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) 1-6 & 8-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kondo et al. in view (US 2018/0281455) in view of Yamamoto et al. (US 2008/0242539)
Kondo et al. disclose the following claimed limitations:
* Re clms 1 & 14, a thermal printer & a method for controlling a thermal printer (Abst., figs 1-4B);
* a thermal head/23/ (Abst., para 0018, figs 1-3) & operating the thermal printer (fig );
* a heating element/24/, the thermal head/23/ configured to form an image on a medium/thermal paper, 61/ (Abst., para 0018, figs 1-3);
* a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of the medium/61/ (paras 0034, 0041, figs 1-4);
* a heater/heat sink, 25, substrate, 22/ configured to heat an interior of the thermal printer (para 0018, 0021, figs 1-2);
* a processor/CPU, 81/ & determining, via a processor, configured to: determine whether a temperature measured by the temperature sensor/51, 52/ is equal to or greater than a preset temperature threshold (paras 0035-0041, figs 1-4B);
* in response to the temperature being less than the preset temperature threshold, operate
the heater/the printhead prints a larger number of heating elements or the printhead prints a
larger number of print lines/ (paras 0005, 0035-0046, figs 1-4B);
* in response to the temperature being equal to or greater than the preset temperature
threshold, determine an application energy amount for the thermal head/prints a smaller number
of print lines or utilizes less heating elements based on the measured temperature (paras 0005,
0025, 0035-0046, figs 1-4B);
* Re clm 2, wherein in response to the temperature being less than the preset temperature
threshold, the processor is configured to determine a larger application energy amount (paras 0025, 0035-0046, figs 1-4B).
* Re clm 3, wherein in response to the temperature being equal to or greater than the preset temperature threshold, the processor is configured to determine a smaller application energy amount (paras 0035-0046, figs 1-4B).
* Re clm 4, wherein the heater/22, 25/ is configured to provide heat to the medium (para 0022, figs 1-4).
* Re clm 5, the heater is positioned between the medium provided in the first direction and the medium discharged in the second direction (figs 1-2)
* Re clm 6, wherein the heater/22, 23/ is positioned adjacent to the medium/61/ provided in the first direction.
* Re clm 8, wherein the temperature sensor/51/ is positioned in the thermal head/23/ (para 0021, figs 1-2).
* Re clm 9, wherein the temperature sensor/51/ is a thermistor. (para 0021, figs 1-2).. * Re clm 10, a second temperature sensor/52/ positioned proximate to the medium61/ (paras 0022, figs 1-2).
* Re clm 10, a second temperature sensor/52/ positioned proximate to the medium61/ (paras 0022, figs 1-2).
* Re clm 11, wherein the temperature sensor is configured to measure a temperature of a surface of the medium on a side opposite to a side on which the heater is positioned.
* Re clm 12, wherein the temperature sensor/52/ is positioned downstream from the heater/22, 23/ and upstream from the thermal head/23/ in a conveyance direction of the medium (figs 1-2).
* Re clm 13, wherein the heating element/24/ is positioned in a front end of a lower side of the thermal head/23/ (figs 1-2).
* Re clm 15, acquiring, from a temperature sensor/51, 52/, the temperature (Abst., figs 1- 4B).
* Re clm 16, wherein operating the heater/22, 23/ comprises providing heat to the medium (figs 1-2).
* Re clm 17, associating the temperature with an adjustment value (para 0038-0039, figs 1-4B).
* Re clm 18, wherein when the temperature is lower than the preset temperature threshold, the temperature is associated with a positive adjustment value/the printhead prints a larger number of heating elements or the printhead prints a larger number of print lines/ (paras 0005, 0035-0046, figs 1-4B).
* Re clm 19, wherein when the temperature is higher than the preset temperature threshold, the temperature is associated with a negative adjustment value /prints a smaller number of print lines or utilizes less heating elements based on the measured temperature (paras 0005, 0025, 0035-0046, figs 1-4B).
* Re clm 20, adding the adjustment value associated with the temperature to a reference energy amount; and adjusting the application energy amount based on the adjustment value (para 0038-0040, figs 1-4B).
Kondo et al. does not disclose the following claimed limitations:
* Re clms 1, a casing including a first face, the first face including a first port and a second port;
* wherein the first port is configured to receive the medium in a first direction and the second port is configured to eject the medium in a second direction, the second direction being opposite the first direction;
* Re clm 14, feeding a medium into the thermal printer in a first direction via the first port;
* ejecting the medium from the thermal printer in a second direction via the second port, wherein the second direction is opposite the first direction.
Yamamoto et al. disclose the following claimed limitations:
* Re clms 1, a casing/outer perimeter of image processing apparatus 5B/ including a first face/side including medium/5/ entrance & exit/, the first face including a first port/entrance 30/ and a second port/exit 61/;
* wherein the first port/entrance 30/ is configured to receive the medium/5/ in a first direction and the second port/exit 61/ is configured to eject the medium/5/ in a second direction/exit 61/, the second direction being opposite the first direction (para 0211, figs 5A & 5B).
* Re clm 14, feeding/conveying roller 31, guide roller 32/ a medium/5/ into the thermal printer/image processing apparatus figs 5A & 5B// in a first direction via the first port/entrance 30/;
* ejecting the medium/5/ from the thermal printer/image processing apparatus 5a& 5B/ in a second direction via the second port/exit 61/, wherein the second direction is opposite the first direction (see figs 5A & 5B).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to utilize a casing including a first face, the first face including a first port and a second port; wherein the first port is configured to receive the medium in a first direction and the second port is configured to eject the medium in a second direction, the second direction being opposite the first direction,; feeding a medium into the thermal printer in a first direction via the first port; and ejecting the medium from the thermal printer in a second direction via the second port, wherein the second direction is opposite the first direction, taught by Yamamoto et al. into Kondo et al. for the purpose of improving the print quality images by increasing thermal stability of color images.
Claim(s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kondo et al. (US 2018/0281455) as modified by Yamamoto et al. (US 2008/0242539) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Leighton et al. (US 2012/0206527).
Kondo et al. as modified by Yamamoto et al. discloses the following claimed limitations:
* a platen roller to convey the medium (para 0019, fig 2 (taught by Kondo et al));
* Re clm 7, wherein the heater/22, 23/ is positioned between a platen roller/8/ pressing the medium/61/ against the thermal head/23/ and a roller adjacent to the platen roller/8/ in a conveyance direction of the medium (para 0019, figs 1-2 (taught by Kondo et al)).
Kondo et al. as modified by Yamamoto et al. (US 2008/0242539) does not disclose the following claimed limitations:
* Re clm 7, wherein the medium is conveyed by a plurality of rollers/64/ (para 0018, fig 1).
Leighton et al. disclose the following:
* Re clm 7, wherein the medium/media web, 20/ is conveyed by a plurality of rollers/64/ (para 0018, fig 1).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to utilize wherein the medium is conveyed by a plurality of rollers, taught by Leighton et al. into Kondo et al. as modified by Yamamoto et al. for the purpose of supplying and handling the media web/medium/.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-20 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument. Please the above rejection regarding Kondo et al. in view of Yamamoto et al. and Kondo et al. as modified by Yamamoto et al. and further of Leighton et al.. Kondo et al. in view of Yamamoto et al. disclose a thermal printer enclosure having a first side having a first and a second port wherein the medium is entrance is from the first port and the medium exit is from the second port and the first and second port entrance direction and exit direction of the medium is in opposite directions of each other.
Conclusion
7. 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.
8. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KRISTAL FEGGINS whose telephone number is (571)272-2254. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 930-530pm.
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/KRISTAL FEGGINS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2853