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 .
Duty of Disclosure
Applicant is reminded of their Duty of Disclosure. See MPEP § 2000 and 37 CFR 1.56. Applicant is requested to provide known relevant prior art within three months of discovery, See 37 C.F.R. 1.97 and MPEP 2001.03.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the claimed “
server apparatus comprises one or more controllers…
a first unit configured to receive a simultaneous operation command for the plurality of electronic devices from the terminal apparatus;
a second unit configured to, based on the simultaneous operation command, send operation commands to respective electronic devices related to the simultaneous operation command;
a third unit configured to receive notifications of statuses after the execution of the operation commands from the respective electronic devices related to the simultaneous operation command; and
a fourth unit configured to send, to the terminal apparatus, one notification about the statuses of the respective electronic devices related to the simultaneous operation command, … the fourth unit to include, in the one notification to be sent to the terminal apparatus, individual statuses of at least electronic devices… the fourth unit to divide the plurality of electronic devices” must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1 recites, “Claim 1 recites, “server apparatus comprises one or more controllers…” Claim 1 fails to enable one of ordinary skilled that the server apparatus comprises one or more controllers, in view of the specification, See 35 USC 112 (a) enablement requirement.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Interpretation
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The claims in this application are given their broadest reasonable interpretation using the plain meaning of the claim language in light of the specification as it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim element (also commonly referred to as a claim limitation) is limited by the description in the specification when 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is invoked.
As explained in MPEP § 2181, subsection I, claim limitations that meet the following three-prong test will be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
(A) the claim limitation uses the term “means” or “step” or a term used as a substitute for “means” that is a generic placeholder (also called a nonce term or a non-structural term having no specific structural meaning) for performing the claimed function;
(B) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is modified by functional language, typically, but not always linked by the transition word “for” (e.g., “means for”) or another linking word or phrase, such as “configured to” or “so that”; and
(C) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is not modified by sufficient structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function.
Use of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim with functional language creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites sufficient structure, material, or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Absence of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is not to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is not interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites function without reciting sufficient structure, material or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Claim limitations in this application that use the word “means” (or “step”) are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action. Conversely, claim limitations in this application that do not use the word “means” (or “step”) are not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action.
This application includes one or more claim limitations that use the word “means” or “step” but are nonetheless not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph because the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure, materials, or acts to entirely perform the recited function. Such claim limitation(s) is/are:
“a plurality of electronic devices configured to receive operation commands from the terminal apparatus…” in claim 1 “a plurality of electronic devices capable of executing a command …” in claims 11-13 are interpreted to be “first electronic device 105 and the second electronic device 106 described above can be, for example, image forming apparatuses. The third electronic device 107 can be, for example, an air conditioner.” See ¶ 0025, “the electronic device is, for example, an image forming apparatus, the device operating unit 303 prints images on recording media such as sheets and reads and copies images. In a case where the electronic device is an air conditioner, the device operating unit 303 operates a compressor, a fan, and so forth.” See ¶ 0026
“a first unit configured to receive a simultaneous operation command …” in claim 1 does not have sufficient specific structure in the specification, See 35 USC 112(b) rejections.
“a second unit configured to, … send operation commands to respective electronic devices …” in claim 1 does not have sufficient specific structure in the specification, See 35 USC 112(b) rejections.
“a third unit configured to receive notifications of statuses …” in claim 1 does not have sufficient specific structure in the specification, See 35 USC 112(b) rejections.
“a fourth unit configured to send, … one notification about the statuses of the respective electronic devices … the fourth unit to include, in the one notification to be sent to the terminal apparatus, individual statuses of at least electronic devices… the fourth unit to divide the plurality of electronic devices” in claims 1, 2 and 10 does not have sufficient specific structure in the specification, See 35 USC 112(b) rejections.
