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 .
Terminal Disclaimer
The terminal disclaimer file 17 April 2026 has been approved.
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.
Claims 1, 2, 7-9, and 13-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sone (JP 2020154462 A – references are to provided machine translation) in view of Nishimura (US 20140310767 A1).
Referring to claim 1:
Sone discloses information processing apparatus (image forming apparatus 1) having a function of setting values corresponding to a use environment of the information processing apparatus (see pg. 3-14), the information processing apparatus comprising:
at least one memory which stores a computer program and at least one processor which executes the computer program (pg. 9, par. 11: security management program stored in the HDD 92 is executed by the processor) to perform a process which comprises:
receiving selection of one environment from among different environments as the use environment of the information processing apparatus (pg. 14, par. 2-9: position information acquisition unit 108 acquires the position information of the image forming apparatus 1, which inherently must be chosen or selected by a user, and selection unit 109 selects the weighted storage table 93, corresponding to the region or area including the position indicated by the acquired position information, from the plurality of weighted storage tables 93); and
extracting a value of a security setting item that is changed by setting the values corresponding to the selected one environment (calculation unit 104 sets each weighting coefficient of a plurality of types of security predetermined in the installation environment indicated by the installation environment information acquired by the installation environment information acquisition unit 103 from a weighting storage table 93 selected by the selection unit 109 (pg. 14, par. 8-9), and further, calculation unit 104 acquires each security level for each security indicated by the security information acquired by the security information acquisition unit 102 from the security storage unit 92A (pg. 3, par. 5-6), the type and number of security functions stored in the security storage unit 92A not being particularly limited (pg. 9, last par.).
While Sone recites in generally, an operation control unit for notifying the user (e.g., that a security setting is appropriate or that the security level cannot be calculated), Sone does not specifically recite providing a notification of the extracted value (i.e., a security setting change). However, Nishimura et al disclose such a feature (abstract, Fig. 1 & 8, and par. 44-45, 59-62, and 103-110: describes notification process for security changes and settings).
It would have been prima facie obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Sone in view of Nishimura to have provided a notification of the extracted value (i.e., a security setting change) in order to improve user experience through notification of how security settings are being managed in different operating environments.
Referring to claim 2:
Sone discloses the extracted value is changed from a value to another value included in the values corresponding to the selected one environment (pg. 14-15: security settings are different for each installation environment and therefore change based on the selected installation environment, and change also be changed in a third embodiment by an administrator).
Referring to claim 7:
Sone discloses receiving a user instruction to set the values corresponding to the selected one environment (as indicated above, the installation position / installation environment of image forming apparatus 1 is inherently chosen or selected by a user and position information acquisition unit 108 receives that information), and setting the values corresponding to the selected one environment in response to the reception of the user instruction (as indicated above, done by calculation unit 104).
Again, while Sone recites in generally, an operation control unit for notifying the user (pg. 16, par. 9-10: notification a security setting / level is appropriate, insufficient, excessive, or cannot be calculated), Sone does not specifically recite the notification can be provided before the reception of the user instruction. However, Nishimura et al disclose the information processing apparatus (apparatus A, B, C) being notified of security setting change based on where and how the apparatus is to be used (par. 107-110, 114-116) before or without reception of user instruction.
It would have been prima facie obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Sone in view of Nishimura to have provided notification of a security change before the reception of the user instruction in order to improve user experience through notification of how security settings are being managed in different operating environments.
Referring to claim 8:
Sone discloses the different environments are more than three environments, wherein in a case where the use environment is changed from a second environment to a first environment, a first value is notified as the extracted value, and wherein in a case where the use environment is changed from a third environment to the first environment, a second value that is different from the first value is notified as the extracted value (pg. 10, par. 5-8, pg. 11, par. 10, pg. 12, par. 4 to pg. 13, par. 8: at least types 4 types of predetermined installation environments are considered).
Referring to claim 9:
Sone discloses providing a notification of a reason of a change of the extracted value as indicated above (pg. 16, par. 9-10: notification a security setting / level is appropriate, insufficient, excessive, or cannot be calculated).
Referring to claim 13:
This claim is the method for performing the corresponding functions of the apparatus as set forth in claim 1 and is therefore rejected for the same reasons as presented above.
Referring to claim 14:
This claim is the product or article of manufacture (i.e., a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium) storing a computer program performing a control method for an information processing apparatus including a storage unit, the control method being a control method as set forth in claim 13. Sone discloses such a product for this purpose (see pg. 3, par. 3, pg. 9, par.11). Therefore, this claim is rejected for the same reasons as presented above.
Referring to claim 15:
Sone discloses information processing apparatus (image forming apparatus 1) having a function of setting values corresponding to a use environment of the information processing apparatus (see pg. 3-14), the information processing apparatus comprising:
at least one memory which stores a computer program and at least one processor which executes the computer program (pg. 9, par. 11: security management program stored in the HDD 92 is executed by the processor) to perform a process which comprises:
receiving selection of one environment from among different environments as the use environment of the information processing apparatus (pg. 14, par. 2-9: position information acquisition unit 108 acquires the position information of the image forming apparatus 1, which inherently must be chosen or selected by a user, and selection unit 109 selects the weighted storage table 93, corresponding to the region or area including the position indicated by the acquired position information, from the plurality of weighted storage tables 93).
