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 .
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 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) 1-7, 9-11, 13-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sumi (U.S. Pub. 2009/0267977) in view of Billow (U.S. Pub. 2005/0083364) and Vanhooydonck (U.S. Pub. 2006/0012624)
Regarding claim 1, a method for fine adjustment of a position of ink drops printed by a printing head (300) of a printing device, the printing head being a two-dimensional printing head comprising a plurality of nozzles arranged in columns and rows, wherein each column and row has at least two nozzles of the plurality of nozzles (Figure 8; Paragraphs 0084-0085), the method comprising:
Dispensing an ink drop at a plurality of nozzles of the printing head simultaneously to print an image (Abstract)
Capturing the image by a camera (124; Paragraph 0054), wherein the camera captures the pattern of dots and the captured pattern is compared (Paragraphs 0053-0056)
Modifying the dispensation of an ink drop from at least one nozzle of the plurality of nozzles in terms of timing with respect to the dispense of ink drops from other nozzles of the plurality of nozzles for a subsequent printing process if a deviation has been detected between the pattern of dots and the pattern of the plurality of nozzles (Paragraphs 0084-0092; shift amount of timings are applied)
Sumi does not expressly disclose dispensing an ink drop at each of the plurality of nozzles of the printing head simultaneously to print an image, wherein the image is a pattern of dots that reproduces a two-dimensional geometric pattern of the plurality of nozzles on a substrate
Vanhooydonck discloses dispensing an ink drop at each of the plurality of nozzles of the printing head simultaneously to print an image, wherein the image is a pattern of dots that reproduces a two-dimensional geometric pattern of the plurality of nozzles on a substrate (Paragraph 0050; Vanhooydonck discloses firing all the nozzles of the array simultaneously)
Sumi discloses detecting the printing situation regarding if nozzles have printed or if landing position errors have occurred, however Sumi does not expressly disclose comparing the captured pattern to the pattern of nozzles of the print head.
Billows discloses defining a dot-to-nozzle map which specifies the specific nozzle responsible for ejecting the drop (Figures 6, 15; Paragraphs 0082-0083). Therefore, it would have been obvious to incorporate the dot-to-nozzle map into the device of Sumi when comparing the captured image and detecting the specific nozzle(s) which have no ejection and/or landing position errors.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the teaching of Vanhooydonck and Billows into the device of Sumi, for the purpose of improving the image quality (Billows: Paragraph 0081) and providing a one-to-one correspondence between a printed dot and its originating nozzle (Vanhooydonck: Paragraph 0050)
Regarding claim 2, determining a position and/or an orientation of the one printing head based on the image captured by the camera
Determining a deviation of the position and/or orientation of the printing head from a target position and/or a target orientation
Adjusting the position and/or the orientation for the printing head based on the determined deviation (Paragraphs 0105-0110)
Regarding claim 3, adjusting the position of the printing head mechanically in a direction traverse to an advance direction of the printing device (Paragraphs 0105-0110)
Regarding claim 4, wherein the printing device comprises at least two printing heads, including the printing head, and a delay parameter is determined for the printing head in order to compensate a misalignment of the printing head along an advance direction of the printing device (Paragraphs 0105-0110; the printing heads are adjusted independently, depending on deviation results)
Regarding claim 5, wherein the camera (124) covers an entire width of the printing head (Paragraphs 0053-0056; Figures 1-2)
Regarding claim 6, a printing device, in particular an ink jet printing device, comprising:
A printing head (300), the printing head being a two-dimensional printing head comprising a plurality of nozzles, arranged in columns and rows, wherein each column and row has at least two nozzles of the plurality of nozzles (Figure 8; Paragraphs 0084-0085),
A camera (124) configured to capture an image printed by the at least one printing head (Paragraphs 0053-0056)
A control unit configured for processing the image captured by the camera and for comparing a pattern of printed dots of the image to a pattern of the plurality of nozzles and detecting a deviation between the pattern of printed dots and the pattern (Paragraphs 0053-0056)
Wherein the control unit is configured for controlling a timing of a dispensation of ink drops from every nozzle of the at least one printing head individually if a deviation has been detected between the pattern of dots printed by the printing head and the nozzle pattern (Paragraphs 0084-0092; shift amount of timings are applied)
Sumi does not expressly disclose dispensing an ink drop at each of the plurality of nozzles of the printing head simultaneously to print an image, wherein the image is a pattern of dots that reproduces a two-dimensional geometric pattern of the plurality of nozzles on a substrate
Vanhooydonck discloses dispensing an ink drop at each of the plurality of nozzles of the printing head simultaneously to print an image, wherein the image is a pattern of dots that reproduces a two-dimensional geometric pattern of the plurality of nozzles on a substrate (Paragraph 0050; Vanhooydonck discloses firing all the nozzles of the array simultaneously)
Sumi discloses detecting the printing situation regarding if nozzles have printed or if landing position errors have occurred, however Sumi does not expressly disclose comparing the captured pattern to the pattern of nozzles of the print head.
