DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Notice to Applicants
2. This communication is in response to the application filed on 03/01/2024.
3. Claims 1-7 are pending.
4. Limitations appearing inside {} are intended to indicate the limitations not taught by said prior art(s)/combinations.
Information Disclosure Statement
5. The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 03/01/2024 has been considered by the examiner.
Claim Objections
6. Claims 1, 2, 6, and 7 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claims 1 and 2 lack line indentations between limitations, the examiner encourages the applicant to consider spacing the limitations with line indentations (e.g., analogous to claim 7) to render them more readable (see MPEP 608.01(m), CFR 1.75(i)).
In Claim 1, ln. 5-7, the claim recites “…identifies an occupied area occupied by all documents resting on the document platen as an entire occupied area, by analyzing the current captured image…”. The examiner notes that given the coma is redundant for “…, by analyzing the current captured image…” since it refers directly back to the “…identifies on occupied area…”. Claim 7 recites analogous limitations to claim 1 in ln. 8.
In Claim 6, ln. 4, the claim recites “…the document have moved.”, consider correction to “…the document has moved.”.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
7. 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.
8. Claims 1-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over JP-2015220775-A to Takahashi (hereinafter Takahashi), and further in view of JP-7215311-B2 to Kami (hereinafter Kamai).
9. Regarding Claim 1, Takahashi discloses an image processing system comprising an image capturing unit and a processor ([Fig. 1-4], [par. 0014, ln. 1-3] “FIG. 2 shows the camera scanner 101 installed on the document table 204. The lens of the camera unit 202 is directed to the stage 204 and can read an image in a reading area 205 surrounded by a broken line. In the example of FIG. 2, the document 206 is placed in the reading area 205.”, [par. 0015, ln. 1-3] “FIG. 3 is a block diagram for explaining the hardware configuration of the controller unit 201 of the camera scanner 101 according to the first embodiment. In FIG. 3, parts common to those in FIGS. 1 and 2 described above are indicated by the same symbols.”, [par. 0017, ln. 1-6] “The image processing processor 307 reads out and processes the image data stored in the RAM 303 or the HDD 305, and writes the image data back to the RAM 303 or the HDD 305. The image processing executed by the image processor 307 includes rotation, scaling, color conversion and the like. A camera I / F 308 is connected to the camera unit 202, and acquires image data from the camera unit 202 in accordance with an instruction from the CPU 302 and writes the image data to the RAM 303. Further, the control command from the CPU 302 is transmitted to the camera unit 202 to set the camera unit 202.”, [par. 0018, ln. 1-4] “FIG. 4 is a functional configuration diagram of a control program executed by the CPU 302 of the controller unit 201 of the camera scanner 101 according to the first embodiment. The entire control program 401 is shown in FIG. 4, and the control program 401 is stored in the HDD 305 as described above, and the CPU 302 develops and executes the program in the RAM 303 at startup to achieve these functions.”),
wherein, when the image capturing unit captures an image above a document {platen} and generates a captured image as a current captured image ([par. 0014, ln. 1-3], [Fig. 7-10, 17 and 18], [par. 0032, ln. 1 to par. 0036, ln. 10] “FIG. 9A is a schematic view showing a state when background image data is stored. The image file management unit 406 creates an empty directory (named “/ IMGDIR” in FIG. 9A) on the HDD 305, and stores background image data 901 as background image data of the reading area. Next, in step S702, the CPU 302 receives and stores still image data. The still image data received here is the still image data transmitted by the photographing processing unit 407 in S512 of FIG. Then, the received still image data is stored in the HDD 305 via the image file management unit 406. FIG. 9B is a schematic view when the received still image data is stored. The image file management unit 406 stores the still image data 902 as the latest received image data in the same directory as the background image data 901 is stored. Next, in step S703, the CPU 302 calculates a difference between each pixel of the received background image data and still image data to generate difference image data. Furthermore, binary difference image data is generated by binarizing the difference image data with a predetermined threshold value, making the portion without difference black and the portion with difference white. Then, in step S704, the CPU 302 detects, from the binary difference image data, an area in which areas having differences are continuous (hereinafter, difference continuous areas). The difference continuous area detected here is zero if there is no difference, but may be one or plural depending on the situation where the document is placed. Next, in step S705, the CPU 302 performs a process of detecting a new document which detects whether a new document has been placed on the reading region 205 based on the difference continuous region detected in step S704. Here, when a document newly placed is detected, area data corresponding to the detected document area is generated. Next, in step S706, a document update detection process is performed to detect whether an operation such as placing a new document has been performed on the document placed in the reading area 205. When it is detected that the document has been updated, area data corresponding to the detected document area is generated. Next, in step S 707, the CPU 302 performs document removal detection processing for detecting whether the document placed in the reading region 205 has been removed