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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 02/26/2024 was filed in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Applicant has not provided an explanation of relevance of cited document(s) discussed below.
Reference JP 2007310450 A is a general background reference covering: To provide a system which executes RIP processing at a high speed so that a file, which comprises many pages in which data on different forms or formats are put for each page, may be printed at the high speed that a high-speed printer has, and centralizes correspondence between printing data and outputting origins and data management.
SOLUTION: A high-speed rasterizing system by distributed RIP processing comprises a print manager which receives printing data based on a printing request from a user personal computer and spools the data; a plurality of RIPs whose jobs are controlled under the print manager; and a printer which is connected to the print manager. The print manager distributes jobs to the plurality of RIPs in accordance with the contents of the jobs and makes the RIPs execute parallel processing. (see abstract).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
Regarding claim 8, the claimed invention is directed to a control apparatus without significantly more. The claim recites a control apparatus which is not integrated into a practical application because limitations of claim 8 are just mental process, as concepts that can practically be performed in the human mind such as limitations “to output a preview data generation request of image data to be processed to an image processing apparatus, the image processing apparatus including an image processing unit selected from a plurality of image processing units”. The claim does not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception because under its broadest reasonable interpretation, claim 8 limitations are mental processes include evaluations and observations as indicated in claim 8 limitations.
Regarding claim 9, the claimed invention is directed to an image processing apparatus without significantly more. The claim recites an image processing apparatus which is not integrated into a practical application because limitations of claim 9 are just mental process, as concepts that can practically be performed in the human mind such as limitations “an image processing unit configured to perform image processing on image data transmitted from a control apparatus to generate preview data and output the preview data to the control apparatus”. The claim does not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception because under its broadest reasonable interpretation, claim 9 limitations are mental processes include evaluations and observations as indicated in claim 9 limitations.
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.
Claims 1-3, 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1) as being anticipated by Iwasa et al. (Iwasa) (US 8,860,997 B2).
Regarding claim 1, Iwasa discloses an image processing control system including a plurality of image processing units configured to execute image processing for performing printing in a printing apparatus and a control unit configured to cause the plurality of image processing units to execute the image processing (e.g., image forming and image or print preview generating apparatuses, devices, processes, algorithms and systems, paragraph 8), wherein
the control unit outputs a preview data generation request of image data to be processed to the image processing unit selected from the plurality of image processing units (e.g., a control unit configured to send, in response to a first preview request from the operation device, the first preview image to the operation device, paragraph 9),
the selected image processing unit executes the image processing for generating preview data on the image data to generate the preview data, and outputs the generated preview data to the control unit (e.g., The preview image processing unit 34 generates a preview image of the print data stored in the HDD 29 based on the print setting for the print data, in response to a request from the control function unit 31. For example, the preview image processing unit 34 converts the print data to a JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) image and generates the preview image from the JPEG image, paragraph 33), and
the control unit causes a display unit to display a print preview based on the preview data (e.g., a preview image generating method on an image output apparatus can include generating a first preview image of image data to be output based on an output setting for outputting the image data, storing the first preview image in a storage device, displaying, in response to a first preview request, the first preview image on a display unit, paragraph 10).
Regarding claim 2, Iwasa discloses wherein the control unit outputs control information including the preview data generation request and an output destination of the generated preview data (e.g., An image output apparatus can include a preview image generating unit configured to generate a first preview image of image data to be output based on an output setting for outputting the image data, paragraph 9), and
the image processing unit outputs the generated preview data to the output destination of the preview data indicated in the control information (e.g., The control unit can be configured to determine, in response to a second preview request from the operation device after sending the first preview image, whether the first preview image is to be regenerated, and can be configured to send the first preview image stored in the storage device to the external apparatus when the control unit determines the first preview image is not to be regenerated, paragraph 9).