“a server storage unit configured to store information …” in claims 3 and 4 is interpreted to be “The server storage unit 201 is, for example, a semiconductor memory. The server storage unit 201 stores programs for controlling the operation of the server apparatus 104 and various types of data. The server storage unit 201 can store, for example, the addresses of the electronic devices included in the communication system 100 and the address of the terminal apparatus 102.” See ¶ 0034
“a server control unit configured to obtain the simultaneous operation command … send operation commands to the respective electronic devices …makes an attempt to communicate with said respective electronic device…… determines a status after the execution of the operation command, of the electronic device … obtains a status of the electronic device … sends an operation command … registers no response as a status ….. sends again the operation command to the electronic device …makes an attempt to communicate with at least some of the electronic devices … determines whether or not the at least some of electronic devices is in a desired status,” in claims 3-9
“a communication unit configured to communicate with a terminal apparatus” in claims 11-13 is interpreted to be “server communication unit 204” See ¶ 0034
“a control unit configured to receive… a simultaneous operation command for the plurality of electronic devices … send commands, … receive, … notifications of statuses…. send commands, to respective electronic devices related …receive… notifications of statuses after the execution of the commands…send one notification about the statuses of the electronic devices” in claim 11 is interpreted to be “server control unit 202 is, for example, a CPU. The server control unit 202 reads out and executes the programs stored in the server storage unit 201.” See ¶ 0035.
Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are not being interpreted to cover only the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
If applicant intends to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to remove the structure, materials, or acts that performs the claimed function; or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) does/do not recite sufficient structure, materials, or acts to perform the claimed function.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 1 recites, “server apparatus comprises one or more controllers…” Examiner has no educated guess as to which one of more controller is being referred here from the specification. Therefore, claim 1 is rejected for being indefinite. Claims 2-10 are rejected by the virtue of their dependency.
Claim 3 recites, “based on the simultaneous operation command are associated with each other.” It is unclear to the examiner phrase “each other.” It is unclear whether (i) each one of the plurality of operation commands associate the terminal with a respective electronic device or (ii) each one of the plurality of operation commands associate one of the operation commands with one of the electronic device. Specification states, “The server storage unit 201 stores the simultaneous operation command (batch operation command) associated using the terminal apparatus 102 and the information on the operation commands to be sent to the respective electronic devices.” See ¶ 0049. However, does not make it any clear. Claims 4, 15 and 16 are rejected for the same reason.
Claim 6 recites, “obtains a status of the electronic device related to the simultaneous operation command in advance…” However, claim 1 has established, “receive notifications of statuses after the execution of the operation commands from the respective electronic devices related to the simultaneous operation command.” Both limitations cannot be true. Therefore, it is unclear to the Examiner the subject matter inventors regards as their invention, and claim 6 is rejected for being indefinite. Claim 18 is rejected for the same reason.
Claim limitations:
“a first unit configured to receive a simultaneous operation command …”
“a second unit configured to, … send operation commands to respective electronic devices …” in claim 1 is interpreted to be
“a third unit configured to receive notifications of statuses …” in claim 1 is interpreted to be
“a fourth unit configured to send, … one notification about the statuses of the respective electronic devices … the fourth unit to include, in the one notification to be sent to the terminal apparatus, individual statuses of at least electronic devices… the fourth unit to divide the plurality of electronic devices” invokes 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. However, the written description fails to disclose the corresponding structure, material, or acts for performing the entire claimed function and to clearly link the structure, material, or acts to the function. Examiner was unable to find any specific structure for the claimed first, second, third, and fourth units required under this statute.
Therefore, the claims 1, 2 and 10 are indefinite and is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, second paragraph. Claims 3-9 are rejected by the virtue of their dependency.
Claim limitations:
“communication unit” of claims 11-13, Specification states “The server apparatus 104 in FIG. 4 has a server communication unit 204, a server notification management unit 203, a server storage unit 201, and a server control unit 202 to which they are connected. The server communication unit 204 sends and receives data to and from the other devices connected to the network 101. The server communication unit 204 can act as a communication means for sending and receiving operation commands, status notifications, and so forth to and from the terminal apparatus 102 and the plurality of electronic devices. The server notification management unit 203 manages notifications about the statuses of electronic devices sent and received by the server communication unit 204. The server notification management unit 203 obtains, for example, status notifications received from the electronic devices by the server communication unit 204 and sends status notifications based on them to the terminal apparatus 102 through the server communication unit 204.” See ¶ 0034; however, fails to disclose specific structure for the claimed “communication unit” required under this statute. Therefore, the claims 11-13 are indefinite and is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, second paragraph. Claims 14-20 are rejected by the virtue of their dependency.
