figure 7, the documents are aligned in a row manner with the upper and lower parts of the document in parallel with the top part of the platen area. The far side of document A is parallel with the top part of the platen area, and the top part of document A is closest to and aligned in parallel with the top part of the platen area. The origin is considered to be the top right corner of the platen in figure 7. This is taught in ¶ [47] above and [48]-[50] above.);
performing a second operation that extracts, as an document image of a same group, a second document image overlapping an extension of the first side of the extracted first image document image, the extension extending in the direction of the arrangement (e.g. the invention extracts document image data from a second and other documents within the first row of the documents on the platen. The second and other documents overlap on the same row of the first document, which is taught in ¶ [47]-[50] above.); and
performing a third operation that sets a page number of the extracted document images of the same group in an order of closeness from near to far distance to the origin (e.g. when a set of documents are scanned, a capture area extracts images from the scanned documents. The documents are ordered from the origin to the right, which is seen in figure 12 within the sequence table and explained in ¶ [64] above.).
However, Ogasawara fails to specifically teach the features of sets a page number on each of the extracted document images of the same group.
However, this is well known in the art as evidenced by Shimazaki. Similar to the primary reference, Shimazaki discloses placing a page number on an extracted image (same field of endeavor or reasonably pertinent to the problem).
Shimazaki discloses sets a page number on each of the extracted document images of the same group (e.g. the invention discloses setting a page number onto an extracted image from a scanned document, which is taught in ¶ [97] above and figure 13.).
Therefore, in view of Shimazaki, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill at the time the invention was made to have the feature of sets a page number on each of the extracted document images of the same group, incorporated in the device of Ogasawara, in order to set a page number to a document that is not already set, which can aid in differentiating between images (as stated in Shimazaki ¶ [05] and [99].).
However, the combination above fails to specifically teach the features of wherein the method comprises: excluding a document image having a page number out of the document images included in the entire image, iterating, until a document image without page number is no longer present, a fourth operation that sequentially performs the first operation, the second operation, and the third operation in order, and creating a document by arranging the document images in the set order of page numbers.
However, this is well known in the art as evidenced by Shimamura. Similar to the primary reference, Shimamura discloses assigning page numbers to pages (same field of endeavor or reasonably pertinent to the problem).
Shimamura discloses wherein the method comprises: excluding a document image having a page number out of the document images included in the entire image, iterating, until a document image without page number is no longer present, a fourth operation that sequentially performs the first operation, the second operation, and the third operation in order (e.g. the invention discloses excluding pages that have ordinal numbers assigned to a page from being considered for the ordinal numbering process. If a page has not received an ordinal number, the system goes through the process of acquiring the coordinates of scanned documents on the platen in order to decide on an ordinal number for the page without an ordinal number, which is taught in ¶ [60]-[66] above.),
and creating a document by arranging the document images in the set order of page numbers (e.g. the system creates a document by arranging documents in a set order of page numbers that can be changed, which is taught in ¶ [71], [76] and [77] above.).
Therefore, in view of Shimamura, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill at the time the invention was made to have the feature of wherein the method comprises: excluding a document image having a page number out of the document images included in the entire image, iterating, until a document image without page number is no longer present, a fourth operation that sequentially performs the first operation, the second operation, and the third operation in order, and creating a document by arranging the document images in the set order of page numbers, incorporated in the device of Ogasawara, as modified by Shimazaki, in order to exclude pages that already have an assigned ordinal number, which can ease the work of numbering pages (as stated in Shimamura ¶ [05]-[07]).
However, the combination above fails to specifically teach the feature of after setting the page numbers on all document images.
However, this is well known in the art as evidenced by Hasegawa. Similar to the primary reference, Hasegawa discloses generating a pdf file with placed page numbers in the document (same field of endeavor or reasonably pertinent to the problem).
Hasegawa discloses after setting the page numbers on all document images (e.g. the system discloses pdf page numbers that are attached to the pages of the pdf, which is taught in ¶ [64] and [65] above. The system discloses generating a PDF file with attached or placed pdf page numbers, which is taught in ¶ [73] and [74] above.).
Therefore, in view of Hasegawa, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to have the feature of after setting the page numbers on all document images, incorporated in the device of Ogasawara, as modified by Shimazaki and Shimamura, in order to generate a file with page numbers placed, which allows for more convenient storage of document images including a plurality of image areas (as stated in Hasegawa ¶ [08]).
