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 .
Priority
2. Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d).
Status of Claims
3. Claims 1-16 are pending in this application.
Oath/Declaration
The receipt of Oath/Declaration is acknowledged.
Drawings
5. The receipt of Drawings is acknowledged.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
6. 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 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.
7. 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.
8. The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
9. The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied 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.
10. Claims 1-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Osada (US PG. Pub. 2014/0140747 A1) in view of Kwon(US PG. Pub. 2005/0141903 A1).
Referring to Claim 1, Osada teaches a printing system (See Osada, Fig. 1, Sect. [0029], Printing System 1000) comprising:
a first information processing apparatus (See Osada, Fig. 1, PC 501) including at least one memory (See Osada, Fig. 5, Memories 602, 603 and 604, Sect. [0095], The PC 501 includes CPU 601 with embedded RAM 602, ROM 603, and HDD 604) storing at least one first program (See Osada, Sect. [0098], ROM 603 of PC 501 stores a program to be read out by the CPU 601.), and
at least one first processor (See Osada, Fig. 6, Processor CPU 601, Sect. [0096], The CPU 601 is a processor that controls the PC 501.);
a second information processing apparatus (See Osada, Fig. 1, PC 502) connected with the first information processing apparatus (See Osada, Fig. 1, PC 502 and 501, Sect. [0030] lines 4-5, the PCs 501 and 502 are connected and can communicate with each other through the LAN 500.), the second information processing apparatus (See Osada, Fig. 5, PC 502, Sect. [0094] lines 1-2, The PC 502 has the same configuration as PC 501 as shown in Fig. 5) including at least one memory (See Osada, Fig. 5, Memories 602, 603 and 604, Sect. [0095], The PC 502 includes CPU 601 with embedded RAM 602, ROM 603, and HDD 604) storing at least one second program (See Osada, Sect. [0099], The HDD 604 is a mass memory storage that stores therein an application program, a printer driver and image data generated by the application program), and
at least one second processor (See Osada, Fig. 6, Processor CPU 601, Sect. [0096], The CPU 601 is a processor that controls the PC 502.; and
an image forming apparatus (See Osada, Fig. 1, Printing Apparatus 100) connected with the first information processing apparatus (See Osada, Fig. 1, Sect. [0030], 3-5, The printing apparatus 100 is connected to PCs 501 and 502 are through the LAN 500.),
wherein the at least one first processor reads the at least one first program from the at least one first memory (See Osada, Sect. [0098], The CPU 601 reads out a program stored in the ROM 603) and executes it to perform a first print service configured to store a print job (See Osada, Figs. 6 and 7, Sect. [0119], When the OK button is pressed with the setting made in the duplex printing menu 1710 and the staple menu 1711, the CPU 601 of the PC 501 stores print job setting contents in the RAM 602 as the settings for a print job which is displayed on display unit 608 screen illustrated in FIG. 6.),
the at least one second processor reads the at least one second program from the at least one second memory (See Osada, Sect. [0210], as shown in Fig. 15, as the CPU 601 of the PC 502 reads out and executes a program stored in the ROM, the processing starts when the user specifies the image to be printed on the PC 502 and activates the printer driver) and executes it to perform a second print service (See Osada, Sect. [0220], In step S5007, the CPU 601 determines whether the number of sheets to be printed exceeds or does not exceed the upper limit of the number of sheets.),
the second print service holds a maximum print amount and a current print amount (See Osada, Sect. [0160] lines 6-8, The upper limit may be determined based on the maximum number of sheets the post-processing unit 117 can hold with the bundle tray 60), and
if the total of the print amount according to the print job and the current print amount does not exceed the maximum print amount, causes the image forming apparatus to execute the print job (See Osada, Fig. 15, Step S2015, Sect. [0185] lines 1-6, In step S2015, the CPU 101 determines whether the number of sheets to be printed exceeds the upper limit of the number of stapled sheets, if the CPU 101 determines that the number of sheets to be printed does not exceed the upper limit of the number of stapled sheets, the printing continues execution).
