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
Examiner acknowledges the following data:
Parent data
18518348 filed 11/22/2023 claims foreign priority to 2022-189866, filed 11/29/2022.
Information Disclosure statements
The information disclosure statements (IDS) were submitted and filed on 11/22/2023, 07/23/2024 and 04/09/2025. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
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 1-16 and 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yokoyama (US 2016/0378411) in view of Paris (US 2022/0391461).
Regarding claim 1, Yokoyama discloses control method (fig. 5, control method) for controlling a first information processing apparatus (fig. 1, item 102, printer) including a predetermined program configured to run on an operating system (OS) and having a first operation environment being on a first OS running as a host OS but not being on a guest OS (fig. 4 depicts a printer 102 (first information processing apparatus) including a predetermined program to run on an embedded operating system (OS) and in a first area being a first OS running as a host OS, [0040], line 1 and [0042], lines 1-5) and a second information processing apparatus (fig. 1, item 103, printer) including the predetermined program and having a second operation environment being on a second OS running as the host OS and being on the guest OS, the control method comprising (fig. 1 depicts a printer 103 (second information processing apparatus) including a predetermined program to run on an embedded operating system (OS) and in a second area being a second OS running as a host OS and being on the guest OS, [0040], line 1 and [0042], lines 1-5):
performing, based on the predetermined program being running in the first operation environment, a first process for searching for an apparatus using Wi-Fi Direct® in the first information processing apparatus (In S501, the CPU 201 searches, using the communication processing function 301, for a printer communicating in Wi-Fi Direct®. Specifically, the CPU 201 first performs the service discovery based on the Wi-Fi Direct®. The service discovery is performed with the method described above. Note that, in the present embodiment, only the printer 102 (first information processing apparatus) responds to the service discovery, [0052], lines 1-4), and
performing a process based on a result of the search by the first process in the first information processing apparatus (After that, when receiving the service information as the response to the service discovery from the printer 102 (first information processing apparatus), the CPU 201 checks (performing a process) the type of the service included in the acquired service information so as to determine whether the printer 102 (first information processing apparatus) includes the information about the print service, [0052], lines 1-6); and
Yokoyama does not specifically disclose concept of performing, based on the predetermined program being running in the second operation environment, a second process for controlling the predetermined program to not perform the first process in the second information processing apparatus and searching for an apparatus without using Wi-Fi Direct® in the second information processing apparatus, and
performing a process based on a result of the search by the second process in the second information processing apparatus.
However, Paris specifically teaches concept of performing, based on the predetermined program being running in the second operation environment, a second process for controlling the predetermined program to not perform the first process in the second information processing apparatus and searching for an apparatus without using Wi-Fi Direct® in the second information processing apparatus (fig. 9, when collaborative user does not share (first process) the search result to others (second information processing apparatus) and the process goes to 914 directly, where whether more collaborative users (searching for an apparatus without using Wi-Fi Direct® in the second information processing apparatus) are presented with the same search result is determined, [0052], lines 1-8), and
performing a process based on a result of the search by the second process in the second information processing apparatus (At 916, an intent with any user with respect to the same search result is estimated (second process) based on the records of the collaborative users (second information processing apparatus), [0052], lines 7-8).
At the time the invention was filed, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified system of Yokoyama with concept of performing, based on the predetermined program being running in the second operation environment, a second process for controlling the predetermined program to not perform the first process in the second information processing apparatus and searching for an apparatus without using Wi-Fi Direct® in the second information processing apparatus, and performing a process based on a result of the search by the second process in the second information processing apparatus of Paris. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to improve users search for and obtain access to information that is stored in a computer system, (Paris, [0003], lines 1-2)
Regarding claim 2, Yokoyama discloses control method (fig. 5, control method), wherein the first process is a process of instructing an OS running the predetermined program to perform the search for an apparatus using Wi-Fi Direct® (In S501, the CPU 201 searches, using the communication processing function 301, for a printer communicating in Wi-Fi Direct®. Specifically, the CPU 201 first performs the service discovery based on the Wi-Fi Direct®. The service discovery is performed with the method described above. Note that, in the present embodiment, only the printer 102 (first information processing apparatus) responds to the service discovery, [0052], lines 1-4).
