DETAILED ACTION
Claims 2 and 3 have been cancelled.
Claims 1 and 4-15 are currently pending.
The objections to the drawings are withdrawn due to Applicant’s amendment.
The previous rejections to claims 1 and 4-15 under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, are withdrawn due to Applicant’s amendment.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1 and 4-15 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Claim Objections
Claims 1, 13 and 14 are objected to because of the following informalities: In line 26 of claim 1, replace “the direction” with “a direction”.
In line 2 of claim 13, replace “the intended digital image” with “an intended digital image”.
In line 17 of claim 14, replace “the respective test stripes” with “respective test stripes”. Appropriate correction is required.
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, 4, 7, 8 and 10-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nagai US Publication 2022/0272233 (hereafter “Nagai”) and Moribe US Publication 2021/0103784 (hereafter “Moribe”).
Referring to claim 1, Nagai discloses a method for color correcting a digital printer for printing decorations over an entire printing width of the digital printer, wherein the digital printer is provided for outputting a specified digital image, wherein the method comprises the steps of:
a) providing the specified digital image, wherein the digital image comprises at least one color channel pattern, wherein each color channel pattern is associated with a print color channel of the digital printer (paragraph 36, In the present embodiment, the object is a print surface of a predetermined print medium on which a predetermined color of print data DG is printed);
b) determining at least one test color from color values occurring in the specified digital image (paragraph 49, In the present embodiment, the information required for generating the colorimetric job DJ includes information about the print data DG);
c) creating a digital test pattern comprising, for each test color (paragraph 50, Next, in step S102, the server 100 generates the colorimetric job DJ. This generation is performed by the generation unit 121 based on the information set in step S101 described above);
d) printing the digital test pattern by use of the digital printer (paragraph 36, In the present embodiment, the object is a print surface of a predetermined print medium on which a predetermined color of print data DG is printed. Here, printing on the object may be performed by the printing device 300);
e) detecting the color values of the printed test pattern as a function of their position in the direction of the printing width by use of an optical color measuring device (paragraph 54, Next, in step S107, the colorimeter 200 performs colorimetry based on the colorimetric job DJ);
f) creating correction data for the digital printer based on relative deviations of the detected color values (paragraph 56, Next, in step S109, the server 100 performs the color adjustment of the print data DG based on the colorimetry information DM); and
g) applying the correction data to the digital printer and/or the specified digital image (paragraph 58, Next, in step S111, the server 100 transmits, to the printing device 300, a print instruction for an image based on the print data DG after color adjustment).
While Nagai discloses creating a digital test pattern, Nagai does not disclose expressly that the digital test pattern includes a plurality of uniform-color test stripes extending over a whole printing width of the digital printer.
Moribe discloses c) creating a digital test pattern comprising, for each test color, a plurality of uniform-color test stripes extending over a whole printing width of the digital printer, wherein each uniform-color test stripe is defined by a print density corresponding to a subset of the print color channels used to print the test color, and the plurality of uniform-color test stripes are defined cumulatively according to a printing sequence of the print color channels, such that a first test stripe is defined by a print density of a first print color channel used for the test color, each subsequent test stripe is defined by the print density of the previous test stripe and additionally by the print density of a next print color channel in the printing sequence, and a final test stripe is defined by the print density of all print color channels used for the test color (paragraph 41, A method for generating image data including a measured value will be described below. First, a measurement image for obtaining density characteristics of each nozzle is formed on the recording sheet 106. FIG. 5 illustrates an example of the measurement image. Patches corresponding to nine gradations of 501, 502, 503, 504, 505, 506, 507, 508, and 509, respectively, are formed on the recording sheet 106); and
f) creating correction data for the digital printer based on relative deviations of the detected color values along the printing width for each test stripe (paragraph 42, Next, the scanned image is converted into a scanned image in which a pixel value corresponding to one channel is included in each pixel by using a color conversion table, which is prepared in advance, according to the color characteristics of the scanner 107).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to provide a plurality of uniform-color test stripes on the test pattern. The motivation for doing so would have been to improve print quality by improving the accuracy of detecting density of printing elements. Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine Moribe with Nagai to obtain the invention as specified in claim 1.
Referring to claim 4, Moribe discloses wherein the digital test pattern for at least one test color of the specified digital image is provided with at least two uniform-color test stripes and the number of uniform-color test stripes for the at least one test color of the specified digital image is less than or equal to the number of color channels of the digital printer, wherein for the at least one test color one uniform-color test stripe is defined by the print density from a single print color channel of the digital printer, one uniform-color test stripe is defined by the print density of all print color channels of the digital printer, and the remaining uniform-color test stripes are defined by the print density of more than one and less than all print color channels of the digital printer (paragraph 59, A measurement image for MCS processing includes a plurality of patches obtained by changing the input signal values R, G, and B independently. In the present exemplary embodiment, five gradations of 0, 64, 128, 192, and 25 are set for each of the R, G, and B values and 53 combinations (=125) of multi-order color patches are formed)
Referring to claim 7, Nagai discloses wherein test colors are selected from the colors occurring most frequently in the specified digital image (paragraph 49, Further, the range of color adjustment for the print data DG is set, for example, by displaying an image based on the print data DG on the first display device 140 and then designating the range and the color in the image), wherein a minimum distance in the color space obtained by use of delta E values or by means of a histogram is maintained between a plurality of test colors, and/or the test colors are selected independently of a color frequency in the specified digital image and a largest possible distance between the test colors in the color space is maintained (paragraph 72, The profile DP is a profile such as an input profile, and includes a conversion table for converting a color value in one color space as an input value into a color value in another color space as an output value).