Osada fails to explicitly teach
the first print service
when the image forming apparatus executes the print job, obtains the maximum print amount and the current print amount from the second print service,
determines whether a total of a print amount according to the print job and the current print amount exceeds the maximum print amount.
However, Kwon teaches
the first print service
when the image forming apparatus executes the print job, obtains the maximum print amount and the current print amount from the second print service (See Kwon, Sect. [0023], image forming device may include a printout counter that counts the actual number of the printed sheets when the engine part executes printing, and a memory containing the maximum number of the printable sheets),
determines whether a total of a print amount according to the print job and the current print amount exceeds the maximum print amount (See Kwon, Sect. [0024], the controller determines a total number of the printed sheets by compensating the actual number of the printed sheets based on the environmental information, and determines when the actual number of the printed sheets exceeds a predetermined maximum number of printable sheets.).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to incorporate the first print service when the image forming apparatus executes the print job, obtains the maximum print amount and the current print amount from the second print service, determines whether a total of a print amount according to the print job and the current print amount exceeds the maximum print amount. The motivation for doing so would have been provide an image forming device capable of determining an actual replacement time of a component by differentially counting a number of printed sheets depending on overall environment, and a method thereof (See Sect. [0019] of the Kwon reference). Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine Osada and Kwon to obtain the invention as specified in claim 1.
Referring to Claim 2, the combination Osada in view of Kwon teaches the printing system according to claim 1 (See Osada, Fig. 1, Sect. [0029], Printing System 1000), wherein
when causing the image forming apparatus to execute the print job, the first print service transmits the print amount according to the print job to the second print service (See Osada, Fig. 15, Steps S5011, Sect. [0225], In step S5011, when causing the printing apparatus 100 to perform the printing of the image data from the top page of a print job, the CPU 601 transmits the print settings and the image data to the printing apparatus 100), and
the second print service adds the print amount according to the print job to the current print amount (See Osada, Fig. 12, Step S2103, Print Page Increment, Sect. [0201], In step S2103, the CPU 101 increments by 1 the page counter P prepared in step S2001, which represents the number of pages stored in the HDD 10.) and updates the current print amount (See Osada, Fig. 12, Sect. [0202] lines 1-2, In step S2104, the CPU 101 updates the number of sheets to be printed.).
Referring to Claim 3, the combination Osada in view of Kwon teaches the printing system according to claim 1 (See Osada, Fig. 1, Sect. [0029], Printing System 1000).
Osada fails to explicitly teach
wherein
the first print service
obtains a property to be used as the maximum print amount from the second print service, and
in a case where the property to be used as the maximum print amount is a unique property of the second print service, the first print service obtains a print amount using a calculation method of calculating the unique property from a common property which is in common with the second print service.
However, Kwon teaches
wherein
the first print service
obtains a property to be used as the maximum print amount from the second print service (See Kwon, Sect. [0072], In FIG. 5, the maximum number of the printable sheets in the L/L environment, the N/N environment, and the H/H environment is approximately 40K, 60K, and 90K, respectively. Provided that one of the L/L environment, the N/N environment, and the H/H environment is a reference section), and
in a case where the property to be used as the maximum print amount is a unique property of the second print service, the first print service obtains a print amount using a calculation method of calculating the unique property from a common property which is in common with the second print service (See Kwon, Sect. [0073], The image forming device is utilized generally in the N/N environment. Provided that 60K, which is the maximum number of the printable sheets in the N/N environment, is defined as a reference 1, the maximum number of the printable sheets in the L/L environment is approximately 0.66 and the maximum number of the printable sheets in the H/H environment is approximately 1.5. Next, the compensation coefficient is determined in inverse proportion to the ratio. Specifically, when one sheet is actually printed out, it is regarded that one sheet is printed out in the N/N environment, 1.5 (1/0.66) sheets are printed out in the L/L environment, and 0.66 (1/1.5) sheet is printed out in the H/H environment. Accordingly, 1, 1.5, and 0.66 respectively are the compensation coefficient in the N/N, the L/L, and the H/H environments).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to incorporate wherein the first print service
obtains a property to be used as the maximum print amount from the second print service, and in a case where the property to be used as the maximum print amount is a unique property of the second print service, the first print service obtains a print amount using a calculation method of calculating the unique property from a common property which is in common with the second print service. The motivation for doing so would have been provide an image forming device capable of determining an actual replacement time of a component by differentially counting a number of printed sheets depending on overall environment, and a method thereof (See Sect. [0019] of the Kwon reference). Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine Osada and Kwon to obtain the invention as specified in claim 3.