Applicant may:
(a) Amend the claim so that the claim limitation will no longer be interpreted as a limitation under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph;
(b) Amend the written description of the specification such that it expressly recites what structure, material, or acts perform the entire claimed function, without introducing any new matter (35 U.S.C. 132(a)); or
(c) Amend the written description of the specification such that it clearly links the structure, material, or acts disclosed therein to the function recited in the claim, without introducing any new matter (35 U.S.C. 132(a)).
If applicant is of the opinion that the written description of the specification already implicitly or inherently discloses the corresponding structure, material, or acts and clearly links them to the function so that one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize what structure, material, or acts perform the claimed function, applicant should clarify the record by either:
(a) Amending the written description of the specification such that it expressly recites the corresponding structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function and clearly links or associates the structure, material, or acts to the claimed function, without introducing any new matter (35 U.S.C. 132(a)); or
(b) Stating on the record what the corresponding structure, material, or acts, which are implicitly or inherently set forth in the written description of the specification, perform the claimed function. For more information, see 37 CFR 1.75(d) and MPEP §§ 608.01(o) and 2181.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 1, 2, and 10-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kitagata (US 2012/0062946 A1) and further in view of Hayashi (US 5,040,031 A).
Consider claim 1, Kitagata teaches, a communication system comprising a terminal (101-103) apparatus,
a server apparatus (104), and
a plurality of electronic devices (107-108) configured to receive operation commands from the terminal apparatus (101-103) via the server apparatus (104), Kitagata teaches, “print server 104 receives output destination printer list requests (i.e. commands) from the Web browsers of the client terminals 101 to 103, and then acquires statuses from the printers 105 to 108.” See ¶ 0033
wherein the server apparatus comprises one or more controllers (202, 413) configured to function as:
a first unit configured to receive a [[simultaneous]] operation command (s701) for the plurality of electronic devices (107-108) from the terminal apparatus (101-103), Kitagata teaches, “In step S701, the Web browser 301 of one of the client terminals 101 to 103 sends a printer list request to the print server 104.” See ¶ 0068 and Fig. 8; Kitagata teaches, “a unit for sending a status acquisition command 612 to a pull print application 304 of a printer to acquire a status simultaneously when a Web browser 301 displays a printer list screen 601.” See ¶ 0101;
a second unit configured to, based on the [[simultaneous]] operation command, send operation commands (S702) to respective electronic devices (Printer A-C 105-108) related to the [[simultaneous]] operation command, Kitagata teaches, “In step S702, the print server 104 sends a status acquisition request to the pull print applications 304 of the printers 105 to 108 based on the printer information 501.” See ¶ 0068 and Fig. 8;
a third unit configured to receive notifications of statuses (S702 [Wingdings font/0xE0] S703, See Fig. 8) after the execution of the operation commands from the respective electronic devices related to the [[simultaneous]] operation command, Kitagata teaches, “In step S703, the print server 104 creates the printer list screen 601 containing the status 604 for a printer whose status has been acquired, and the status acquisition command 612 for a printer whose status has not been acquired.” See ¶ 0069 and Fig. 8; and
a fourth unit configured to send, to the terminal apparatus, one notification (S704) about the statuses of the respective electronic devices related to the [[simultaneous]] operation command, Kitagata teaches, “In step S704, the print server 104 sends back the printer list screen to the Web browser 301 which has sent the printer list request.” See ¶ 0069 and Fig. 8.