Regarding claim 3, Iwasa discloses wherein
the control information includes, as an output destination of the preview data, information indicating a storage location associated with the control unit (e.g., an image output apparatus can include a preview image generating unit configured to generate a first preview image of image data to be output based on an output setting for outputting the image data. A preview image storing unit can be configured to store the first preview image in a storage device, paragraph 12),
the image processing unit outputs the preview data to the storage location associated with the control unit that is indicated in the control information (e.g., The control unit can be further configured to send the first preview image stored in the storage device to the operation device when the control unit determines the output setting is not changed, paragraph 15), and
the control unit displays the print preview based on the preview data stored at the storage location associated with the control unit (e.g., the operation panel can be configured to receive a user operation by a user and configured to display the first preview image and the second preview image, wherein the control unit can send the first preview image or the second preview image to the operation panel for displaying the first preview image or the second preview image on the operation panel, paragraph 20).
Regarding claim 9, Iwasa discloses an image processing apparatus comprising:
an image processing unit configured to perform image processing on image data transmitted from a control apparatus to generate preview data and output the preview data to the control apparatus (e.g., the control unit 31 determines whether the preview image should be regenerated. Further, when the control unit 31 determines the preview image should be regenerated, the control unit 31 controls the preview image processing function unit 34 to regenerate the preview image and displays the regenerated preview image on the operation panel 12. Meanwhile, when the control unit 31 determines the preview image should not be regenerated, the control unit 31 displays the preview image without regenerating, paragraph 31).
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 4-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over by Iwasa et al. (Iwasa) (US 8,860,997 B2) as applied to claims 1-3 above, and further in view of Komano (US 2016/0170688 A1).
Regarding claim 4, Iwasa does not specifically disclose wherein
when a print instruction is received from a user after the print preview is displayed, the control unit outputs, to a first image processing unit, the control information including information indicating input data to be processed, the image processing unit that performs following processing on processed output data, and the printing apparatus that performs printing,
the first image processing unit performs first image processing on the input data based on the control information and outputs the output data to the image processing unit that performs following processing,
a last image processing unit performs last image processing based on the control information and outputs the output data to a storage location corresponding to the printing apparatus,
the printing apparatus performs printing based on the output data stored at the storage location corresponding to the printing apparatus.
Komano discloses wherein when a print instruction is received from a user after the print preview is displayed, the control unit outputs, to a first image processing unit, the control information including information indicating input data to be processed, the image processing unit that performs following processing on processed output data, and the printing apparatus that performs printing (e.g., Input data (image data) received by the input I/F 100 is input to the image processing module group, and data which is output from the image processing module group is output to the print head controller 115, paragraph 20),
the first image processing unit performs first image processing on the input data based on the control information and outputs the output data to the image processing unit that performs following processing (e.g., The image processing apparatus described above receives input data (image data) from an external apparatus via the input I/F 100, and the input data is temporarily stored in the memory 108. After that, each of the image processing module A 103 to the image processing module E 107 activated by the sequencer 109 reads data from the memory 108, performs image processing, paragraph 24),
a last image processing unit performs last image processing based on the control information and outputs the output data to a storage location corresponding to the printing apparatus (e.g., Each of the image processing modules receives a notification of start of the process from a corresponding one of the queue management units, whereby the process is started. Data which is obtained through image processing and which is output to the memory 108 by the image processing module E 107 which is the final stage of the image processing modules is transferred to the print head 116 as ejection data by the print head controller 115 which is driven in accordance with a motor driving timing, paragraph 24), and
the printing apparatus performs printing based on the output data stored at the storage location corresponding to the printing apparatus (e.g., The print head 116 ejects ink droplets to a recording medium on the basis of the transferred data obtained through the image processing, whereby an image is formed on the recording medium, paragraph 24).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to have modified Iwasa to include wherein when a print instruction is received from a user after the print preview is displayed, the control unit outputs, to a first image processing unit, the control information including information indicating input data to be processed, the image processing unit that performs following processing on processed output data, and the printing apparatus that performs printing, the first image processing unit performs first image processing on the input data based on the control information and outputs the output data to the image processing unit that performs following processing, a last image processing unit performs last image processing based on the control information and outputs the output data to a storage location corresponding to the printing apparatus, the printing apparatus performs printing based on the output data stored at the storage location corresponding to the printing apparatus as taught by Komano. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to have modified Iwasa by the teaching of Komano to effectively process image/data for applications.