Referring to Claim 4, the combination Osada in view of Kwon teaches the printing system according to claim 3 (See Osada, Fig. 1, Sect. [0029], Printing System 1000), wherein
the first print service provides a user interface (See Osada, Fig. 5, Operation Unit 606 as User Interface, Sect. [0100], The operation unit I/F 605 serves as an interface unit for the operation unit 606, and transmits the information instructed by the user of the PC 501 through the operation unit 606 to the CPU 601.).
Osada fails to expliclty teach
wherein
for setting the calculation method of calculating the unique property from the common property.
However Kwon teaches,
wherein
for setting the calculation method of calculating the unique property from the common property (See Kwon, Sect. [0074], The total number of the printed sheets is calculated using an equation of L=A+1.5B+0.66C. L denotes the total number of the printed sheets, A denotes the actual number of the printed sheets in the N/N environment, B denotes the actual number of the printed sheets in the L/L environment, and C denotes the actual number of the printed sheets in the H/H environment. Therefore, 1, 1.5, and 0.66 are respectively the compensation coefficient in the N/N, the L/L, and the H/H environments.).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to incorporate for setting the calculation method of calculating the unique property from the common property. The motivation for doing so would have been provide an image forming device capable of determining an actual replacement time of a component by differentially counting a number of printed sheets depending on overall environment, and a method thereof (See Sect. [0019] of the Kwon reference). Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine Osada and Kwon to obtain the invention as specified in claim 4.
Referring to Claim 5, the combination Osada in view of Kwon teaches the printing system according to claim 1 (See Osada, Fig. 1, Sect. [0029], Printing System 1000).
Osada fails to explicitly teach
wherein
the maximum print amount and the current print amount are managed for each user, and
the first print service
obtains from the second print service the maximum print amount and the current print amount of a user that causes the image forming apparatus to execute the print job, and
determines whether the total of the print amount according to the print job and the current print amount exceeds the maximum print amount.
Kwon teaches
wherein
the maximum print amount and the current print amount are managed for each user (See Kwon, Sect. [0023], The image forming device may further include a printout counter counting the actual number of the printed sheets of the engine part, and a memory containing the maximum number of the printable sheets), and
the first print service
obtains from the second print service the maximum print amount and the current print amount of a user that causes the image forming apparatus to execute the print job (See Kwon, Sect. [0063], the total number of the printed sheets is determined by compensating the actual number of the printed sheets based on a diverse environment. Optimal maximum numbers of the printable sheets, which are determined through experiments in the diverse environment, are compared, and the compensation coefficient for the environment is determined based on a ratio of the compared results. Next, the actual numbers of the printed sheets, which are counted in the diverse environment, are compensated using the related compensation coefficients, and added all together so as to obtain the total number of the printed sheets.), and
determines whether the total of the print amount according to the print job and the current print amount exceeds the maximum print amount (See Kwon, Sect. [0054], The controller 120 measures a total number of the sheets actually printed by consecutively accumulating the number of the printed sheets counted in the printout counter 140. The printout counter 140 counts the actual number of the printed sheets to determine the excess of the maximum number of the printable sheets. The printout counter 140 determines the number of the printed sheets by counting a number of revolutions of a pickup roller which feeds printing sheets.).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to incorporate wherein the maximum print amount and the current print amount are managed for each user, and the first print service
obtains from the second print service the maximum print amount and the current print amount of a user that causes the image forming apparatus to execute the print job, and
determines whether the total of the print amount according to the print job and the current print amount exceeds the maximum print amount. The motivation for doing so would have been provide an image forming device capable of determining an actual replacement time of a component by differentially counting a number of printed sheets depending on overall environment, and a method thereof (See Sect. [0019] of the Kwon reference). Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine Osada and Kwon to obtain the invention as specified in claim 5.
