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 . This office action is in response to the amendment filed on 04/28/26. Claims
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.
2. This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word “means,” but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because the claim limitation(s) uses a generic placeholder that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier. Such claim limitation(s) is/are: “reception unit,” “time determination unit,” and “time notification unit” in claim 1; “storage unit” in claim 2; “obtainment unit” in claim 8, and “display unit” in claim 14. All of these limitations are implemented by CPU 203 (Applicant’s specification, paragraphs [0066]-[0082]).
Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
If applicant does not intend 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 avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
3. Claims 1-8, 11-13 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Japanese Application Publication JP 2010-224848 A (hereinafter “Notomi”).
Regarding claim 1, Notomi discloses a printer (printing apparatus 200 (paragraph [0019])) comprising:
- a reception unit configured to receive a print job in which a time period for executing printing is designated (print job reception unit 201 receives print job transmitted from host machine 100 (paragraph [0032]), the print job including header information comprising print completion time, user authentication time, and print attribute information (paragraph [0033]); time period is the time from when the print job start to the print completion time);
- a time determination unit configured to determine a print time of the print job in the printer based on the time period and a reference value in the time period (user authentication reception start time is calculated from the print completion time, user authentication time, and print attribute information in the header information of the print job (paragraph [0033]), from which a print processing start time is determined (paragraph [0037]), the user authentication time and user authentication reception start time serving as reference values in the time period for determining the print processing start time); and
- a time notification unit configured to give notice of the print time (host machine 100 is notified of the print completion time, the user authentication reception start time, and the user authentication reception end time through status transmission unit 205 (paragraph [0039])).
Regarding claim 2, Notomi further comprises a storage unit configured to store in advance the time period predicted to be designated in the print job together with the reference value (print time zone management table 204 stores calculated print processing start time to designated print completion time of a print job that has already been reserved (paragraph [0038])),
- wherein the time determination unit is able to determine the print time in a case where the time period designated in the print job received by the reception unit and the time period stored in the storage unit overlap (if the time required for printing of the print job overlaps with the reserved time of an already reserved print job, the printing time zone management table is searched for a time slot that can be reserved, a print completion time is calculated, and the print processing start time, user authentication reception start time, user authentication acceptance end time and time required for printing are recalculated (paragraph [0040])).
Regarding claim 3, Notomi discloses wherein the storage unit stores time periods different from each other (in print time management zone table 204, for each job ID, “print processing start time”, “authentication start time”, “authentication end time”, “print completion time” are stored (paragraph [0044]); print job with a time period that does not overlap with time periods of previously registered print jobs is registered, otherwise a search for an available time zone is performed (paragraph [0024]), thereby assuring that the stored time periods are different from each other), and
- wherein the reference value is provided for each of the time periods (“authentication start time” and “authentication end time” (serving as reference values in the time period for determining the print processing start time, as set forth above regarding claim 1) are provided in the print time management zone table 204 (paragraph [0044])).
Regarding claim 4, Notomi discloses wherein the time period stored in the storage unit is any one of a time period in which the printing ends and a time period in which the printing starts (“print processing start time” and “print completion time” are stored in the printing time zone management table 204 (paragraph [0044])).
Regarding claim 5, Notomi discloses wherein the reference value is changeable (if the time required for printing of the print job overlaps with the reserved time of an already reserved print job, the printing time zone management table is searched for a time slot that can be reserved, a print completion time is calculated, and the print processing start time, user authentication reception start time, user authentication acceptance end time and time required for printing are recalculated (paragraph [0040])).
Regarding claim 6, Notomi discloses wherein the reference value is any one of a head time, a central time, and a last time in the time period (authentication reception start time and authentication reception end time (paragraph [0035], Fig. 5) occur at a central time between the print processing start time and the print completion time).
Regarding claim 7, Notomi discloses wherein the reception unit receives the print jobs of which the time periods overlap (it is determined whether the received print job overlaps with a print job that has already been reserved (paragraph [0038])), and
- wherein the time determination unit determines the print time so that executions of the print jobs will not overlap in the time period (if the time required for printing of the print job overlaps with the reserved time of an already reserved print job, the printing time zone management table is searched for a time slot that can be reserved, a print completion time is calculated, and the print processing start time, user authentication reception start time, user authentication acceptance end time and time required for printing are recalculated (paragraph [0040])).
Regarding claim 8, Notomi The printer further comprising an obtainment unit configured to obtain a printing requirement time required for print execution based on the print job received by the reception unit (print time zone control unit 203 extracts the print completion time, user authentication time, and print attribute information from the header information of the print job, calculates the print time from the print performance of the printing apparatus and the number of prints in the print attribute information (paragraph [0033]));
- wherein the time determination unit determines the print time for each print job based on the time period, the reference value, and the printing requirement time (the time required for completing a series of processes for one job is determined based on time intervals defined as (1) printing preparation time, (2) authentication time, and (3) printing time (paragraph [0035]), which correspond to a printing requirement time, a reference value, and a time period, respectively).