from the reading region 205. Here, when it is detected that the document has been removed, area data corresponding to the detected document area is generated. The details of each detection process from S705 to S707 and a specific example of the document area management table will be described later. Next, in step S708, the CPU 302 determines whether new generation / update / removal of the document area has been detected by the detection processing in steps S705 to S707. If the determination in S708 is YES, the process proceeds to S709, and the document area management table is updated using the area data corresponding to the detection area created in S705 to S707. Next, in step S710, the CPU 302 transmits the document area management table to the image recognition unit 408, and notifies that the document area management table has been updated. The process advances to step S711, and the CPU 302 deletes the area data in the "removed" state because the document area detected in the document removal detection process in step S707 is "removed" on the document area management table. Thus, after completion of the process of S711, or when a change is not detected in the detection processes of S705 to S707 and the determination result of S708 is NO, the process returns to S702 and waits for reception of the next still image data.”), and when a change is detected from the current captured image with respect to a captured image that is a lastly captured image resultant of last image capturing ([par. 0032, ln. 1 to par. 0036, ln. 10], [par. 0037, ln. 1 to par. 0039, ln. 3] “FIG. 8A is a flowchart for describing the process of detecting a new document in step S705 of FIG. 7. First, in step S801, the CPU 302 selects one of the difference continuous regions detected in step S704 that has not been selected in the process of detecting a new document this time, and creates image data of only the difference continuous region. Next, in step S802, the CPU 302 searches area data having an area overlapping with the selected difference continuous area from among the area data registered in the document area management table. Then, the process advances to step S803, and the CPU 302 determines whether overlapping area data is found. If it is determined that it has been found, the currently selected difference continuous area is included in the area of the document already placed in the reading area 205, so the process proceeds to S807 without executing the processes of S804 to S806. If the determination in S803 is NO, that is, if a document area having no area overlapping with the selected difference continuous area is not found, the newly selected difference continuous area is a new original placed in the reading area 205. In step S804, the CPU 302 assigns a new document ID, and creates area data of the document in the document area management table. Next, in step S805, the CPU 302 creates area data of the assigned new original ID, and sets the original state of this area data to "new". The process advances to step S806, and the CPU 302 sets the selected difference continuous area as the document area mask image in the area data created in step S804. Then, the process advances to step S807, and the CPU 302 determines whether there is an unselected difference continuous area in the detection processing of a new document at this time. If the determination in S807 is YES, the process returns to S801 to select the next difference continuous area and perform the same process. On the other hand, if the determination in S807 is NO, the process for detecting a new document is ended. By this processing, a document placed at a position different from the pile of a document consisting of a document placed first in the reading area 205 or a document group placed on the document placed first is detected, and the document is placed Can be processed as a new document.”, [par. 0040, ln. 1 to par. 0044, ln. 9] “FIG. 8B is a flow chart for explaining the process of detecting that the document has been updated in S706 of FIG. 7. First, in step S811, the CPU 302 selects one of the difference continuous areas detected in step S704 that has not been selected in the present document update detection process. Next, in step S812, the CPU 302 searches for document area data having an area overlapping with the selected difference continuous area from among the area data registered in the document area management table. Next, in step S813, the CPU 302 determines whether document area data overlapping in area has been found. If no overlapping document area data is found in S813, the difference continuous area selected this time is due to the document newly placed in the reading area 205, so the process proceeds to S817 without executing the processes of S814 to S816. This is because the difference continuous area by the document newly placed in the reading area 205 is detected by the detection process of the new document of FIG. 8A described above. If a document area having an area overlapping with the selected difference continuous area is found in S813, the document placed in the currently selected difference continuous area is a document corresponding to the found area. In step S814, the CPU 302 creates area data of the original, copies the found original area data to that area, and sets the state of the original to "update". In this document update detection process, it is determined whether the update is performed by looking at only the duplication of the area. Therefore, even if a document is not actually placed, it is determined that "updating" is performed each time the imaging unit 407 detects stillness and transmits a still image. It is determined by an image recognition unit 408, which will be described later, whether or not the document is actually placed. Next, in step S815, the CPU 302 sums the area mask image of the found original area data and the selected difference continuous area, and generates mask image data including both areas. Next, in step S816, the CPU 302 sets the mask image data generated in step S815 as area mask image data of the generated area data. As described above, by setting the document area again, the image recognition unit 408 can extract the image data of the document even when the document moves to some extent or the like. Then, the process advances to step S817, and the CPU 302 determines whether there is an unselected difference continuous area in the detection process of the present document update. If the determination in S817 is YES, the process returns to S811 to select the next difference continuous area and perform the same process. If the determination in S817 is NO, this document update detection process is ended.”),