Regarding claim 3, Yokoyama discloses control method (fig. 5, control method), wherein in a case where the predetermined program is running in the first operation environment, a third process of searching for an apparatus on a network to which the first information processing apparatus belongs using a first method is performed (In S502, the CPU 201 displays (third process) the printer 102 as the search result on the display unit 206 in accordance with the information stored in S501, using the display processing function 305 so as to present the search result to the user. Specifically, the CPU 201 displays the information, for example, about the model name of the printer 102 (first information processing apparatus) that is the information included in the acquired service information on the display unit 206.).
Regarding claim 4, Yokoyama discloses control method (fig. 5, control method), wherein the third process is a process of instructing an OS running the predetermined program to perform the search by the first method using a socket application programming interface (socket API) (In S502, the CPU 201 displays (third process) the printer 102 as the search result on the display unit 206 in accordance with the information stored in S501, using the display processing function 305 so as to present the search result to the user. Specifically, the CPU 201 displays the information, for example, about the model name of the printer 102 (first information processing apparatus) that is the information included in the acquired service information on the display unit 206, [0054], lines 1-4).
Regarding claim 5, Yokoyama discloses control method (fig. 5, control method), wherein the search by the first method is a broadcast search or a multicast search (smartphone 101 searches for a printer by issuing a broadcast requesting that the communication devices around the smartphone 101 and capable of communicating in Wi-Fi Direct® provide the service information to the communication devices and analyzing the service information provided as the response, [0033], lines 4-7).
Regarding claim 6, Yokoyama discloses control method (fig. 5, control method), wherein in the case where the predetermined program is running in the first operation environment, a display of an apparatus discovered through the search by the first method and a display of an apparatus discovered through the search by Wi-Fi Direct® are controlled so that the apparatus discovered through the search by the first method apparatus discovered through the search by Wi-Fi Direct® are distinguished from each other (In S502, the CPU 201 displays (third process) the printer 102 as the search result on the display unit 206 in accordance with the information stored in S501, using the display processing function 305 so as to present the search result to the user. Specifically, the CPU 201 displays the information, for example, about the model name of the printer 102 (first information processing apparatus) that is the information included in the acquired service information on the display unit 206, [0054], lines 1-4).
Regarding claim 7, Yokoyama discloses control method (fig. 5, control method), wherein the second process is a process of searching for an apparatus on a network to which the second information processing apparatus belongs using a second method (When searching for a communication device using the connection via an external access point, the smartphone 101 issues a broadcast issued in accordance with the search protocol used to search for a communication device to devices connected to the external access point. The smartphone 101 can recognize (second process) the device having the device_type tag including the information indicating that the device is a printer as a printer. Thus, this example shows that the model of the communication device is a printer, and the model name is “the printer 103” (second information processing apparatus), [0034], lines 2-4 and 7-9).
Regarding claim 8, Yokoyama discloses control method (fig. 5, control method),
Yokoyama does not specifically disclose concept of wherein the second process is a process of instructing an OS running the predetermined program to perform the search for an apparatus without using Wi-Fi Direct® using an API different from the socket API.
However, Paris specifically teaches concept of wherein the second process is a process of instructing an OS running the predetermined program to perform the search for an apparatus without using Wi-Fi Direct® using an API different from the socket API (fig. 9, when collaborative user does not share (first process) the search result to others (second information processing apparatus) and the process goes to 914 directly, where whether more collaborative users (searching for an apparatus without using Wi-Fi Direct® in the second information processing apparatus) are presented with the same search result is determined, [0052], lines 1-8).