Regarding claim 11, Notomi discloses wherein the time notification unit gives notice of the print time in a case where the print time determined by the time determination unit falls within the time period (if the print required time zone does not overlap with the reserved time zone of the print job that has already been reserved, then host machine 100 is notified of the print completion time, the user authentication reception start time, and the user authentication reception end time (paragraph [0039])).
Regarding claim 12, Notomi discloses wherein the time notification unit gives a notice that the print time determined by the time determination unit does not fall within the time period or that the printing is impossible (if the print is not possible, the user is notified throught the operation unit 210 that the print is not possible (paragraph [0048])).
Regarding claim 13, Notomi discloses wherein the time notification unit notifies a terminal apparatus that has transmitted the print job to the reception unit of the print time (host machine 100 is notified of the print completion time, the user authentication reception start time, and the user authentication reception end time (paragraph [0039])).
Regarding claim 15, Notomi discloses control method for a printer comprising:
- a reception step of receiving a print job in which a time period for executing printing is designated (print job reception unit 201 receives print job transmitted from host machine 100 (paragraph [0032]), the print job including header information comprising print completion time, user authentication time, and print attribute information (paragraph [0033]); time period is the time from when the print job is received to the print completion time);
- a time determination step of determining a print time of the print job in the printer based on the time period and a reference value in the time period (user authentication reception start time is calculated from the print completion time, user authentication time, and print attribute information in the header information of the print job (paragraph [0033]), from which a print processing start time is determined (paragraph [0037]), the user authentication time and user authentication reception start time serving as reference values in the time period for determining the print processing start time); and
- a time notification step of giving notice of the print time (host machine 100 is notified of the print completion time, the user authentication reception start time, and the user authentication reception end time through status transmission unit 205 (paragraph [0039])).
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.
4. Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Notomi as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Japanese Application Publication JP 2004-118423A (hereinafter “Sasaki”).
Regarding claim 14, Notomi does not expressly disclose “a display unit configured to display the print time, wherein the time notification unit notifies the display unit of the print time.”
Sasaki discloses a printing system, wherein a user sets desired printing of a document and designates a print reservation time. The print reservation time and user information are displayed on the display part of a PC where the document was created, or the display of the printer device (paragraph [0014]). Providing a display unit for displaying the print reservation time enables a person who may be the recipient of the document at the printer to know the time when the document is expected to be printed. Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of Applicant’s invention, to have modified the teaching of Notomi by providing a display unit at the printer to display the print reservation time, as taught by Sasaki.
Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Notomi.
Claim 16 is directed to a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a control program causing a computer to execute a control method for a printer. The control method is identical the control method of above-rejected claim 15. The printing apparatus 200 disclosed in Notomi includes a print data processing unit 207, a print control unit 208 that performs print control, and an authentication control unit 209 that performs user authentication processing (paragraph [0022]). Notomi does not expressly disclose a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a control program. However, one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that such storage media (for example, read-only memory) are typically provided in a conventional printing apparatus, and is known to store program instructions for causing the printer to operate in a predetermined manner. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of Applicant’s invention, to have provided a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium in the printing apparatus 200, so as to enable the printing apparatus to perform the functions as disclosed in Notomi.
Allowable Subject Matter
5. Claims 9 and 10 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
6.. The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 9, the cited prior art fails to disclose or suggest Applicant’s printer according to claim 8, wherein the print time is a print end time at which the printing ends, and
- wherein the time determination unit determines the print end time of a subsequent print job by adding the printing requirement time of the subsequent print job to the print end time of a preceding print job among the print jobs that are sequentially executed within the time period.
Regarding claim 10, the cited prior art fails to disclose or suggest Applicant’s printer according to claim 8, wherein the print time is a print start time at which the printing starts, and
- wherein the time determination unit determines the print start time of a subsequent print job by adding the printing requirement time of a preceding print job to the print start time of the preceding print job among the print jobs that are sequentially executed within the time period.
7. Applicant's arguments filed on 04/28/26 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
With regard to Applicant’s argument that Notomi does not appear to teach “designating a time period from when the print job is received to the print completion time. Examiner’s disagrees with Applicant’s conclusion. Examiner asserts that Notomi teaches a time period from when the print job is received to the print completion time (reads on abstract and claim, clearly Notomi teaches time period between receiving the job and finishing of the execution of the print job or print zone)
8. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
INDEI (2009/0094607) teaches a printing system that changes the processing time zone of a processing request.
9. THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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.
10. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GABRIEL I GARCIA whose telephone number is 571-272-7434. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 7:30AM-5:00PM.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Benny Tieu can be reached at 571-272,7490. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/GABRIEL I GARCIA/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2682
June 29, 2026
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