However, the combination above fails to specifically teach the features of the first side having a shortest distance to the first coordinate axis among far sides of the plurality of documents, the first coordinate axis being in parallel with the direction of the arrangement of the documents.
However, this is well known in the art as evidenced by Miyata. Similar to the primary reference, Miyata discloses extracting images from documents set on a scanner (same field of endeavor or reasonably pertinent to the problem).
Miyata discloses the first side having a shortest distance to the first coordinate axis among far sides of the plurality of documents, the first coordinate axis being in parallel with the direction of the arrangement of the documents (e.g. the invention discloses having a plurality of documents set on a platen. The first document in the middle can be considered as the first document having two sides parallel with a direction of arrangement of documents on the left of the document. The document P3 in figure 12 can have sides on the lateral sides. One of the sides can be far from a center line and another side can be the shortest distance from the first coordinate axis. The center line can be considered parallel to the left to right arrangement of the documents set in respect to an origin. These images are scanned and the image data identified, which is taught in ¶ [50]-[52] above. The arrangement of images is explained in figure 12 and ¶ [59]-[63] above.).
Therefore, in view of Miyata, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to have the feature of the first side having a shortest distance to the first coordinate axis among far sides of the plurality of documents, the first coordinate axis being in parallel with the direction of the arrangement of the documents, incorporated in the device of Ogasawara, as modified by Shimazaki, Shimamura Hasegawa, in order to assign additional information to image data after scanning in a certain manner, which improves the ease of use of the device (as stated in Miyata ¶ [68]).
Claim(s) 3, 5, 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ogasawara, as modified by Shimazaki, Shimamura, Hasegawa and Miyata, as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Yana (US Pub 2021/0281711).
Re claim 3: However, the combination above fails to specifically teach the features of the image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to, if an document image is rectangular with no side parallel with the direction of the arrangement or the document image is not rectangular, regard a shape of the document image as a rectangle that is in contact with a perimeter of the document image and has sides parallel with the direction of the arrangement.
However, this is well known in the art as evidenced by Yana. Similar to the primary reference, Yana discloses scanning sheets on a platen (same field of endeavor or reasonably pertinent to the problem).
Yana discloses wherein the processor is configured to, if an document image is rectangular with no side parallel with the direction of the arrangement or the document image is not rectangular, regard a shape of the document image as a rectangle that is in contact with a perimeter of the document image and has sides parallel with the direction of the arrangement (e.g. the system scans a sheet that is a rectangular shape that can be at a tilt. The system can detect the tilt and modify the image of the tilt in order to be aligned with perimeter Y and X axis edges of the overall image. The alignment of the document edges along the perimeter of the area is explained in ¶ [42]-[48].).
[0042] For example, the user places three original documents G1, G2, G3 on the platen glass 31 as shown in FIG. 4A. Under the control of the control section 51, the scanner section 30 reads a whole image of a scan area S containing the original documents G1, G2, G3 in a first scan and the image memory 43 stores image data representing the whole image of the scan area S (containing the front-side images of the original documents G1, G2, G3). Note that the front-side images of the original documents G1, G2, G3 shown in FIGS. 4A to 4D show states where the original documents G1, G2, G3 placed on the platen glass 31 are seen through the platen glass 31 from the interior of the scanner section 30.
[0043] Based on the image data representing the whole image of the scan area S and stored in the image memory 43, the image processing section 54 detects four edges of each of the original documents G1, G2, G3 and detects, for each of the original documents G1, G2, and G3, a rectangular region surrounded by the four edges of the original document as a front-side image of the original document.
[0044] In the whole image of the scan area S containing the three original documents G1, G2, G3 placed on the platen glass 31, lighting from the light source 32A of the carriage 32 forms shadows along the edges of the original documents, which makes the density difference between regions within and outside the edges of each original document larger. In this consideration, the image processing section 54 uses a known technique to detect, based on the image data representing the whole image of the scan area S, linear boundaries the density difference between regions within and outside of which is beyond a preset threshold as the edges and detects each rectangular region surrounded by the four edges (four sides) as a front-side image of one original document.
[0045] Then, the image processing section 54 changes the orientations of the front-side images of the original documents by rotating the front-side images of the original documents so that, as shown in FIG. 4B, two edges ma of the edges (four sides) defining the front-side image of each original document extend along the main scanning direction Y and the other two edges mb extend along the sub-scanning direction X.