Referring to Claim 6, the combination Osada in view of Kwon teaches the printing system according to claim 5 (See Osada, Fig. 1, Sect. [0029], Printing System 1000), wherein
the first print service and the second print service identify an identity of a user by associating a user of the first print service and a user of the second print service (See Osada, Fig. 6, User Interface Operation Unit 606, Sect. [0106], The screen of the printer driver in FIG. 6 identifies the user that operates the operation unit 606 to operate the screen of the printer driver, and thus performs print service settings.).
Referring to Claim 7, the combination Osada in view of Kwon teaches the printing system according to claim 1 (See Osada, Fig. 1, Sect. [0029], Printing System 1000).
Osada fails to explicitly teach
wherein
the first print service is a print service that supports a setting common to an image forming apparatus and does not support a setting unique to a manufacturer of the image forming apparatus, and
the second print service is a print service that supports the setting unique to the manufacturer of the image forming apparatus.
However, Kwon teaches
wherein
the first print service is a print service that supports a setting common to an image forming apparatus and does not support a setting unique to a manufacturer of the image forming apparatus (See Kwon, Sect. [0052], a life span of the component of the image forming device is determined based on a number of printed sheets. The substantial life span of the component is measured by compensating the number of the printed sheets based on the environmental information measured with respect to all circumstances in the environment detector 130.), and
the second print service is a print service that supports the setting unique to the manufacturer of the image forming apparatus (See Kwon, Sect. [0053], The memory 150 contains a maximum number of printable sheets as well as the operating condition of each component. The maximum number of the printable sheets represents the maximum number of pages that each component affords to print and the maximum number of the printable sheets is experimentally measured by a manufacturer of the image forming device, and is contained in the memory 150.).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to incorporate wherein the first print service is a print service that supports a setting common to an image forming apparatus and does not support a setting unique to a manufacturer of the image forming apparatus, and the second print service is a print service that supports the setting unique to the manufacturer of the image forming apparatus. The motivation for doing so would have been provide an image forming device capable of determining an actual replacement time of a component by differentially counting a number of printed sheets depending on overall environment, and a method thereof (See Sect. [0019] of the Kwon reference). Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine Osada and Kwon to obtain the invention as specified in claim 7.
Referring to Claim 8, the combination Osada teaches a first information processing apparatus (See Osada, Fig. 1, Print System 1000) comprising:
at least one memory (See Osada, Fig. 5, Memories 602, 603 and 604, Sect. [0095], The PC 501 includes CPU 601 with embedded RAM 602, ROM 603, and HDD 604) storing at least one first program (See Osada, Sect. [0098], ROM 603 of PC 501 stores a program to be read out by the CPU 601.); and
at least one first processor (See Osada, Fig. 6, Processor CPU 601, Sect. [0096], The CPU 601 is a processor that controls the PC 501.), wherein the at least one first processor reads the at least one first program from the at least one first memory and executes it to perform (See Osada, Sect. [0098], The CPU 601 reads out a program stored in the ROM 603):
holding a print job (See Osada, Figs. 6 and 7, Sect. [0119], When the OK button is pressed with the setting made in the duplex printing menu 1710 and the staple menu 1711, the CPU 601 of the PC 501 stores print job setting contents in the RAM 602 as the settings for a print job which is displayed on display unit 608 screen illustrated in FIG. 6.);
when an image forming apparatus connected to the first information processing apparatus executes the print job (See Osada, Fig. 1, Sect. [0052] lines 1-3, The printing apparatus 100 executes a print job by receiving image data from an external apparatus such as the PCs 501),
in a case where the total of the print amount according to the print job and the current print amount does not exceed the maximum print amount, causing the image forming apparatus to execute the print job (See Osada, Fig. 15, Step S2015, Sect. [0185] lines 1-6, In step S2015, the CPU 101 determines whether the number of sheets to be printed exceeds the upper limit of the number of stapled sheets, if the CPU 101 determines that the number of sheets to be printed does not exceed the upper limit of the number of stapled sheets, the printing continues execution).
