DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . This Office Action is responsive to the communications filed on 14 August 2025. Claims 1-7 are pending.
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in parent Application No. 2021-024679, filed on 02/18/2021.
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.
The factual inquiries 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.
Claims 1-2, 4 and 6-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sato (US 2016/0231971 A1) in view of Nishiyama(US 2011/0043843 A1).
Per claim 1, Sato discloses an image forming apparatus (e.g., controller unit 200 as shown in 2A; paragraph [0002],”The present invention relates to an information processing device, a management device, a control method for an information processing device, a control method for a management device, and a program.”; paragraph [0044]) comprising:
a processor (e.g., central processing unit (CPU) 201 as shown in Fig. 2A; paragraph [0044], “The controller unit 200 includes a central processing unit (CPU) 201, which is a processor…“) coupled to memory (e.g., read only memory (ROM) 206 as shown in Fig. 2A; paragraph [0044], “… The CPU 201 activates an operation system (OS) through a boot program stored in a read only memory (ROM) 206 ... “ ), the processor being configured to:
acquire operation screen information which indicates information displayed on an operation screen of an external terminal device that communicates with the image forming apparatus via a network (e.g., step S1301 as shown in Fig. 13A; Abstract; paragraphs [0167-0168]; Examiner’s Note: Figs. 15A-15C illustrate acquired operation screen information 1551 which indicates information displayed on an operation screen of an external terminal device that communicates with the image forming apparatus via a network.)
acquire state information which indicates a state of the image forming apparatus (e.g., Step S1301 as shown in Fig. 13A; Abstract, “…When notifying the management device of an executed operation state, the operation state of the information processing device that the management device manages is updated ... “; paragraph [0009], “ An information processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention which communicates with a management device includes an execution unit configured to execute a predetermined setting in accordance with case information acquired from the management device; a first notification unit configured to notify the management device of an operation state executed by the execution unit; and a controller configured to acquire an operation state of a different information processing device updated by the management device and display the acquired operation state on a display unit. “; paragraph [0036]; paragraph [0167], “In S1301, the communication unit 455 of the automatic installation program 450 acquires an operation state data list of a different MFP, which will be described later, from the case management server 107, and the process proceeds to S1302 ...” ),
cause display of the acquired state information in a notification area (e.g., Step S1309 as shown in Fig. 13A; paragraph [0179], “In S1309, the UI controller 451 sets the operation state data of the different MFP in the list, and displays an operation start screen. Then, the process ends. An example of an operation start screen displayed in S1309 will be described later with reference to FIGS. 15A and 15B.”; Examiner’s Note: Examiner is broadly and reasonably interpreting the ‘OPERATION STATE’ column as a notification area. ), which is a part of an operation screen for operating the image forming apparatus(e.g., UI 1500 as shown in Fig. 15A; paragraph[0191], “A UI 1500 includes an operation state display list 1501 and buttons 1508 and 1509. In the operation state display list 1501, a single records indicates the operation state of an MFP…”), [[when]] the operation screen (e.g., case creation program 500 as illustrated in Fig. 7; paragraphs [paragraph [0066]) [[is]] being displayed on an external terminal device Examiner’s Note: Sato discloses displaying the operation states of installation programs on information processing devices such as MFP 105 as shown in Fig. 7.), [[and]]
by accessing and reading a priority management table stored in the memory(e.g., operation state tables as shown in Figs. 6A to 6D; paragraph [0072], “FIGS. 6A to 6D are diagrams illustrating examples of tables which are managed by the data storage unit 555 illustrated in FIG. 5B and a table for managing an operation state. The tables illustrated in FIGS. 6A to 6C represent case data. FIG. 6D represents operation state data. The table configurations illustrated in FIGS. 6A to 6D are merely examples, and table configurations different from the examples are also possible.”), and without receiving user input(Abstract; paragraph [0005]; paragraph [0022],” FIGS. 11A and 11B are diagrams illustrating a process of an automatic installation operation executed by an automatic installation program. “; paragraph [0140]; Examiner’s Note: Sato discloses accessing and reading tables stored in case management server 107 to acquire installation scripts and operation status data.), change an order of priority of the state information to be displayed in the notification area to a new order of priority(paragraphs [0009-0010]; paragraphs [0068-0069]; ), according to display content of the operation screen displayed on the external terminal device(e.g., installation command list as shown in Fig. 8B; paragraphs [0110-0111]), in a case in which there are a plurality of pieces of the acquired state information(e.g., edit installation order 854 as shown in Fig. 8B; paragraph [0106], “For example, the individual data represents setting of a license required for each MFP 105, setting of an installation location, and the like. The tab page 854 is a tab page for setting the execution order of commands for setting common data and individual data set through the tab pages 852 and 853 for the MFP 105. “; paragraphs [0110-0111]; Examiner’s Note: UI 850 as shown in Fig. 8B illustrates UI for changing an order of priority of the state information to be displayed in the notification area according to display content of the operation screen displayed on the terminal device, in a case in which there are a plurality of pieces of the acquired state information).