Regarding claim 5, Komano discloses wherein the control information includes a print setting, and the image processing unit performs the image processing for generating print data based on the print setting (e.g., The image processing module group including the image processing module A 103 to the image processing module E 107 performs a series of image processing described below. A conversion of the multi-valued data in 600 dpi for each of at most four colors into binary data in 1200 dpi, and a conversion into data having a certain density or less are performed, paragraph 25).
Regarding claim 6, Iwasa discloses , wherein when the print setting is changed after the print preview is displayed (e.g., An image output apparatus can include a preview image generating unit configured to generate a first preview image of image data to be output based on an output setting for outputting the image data, a preview image storing unit configured to store the first preview image in a storage device, a changing unit configured to change the output setting based on a changing request from an operation device, paragraph 9),
the control unit outputs the control information including the changed print setting, the preview data generation request, and an output destination of the generated preview data to the selected image processing unit (e.g., and a control unit configured to send, in response to a first preview request from the operation device, the first preview image to the operation device, paragraph 9),
the image processing unit generates the preview data based on the changed print setting and the image data, and outputs the generated preview data to the output destination of the preview data (e.g., determining, in response to a second preview request after displaying the first preview image, whether the output setting is changed, determining, when it is determined the output setting is changed, whether the first preview image is to be regenerated, and generating, when it is determined the first preview image is to be regenerated, a second preview image based on the changed output setting, paragraph 10), and
the control unit displays the print preview based on the output preview data (e.g., the second preview image can be displayed on the display unit when it is determined the first preview image is to be regenerate, paragraph 10).
Regarding claim 7, Komano discloses wherein the control unit requests different image processing units in parallel to perform the image processing for generating the preview data and the image processing for generating the print data (e.g., The image processing apparatus described above receives input data (image data) from an external apparatus via the input I/F 100, and the input data is temporarily stored in the memory 108. After that, each of the image processing module A 103 to the image processing module E 107 activated by the sequencer 109 reads data from the memory 108, performs image processing, and writes data obtained through the image processing in the memory 108 again. Each of the image processing modules receives a notification of start of the process from a corresponding one of the queue management units, whereby the process is started. Data which is obtained through image processing and which is output to the memory 108 by the image processing module E 107 which is the final stage of the image processing modules is transferred to the print head 116 as ejection data by the print head controller 115, paragraph 24).
Regarding claim 8, Iwasa discloses control apparatus comprising:
a control unit configured to output a preview data (e.g., An image output apparatus can include a preview image generating unit, paragraph 9) generation request of image data to be processed to an image processing apparatus, the image processing apparatus including an image processing unit selected from a image processing unit, and cause a display unit to display a print preview based on preview data generated by the image processing unit executing image processing on the image data (e.g., a preview image generating unit configured to generate a first preview image of image data to be output based on an output setting for outputting the image data, a preview image storing unit configured to store the first preview image in a storage device, a changing unit configured to change the output setting based on a changing request from an operation device, and a control unit configured to send, in response to a first preview request from the operation device, the first preview image to the operation device. The control unit can be configured to determine, in response to a second preview request from the operation device after sending the first preview image, paragraph 9).
Iwasa does not specifically disclose an image processing unit selected from a plurality of image processing units.
Komano discloses an image processing unit selected from a plurality of image processing units (e.g., The image processing module A 103 to the image processing module E 107, each of which performs different image processing, will be described in detail below. Thus, the image processing apparatus includes the multiple image processing modules which perform image processing. In the first embodiment, the multiple image processing modules included in the image processing apparatus are collectively called an image processing module group).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to have modified Iwasa to include an image processing unit selected from a plurality of image processing units as taught by Komano. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to have modified Iwasa by the teaching of Komano to produce different image for particular applications.
Conclusion
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/QUANG N VO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2683