With respect to the simultaneous operation command (S701) for the plurality of electronic devices (107-108) from the terminal apparatus (101-103), in an analogous art, Kitagata teaches, “a unit for sending a status acquisition command 612 to a pull print application 304 of a printer to acquire a status simultaneously when a Web browser 301 displays a printer list screen 601.” See ¶ 0101, in an analogous art, Hayashi teaches, “[a]fter an image formation command is simultaneously input to a plurality of printers, an initial preparatory operation such as preliminary rotation must be performed at each printer for subsequent image formation.” Col. 1 lines 40-43, Hayashi teaches, “[w]hen the operator depresses a print key (not shown) in the operation unit 6, an operation command is sent from the control unit 5 in the color reader 51 to the control units 11g and 12g in the color printers 11 and 12. In the color printers 11 and 12, preparation processing including warming-up rotation of the transfer drums 85 is started.” Col. 7 line 58+
Hayashi teaches, “[t]he multi-output unit 7 comprises a control unit 8, a sync control 9, and a multi-output memory 10. The control unit 8 discriminates an input order of image write enable signals ITOPA and ITOPB output from ITOP sensors 11a and 12a in the color printers 11 and 12.” Col. 5 line 39+;
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art at the time of invention (effective filing date for AIA application) to modify the invention of Kitagata and allow “the operator depresses a print key (not shown) in the operation unit 6, an operation command is sent from the control unit 5 in the color reader 51 to the control units 11g and 12g in the color printers 11 and 12.” And “control unit 8 discriminates an input order of image write enable signals ITOPA and ITOPB output from ITOP sensors 11a and 12a in the color printers 11 and 12” as suggested by Hayashi in an effort to simultaneous operation command for the printers (11 and 12) from the terminal apparatus, i.e. operation unit 6.
Consider claim 2, the communication system according to claim 1, wherein the one or more controllers of the server apparatus (104) function as the fourth unit to include, in the one notification (S704) to be sent to the terminal apparatus (101-103), individual statuses of at least electronic devices that have not successfully executed operation commands (S702) among the electronic devices related to the simultaneous operation command (S701), Kitagata teaches, “when the print server 104 sends a status acquisition request to the printer and does not receive a response within a predetermined time, it is determined that communication with the printer is impossible.” See ¶ 0072, “the device monitoring unit 414 inquires a printer status of the controller 209, acquires it, and sends it back to the print server 104 in response to the request. The print server 104 updates a status 504 of the printer information 501 using the acquired information. In step S1106, the Web browser 301 sends a printer list update request to the print server 104. This implements a client terminal update request. In step S1107, the print server 104 creates the printer list screen 601 based on the printer information 501. In step S1108, the print server 104 sends back the printer list screen to the Web browser 301.” See ¶ 0087.
Consider claim 10, the communication system according to claim 1, wherein the one or more controllers of the server apparatus function as the fourth unit to divide the plurality of electronic devices related to the simultaneous operation command into a plurality of groups and sends notifications for the respective groups to the terminal apparatus. Examiner takes Official Notice that it is well known in the prior art to divide network printers into a groups and sends notification regarding group of printers to the computer terminal.
Consider claim 11, a server apparatus comprising:
a communication unit (302 and 303) configured to communicate with a terminal apparatus (101-103) and a plurality of electronic devices (107-108) capable of executing a command from the terminal apparatus (101-103), See Fig. 3 and description; and
a control unit (413) configured to receive, by the communication unit, a simultaneous operation command for the plurality of electronic devices from the terminal apparatus based on the simultaneous operation command, See rejection of claim 1;
send commands, to respective electronic devices related to the simultaneous operation command from the communication unit, See rejection of claim 1;
receive, by the communication unit, notifications of statuses after the execution of the commands, from the respective electronic devices related to the simultaneous operation command, See rejection of claim 1; and
send one notification about the statuses of the electronic devices related to the simultaneous operation command to the terminal apparatus from the communication unit, See rejection of claim 1.
Consider claim 12, a control method for a server apparatus (104) that has a communication unit (302 and 303) configured to communicate with a terminal apparatus (101-103) and a plurality of electronic devices (107-108) capable of executing a command (S701) from the terminal apparatus (101-103), and
a control unit (413), the control method comprising:
receiving, by the communication unit, a simultaneous operation command for the plurality of electronic devices from the terminal apparatus, See rejection of claim 1;
based on the simultaneous operation command, sending commands, to respective electronic devices related to the simultaneous operation command from the communication unit, See rejection of claim 1;
receiving, by the communication unit, notifications of statuses after the execution of the commands, from the respective electronic devices related to the simultaneous operation command, See rejection of claim 1; and
sending one notification about the statuses of the electronic devices related to the simultaneous operation command to the terminal apparatus from the communication unit, See rejection of claim 1.