Sato does not expressly disclose cause the plurality of pieces of the acquired state information to be displayed in the new order of priority, in the notification area on the operation screen of the external terminal device.
However, Nishiyama discloses cause the plurality of pieces of the acquired state information to be displayed in the new order of priority (e.g., Step S605 as shown in Fig. 6; paragraph [0061], “Then, in step S605, the CPU 230a sequentially displays the messages extracted in step S604 in the status line 416 according to the priority order of the messages indicated by "the status line priority order information and display/non-display information" for the login user. At this time, the CPU 230a also displays the priority order of the currently displayed message and the total number of the messages extracted in step S604…” ), in the notification area on the operation screen of the external terminal device (e.g., section 501 as shown in Fig. 4; paragraph [0028]; paragraph [0047], “Referring to FIG. 4, a section 501 displays messages to be displayed in the status line 416 and the priority order thereof. The messages are sorted in descending order of the priority for being displayed in the status line 416. Icons 502 indicate categories which the respective messages belong to.”; paragraph [0061]).
It would have been obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art before the
effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the information processing apparatus of Nishiyama in the information processing device of Sato for the purpose of making it easier to view messages relevant to a logged in user as suggested by Nishiyama (paragraph [0005]).
Per claim 2, Sato and discloses the information processing device according to claim 1, but does not expressly disclose wherein the processor is configured to change the order of priority of the state information to be displayed in the notification area according to the display content of the operation screen displayed on the terminal device and authority of an operator operating the terminal device.
Nishiyama discloses wherein the processor is configured to change the order of priority of the state information to be displayed in the notification area according to the display content of the operation screen displayed on the terminal device and authority of an operator operating the terminal device (e.g., step S605 as shown in Fig. 6; Abstract; paragraph [0008]; paragraphs [0058-0059]; paragraph [0061], “Then, in step S605, the CPU 230a sequentially displays the messages extracted in step S604 in the status line 416 according to the priority order of the messages indicated by "the status line priority order information and display/non-display information" for the login user…; paragraph [0065]; Examiner’s Note: Nishiyama discloses displaying notifications according to login information and priority order. ).
It would have been obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art before the
effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the information processing apparatus of Nishiyama in the information processing device of Sato for the purpose of making it easier to view messages relevant to a logged in as suggested by Nishiyama (paragraph [0005]).
Per claim 4, Sato and Nishiyama disclose the information processing device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to change the order of priority of the state information to be displayed in the notification area according to the display content of the operation screen displayed on the terminal device and a progress status of the processing performed by an operator via the terminal device (Sato, Abstract; paragraph [0142], “In response to reception of the request for the installation script, the case management server program 550 determines that the MFP 105 has started an automatic installation operation. Therefore, when receiving the request for the installation script, the operation state data management unit 553 of the case management server program 550 newly creates a record of the MFP with the device ID included in the request for the operation state data management table 670. At this time, the columns 671 to 674 are updated.”; paragraphs [0159-0161]; Examiner’s Note: Sato discloses updating the information in columns 671 to 674 as shown in Fig. 6D according to progress status. ).
Per claim 6, Sato and Nishiyama disclose the information processing device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to switch a screen to be displayed among a plurality of operation screens and displays the screen on the terminal device, by an operation of an operator operating the terminal device (Sato, paragraphs [0102-0107]; Examiner’s Note: Sato disclose tab pages 851-854 for switching a screen to be displayed among a plurality of operation screens and displays the screen on the terminal device, by an operation of an operator operating the terminal device.).
Per claim 7, Sato discloses a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program executable by a computer to perform a process comprising:
acquiring operation screen information which indicates information displayed on an operation screen of an external terminal device that communicates with the image forming apparatus via a network (e.g., step S1301 as shown in Fig. 13A; Abstract; paragraphs [0167-0168]; Examiner’s Note: Figs. 15A-15C illustrate acquired operation screen information 1551 which indicates information displayed on an operation screen of an external terminal device that communicates with the image forming apparatus via a network.)
