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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the position of the transport device (claim 6), the transport device that transports the printed matter output by the printing device in a loaded state (claim 7), the transport device not present at a position where printed matter is loaded (claim 8), the output of printed matter (claims 1, 3, and 11-14), transport of printed matter (claims 1, 5, 7, 13, and 14), post-processing on printed matter (claims 1-14) must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claims 1, 13, and 14 recite that a control unit grasps a transport situation. This phrase is not generally understood in this context. To grasp may be to get mental hold of, to comprehend, to take hold of, to grip – all attributes understandable were it a human or physical gripper grasping. It is not clear that a control unit can grasp nor is it clear how this terminology should be understood in view of the disclosure as whole. Are there sensors sensing the position of a transport device? None were illustrated nor were described within the Specification. The dependent claims are similarly indefinite by virtue of their dependency.
Claim 3 recites the limitations "the number of transport operations required to start the post-processing” and “the required number of times.” There is insufficient antecedent basis for these limitations in the claim. Nor is it understood what would be requisite to be considered required. Furthermore, it is not clear how the control unit acquires the number of transport operations required to start the post-processing.
Claim 11 recites that the control unit controls an output order in which the printing device outputs the printed matter. This limitation is not understood. Of what is “an output order in which the printing device outputs the printed matter” representative? The disclosure does not provide meaningful discussion nor illustration such that one of ordinary skill in the art would understand the boundaries of the inventive subject matter. See MPEP 2173.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
As best understood, claim(s) 1-3, 13, and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yamaguchi US 8,896,865 (“Yamaguchi”).
Regarding claims 1, 13, and 14, Yamaguchi disclosed a printing system, associated method and control device, comprising:
a printing device (102) that performs printing on the basis of a given instruction and outputs a printed matter;
a transport device (including 403, see also col. 6, lines 12-23) that transports the printed matter output by the printing device;
a post-processing device (103) that performs post-processing on the printed matter transported by the transport device; and
a control unit (401) that grasps a transport situation of the transport device and controls a process in the post-processing device from the grasped transport situation.
Regarding claim 2, Yamaguchi disclosed the control unit controls a start of the post-processing in the post-processing device (col. 6, lines 24-26).
Regarding claim 3, Yamaguchi disclosed the control unit acquires the number of transport operations required to start the post-processing in a case in which the printed matter output by the printing device is transported in a plurality of parts by the transport device and starts the post-processing in a case in which the printed matter has been transported the required number of times.
As best understood, claim(s) 1-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by JP 2022070211 (“JP ‘211”).
Regarding claims 1, 13, and 14, JP ‘211 disclosed a printing system, associated method and control device, comprising:
a printing device (3) that performs printing on the basis of a given instruction and outputs a printed matter;
a transport device (20) that transports the printed matter output by the printing device;
a post-processing device (including 5) that performs post-processing on the printed matter transported by the transport device; and
a control unit (210) that grasps a transport situation of the transport device and controls a process in the post-processing device from the grasped transport situation.
Regarding claim 2, JP ‘211 disclosed the control unit controls a start of the post-processing in the post-processing device (via 205).
Regarding claim 3, JP ‘211 disclosed the control unit acquires the number of transport operations required to start the post-processing in a case in which the printed matter output by the printing device is transported in a plurality of parts by the transport device and starts the post-processing in a case in which the printed matter has been transported the required number of times (see at least paragraphs 0106 - 0108).
Regarding claims 4 and 5, JP ‘211 disclosed the control unit starts the post-processing in a case in which it is possible to start the post-processing even in a stage in which only a part of the printed matter has been transported, or the control unit starts the post-processing after all of the printed matter is transported paragraphs (see at least paragraphs 0102 - 0107).
Regarding claim 6, JP ‘211 disclosed the transport situation of the transport device is a position of the transport device (see at least paragraphs 0098 and 0103).
Regarding claim 7, JP ‘211 disclosed the transport device transports the printed matter output by the printing device in a loaded state (see at least Figure 6).
Regarding claim 8, the control unit may stop the printing by the printing device (at the end of a job) even in a case in which the transport device is not present at a position where the printed matter is loaded.
Regarding claims 9 and 10, JP ‘211 disclosed the control unit calculates a capacity of the printed matter that is capable of being loaded on the transport device and directs the printing device to perform the printing up to the capacity of the printed matter that is capable of being loaded on the transport device and to pause the printing in a case in which an output amount of the printed matter output by the printing device is larger than the capacity of the printed matter that is capable of being loaded on the transport device. And, the control unit directs the printing device to resume the printing in a case in which a new transport device that is capable of transporting the printed matter is present at the position where the printed matter is loaded in a state in which the printing by the printing device is paused (see Modification 5).
Regarding claims 11 and 12, JP ‘211 disclosed the control unit controls an output order in which the printing device outputs the printed matter. The control unit may direct the printing device to output the printed matter in descending order of a paper size of the printed matter (see at least paragraphs 0080 - 0081).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HOWARD J SANDERS whose telephone number is (571)270-3096. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00-5:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Michael McCullough can be reached at (571) 272-7805. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/HOWARD J SANDERS/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3653