Consider claim 13, a non-transitory storage medium storing a computer-executable program for executing a control method for a server apparatus (104) that has a communication unit (302-303) configured to communicate with a terminal apparatus (101-103) and a plurality of electronic devices (107-108) capable of executing a command from the terminal apparatus, Kitagata teaches, “non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program for causing a computer to function as a list request receiving unit which receives, from the client terminal, a printer list request containing information indicating a printer capable of printing,” See ¶ 0013 and published claim 10.
and a control unit, the control method comprising:
receiving, by the communication unit, a simultaneous operation command for the plurality of electronic devices from the terminal apparatus, See rejection of claim 1;
based on the simultaneous operation command, sending commands, to respective electronic devices related to the simultaneous operation command from the communication unit, See rejection of claim 1;
receiving, by the communication unit, notifications of statuses after the execution of the commands, from the respective electronic devices related to the simultaneous operation command, See rejection of claim 1; and
sending one notification about the statuses of the electronic devices related to the simultaneous operation command to the terminal apparatus from the communication unit, See rejection of claim 1.
Consider claim 14, the non-transitory storage medium according to claim 13, wherein the method includes including, in the one notification to be sent to the terminal apparatus, individual statuses of at least electronic devices that have not successfully executed operation commands among the electronic devices related to the simultaneous operation command, See rejection of claim 2.
Claim(s) 3-9 and 15-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kitagata (US 2012/0062946 A1), in view of Hayashi (US 5,040,031 A), and further in view of Negron (US 2009/0239587 A1).
Consider claim 3, the communication system according to claim 1, wherein the one or more controllers of the server apparatus are further configured to function as:
a server storage unit (307) configured to store information in which the simultaneous operation command (S701) received from the terminal apparatus (101-103) and operation commands (S702) sent to the respective electronic devices (107-108) related to the simultaneous operation command (S701) based on the simultaneous operation command, Kitagata teaches, “[t]he print server 104 includes a print job management service 306 for managing a print job. This service manages document data or the like input by another service or another program as print data in a storage 307. The data format of the print data is, for example, PDL (Page Description Language) or PDF (Portable Document Format). The storage 307 is a storage device such as an HDD incorporated in the information processing apparatus of the print server 104, an externally connected HDD, or a network storage. A printer management service 305 manages the printers 105 to 108, and manages printer information in FIG. 5 (to be described later) for each printer.” See ¶ 0043, Kitagata teaches, “[u]pon receiving a print data acquisition request from the Web service 303, the print data management unit 401 acquires designated print data from the storage 307” See ¶ 0047; Kitagata teaches, “When the request acceptance unit 409 accepts a print job acquisition request, a print job acquisition unit 407 issues a print data acquisition request to the print job management service 306. When the request acceptance unit 409 accepts a print job status, a print status receiving unit 408 notifies the print job management service 306 of the status.” See ¶ 0050;
and
a server control unit (413, 302, 303) configured to
obtain the simultaneous operation command (S701) received from the terminal apparatus (101-103) by the first unit, Kitagata teaches, “the Web browser 301 of one of the client terminals 101 to 103 sends a printer list request to the print server 104. This implements sending of a list request from the client terminal and reception of the list request by the print server.” See ¶ 0068, Kitagata teaches, “A request acceptance unit 409 in the Web service 303 accepts a print job acquisition request and print job status from the pull print application 304.” See ¶ 0050 and
based on the obtained the simultaneous operation command (S701) and the information stored in the server storage unit, send operation commands (S702) to the respective electronic devices (107-108) related to the simultaneous operation command, Kitagata teaches, “[t]he Web application 302 acquires the latest printer information 501, creates a printer list screen, and sends it back to the Web browser 301.” See ¶ 0090
With respect to, “operation command are associated with each other” Kitagata teaches, “the printer management service 305 acquires statuses from the printers 105 to 108 based on printer identification information 503 of the printer information.” See ¶ 0048; in an analogous art, Negron teaches, “system and method for enabling control of consumer electronic appliances via a graphical user interface implemented on touch screen equipped personal communication or entertainment devices which include wireless local network capability” See ¶ 0004. “For selecting a set of appliance code data to be associated with an appliance to be controlled, data may be provided to the command relay device 100 that serves to identify an intended target appliance by its type and command protocol. Such data, provided as part of or separately from a command request, may allow the command relay device 100 to identify the appropriate appliance code data elements within a preprogrammed library of appliance code data, to be used to transmit recognizable commands in a format appropriate for such identified appliances.” See ¶ 0020.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art at the time of invention (effective filing date for AIA application) to modify the combination of Kitagata-Hayashi and have a set of appliance code data to be associated with an appliance to be controlled and transmit the associated to identify an intended target appliance by its type and command protocol via a relay device 100. i.e. server 104, to the appliances i.e. printers A, B, and C, in an effort to accurately send the correct commend to the correct printer.