the processor identifies an occupied area occupied by all documents resting on the document {platen} as an entire occupied area, by analyzing the current captured image ([Fig. 7-10, 17 and 18] see specifically 18C, [par. 0032, ln. 1 to par. 0036, ln. 10], [par. 0037, ln. 1 to par. 0039, ln. 3], [par. 0040, ln. 1 to par. 0044, ln. 9], [par. 0089, ln. 1-15] “First, in step S1601, the CPU 302 reads mask data of an original read one before. For example, in the case of the document of the second page, the mask image data 1 of the document of the first page generated in S1505 of FIG. 15A and stored in the RAM 303 is read. In the case of the third and subsequent pages, the mask image data stored in S1620 described later is read out. Next, in step S1602, the CPU 302 generates difference image data (FIG. 18B) by calculating the difference between still image data in which the second page of the document is placed on the first page of the document and background image data. Then, the difference image data is binarized to generate mask image data 2 (FIG. 18C). Next, in step S1603, the CPU 302 generates mask image data 3 obtained by summing the mask image data 1 (FIG. 17E) and the mask image data 2 (FIG. 18C). Then, in step S1604, the CPU 302 performs mask processing of still image data of the first page original with the mask image data 3 generated in step S1603 to generate masked image data (FIG. 18D). Next, in step S1605, the CPU 302 performs mask processing of the still image data (FIG. 18A) received this time with the mask image data 3 generated in step S1603 to generate post-mask image data (FIG. 18E). Do. Then, in step S1606, the CPU 302 obtains the difference between the image data after masking (FIG. 18D) and the image data after masking (FIG. 18E) to generate difference image data (FIG. 18F). The difference amount is calculated and stored in the RAM 303. Thus, the process of S1511 is completed.”), and
confirms an area resultant of subtracting an occupied area occupied by a document an occupied area of which has already been confirmed, from the entire occupied area, as an occupied area of one document placed on the document {platen} during a period from when the lastly captured image has been generated to when the current captured image has been generated ([Fig. 7-10, 17 and 18] see specifically 18(D)-(L), [par. 0032, ln. 1 to par. 0036, ln. 10], [par. 0037, ln. 1 to par. 0039, ln. 3], [par. 0040, ln. 1 to par. 0044, ln. 9], [par. 0089, ln. 1-15], [par. 0090, ln. 1 to par. 0094, ln. 9] “Next, returning to FIG. 15B, in S1515, the previous still image data and the latest still image data are determined by determining whether the difference amount calculated in S1511 is smaller than a predetermined value close to 0. And determine if there is a difference between If the determination in S1515 is NO, the state of the corresponding area data is "update" but no operation such as addition of a document has been performed, so the image extraction process for the second and subsequent pages is performed. finish. On the other hand, if the determination in S1515 is YES, the process proceeds to S1512 to continue the process. In S1512, image extraction processing from the differential image data of FIG. 18F is performed. Details of the process of S1512 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG… First, in step S1611, the differential image data in FIG. 18F is binarized to generate binary differential image data (FIG. 18G). Then, edge extraction and straight line detection are performed from this binary difference image data. The straight line data detected here is the straight line image data of FIG. 18 (H). In S1612, a set of straight lines forming a rectangle is detected from the straight lines detected in S1611. In FIG. 18, two sets of the image data of FIG. 18I and the image data of FIG. 18J are detected as rectangles. In S1613, the absolute value of the pixel value of the area in the corresponding rectangle of the difference image data in FIG. 18F is added to each set of straight lines to calculate the difference amount in the rectangle. In S1614, a rectangle with the largest calculated difference amount is selected. Next, in S1615, the ratio of the area in the selected rectangle to the area of the first page extracted image data 1706 (FIG. 17F) extracted in S1506 of FIG. 15A is calculated. Next, proceeding to S1616, it is determined whether the area ratio is within a predetermined range determined in advance. If the determination in S1616 is YES, the process proceeds to S1620, and mask image data in which the inside of the rectangle is an effective pixel and the outside of the rectangle is an invalid pixel is generated from the selected rectangle. The image data shown in FIG. 18K is mask image data. The process advances to step S1621 to extract effective pixels from the still image data shown in FIG. 18A based on the mask image data shown in FIG. 18K to generate extracted image data for the second page (FIG. 18L). On the other hand, if the determination in S1616 is NO, that is, if a too large or too small area is detected as a rectangle, the process proceeds to S1617, invalidates the rectangular area, and discards the set of straight lines. Then, in step S1618, it is determined