…When notifying the management device of an executed operation state, the operation state of the information processing device that the management device manages is updated ... “; paragraph [0009], “ An information processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention which communicates with a management device includes an execution unit configured to execute a predetermined setting in accordance with case information acquired from the management device; a first notification unit configured to notify the management device of an operation state executed by the execution unit; and a controller configured to acquire an operation state of a different information processing device updated by the management device and display the acquired operation state on a display unit. “; paragraph [0167], “In S1301, the communication unit 455 of the automatic installation program 450 acquires an operation state data list of a different MFP, which will be described later, from the case management server 107, and the process proceeds to S1302 ...” );
causing display of the acquired state information in a notification area (e.g., Step S1309 as shown in Fig. 13A; paragraph [0179], “In S1309, the UI controller 451 sets the operation state data of the different MFP in the list, and displays an operation start screen. Then, the process ends. An example of an operation start screen displayed in S1309 will be described later with reference to FIGS. 15A and 15B.”; Examiner’s Note: Examiner is broadly and reasonably interpreting the ‘OPERATION STATE’ column as a notification area. ), which is a part of an operation screen for operating the image forming apparatus(e.g., UI 1500 as shown in Fig. 15A; paragraph[0191], “A UI 1500 includes an operation state display list 1501 and buttons 1508 and 1509. In the operation state display list 1501, a single records indicates the operation state of an MFP…”), [[when]] the operation screen (e.g., case creation program 500 as illustrated in Fig. 7; paragraphs [paragraph [0066]) [[is]] being displayed on an external terminal device Examiner’s Note: Sato discloses displaying the operation states of installation programs on information processing devices such as MFP 105 as shown in Fig. 7.), [[and]]
by accessing and reading a priority management table stored in the memory(e.g., operation state tables as shown in Figs. 6A to 6D; paragraph [0072], “FIGS. 6A to 6D are diagrams illustrating examples of tables which are managed by the data storage unit 555 illustrated in FIG. 5B and a table for managing an operation state. The tables illustrated in FIGS. 6A to 6C represent case data. FIG. 6D represents operation state data. The table configurations illustrated in FIGS. 6A to 6D are merely examples, and table configurations different from the examples are also possible.”), and without receiving user input(Abstract; paragraph [0005]; paragraph [0022],” FIGS. 11A and 11B are diagrams illustrating a process of an automatic installation operation executed by an automatic installation program. “; paragraph [0140]; Examiner’s Note: Sato discloses accessing and reading tables stored in case management server 107 to acquire installation scripts and operation status data.), change an order of priority of the state information to be displayed in the notification area to a new order of priority(paragraphs [0009-0010]; paragraphs [0068-0069]; ), according to display content of the operation screen displayed on the external terminal device(e.g., installation command list as shown in Fig. 8B; paragraphs [0110-0111]), in a case in which there are a plurality of pieces of the acquired state information(e.g., edit installation order 854 as shown in Fig. 8B; paragraph [0106], “For example, the individual data represents setting of a license required for each MFP 105, setting of an installation location, and the like. The tab page 854 is a tab page for setting the execution order of commands for setting common data and individual data set through the tab pages 852 and 853 for the MFP 105. “; paragraphs [0110-0111]; Examiner’s Note: UI 850 as shown in Fig. 8B illustrates UI for changing an order of priority of the state information to be displayed in the notification area according to display content of the operation screen displayed on the terminal device, in a case in which there are a plurality of pieces of the acquired state information).
Sato does not expressly disclose cause the plurality of pieces of the acquired state information to be displayed in the new order of priority, in the notification area on the operation screen of the external terminal device.
However, Nishiyama discloses cause the plurality of pieces of the acquired state information to be displayed in the new order of priority (e.g., Step S605 as shown in Fig. 6; paragraph [0061], “Then, in step S605, the CPU 230a sequentially displays the messages extracted in step S604 in the status line 416 according to the priority order of the messages indicated by "the status line priority order information and display/non-display information" for the login user. At this time, the CPU 230a also displays the priority order of the currently displayed message and the total number of the messages extracted in step S604…” ), in the notification area on the operation screen of the external terminal device (e.g., section 501 as shown in Fig. 4; paragraph [0028]; paragraph [0047], “Referring to FIG. 4, a section 501 displays messages to be displayed in the status line 416 and the priority order thereof. The messages are sorted in descending order of the priority for being displayed in the status line 416. Icons 502 indicate categories which the respective messages belong to.”; paragraph [0061]).
It would have been obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art before the
effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the information processing apparatus of Nishiyama in the information processing device of Sato for the purpose of making it easier to view messages relevant to a logged in user as suggested by Nishiyama (paragraph [0005]).