Consider claim 4, the communication system according to claim 3, wherein the server storage unit stores the information in which the simultaneous operation command (S701) received from the terminal apparatus (101-103) and the operation commands (S702) to be sent to the respective the electronic devices (107-108) are associated with each other, Kitagata teaches, “When the request acceptance unit 409 accepts a print job acquisition request, a print job acquisition unit 407 issues a print data acquisition request to the print job management service 306. When the request acceptance unit 409 accepts a print job status, a print status receiving unit 408 notifies the print job management service 306 of the status.” See ¶ 0050; Kitagata teaches, “Upon receiving a print data acquisition request from the Web service 303, the print data management unit 401 acquires designated print data from the storage 307, and transfers it to the Web service 303. A print job information management unit 402 manages print job information of print data managed in the storage 307.” See ¶ 0047.
With respect to, the operation commands to be sent to the respective the electronic devices are associated with each other, See Kitagata ¶ 0048; See Negron ¶ 0020.
Consider claim 5, the communication system according to claim 3,
wherein the server control unit, after sending an operation command (S702) based on the simultaneous operation command (S701) to the respective electronic device (107-108) related to the simultaneous operation command, makes an attempt (S705) to communicate with said respective electronic device (107-108), See Fig. 8 and description. and
wherein the server control unit, according to a result of the attempt (S705), determines a status after the execution of the operation command (S702), of the electronic device (107-108) related to the simultaneous operation command (S701), Kitagata teaches, “step S808, the print server 104 acquires the printer name 502 and status 504 of the printer information 501 from the printer management service 305. In step S809, the print server 104 determines whether the status 504 of the printer is a printable status.” See ¶ 0073
Consider claim 6, the communication system according to claim 3,
wherein the server control unit
obtains a status of the electronic device (107-108) related to the simultaneous operation command (S107) in advance, Kitagata teaches, “[n]ote that the timing when the Web browser 301 of the client terminal sends the printer list update request to the print server 104 in step S1106 may be defined in advance.” See ¶ 0091 and
in a case where the electronic device related to the simultaneous operation command is ready to execute an operation command, sends an operation command based on the simultaneous operation command to said electronic device, Kitagata teaches, “[i]f the status acquisition command is contained (YES in step S902), the Web browser 301 repeats, in step S903, processes in steps S904 to S908 by the number of printers for which the status acquisition command 612 is contained.” See ¶ 0076. Kitagata teaches, “Upon receiving the print commands from the Web browsers of the client terminals 101 to 103, the printers 105 to 108 acquire document data to be printed from the print server 104, and print them.” See ¶ 0033.
Consider claim 7, the communication system according to claim 3,
wherein in a case where after an operation command (S702) based on the simultaneous operation command (S701) is sent to the electronic device (107-108) related to the simultaneous operation command, a status notification (S703) cannot be obtained from said electronic device (107-108) related to the simultaneous operation command (S701), the server control unit registers no response (See Fig. 6A Printer B and C) as a status after the execution of the operation command, of said electronic device related to the simultaneous operation command, Kitagata teaches, “when the print server 104 sends a status acquisition request to the printer and does not receive a response within a predetermined time, it is determined that communication with the printer is impossible…. the print server 104 changes the status 504 to an unknown status” See ¶ 0072. Kitagata teaches, “Status acquisition commands are described by the number of printers whose statuses cannot be acquired by the print server 104. The status acquisition command is executed when the Web browser 301 displays the printer list screen 601. By executing the status acquisition command, statuses are acquired from the Web browser 301 for the pull print applications 304 of the printers 105 to 108 whose statuses have not been acquired by the print server 104. The Web browser 301 updates the printer list screen 606 shown in FIG. 6C using the acquired printer statuses. When the status is a printable one, a printer selection check box is displayed as represented by the printer list screen 606.” See ¶ 0064
Consider claim 8, the communication system according to claim 3, wherein in a case where after an operation command (S702) based on the simultaneous operation command (S701) is sent to the electronic device (107-108) related to the simultaneous operation command, a status notification (S703) indicating successful execution of the operation command cannot be obtained from the electronic device (See Fig. 6A Printers B and C) related to the simultaneous operation command, See ¶ 0072, 0064;