At the time the invention was filed, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified system of Yokoyama with concept of wherein the second process is a process of instructing an OS running the predetermined program to perform the search for an apparatus without using Wi-Fi Direct® using an API different from the socket API of Paris. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to improve users search for and obtain access to information that is stored in a computer system, (Paris, [0003], lines 1-2)
Regarding claim 9, Yokoyama discloses control method (fig. 5, control method), wherein the API different from the socket API is a network service discovery API (In S502, the CPU 201 displays (third process) the printer 102 as the search result on the display unit 206 in accordance with the information stored in S501, using the display processing function 305 so as to present the search result to the user. Specifically, the CPU 201 displays the information, for example, about the model name of the printer 102 (first information processing apparatus) that is the information included in the acquired service information on the display unit 206, [0054], lines 1-4).
Regarding claim 10, Yokoyama discloses control method (fig. 5, control method), wherein the process based on the result of the search by the second process includes at least one of a process of displaying one or more apparatuses discovered through the search by the second process and a process of communicating with the one or more apparatuses discovered through the search by the second process (When searching for a communication device using the connection via an external access point, the smartphone 101 issues a broadcast issued in accordance with the search protocol used to search for a communication device to devices connected to the external access point. The smartphone 101 can recognize (second process) the device having the device_type tag including the information indicating that the device is a printer as a printer. Thus, this example shows that the model of the communication device is a printer, and the model name is “the printer 103” (second information processing apparatus), [0034], lines 2-4 and 7-9).
Regarding claim 11, Yokoyama discloses control method (fig. 5, control method),
wherein a third process of searching for at least one apparatus from one or more apparatuses discovered through the search by the second process is performed (In S502, the CPU 201 displays (third process) the printer 102 as the search result on the display unit 206 in accordance with the information stored in S501, using the display processing function 305 so as to present the search result to the user. Specifically, the CPU 201 displays the information, for example, about the model name of the printer 102 (first information processing apparatus) that is the information included in the acquired service information on the display unit 206, [0054], lines 1-4), and
wherein in a case where the third process is performed, a process based on a result of the search by the third process is performed (In S502, the CPU 201 displays (third process) the printer 102 as the search result on the display unit 206 in accordance with the information stored in S501, using the display processing function 305 so as to present the search result to the user. Specifically, the CPU 201 displays the information, for example, about the model name of the printer 102 (first information processing apparatus) that is the information included in the acquired service information on the display unit 206, [0054], lines 1-4).
Regarding claim 12, Yokoyama discloses control method (fig. 5, control method), wherein the third process is a process of transmitting a packet for the search to every one of the one or more apparatuses discovered through the search by the second process or a process of transmitting the packet for the search to an apparatus selected by a user from the one or more apparatuses discovered through the search by the second process (When searching for a communication device using the connection via an external access point, the smartphone 101 issues a broadcast issued in accordance with the search protocol used to search for a communication device to devices connected to the external access point. The smartphone 101 can recognize (second process) the device having the device type tag including the information indicating that the device is a printer as a printer. Thus, this example shows that the model of the communication device is a printer, and the model name is “the printer 103” (second information processing apparatus), [0034], lines 2-4 and 7-9).
Regarding claim 13, Yokoyama discloses control method (fig. 5, control method), wherein the third process is a process of instructing an OS running the predetermined program to perform a unicast search using a socket API (In S502, the CPU 201 displays (third process) the printer 102 as the search result on the display unit 206 in accordance with the information stored in S501, using the display processing function 305 so as to present the search result to the user. Specifically, the CPU 201 displays the information, for example, about the model name of the printer 102 (first information processing apparatus) that is the information included in the acquired service information on the display unit 206, [0054], lines 1-4).
Regarding claim 14, Yokoyama discloses control method (fig. 5, control method), wherein the process based on the result of the search by the third process includes at least one of a process of displaying one or more apparatuses discovered through the search by the third process and a process of communicating with the one or more apparatuses discovered through the search by the third process (In S502, the CPU 201 displays (third process) the printer 102 as the search result on the display unit 206 in accordance with the information stored in S501, using the display processing function 305 so as to present the search result to the user. Specifically, the CPU 201 displays the information, for example, about the model name of the printer 102 (first information processing apparatus) that is the information included in the acquired service information on the display unit 206, [0054], lines 1-4).