[0046] Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 4C, the user turns over the original documents G1, G2, G3 and places them on the platen glass 31 again. Under the control of the control section 51, the scanner section 30 reads a whole image of a scan area S containing the original documents G1, G2, G3 in a second scan and the image memory 43 stores image data representing the whole image of the scan area S (containing the back-side images of the original documents G1, G2, G3).
[0047] Based on the image data representing the whole image of the scan area S and stored in the image memory 43, the image processing section 54 likewise detects four sides of each of the original documents G1, G2, G3 and detects, for each original document, a rectangular region surrounded by the four edges of the original document as a back-side image of the original document.
[0048] Then, the image processing section 54 changes the orientations of the back-side images of the original documents by rotating the back-side images of the original documents so that, as shown in FIG. 4D, two edges ma of the edges (four sides) defining the back-side image of each original document extend along the main scanning direction Y and the other two edges mb extend along the sub-scanning direction X.
[0049] Then, the image processing section 54 compares the whole image of the scan area S in the first scan as shown in FIG. 4A with the whole image of the scan area S in the second scan as shown in FIG. 4C and combines each pair of images equal or approximately equal in horizontal and vertical sizes of the rectangular region and nearest in position within the whole image of the scan area S as a pair of images forming the front and back sides of one original document. In this manner, the image processing section 54 combines the front-side image and back-side image of the original document G1, combines the front-side image and back-side image of the original document G2, and combines the front-side image and back-side image of the original document G3. Note that “each pair of images nearest in position” described above refers to, for example, among the front-side images and back-side images of the original documents, each pair of images having the greatest overlap in terms of image position.
[0050] Furthermore, the image processing section 54 rotates or moves, for each of the original documents G1, G2, and G3, the back-side image of the original document so that, as shown in FIG. 4D, the back-side image of the original document is aligned and matched up in position with the front-side image of the original document. For example, the image processing section 54 rotates or moves the back-side image of the original document so that the upper left corner of the front-side image of the original document is aligned with the upper left corner of the back-side image of the original document and the top and left edges of the front-side image of the original document are aligned with the top and left edges of the back-side image of the original document. In this manner, the image processing section 54 places the front-side image and back-side image of each of the original documents G1, G2, G3 at the same position in terms of the whole image of the scan area S.
[0051] Although in this embodiment the image processing section 54 rotates or moves the back-side image of the original document to align it with the position of the front-side image of the original document within the whole image of the scan area S, the manner of alignment is not limited to this and the image processing section 54 may rotate or move the front-side image of the original document to align it with the position of the back-side image of the original document within the whole image of the scan area S.
Therefore, in view of Yana, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill at the time the invention was made to have the feature of wherein the processor is configured to, if an document image is rectangular with no side parallel with the direction of the arrangement or the document image is not rectangular, regard a shape of the document image as a rectangle that is in contact with a perimeter of the document image and has sides parallel with the direction of the arrangement, incorporated in the device of Ogasawara, as modified by Shimazaki, in order to align an image sides with an perimeter side of an axis, which can aid in modifying the arrangement of the image for misalignment correction (as stated in Yana ¶ [65]).
Re claim 5: However, the combination above fails to specifically teach the features of the image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to modify at least one of a position of the origin of the entire image or the direction of the arrangement in response to an instruction from a user. However, this is well known in the art as evidenced by Yana. Similar to the primary reference, Yana discloses scanning sheets on a platen (same field of endeavor or reasonably pertinent to the problem).
Yana discloses wherein the processor is configured to modify at least one of a position of the origin of the entire image or the direction of the arrangement in response to an instruction from a user (e.g. the user can select an auto alignment option in order to automatically align images with the x and Y axis, which is taught in ¶ [41] and [62].).
[0041] The image forming apparatus 10 has a function for reproducing a small document, such as a business card or any other card (hereinafter, referred to as an automatic aligning reproduction function). During the execution of this automatic aligning reproduction function, the image forming apparatus 10 allows, under the control of the control section 51, the scanner section 30 to read a front-side image of a small document, such as a business card or any other card, placed on the platen glass 31 by a user (a first scan), followed by user's turnover of the document, and then allows the scanner section 30 to read a back-side image of the document (a second scan). Thereafter, under the control of the control section 51, the front-side image and back-side image of the document are formed on the front side and back side of a recording paper sheet by the image forming section 12 and brought into alignment and coincidence with each other between the front side and back side of the recording paper sheet. Thus, the user can cut out a reproduction of a business card or any other card from a single recording paper sheet. Furthermore, it also becomes possible to concurrently read the front-side images and back-side images of a plurality of small documents and cut out reproductions of these documents from a single recording paper sheet.