Osada fails to explicitly teach
obtaining a maximum print amount and a current print amount from a second information processing apparatus ;
determining whether a total of a print amount according to the print job and the current print amount exceeds the maximum print amount.
However, Kwon teaches
obtaining a maximum print amount and a current print amount from a second information processing apparatus (See Kwon, Sect. [0023], image forming device may include a printout counter that counts the actual number of the printed sheets when the engine part executes printing, and a memory containing the maximum number of the printable sheets);
determining whether a total of a print amount according to the print job and the current print amount exceeds the maximum print amount (See Kwon, Sect. [0024], the controller determines a total number of the printed sheets by compensating the actual number of the printed sheets based on the environmental information, and determines when the actual number of the printed sheets exceeds a predetermined maximum number of printable sheets.).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to incorporate obtaining a maximum print amount and a current print amount from a second information processing apparatus; determining whether a total of a print amount according to the print job and the current print amount exceeds the maximum print amount. The motivation for doing so would have been provide an image forming device capable of determining an actual replacement time of a component by differentially counting a number of printed sheets depending on overall environment, and a method thereof (See Sect. [0019] of the Kwon reference). Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine Osada and Kwon to obtain the invention as specified in claim 8.
Referring to Claim 9, the combination Osada in view of Kwon teaches the first information processing apparatus according to claim 8 (See Osada, Fig. 1, Print System 1000), wherein
when causing the image forming apparatus to execute the print job, the first information processing apparatus transmits the print amount according to the print job to the second information processing apparatus (See Osada, Fig. 15, Steps S5011, Sect. [0225], In step S5011, when causing the printing apparatus 100 to perform the printing of the image data from the top page of a print job, the CPU 601 transmits the print settings and the image data to the printing apparatus 100), and
the second information processing apparatus adds the print amount according to the print job to the current print amount and updates the current print amount (See Osada, Fig. 12, Step S2103, Print Page Increment, Sect. [0201], In step S2103, the CPU 101 increments by 1 the page counter P prepared in step S2001, which represents the number of pages stored in the HDD 10.) and updates the current print amount (See Osada, Fig. 12, Sect. [0202] lines 1-2, In step S2104, the CPU 101 updates the number of sheets to be printed.).
Referring to Claim 10, the combination Osada in view of Kwon teaches the first information processing apparatus according to claim 8 (See Osada, Fig. 1, Print System 1000).
Osada fails to explicitly teach
wherein
the at least one first processor performs:
obtaining a property to be used as the maximum print amount from the second information processing apparatus, and
in a case where the property to be used as the maximum print amount is a unique property of the second information processing apparatus, the first information processing apparatus obtains a print amount using a calculation method of calculating the unique property from a common property which is in common with the second information processing apparatus.
However, Kwon teaches
wherein
the at least one first processor (See Kwon, Fig. 3, Controller 120) performs:
obtaining a property to be used as the maximum print amount from the second information processing apparatus (See Kwon, Sect. [0072], In FIG. 5, the maximum number of the printable sheets in the L/L environment, the N/N environment, and the H/H environment is approximately 40K, 60K, and 90K, respectively. Provided that one of the L/L environment, the N/N environment, and the H/H environment is a reference section), and
in a case where the property to be used as the maximum print amount is a unique property of the second information processing apparatus, the first information processing apparatus obtains a print amount using a calculation method of calculating the unique property from a common property which is in common with the second information processing apparatus (See Kwon, Sect. [0073], The image forming device is utilized generally in the N/N environment. Provided that 60K, which is the maximum number of the printable sheets in the N/N environment, is defined as a reference 1, the maximum number of the printable sheets in the L/L environment is approximately 0.66 and the maximum number of the printable sheets in the H/H environment is approximately 1.5. Next, the compensation coefficient is determined in inverse proportion to the ratio. Specifically, when one sheet is actually printed out, it is regarded that one sheet is printed out in the N/N environment, 1.5 (1/0.66) sheets are printed out in the L/L environment, and 0.66 (1/1.5) sheet is printed out in the H/H environment. Accordingly, 1, 1.5, and 0.66 respectively are the compensation coefficient in the N/N, the L/L, and the H/H environments).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to incorporate wherein the at least one first processor performs: obtaining a property to be used as the maximum print amount from the second information processing apparatus, and in a case where the property to be used as the maximum print amount is a unique property of the second information processing apparatus, the first information processing apparatus obtains a print amount using a calculation method of calculating the unique property from a common property which is in common with the second information processing apparatus. The motivation for doing so would have been provide an image forming device capable of determining an actual replacement time of a component by differentially counting a number of printed sheets depending on overall environment, and a method thereof (See Sect. [0019] of the Kwon reference). Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine Osada and Kwon to obtain the invention as specified in claim 10.