the server control unit sends again the operation command (S705) to the electronic device (107-108) related to the simultaneous operation command (S701), “In step S703, the print server 104 creates the printer list screen 601 containing the status 604 for a printer whose status has been acquired, and the status acquisition command 612 for a printer whose status has not been acquired. In step S704, the print server 104 sends back the printer list screen to the Web browser 301 which has sent the printer list request. In step S705, the Web browser 301 displays the printer list screen and at the same time, sends a status acquisition request to a printer for which the status acquisition command is to be executed. In step S706, the Web browser 301 receives a status from the printer and updates the status in the printer list screen. An example of the status-updated screen is the printer list screen 606 shown in FIG. 6B.” See ¶ 0069
Consider claim 9, the communication system according to claim 3, wherein the server control unit after sending operation commands (S702) based on the simultaneous operation command (S701), makes an attempt (S705) to communicate with at least some of the electronic devices (107-108) related to the simultaneous operation command (See Fig. 8 and description), Kitagata teaches, “step S808, the print server 104 acquires the printer name 502 and status 504 of the printer information 501 from the printer management service 305. In step S809, the print server 104 determines whether the status 504 of the printer is a printable status.” See ¶ 0073
and
based on whether or not a response to the attempt (S705) has been received or based on whether or not a response (S706) indicating a desired status has been obtained, determines whether or not the at least some of electronic devices is in a desired status, “In step S706, the Web browser 301 receives a status from the printer and updates the status in the printer list screen. An example of the status-updated screen is the printer list screen 606 shown in FIG. 6B.” See ¶ 006, and Figs. 6B and 8.
Consider claim 15, the non-transitory storage medium according to claim 13, wherein the method further includes:
storing, in a server storage unit, information in which the simultaneous operation command received from the terminal apparatus and operation commands sent to the respective electronic devices related to the simultaneous operation command based on the simultaneous operation command are associated with each other, See rejection of claim 3; and
obtaining the simultaneous operation command received from the terminal apparatus, and based on the obtained the simultaneous operation command and the information stored in the server storage unit, sending operation commands to the respective electronic devices related to the simultaneous operation command, See rejection of claim 3.
Consider claim 16, the non-transitory storage medium according to claim 15, wherein the server storage unit stores the information in which the simultaneous operation command received from the terminal apparatus and the operation commands to be sent to the respective the electronic devices are associated with each other, See rejection of claim 4.
Consider claim 17, the non-transitory storage medium according to claim 15, wherein the method includes:
after sending an operation command based on the simultaneous operation command to the respective electronic device related to the simultaneous operation command, making an attempt to communicate with said respective electronic device, See rejection of claim 5; and
according to a result of the attempt, determining a status after the execution of the operation command, of the electronic device related to the simultaneous operation command, See rejection of claim 5.
Consider claim 18, the non-transitory storage medium according to claim 15, wherein the method includes:
obtaining a status of the electronic device related to the simultaneous operation command in advance; and in a case where the electronic device related to the simultaneous operation command is ready to execute an operation command, sending an operation command based on the simultaneous operation command to said electronic device, See rejection of claim 6.
Consider claim 19, the non-transitory storage medium according to claim 15, wherein the method includes in a case where after an operation command based on the simultaneous operation command is sent to the electronic device related to the simultaneous operation command, a status notification cannot be obtained from said electronic device related to the simultaneous operation command, registering no response as a status after the execution of the operation command, of said electronic device related to the simultaneous operation command, See rejection of claim 7.
Consider claim 20, the non-transitory storage medium according to claim 15, wherein the method includes in a case where after an operation command based on the simultaneous operation command is sent to the electronic device related to the simultaneous operation command, a status notification indicating successful execution of the operation command cannot be obtained from the electronic device related to the simultaneous operation command, sending again the operation command to the electronic device related to the simultaneous operation command, See rejection of claim 8
Conclusion
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/Omer S Khan/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2686