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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Art Unit – Location
The Art Unit location of your application in the USPTO may have changed. To aid in correlating any papers for this application, all further correspondence regarding this application should be directed to Art Unit 2682.
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.
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.
1-6, 8-13, and 15-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kawai (US 2018/0183970 A1) “Kawai” in view of Torii et al. (US 2013/0114100 A1) “Torii” in view of Lo et al. (US 8,189,225 B1) “Lo” and further in view of McAfee et al. (US 2004/0021889 A1) “McAfee”.
1. Kawai teaches: A system ("COMMUNICATION SYSTEM 2" [FIG. 1]) comprising: a processor ("CPU 22" [FIG. 1]) and associated memory ("MEMORY 24" [FIG. 1]) ; a network interface ("NFC I/F 18” [FIG. 1]) ; a wireless data interface ("WIRELESS I/F 16" [FIG. 1]) ; ("DISPLAY 14" [FIG. 1]. “The display 14 may also include the functions of a touchscreen.” [0023]. The touchscreen is a user interface having user input.); wherein the processor is configured to, receive a user selection to ("user has selected the printer name of the printer 100" [0052]) , receive a user data communication selection of peer-to-peer data communication with the MFP ("The mobile terminal uses near-field communication (NFC)" [0003]) or ("to acquire the printer identification information from the printer " [0003]) , send a device registration request for the MFP to an associated cloud management system in accordance with received device data via the network interface ("transmits this printer identification information to the server together with the serial number of the mobile terminal" [0003]. The server is part of a cloud management system. “the CPU 22 transmits a terminal confirmation request including the target printer name and the target account information (i.e., the account name and the password) to the server 500 [0057]).
Kawai teaches the digital communication device having a processor and a Near Field Interface that communicates with a MFP.
Kawai does not explicitly teach where the digital communication device has a digital imaging device in visual data communication with the MFP.
However, Torii has a digital imaging device ("Images captured by a cameras of the mobile device 1001" [0053]) in visual communication with the MFP ("The serial number(s) of the MFP 1000 can be input …via a QR code recognition application." [0051]. The imaging device is in communication with the MFP to acquire a serial number of an MFP.) .
The digital communication device of Kawai in communication with the MFP can be modified by Torii to include communication with the MFP by using a camera to reading a QR code on the MFP that identifies the MFP by the MFP’s serial number.
The motivation for the combination is provided by Torii to have “An information processing apparatus, which is configured to communicate with a server apparatus and an image forming apparatus” [ABSTRACT]. The server apparatus is included in the “cloud services” [0049].
The combination of Kawai and Torii do not explicitly teach adding a MFP to a cloud system and to receive confirmation of a successful registration of the MFP with the associated cloud management system via the network interface, and initiate a data exchange handshake
However, Lo teaches adding a MFP to a cloud system and to receive confirmation of a successful registration of the MFP with the associated cloud management system via the network interface, and initiate a data exchange handshake.
("Even as new printers are introduced into the marketplace over time, the user may have the experience that application 430 is able to utilize the new printer(s) simply by way of registration of the new printers with cloud print service 404." [Col. 11 lines 49-53] and perform an “initiation handshake“ [Col. 6 line 34] where a successful registration between the server “110” and printer “102” is by an established network connection “316a” and “316b” shown in FIG. 3 and also previously by “confirmation” [0057] of Kawai.)
The MFP of Kawai and Torii can be modified by Lo to add and register a MFP to a cloud system and initiate a data exchange handshake.
3
The motivation for the combination is provided by Lo to have the desired “ability to print within a cloud computing environment” [Col. 1 lines 19-20].
The combination of Kawai, Torii, and Lo do not explicitly teach where the
handshake is between the MFP and the associated cloud management system after receipt of the confirmation.
However, McAfee teaches:
Where the handshake is between the MFP and the associated cloud management system after receipt of the confirmation ("In response to receipt of the dial up data sequence, the email server 100 and the MFP 10 carry out standard handshake procedures to establish a communication link between them (Step 210)." [0029]) .
The handshake of Lo can be modified by McAfee to establish a handshake between the MFP and a server in a cloud.
The motivation for the combination is provided by McAfee to have “a multi function peripheral device … in which the device is user operable to directly establish a communication link with a network server” [ABSTRACT].
Therefore, the Applicant’s claimed invention would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention and the claim is rejected.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to: capture an image of encoded indicia via the digital imaging device ("Images captured by a cameras of the mobile device 1001" [0053]) of Torii) and decode a captured image to generate the device data when visual data communication is selected ("The serial number(s) of the MFP 1000 can be input …via a QR code recognition application." [0051] of Torii.; and initiate peer-to-peer data communication with the MFP via the wireless data interface ("The mobile terminal uses near-field communication (NFC)" [0003] of Kawai.) and receive the device data via the wireless data interface when peer-to-peer data communication is selected ("to acquire the printer identification information from the printer " [0003] of Kawai.).
Kawai can be modified by Torii, Lo, and McAfee to establish communication between a processor in a mobile device and an MFP to link communication between an MFP and a cloud system having a server.
The motivation for the combination is provided by Torii, Lo, and McAfee to enable communication between a mobile device, an MFP, and a server.
Therefore, the Applicant’s claimed invention would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention and the claim is rejected.