Referring to Claim 11, the combination Osada in view of Kwon teaches the first information processing apparatus according to claim 10 (See Osada, Fig. 1, Print System 1000), wherein
the at least one first processor (See Fig. 6, CPU 601) performs:
providing a user interface (See Osada, Fig. 5, Operation Unit 606 as User Interface, Sect. [0100], The operation unit I/F 605 serves as an interface unit for the operation unit 606, and transmits the information instructed by the user of the PC 501 through the operation unit 606 to the CPU 601.).
Osada fails
for setting the calculation method of calculating the unique property from the common property.
However Kwon teaches,
wherein
for setting the calculation method of calculating the unique property from the common property (See Kwon, Sect. [0074], The total number of the printed sheets is calculated using an equation of L=A+1.5B+0.66C. L denotes the total number of the printed sheets, A denotes the actual number of the printed sheets in the N/N environment, B denotes the actual number of the printed sheets in the L/L environment, and C denotes the actual number of the printed sheets in the H/H environment. Therefore, 1, 1.5, and 0.66 are respectively the compensation coefficient in the N/N, the L/L, and the H/H environments.).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to incorporate for setting the calculation method of calculating the unique property from the common property. The motivation for doing so would have been provide an image forming device capable of determining an actual replacement time of a component by differentially counting a number of printed sheets depending on overall environment, and a method thereof (See Sect. [0019] of the Kwon reference). Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine Osada and Kwon to obtain the invention as specified in claim 11.
Referring to Claim 12, the combination Osada in view of Kwon teaches the first information processing apparatus according to claim 8 (See Osada, Fig. 1, Print System 1000).
Osada fails to explicitly teach
wherein
the maximum print amount and the current print amount are managed for each user, and
the at least one first processor performs:
obtaining from the second information processing apparatus the maximum print amount and the current print amount of a user that causes the image forming apparatus to execute the print job, and
determining whether the total of the print amount according to the print job and the current print amount exceeds the maximum print amount.
However, Kwon teaches
wherein
the maximum print amount and the current print amount are managed for each user (See Kwon, Sect. [0023], The image forming device may further include a printout counter counting the actual number of the printed sheets of the engine part, and a memory containing the maximum number of the printable sheets), and
the at least one first processor (See Kwon, Fig. 3, Controller 1210) performs:
obtaining from the second information processing apparatus the maximum print amount and the current print amount of a user that causes the image forming apparatus to execute the print job (See Kwon, Sect. [0063], the total number of the printed sheets is determined by compensating the actual number of the printed sheets based on a diverse environment. Optimal maximum numbers of the printable sheets, which are determined through experiments in the diverse environment, are compared, and the compensation coefficient for the environment is determined based on a ratio of the compared results. Next, the actual numbers of the printed sheets, which are counted in the diverse environment, are compensated using the related compensation coefficients, and added all together so as to obtain the total number of the printed sheets.), and
determining whether the total of the print amount according to the print job and the current print amount exceeds the maximum print amount (See Kwon, Sect. [0054], The controller 120 measures a total number of the sheets actually printed by consecutively accumulating the number of the printed sheets counted in the printout counter 140. The printout counter 140 counts the actual number of the printed sheets to determine the excess of the maximum number of the printable sheets. The printout counter 140 determines the number of the printed sheets by counting a number of revolutions of a pickup roller which feeds printing sheets.)..