whether there is a valid rectangle other than the discarded rectangle. If the determination in S1618 is YES, the process returns to S1614 to select a rectangle with the second largest difference in the rectangle and continue the determination as to whether it is valid. If the determination in S1618 is NO, the process proceeds to S1619. In S1619, since a valid rectangle is not found, effective pixels are extracted from still image data of the second page (FIG. 18A) based on the mask image data of FIG. 18C generated in S1611. Extract Then, extracted image data of the second page shown in FIG. 18 (M) is generated. This is the end of the image extraction process of S1512. In the flowchart of FIG. 16B, the area of the document overlapped later can be detected by selecting the rectangle having the largest difference amount in S1614. Also, in S1614 and S1615, by removing a rectangle having an area far apart from the area of the extracted image of the first page from the selection target, even if the image difference is erroneously detected due to a change in noise or illumination, the detection accuracy can be enhanced. it can. In particular, if the predetermined range used in S1616 is set to a value close to "1", detection accuracy in the case where the document size does not change in one document can be increased. In addition, when there is no selectable rectangle, in S1619, the image is extracted using the mask image data (FIG. 18C) based on the difference with the background area, so that highly accurate detection can not be performed. It is also possible to reliably extract an image including a document area.”).
Takahashi does not specifically disclose a platen, though one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, would recognize the document management table 204 of Takahashi to be analogous to a document platen ([Fig. 2] see 204, 205, [par. 0014, ln. 1-3]) as shown in Fig. 2 of the specifications.
However, Kamai specifically discloses a document platen ([par. 0025-0027, ln. 1-13] “Further, the automatic document feeder 10k is provided so as to be able to open and close by rotating around a rotation axis on the back side in order to cover or expose the platen glass 10e2 (original table glass) of the scanning unit 10e. there is The user can use the automatic document feeder 10k as a document cover 10k2 that holds the document and serves as a background (white ground) around the document when it is read by the scanning unit 10e. The scanning unit 10e is a flatbed image scanner that captures an image of a document placed on the platen glass 10e2. A line sensor for main scanning and a slider for moving in the sub-scanning direction are provided below the platen glass 10e2. The imaging method using the line sensor may be a reduction projection method or a contact method. In the reduced projection method, the slider is provided with a light source and a mirror that guides the reflected light from the original to the line sensor. The scanning unit 10e optically scans images, such as photographs, characters, pictures, charts, etc. written on a document sheet, a book, or other printed matter placed on the platen glass 10e2, and extracts image data…”). One of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, would recognize Takahashi and Kamai as within the same field of document scanning, and as analogous to the claimed invention. Specifically, the motivation to combine would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, in that a platen allows for both easier extraction of the occupied region (e.g., thresholding based on color of platen vs. paper) and holds a document in place during scanning, thus allowing for a more accurate scan and preventing misalignment and erroneous overlapping of documents. One of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, would have combined the system of Takahashi with the document platen of Kamai through known means, with no change to their respective function, and the combination would have yielded nothing more than predicable results. Specifically, one of ordinary skill in the art would have combined the system of Takahashi with the document platen of Kamai such that the documents of the camera scanner of Takahashi (e.g., [Fig. 2]) were held in place by a platen analogous to Kamai.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, to combine the system of Takahashi with the document platen of Kamai to obtain the invention as specified in claim 1.
10. Regarding Claim 2, a combination of Takahashi and Kamai teaches the system of claim 1. Takahashi further discloses wherein, establishing the entire occupied area identified from the current captured image as a current entire occupied area, and establishing the entire occupied area identified from the lastly captured image as a last entire occupied area, the processor is configured to ([Fig. 7-10, 17 and 18] see specifically 17(E) and 18(C) and (K), [par. 0032, ln. 1 to par. 0036, ln. 10], [par. 0037, ln. 1 to par. 0039, ln. 3], [par. 0040, ln. 1 to par. 0044, ln. 9], [par. 0089, ln. 1-15], [par. 0090, ln. 1 to par. 0094, ln. 9]), when a relationship between the last entire occupied area and the current entire occupied area satisfies a predetermined condition for determining that one document has been placed overlapping with another document resting on the document platen, correct an occupied area of the one document, the occupied area of which has already been confirmed, to include a difference area between the last entire occupied area and the current entire occupied area ([Fig. 7-10, 17 and 18] see specifically 18(D)-(L) for correction, [par. 0032, ln. 1 to par. 0036, ln. 10], [par. 0037, ln. 1 to par. 0039, ln. 3], [par. 0040, ln. 1 to par. 0044, ln. 9], [par. 0089, ln. 1-15], [par. 0090, ln. 1 to par. 0094, ln. 9]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, to combine the system of Takahashi with the document platen of Kamai to obtain the invention as specified in claim 2.