3. The system of claim 2 wherein the processor is further configured to: show instructions on the display ("user inputs an execution instruction of a specific image process through the display" [Claim 13] of Kawai.) to initiate a data handshake between the MFP and the associated cloud management system when visual data communication is selected ("Images captured by a cameras of the mobile device 1001" [0053]) of Torii”, where "The serial number(s) of the MFP 1000 can be input …via a QR code recognition application." [0051] of Torii; providing a “handshake“ [Col. 6 line 34] of Lo; ("email server 100 and the MFP 10 carry out standard handshake procedures to establish a communication link between them (Step 210)." [0029] of McAfee.;
and send a handshake trigger instruction to the MFP via the wireless data interface when peer-to-peer data communication is selected ("The mobile terminal uses near-field communication (NFC)" [0003];("to acquire the printer identification information from the printer " [0003] of Kawai; providing a “handshake“ [Col. 6 line 34] of Lo; ("email server 100 and the MFP 10 carry out standard handshake procedures to establish a communication link between them (Step 210)." [0029] of McAfee. ) .
Kawai can be modified by Torii, Lo, and McAfee to establish communication between a processor in a mobile device and an MFP to link communication between an MFP and a cloud system having a server.
The motivation for the combination is provided by Torii, Lo, and McAfee to enable communication between a mobile device, an MFP, and a server.
Therefore, the Applicant’s claimed invention would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention and the claim is rejected.
4. The system of claim 3 wherein the wireless data interface is comprised of a NFC transceiver ("a near-field communication (NFC) interface" [0023] of Kawai) and wherein the digital imaging device is comprised of a camera ("camera of the mobile device 1001" [0053] of Torii) .
Kawai can be modified by Torii establish communication between a processor in a mobile device and an MFP using NFC or a camera to link communication between an MFP and a cloud system having a server.
The motivation for the combination is provided by Torii to enable communication between a mobile device, an MFP, and a server.
Therefore, the Applicant’s claimed invention would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention and the claim is rejected.
5. The system of claim 4 further comprising encoded indicia comprised of a QR code ("QR code" [0051] of Torii) or a barcode.
Kawai can be modified by Torii establish communication between a processor in a camera to read a QR code to link communication between an MFP and a cloud system having a server.
The motivation for the combination is provided by Torii to enable communication between a mobile device, an MFP, and a server.
Therefore, the Applicant’s claimed invention would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention and the claim is rejected.
6. The system of claim 4 wherein the device data includes one or more of device model name, device model number, device serial number ("The serial number of the MFP 1000 is sent to the device management service 1008." [0051] of Torii) and network MAC address.
Kawai can be modified by Torii establish communication between a processor in a mobile device having a camera to read serial number data from a QR code.
The motivation for the combination is provided by Torii to enable communication between a mobile device, an MFP, and a server.
Therefore, the Applicant’s claimed invention would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention and the claim is rejected.
8-13. The method of claims 8-13 have been analyzed in view of the methods in FIGs 2-10 of Kawai and further in view of claims 1-6 respectively. Claims 8-13 are rejected in a similar manner to claims 1-6.
Therefore, the Applicant’s claimed invention would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention and the claim is rejected.
15-20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claims 15-20 have been analyzed in view of the non-transitory computer readable medium of Kawai “non-transitory computer readable storage medium” [0008] and further in view of claims 1-6 respectively. Claims 15-20 are rejected in a similar manner to claims 1-6.
Therefore, the Applicant’s claimed invention would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention and the claim is rejected.
Claims 7 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kawai (US 2018/0183970 A1) “Kawai” in view of Torii et al. (US 2013/0114100 A1) “Torii” in view of Lo et al. (US 8,189,225 B1) “Lo” in view of McAfee et al. (US 2004/0021889 A1) “McAfee” and further in view of KUROYANAGI TOSHIHIRO (JP 2016134798) machine translation.
7. Kawai, Torii, Lo, and McAfee teach the system of claim 1
Kawai, Torii, Lo, and McAfee do not explicitly teach wherein the processor is further configured to show a message on the display when confirmation of the successful registration is not received.
However, KUROYANAGI TOSHIHIRO teaches:
wherein the processor is further configured to show a message on the display when confirmation of the successful registration is not received (" The CPU 11 then displays an error message to the operation unit 18, which is integrated with the display unit.” [0055]) .
The display of Kawai having the registration of Lo can be modified by KUROYANAGI TOSHIHIRO to show a message on the display when confirmation of registration is not received.
The motivation for the combination is provided by KUROYANAGI TOSHIHIRO “To establish a communication between a personal mobile terminal device 2 and a server device 3 connected to a LAN (local area network), via an MFP 1 connected to the LAN, while ensuring security of the LAN.” [ABSTRACT]. When registration is not received, communication cannot be established.
Therefore, the Applicant’s claimed invention would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention and the claim is rejected.
14. The method of claim 14 has been analyzed in view of the methods in FIGs 2-10 of Kawai and further in view of claim 7. Claim 14 is rejected in a similar manner to claim 7.
Therefore, the Applicant’s claimed invention would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention and the claim is rejected.
Relevant Prior Art
US 11,012,581
Abstract
A system and method for automated service call initiation for a multifunction peripheral includes applying optical character recognition to a digital image of an affixed asset tag captured by a smartphone or tablet camera to determine a service agency name and initial contact information. A dealer database is queried with the service agency name and initial contact information, and corresponding information about the service agency, customer or device is received. Information about a current state of the multifunction peripheral is received. A service request or order is selectively sent by a user via the smartphone or tablet to the service agency in accordance with information from the dealer database and the current state of the multifunction peripheral.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TED W BARNES whose telephone number is (571)270-1785. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri. 8:00-5:00.
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/TED W. BARNES/ Ph.D. Electrical Engineering
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2682
/TED W BARNES/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2682