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to incorporate wherein the maximum print amount and the current print amount are managed for each user, and the at least one first processor performs: obtaining from the second information processing apparatus the maximum print amount and the current print amount of a user that causes the image forming apparatus to execute the print job, and determining whether the total of the print amount according to the print job and the current print amount exceeds the maximum print amount. The motivation for doing so would have been provide an image forming device capable of determining an actual replacement time of a component by differentially counting a number of printed sheets depending on overall environment, and a method thereof (See Sect. [0019] of the Kwon reference). Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine Osada and Kwon to obtain the invention as specified in claim 12.
Referring to Claim 13, the combination Osada in view of Kwon teaches the first information processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein
the first information processing apparatus and the second information processing apparatus identify an identity of a user by associating a user of the first information processing apparatus and a user of the second information processing apparatus (See Osada, Fig. 6, User Interface Operation Unit 606, Sect. [0106], The screen of the printer driver in FIG. 6 identifies the user that operates the operation unit 606 to operate the screen of the printer driver, and thus performs print service settings.).
Referring to Claim 14, the combination Osada in view of Kwon teaches the first information processing apparatus according to claim 8 (See Osada, Fig. 1, Print System 1000).
Osada fails to explicitly teach
the first information processing apparatus is an information processing apparatus that supports a setting common to an image forming apparatus and does not support a setting unique to a manufacturer of the image forming apparatus, and
the second information processing apparatus is an information processing apparatus that supports the setting unique to the manufacturer of the image forming apparatus.
However, Kwon teaches
wherein
the first information processing apparatus is an information processing apparatus that supports a setting common to an image forming apparatus and does not support a setting unique to a manufacturer of the image forming apparatus (See Kwon, Sect. [0052], a life span of the component of the image forming device is determined based on a number of printed sheets. The substantial life span of the component is measured by compensating the number of the printed sheets based on the environmental information measured with respect to all circumstances in the environment detector 130.), and
the second information processing apparatus is an information processing apparatus that supports the setting unique to the manufacturer of the image forming apparatus (See Kwon, Sect. [0053], The manufacturer may determine the division of the environment by considering the manufacturing cost and the capacity of the controller 120.).
Referring to Claim 15, arguments analogous to claim 1 are applicable herein. The structural elements of “A printing system” in claim 1 perform all of the operations of “A method” in claim 15. Thus, “A method” in claim 15 is rejected for reasons explicitly taught in the rejection of claim 1.
Referring to Claim 16, arguments analogous to claim 8 are applicable herein. Thus, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 is explicitly/inherently taught as evidenced by (See Osada, Sect. [0240], a computer of a system or apparatus that reads out and executes computer executable instructions recorded on a storage medium (e.g., non-transitory computer-readable storage medium) to perform the functions of one or more of the above-described embodiment(s) of the present invention, and by a method performed by the computer of the system or apparatus by, for example, reading out and executing the computer executable instructions from the storage medium to perform the functions of one or more of the above-described embodiment(s). The computer may comprise one or more of a central processing unit (CPU), micro processing unit (MPU), or other circuitry, and may include a network of separate computers or separate computer processors. The computer executable instructions may be provided to the computer, for example, from a network or the storage medium. The storage medium may include, for example, one or more of a hard disk, a random-access memory (RAM), a read only memory (ROM), a storage of distributed computing systems, an optical disk (such as a compact disc (CD), digital versatile disc (DVD), or Blu-ray Disc (BD).TM.), a flash memory device, a memory card, and the like. and various memories stored therein.
Cited Art
11. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure Shinyashiki (US PAT. No. 4,724,460) discloses in Col. 14 lines 45-57, in order to compute the total number of copying papers required in a two-sided copying or a multiple copying that makes use of the temporary collecting unit 69, a microcomputer 255 shown in FIG. 12 receives a signal that shows the number of sheets of manuscripts present from the optical sensor 253, as well as the signal that indicates the number of copies to be taken, that is set by the operating button in the operating unit 85. At the point in time when the computed total number of sheets exceeds the prescribed maximum number of sheets that are collectable in the temporary collecting unit 69, it is programmed that a signal is output to forbid copying.
Conclusion
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/DARRYL V DOTTIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2683
/DARRYL V DOTTIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2683