Regarding claim 15, Yokoyama discloses control method (fig. 5, control method), wherein the second process is a process of instructing an OS running the predetermined program to perform a unicast search using a socket API (When searching for a communication device using the connection via an external access point, the smartphone 101 issues a broadcast issued in accordance with the search protocol used to search for a communication device to devices connected to the external access point. The smartphone 101 can recognize (second process) the device having the device_type tag including the information indicating that the device is a printer as a printer. Thus, this example shows that the model of the communication device is a printer, and the model name is “the printer 103” (second information processing apparatus), [0034], lines 2-4 and 7-9).
Regarding claim 16, Yokoyama discloses control method (fig. 5, control method), further comprising performing a process of transmitting, to an apparatus discovered by the second process, at least one of a print job to include printing and a scan job to include scanning (The scan processing unit 405 controls a scanner device (not illustrated) included in the printer 102 so as to perform a process for reading a document, for example, in accordance with the scanning job received, for example, from the smartphone 101 or the operation to the operation unit 205. The image data read by the scan processing unit 405 is used for the printing by the print processing unit 404 or is transmitted to another device via the communication unit 406, [0045], lines 1-4).
Regarding claim 19, Yokoyama discloses control method (fig. 5, control method), further comprising performing a determination process of determining whether the predetermined program is running in the first operation environment or the second operation environment (fig. 4 depicts a printer 102 (first information processing apparatus) including a predetermined program to run on an embedded operating system (OS) and in a first area being a first OS running as a host OS in a first or second area, [0040], line 1 and [0042], lines 1-5),
wherein in a case where it is determined that the predetermined program is running in the second operation environment, the second process is performed (fig. 1 depicts a printer 103 (second information processing apparatus) including a predetermined program to run on an embedded operating system (OS) and in a second area being a second OS running as a host OS and being on the guest OS in a second area, [0040], line 1 and [0042], lines 1-5).
Regarding claim 20, Yokoyama discloses non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores a predetermined program configured to run on an OS, the predetermined program causing a computer of a first information processing apparatus (fig. 1, item 102, printer) having a first operation environment being on a first OS running as a host OS but not being on a guest OS to perform a first control method, the first control method comprising (Embodiment(s) of the present invention can also be realized by a computer of a system or apparatus that reads out and executes computer executable instructions (e.g., one or more programs) recorded on a storage medium (which may also be referred to more fully as a ‘non-transitory computer-readable storage medium’) where fig. 4 depicts a printer 102 (first information processing apparatus) including a predetermined program to run on an embedded operating system (OS) and in a first area being a first OS running as a host OS, [0040], line 1 and [0042], lines 1-5, [0081], lines 1-3):
performing, based on the predetermined program being running in the first operation environment, a first process for searching for an apparatus using Wi-Fi Direct® (In S501, the CPU 201 searches, using the communication processing function 301, for a printer communicating in Wi-Fi Direct®. Specifically, the CPU 201 first performs the service discovery based on the Wi-Fi Direct®. The service discovery is performed with the method described above. Note that, in the present embodiment, only the printer 102 (first information processing apparatus) responds to the service discovery, [0052], lines 1-4); and
performing a process based on a result of the search by the first process, and the predetermined program causing a computer of a second information processing apparatus having a second operation environment being on a second OS running as the host OS and being on the guest OS to perform a second control method, the second control method comprising (After that, when receiving the service information as the response to the service discovery from the printer 102 (first information processing apparatus), the CPU 201 checks (performing a process) the type of the service included in the acquired service information so as to determine whether the printer 102 (first information processing apparatus) includes the information about the print service, [0052], lines 1-6):
Yokoyama does not specifically disclose concept of performing, based on the predetermined program being running in the second operation environment, a second process for controlling the predetermined program to not perform the first process and searching for an apparatus without using Wi-Fi Direct®; and
performing a process based on a result of the search by the second process.