Referring to claim 8, Nagai discloses the steps d) to g), but does not disclose expressly carrying out the steps iteratively several times in succession.
Moribe discloses wherein steps d) to g) are carried out iteratively several times in succession (paragraph 56, While the exemplary embodiment described above illustrates an example where the measured values are corrected by filtering every time an image is formed on a recording medium).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to carry out the steps d) to g) a iteratively several times in succession. The motivation for doing so would have been to improve print quality by regularly correcting the density of printing elements. Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine Moribe with Nagai to obtain the invention as specified in claim 8.
Referring to claim 10, Nagai discloses the steps d) to g), but does not disclose expressly carrying out the steps iteratively several times in succession.
Moribe discloses wherein step e) is optionally carried out several times in succession with different settings of the optical color measuring device or under different lighting conditions and/or exposure times (paragraph 42, Next, the measurement image is scanned by the scanner 107 and a scanned image is obtained by scanning. Each pixel value of the scanned image is obtained using three channels of (R, G, B)).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to carry out the steps d) to g) a iteratively several times in succession. The motivation for doing so would have been to improve print quality by regularly correcting the density of printing elements. Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine Moribe with Nagai to obtain the invention as specified in claim 10.
Referring to claim 11, Nagai discloses wherein in step g) the correction data are applied to the printer, wherein the correction is carried out by adjusting print head electronics (paragraph 58, Next, in step S111, the server 100 transmits, to the printing device 300, a print instruction for an image based on the print data DG after color adjustment).
Referring to claim 12, Nagai discloses wherein in step g) the correction data are applied to the specified digital image, wherein the correction is made by adjusting print dots of the color channel patterns of the specified digital image (paragraph 58, Next, in step S111, the server 100 transmits, to the printing device 300, a print instruction for an image based on the print data DG after color adjustment).
Referring to claim 13, Moribe discloses a color model of the intended digital image (paragraph 42, When the captured image is full color, for example, imaging information represented by a tristimulus value in the XYZ color system for each pixel of the captured image is obtained as a result of colorimetry performed by the colorimeter 200), but does not disclose expressly wherein a color model is selected from RGB, CMY and CMYK.
Moribe wherein a color model of the intended digital image is selected from RGB, CMY and CMYK, wherein the color model is in particular CMYK (paragraph 70, The exemplary embodiments described above illustrate an example where the image processing unit 302 performs processing on image data input in an RGB format represented by color signal values corresponding to three primary colors, but image data in a KCMY format may be directly input to the image processing unit 302).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to select RGB, CMY or CMYK as a color model. The motivation for doing so would have been to utilize commonly adopted color models to simplify the quantification of color values. Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine Moribe with Nagai to obtain the invention as specified in claim 13.
Referring to claim 14, Nagai discloses a device comprising a data memory storing a specified digital image comprising color channel patterns corresponding to print color channels of a digital printer (paragraph 36, In the present embodiment, the object is a print surface of a predetermined print medium on which a predetermined color of print data DG is printed), a computing unit configured to determine at least one test color selected from color values occurring in the specified digital image and generate a digital test pattern comprising, for each test color, a plurality of uniform-colors (paragraph 49, In the present embodiment, the information required for generating the colorimetric job DJ includes information about the print data DG),
the digital printer for outputting the digital test pattern (paragraph 30, The print data DG is image data on which a printing process is to be performed by the printing device 300); and
an optical color measuring device configured to detect color values of the printed test colors (paragraph 21, The colorimetric system 10 performs, with a colorimeter 200, colorimetry based on a colorimetric job DJ generated by a server 100); and
wherein the computing unit being further configured to create correction data based on relative deviations of the detected color values along the printing width for the respective test colors, and apply the correction data to the digital printer and/or to the specified digital image (paragraph 58, Next, in step S111, the server 100 transmits, to the printing device 300, a print instruction for an image based on the print data DG after color adjustment).
While Nagai discloses creating a digital test pattern, Nagai does not disclose expressly that the digital test pattern includes a plurality of uniform-color test stripes extending over a whole printing width of the digital printer.