Billows discloses defining a dot-to-nozzle map which specifies the specific nozzle responsible for ejecting the drop (Figures 6, 15; Paragraphs 0082-0083). Therefore, it would have been obvious to incorporate the dot-to-nozzle map into the device of Sumi when comparing the captured image and detecting the specific nozzle(s) which have no ejection and/or landing position errors.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the teaching of Vanhooydonck and Billows into the device of Sumi, for the purpose of improving the image quality (Billows: Paragraph 0081) and providing a one-to-one correspondence between a printed dot and its originating nozzle (Vanhooydonck: Paragraph 0050)
Regarding claim 7, the control unit is configured for determining a deviation of a position and/or an orientation of the at least one printing head from a target position, and wherein the printing device comprises an adjustment unit configured to adjust a position and/or the orientation of the printing head based on the deviation determined by the control unit (Paragraphs 0105-0110)
Regarding claim 9, wherein the printing head includes at least two printing heads, wherein the control unit is configured to control a timing of a dispensation of ink drops from both of the at least two printing heads (Paragraphs 0084-0072)
Regarding claim 10, wherein a position of the printing head is adjustable in a direction transverse to an advance direction of the printing device and the position of the printing head is fixed with respect to the advance direction (Paragraphs 0105-0110)
Regarding claim 11, wherein the printing head is mounted rotatably (Paragraphs 0105-0110)
Regarding claim 13, wherein the columns and rows are arranged in the shape of a parallelogram (Figure 3)
Regarding claim 14, wherein the camera is a linear camera covering an entire width of the printing head (Paragraphs 0053-0056; Figures 1-2)
Regarding claim 15, wherein the printing head is attached to a bar extending transverse to an advance direction of the printing device (Figures 3, 8, 12)
Regarding claim 16, wherein modifying the dispensation of the ink drop from the nozzle is modifying the dispensation of an ink drop from a nozzle relative to another nozzle of the plurality of nozzles (Paragraphs 0084-0092; the shift amount of timings will be applied to the print head)
Claim 8 is/are rejected under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Sumi (U.S. Pub. 2009/0267977) as modified by Billow (U.S. Pub. 2005/0083364) and Vanhooydonck (U.S. Pub. 2006/0012624) and further in view of Van De Wynckei (WO 2007039444) [Provided by Applicant in IDS filed 1/9/2024]
Regarding claim 8, Van De Wynckei discloses it is known in the art to optimize the capture and processing of a printed image (Page 13, lines 5-16)
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching of Van De Wynckei into the device of Sumi, for the purpose of accurately capturing the printed image
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JASON S UHLENHAKE whose telephone number is (571)272-5916. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Douglas X. Rodriguez can be reached at (571) 431-0716. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JASON S UHLENHAKE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2853 January 30, 2026
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