However, Paris specifically teaches concept of performing, based on the predetermined program being running in the second operation environment, a second process for controlling the predetermined program to not perform the first process and searching for an apparatus without using Wi-Fi Direct® (fig. 9, when collaborative user does not share (first process) the search result to others (second information processing apparatus) and the process goes to 914 directly, where whether more collaborative users (searching for an apparatus without using Wi-Fi Direct® in the second information processing apparatus) are presented with the same search result is determined, [0052], lines 1-8); and
performing a process based on a result of the search by the second process (At 916, an intent with any user with respect to the same search result is estimated (second process) based on the records of the collaborative users (second information processing apparatus), [0052], lines 7-8).
At the time the invention was filed, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified system of Yokoyama with concept of performing, based on the predetermined program being running in the second operation environment, a second process for controlling the predetermined program to not perform the first process and searching for an apparatus without using Wi-Fi Direct®; and performing a process based on a result of the search by the second process of Paris. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to improve users search for and obtain access to information that is stored in a computer system, (Paris, [0003], lines 1-2).
Claims 17 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yokoyama (US 2016/0378411) in view of Paris (US 2022/0391461) and further in view of Zhang et al (US 2021/0334540).
Regarding claim 17, Yokoyama discloses control method (fig. 5, control method),
Yokoyama and Paris do not specifically disclose concept of wherein in the first operation environment, the first OS being the host OS is an Android® OS, and the guest OS is not running on the host OS, and
wherein in the second operation environment, the second OS being the host OS is a Chrome® OS, and the guest OS is a virtual Android® OS.
However, Zhang et al specifically teaches concept of wherein in the first operation environment, the first OS being the host OS is an Android® OS, and the guest OS is not running on the host OS (computer device may operate various types and versions of software applications and operation systems, e.g., Microsoft Windows, Apple iOS, a UNIX-like operation system and a Linux or Linux-like operation system (e.g., Google Chrome OS); or includes various mobile operation systems, e.g., Microsoft Windows Mobile OS, iOS, Windows Phone and Android, [0030], lines 4-7), and
wherein in the second operation environment, the second OS being the host OS is a Chrome® OS, and the guest OS is a virtual Android® OS (computer device may operate various types and versions of software applications and operation systems, e.g., Microsoft Windows, Apple iOS, a UNIX-like operation system and a Linux or Linux-like operation system (e.g., Google Chrome OS); or includes various mobile operation systems, e.g., Microsoft Windows Mobile OS, iOS, Windows Phone and Android, [0030], lines 4-7).
At the time the invention was filed, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified system of Yokoyama with concept of performing, based on the predetermined program being running in the second operation environment, a second process for controlling the predetermined program to not perform the first process and searching for an apparatus without using Wi-Fi Direct®; and performing a process based on a result of the search by the second process of Paris and concept of wherein in the first operation environment, the first OS being the host OS is an Android® OS, and the guest OS is not running on the host OS, and wherein in the second operation environment, the second OS being the host OS is a Chrome® OS, and the guest OS is a virtual Android® OS of Zhang et al. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to improve vehicle loss assessment method executed by a mobile terminal, a device, (Zhang et al, [0002], line 2).
Regarding claim 18, Yokoyama discloses control method (fig. 5, control method),
Yokoyama and Paris do not specifically disclose concept of wherein the predetermined program is an Android® OS application program.
However, Zhang et al specifically teaches concept of wherein the predetermined program is an Android® OS application program (computer device may operate various types and versions of software applications and operation systems, e.g., Microsoft Windows, Apple iOS, a UNIX-like operation system and a Linux or Linux-like operation system (e.g., Google Chrome OS); or includes various mobile operation systems, e.g., Microsoft Windows Mobile OS, iOS, Windows Phone and Android, [0030], lines 4-7).
At the time the invention was filed, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified system of Yokoyama with concept of wherein the predetermined program is an Android® OS application program of Zhang et al. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to improve vehicle loss assessment method executed by a mobile terminal, a device, (Zhang et al, [0002], line 2).
Conclusion
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/FRANTZ BATAILLE/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2681