[0062] First, a user places, for example, three original documents G1, G2, G3 on the platen glass 31 as shown in FIG. 4A. In doing so, the control section 51 allows the display section 42 to display images of a plurality of touch keys 61a to 61h associated with individual functions and other images as shown in FIG. 8. The user makes a touch gesture on the touch key 61h associated with the above-described “automatic aligning reproduction function”. When this touch gesture is accepted through the touch panel 45 by the control section 51, the control section 51 launches the automatic aligning reproduction function (an application program) (step S101).
Therefore, in view of Yana, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill at the time the invention was made to have the feature of wherein the processor is configured to modify at least one of a position of the origin of the entire image or the direction of the arrangement in response to an instruction from a user, incorporated in the device of Ogasawara, as modified by Shimazaki, in order to align an image sides with an perimeter side of an axis, which can aid in modifying the arrangement of the image for misalignment correction (as stated in Yana ¶ [65]).
Re claim 7: The image processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the processor is configured to:
in response to the instruction from the user, modify the position of the origin of the entire image to a first setting that sets, when the user faces a surface on which the document is placed, the position of the origin of the entire image to a top left position of the entire image and the direction of the arrangement to a horizontal direction of the entire image (e.g. the invention can be set to read pages from left to right or from top to bottom per column, which is taught in ¶ [29]-[32].);
[0029] For the case that documents A to I such as photographs and the like are placed in three rows and three columns on the platen 826 as depicted in FIG. 7, relation between the positions of the plurality of sensors S1 to S8 and the positions of the documents A to I is depicted in FIG. 8. If the rows are counted from above and the columns are counted from left, when the document B is placed in the first row and the second column, the sensors S4 and S5 detect the document. When the document C is placed in the first row and the third column, the sensors S6 and S7 detect the document. When the document D is placed in the second row and the first column, the sensor S1 detects the document. When the document G is placed in the third row and the first column, the sensors S2 and S3 detect the document. When the document I is placed in the third row and the third column, the sensor S8 detects the document. When the document A is placed in the first row and the first column, when the document E is placed in the second row and the second column, when the document F is placed in the second row and the third column, and when the document H is placed in the third row and the second column, no sensors detect the documents.
[0030] Thus, a direction in which documents have been placed can be deduced based on a temporal change in a combination of document presence states detected by the plurality of sensors S1 to S8.
[0031] For example, if the combination of the sensors that detect the presence of the document changes as follows,
TABLE-US-00001 S4, S5 .fwdarw. S4, S5, S6, S7 .fwdarw. S4, S5, S6, S7, S1 .fwdarw. S4, S5, S6, S7, S1, S2, S3 .fwdarw. S4, S5, S6, S7, S1, S2, S3, S8,
it can be deduced that the documents have been placed in the order of the document A, the document B, the document C, the document D, the document E, the document F, the document G, the document H, and the document I. In other words, it can be deduced that the documents have been placed from left to right and from top to bottom so that a row is filled before a column.
[0032] Alternatively, for example, if the combination of the sensors that detect the presence of the document changes as follows,
TABLE-US-00002 S1 .fwdarw. S1, S2, S3 .fwdarw. S1, S2, S3, S4, S5 .fwdarw. S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S7 .fwdarw. S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S7, S8,
it can be deduced that the documents have been placed in the order of the document A, the document D, the document G, the document B, the document E, the document H, the document C, the document F, and the document I. In other words, it can be deduced that the documents have been placed from left to right and from top to bottom so that a column is filled before a row.
modify the position of the origin of the entire image to a second setting that sets, when the user faces the surface on which the document is placed, the position of the origin of the entire image to the top left position of the entire image and the direction of the arrangement to a vertical direction of the entire image;
modify the position of the origin of the entire image to a third setting that sets, when the user faces the surface on which the document is placed, the position of the origin of the entire image to a top right position of the entire image and the direction of the arrangement to the horizontal direction of the entire image; or
modify the position of the origin of the entire image to a fourth setting that sets, when the user faces the surface on which the document is placed, the position of the origin of the entire image to the top right position of the entire image and the direction of the arrangement to the vertical direction of the entire image.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Yamada discloses modifying page numbers.
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 CHAD S DICKERSON whose telephone number is (571)270-1351. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 10AM-6PM EST..
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/CHAD DICKERSON/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2682
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