Claims 3 and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sato (US 2016/0231971 A1) in view of Nishiyama(US 2011/0043843 A1), and further in view of Choi et al. (Hereinafter, Choi, US 2020/0228642 A1).
Per claim 3, Sato and Nishiyama disclose the information processing device according to claim 2, but do not expressly disclose wherein the processor is configured to change the order of priority of the state information to be displayed in the notification area using a priority preset according to a content of the state information for each combination of the display content of the operation screen displayed on the terminal device and an executable operation determined based on the authority of the operator operating the terminal device.
Choi discloses wherein the processor is configured to change the order of priority of the state information to be displayed in the notification area using a priority preset according to a content of the state information for each combination of the display content of the operation screen displayed on the terminal device and an executable operation determined based on the authority of the operator operating the terminal device (Abstract; paragraphs [0007-0008]; paragraph [0046], “ …In various embodiments, the memory 150 may store instructions for, when executed, causing the control unit 180 (e.g., one or more processors) to identify whether log information associated with a notification received through the wireless communication unit 110 is stored in the memory 150, determine a display order of the notification based on the log information, and display the notification on the display 131 based on the determined display order. “; paragraph [0057]; paragraph [0062]; paragraph [0098]; paragraph [0160] ).
It would have been obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art before the
effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the notification device of Choi in the
information processing device of Sato and Nishiyama for the purpose of making it easier to recognize high priority notifications as suggested by Choi(paragraph [0005]).
Per claim 5, Sato and Nishiyama disclose the information processing device according to claim 4, but do not expressly disclose wherein the processor is configured to change the order of priority of the state information to be displayed in the notification area using a priority preset according to a content of the state information for each combination of the display content of the operation screen displayed on the terminal device and a current progress status of the processing performed by the operator via the terminal device.
Choi discloses wherein the processor is configured to change the order of priority of the state information to be displayed in the notification area using a priority preset according to a content of the state information for each combination of the display content of the operation screen displayed on the terminal device and a current progress status of the processing performed by the operator via the terminal device (Abstract; paragraphs [0007-0008]; paragraph [0046], “ …In various embodiments, the memory 150 may store instructions for, when executed, causing the control unit 180 (e.g., one or more processors) to identify whether log information associated with a notification received through the wireless communication unit 110 is stored in the memory 150, determine a display order of the notification based on the log information, and display the notification on the display 131 based on the determined display order. “; paragraph [0057]; paragraph [0062]; paragraph [0098]; paragraph [0160] ).
It would have been obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art before the
effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the notification device of Choi in the
information processing device of Sato and Nishiyama for the purpose of making it easier to recognize high priority notifications as suggested by Choi(paragraph [0005]).
Response to Arguments
Claim Interpretation — 35 U.S.C. §112(f)
Applicant amended claim 7 to remove means step language.
Claim Rejections — 35 U.S.C. §101
Applicant has amended the claims to integrate the abstract idea into a specific practical application that does not rely on user input and is not performed mentally by a user. Accordingly, Examiner has withdrawn the 35 U.S.C. §101 rejection of claim 7.
Claim Rejections — 35 U.S.C. §102/103
Applicant's arguments filed 14 August 2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
On page 9, Applicant argues that “Sato does not automatically change the priority of state information displayed in the notification area according to the display content of the operation screen displayed on the terminal device, without user input, as recited in claim 1, as amended.”
In response to applicant's argument that the references fail to show certain features of the invention, it is noted that the features upon which applicant relies (i.e., “automatically change the priority of state information displayed in the notification area according to the display content of the operation screen displayed on the terminal device, without user input”) are not recited in the rejected claim(s). Although the claims are interpreted in light of the specification, limitations from the specification are not read into the claims. See In re Van Geuns, 988 F.2d 1181, 26 USPQ2d 1057 (Fed. Cir. 1993). Moreover, the term “automatically” is not recited in the amended claim 1.
For at least the foregoing reasons, Examiner respectfully submits that claim 1 is not allowable, and that claim 7 is not allowable for similar reasons. Claims 2-6 are not allowable at least by virtue of incorporating the elements of claim 1.
Therefore, Examiner maintains the rejection of claims 1-7.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DARRIN HOPE whose telephone number is (571)270-5079. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thr - 6:45-4:15, Fri - 6:45-3:15, Alt. Fri Off.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Stephen S Hong can be reached at (571)272-4124. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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DARRIN HOPE
Examiner
Art Unit 2178
/WILLIAM L BASHORE/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2174