While Sone recites in generally, an operation control unit for notifying the user (e.g., that a security setting is appropriate or that the security level cannot be calculated), Sone does not specifically recite providing a notification of the security setting values corresponding to the selected one environment and other security setting values that are replaced by the security setting values. However, Nishimura et al disclose such a feature (abstract, Fig. 1 & 8, and par. 44-45, 59-62, and 103-110: describes notification process for security changes and settings).
It would have been prima facie obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Sone in view of Nishimura to have provided a notification of the security setting values corresponding to the selected one environment and other security setting values that are replaced by the security setting values (i.e., a security setting changes) in order to improve user experience through notification of how security settings are being managed in different operating environments.
Claims 3-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sone in view of Nishimura et al as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Yeung et al (US 20090288147 A1).
Referring to claim 3-6:
Sone discloses a change of the extracted value by setting the values corresponding to the selected one environment causes a change to the security setting item. While Sone does not specifically recite a resulting change in the availability of a function corresponding to the change to the security setting item, Yeung et al disclose modification of a plurality of security functions associated with a mode of operation are simultaneously enabled via the document processing device and operations of the document processing device are thereafter controlled in accordance with each selectively enabled security function (par. 5). Yeung et al are concerned with managing a document processing device to embody both increased security (restricting availability of some functions) and performance features (permitting functions as much as possible balanced against security requirements).
Therefore, it would have been prima facie obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the combination of Sone and Nishimura with the notification improvement, further in view of Yeung et al, to have changed the availability of a function corresponding to a change to a security setting item based on the operational environment and to provide notification of the function corresponding to that security setting item, and the change of the availability of the function, including restrictions, corresponding to that security setting item, in order to optimize between security and performance of the image forming apparatus based on the operating environment of the image forming apparatus, and improve user experience through notification of function availability that results.
Claims 10-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sone in view of Nishimura et al as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of well-known prior art (MPEP 2144.03).
Referring to claim 10-12:
Sone discloses the information processing apparatus is an image forming apparatus and the extracted value includes a value of a security setting item as indicated above. While Sone does not specifically recite a security setting item related to communication between the printing apparatus and an external device, Sone notes the type and number of associated security functions stored in the security storage unit 92A is not particularly limited. The types of security setting items listed in claims 10-12 are all well-known in the prior art to restrict or control communication between the image forming apparatus and external devices including printing protocols used for communication, device management protocols used by an administrator (Sone discloses device management by an authenticated on page 15), file sharing protocols, display of administrative data such as print job histories, and print job file management such as retention and deletion of print jobs that have been competed, interrupted, suspended, or failed.
It would have been prima facie obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the combination of Sone and Nishimura in view of the well-known prior art to have considered an extracted security setting item having a values including those related to communication between the image forming apparatus and an external device as listed above in order to further improve security of the image forming apparatus based on the operating environment of the image forming apparatus.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 13 February 2026 was filed in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement has been considered by the examiner.
Applicant has not provided an explanation of relevance of cited document(s) summarized below.
Chiba (KR 20210110190 A) discloses an image forming device that includes a determination unit configured to determine whether a password set to the image forming device is an initial password, a lock function setting unit configured to enable a lock function preventing the setting of the image forming device from being changed with an operation unit or an operation screen of the image forming device, and a control unit configured to perform control so that a screen of a setting to operate the image forming device via a client terminal is not displayed in response to the password being the initial password as the password.
Nishimura et al (JP 2014219962 A / US 20140310767 A1 applied above) disclose a security management system which manages security of a plurality of types of client devices connected with each other via a network by automatically setting security setting values. The system comprises reception means which receives information for changing a security level of one of the client devices, determination means which, for changing a security setting value of the one of the client devices according to the received information for changing its security level, on the basis of a definition table defining security setting values of the plurality of types of client devices, determines the specific client device for changing its security setting value and the security setting value to be changed, and notification means which notifies the determined specific client device of the security setting value to be changed.
Nishimura (JP 2003092649 A) provides an image forming device capable of reusing image data of an interrupted print job by storing the image data with security when a print job is interrupted resulting from a number of printable sheets in an accounting function reaching zero. The image forming device and composite machine comprise an image data transfer control means for transferring image data whose print job is interrupted to a storage means separately provided from an image memory when an accounting function supervisory means detects ineffective operation of an accounting function that results in interrupting the print job.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Scott Rogers whose telephone number is 571-272-7467. The examiner can normally be reached 8 am to 7 pm flex.
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, Abderrahim Merouan can be reached on 571-270-5254. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/Scott A Rogers/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2683
28 June 2026
Prosecution Insights