Moribe discloses generating a digital test pattern comprising, for each test color, a plurality of uniform-color test stripes extending over a whole printing width of the digital printer, wherein the uniform-color test stripes are defined cumulatively according to a printing sequence of the print color channels, such that each subsequent test stripe is defined by the print density of a next print color channel used to print the test color (paragraph 41, A method for generating image data including a measured value will be described below. First, a measurement image for obtaining density characteristics of each nozzle is formed on the recording sheet 106. FIG. 5 illustrates an example of the measurement image. Patches corresponding to nine gradations of 501, 502, 503, 504, 505, 506, 507, 508, and 509, respectively, are formed on the recording sheet 106); and
an optical color measuring device configured to detect color values of the printed test stripes as a function of position over the printing width (paragraph 42, Next, the measurement image is scanned by the scanner 107 and a scanned image is obtained by scanning. Each pixel value of the scanned image is obtained using three channels of (R, G, B)); and
wherein the computing unit being further configured to create correction data based on relative deviations of the detected color values along the printing width for the respective test stripes (paragraph 42, Next, the scanned image is converted into a scanned image in which a pixel value corresponding to one channel is included in each pixel by using a color conversion table, which is prepared in advance, according to the color characteristics of the scanner 107).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to provide a plurality of uniform-color test stripes on the test pattern. The motivation for doing so would have been to improve print quality by improving the accuracy of detecting density of printing elements. Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine Moribe with Nagai to obtain the invention as specified in claim 14.
Claims 5, 6, 9 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nagai US Publication 2022/0272233 and Moribe US Publication 2021/0103784 as applied to claims 1 and 4 above, and further in view of well known prior art.
Referring to claim 5, Moribe discloses wherein the uniform-color test stripe defined by the print density of a single print color channel of the digital printer is defined by the print density of the print color channel to be printed (paragraph 41, A method for generating image data including a measured value will be described below. First, a measurement image for obtaining density characteristics of each nozzle is formed on the recording sheet 106. FIG. 5 illustrates an example of the measurement image. Patches corresponding to nine gradations of 501, 502, 503, 504, 505, 506, 507, 508, and 509, respectively, are formed on the recording sheet 106).
Nagai and Moribe do not disclose expressly wherein the color channels of the digital printer have a printing sequence.
Official Notice is taken that it is well known and obvious in the art for a printer to have a printing sequence for printing color channels (See MPEP 2144.03). The motivation for doing so would have been to increase printing efficiency by utilizing a standard order of dropping ink onto a printing medium. Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine well known prior art with Nagai and Moribe to obtain the invention as specified in claim 5.
Referring to claim 6, Moribe discloses wherein the uniform-color test stripes defined by the print density of more than one of the print color channels of the digital printer is selected such that a first of said uniform-color test stripes is defined by the print density of the print color channel to be printed first according to the printing sequence and is additionally defined by the print density of the print color channel to be printed subsequently according to the printing sequence; and
each further of said uniform-color test stripes is defined by the print density of a respective previous uniform-color test stripe and additionally by the print density of the print color channel to be printed subsequently according to the printing sequence (paragraph 41, A method for generating image data including a measured value will be described below. First, a measurement image for obtaining density characteristics of each nozzle is formed on the recording sheet 106. FIG. 5 illustrates an example of the measurement image. Patches corresponding to nine gradations of 501, 502, 503, 504, 505, 506, 507, 508, and 509, respectively, are formed on the recording sheet 106).
Nagai and Moribe do not disclose expressly uniform-color test stripes defined by the print density of more than one and less than all of the print color channels of the digital printer.
Official Notice is taken that it is well known and obvious in the art to print a test stripe with more than one and less than all primary colors (See MPEP 2144.03). The motivation for doing so would have been to test multiple color combinations in order to accurately detect printer performance. Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine well known prior art with Nagai and Moribe to obtain the invention as specified in claim 6.
Referring to claim 9, Nagai discloses the optical color measuring device (paragraph 36, The colorimeter 200 is a device such as a spectroscopic colorimeter, a camera, or a scanner that reads an object for colorimetry), but does not disclose expressly wherein the optical color measuring device is selected from the group consisting of a color sensor, a colorimeter, a spectrophotometer, a digital camera and a spectral densitometer, wherein the optical color measuring device is based on the same color model as the digital printer.
Official Notice is taken that it is well known and obvious in the art to scan an image with one of a color sensor, a colorimeter, a spectrophotometer, a digital camera and a spectral densitometer (See MPEP 2144.03). The motivation for doing so would have been to incorporate an image scanning device that is well suited to the user’s individual needs. Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine well known prior art with Nagai to obtain the invention as specified in claim 9.
Referring to claim 15, Nagai discloses wherein color correction is for printing, but does not disclose expressly printing decorations with low color diversity.
Official Notice is taken that it is well known and obvious in the art to print decorations with low color diversity, for wood and/or stone decorations (See MPEP 2144.03). The motivation for doing so would have been to produce printed materials according to the user’s individual needs. Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine well known prior art with Nagai to obtain the invention as specified in claim 15.
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 PETER K HUNTSINGER whose telephone number is (571)272-7435. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8:30 - 5:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Benny Q Tieu can be reached at 571-272-7490. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/PETER K HUNTSINGER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2682
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