11. Regarding Claim 3, a combination of Takahashi and Kamai teaches the system of claim 2. Takahashi specifically discloses wherein the predetermined condition is that the difference area is positioned adjacently to the last entire occupied area ([par. 0037, ln. 1 to par. 0039, ln. 3] “…Next, in step S802, the CPU 302 searches area data having an area overlapping with the selected difference continuous area from among the area data registered in the document area management table. Then, the process advances to step S803, and the CPU 302 determines whether overlapping area data is found. If it is determined that it has been found, the currently selected difference continuous area is included in the area of the document already placed in the reading area 205, so the process proceeds to S807 without executing the processes of S804 to S806. If the determination in S803 is NO, that is, if a document area having no area overlapping with the selected difference continuous area is not found, the newly selected difference continuous area is a new original placed in the reading area 205…”, [par. 0046, ln. 1-10] “First, in step S821, the CPU 302 selects, from the document area management table, one area data that has not been selected in the present document removal detection process. Next, in step S822, the CPU 302 searches for a difference continuous area having an area overlapping the area mask image of the selected area data in the difference continuous areas detected in step S704. Then, the process advances to step S823, and the CPU 302 determines whether a difference continuous area in which the areas overlap is found. Here, when a difference continuous area in which the areas overlap is found, the area data selected this time is the area of the document remaining in the reading area 205, so the process proceeds to S825 without executing the process of S824. If the determination result in S823 is NO, that is, if a difference continuous area having an area overlapping with the selected area data is not found, the document corresponding to the area data selected this time is all removed from the reading area 205.”), and a ratio of the difference area with respect to a size of the last entire occupied area is smaller than or equal to a predetermined threshold ([par. 0090, ln. 1 to par. 0094, ln. 9] “…Next, in S1615, the ratio of the area in the selected rectangle to the area of the first page extracted image data 1706 (FIG. 17F) extracted in S1506 of FIG. 15A is calculated. Next, proceeding to S1616, it is determined whether the area ratio is within a predetermined range determined in advance. If the determination in S1616 is YES, the process proceeds to S1620, and mask image data in which the inside of the rectangle is an effective pixel and the outside of the rectangle is an invalid pixel is generated from the selected rectangle…”). Specifically, one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, would recognize the overlap condition of Takahashi to be analogous to a determination that the difference area is positioned adjacently to the last entire occupied area, since the difference area cannot overlap without also being adjacent. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, to combine the system of Takahashi with the document platen of Kamai to obtain the invention as specified in claim 3.
12. Regarding Claim 4, a combination of Takahashi and Kamai teaches the system of claim 1. Takahashi further discloses establishing the entire occupied area identified from the current captured image as a current entire occupied area, and establishing the entire occupied area identified from the lastly captured image as a last entire occupied area, the processor is configured to, when a detection is made that an occupied area of a document, the occupied area of which has been confirmed, has moved, by comparing the last entire occupied area with the current entire occupied area, perform a process depending on a condition of the document having moved ([par. 0032, ln. 1 to par. 0036, ln. 10], [par. 0064, ln. 1 to par. 0066, ln. 11] “FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining processing when two originals in the area 1211 indicated by the still image data 1201 in FIG. 12 are removed from the reading area 205 by the user in the first embodiment. till image data 1301 of FIG. 13 shows an example of still image data captured by the camera unit 202 when the document bundle 1231 is removed from the still image data 1201 of FIG. The document area detection unit 410 receives the still image data 1301 in S702 of FIG. Next, in step S703, the difference between the background image data of the reading area and the still image data 1301 is taken and binarized to generate binary image data 1302. Next, in step S704, an area in which the difference is continuous is detected from the binary image data 1302. At this time, the area that can be detected is one of the areas 1321 in the binary image data 1302. Next, in the process of detecting a new document in step S705, the area 1321 has an area overlapping with the area data 1121 of the document area management table 1207 of FIG. 12, so this process is ended without being detected as a new document. Subsequently, in the update detection processing of the placed document in step S706, the area 1321 overlaps the area data 1121. Therefore, the area data 1121 is found in step S812. In S814, the state of the area data 1121 is set to "update", and in S815, binary image data 1303 is generated. In S816, the binary image data 1303 is set in the area data 1121 as document area mask image data. Thus, the update detection processing of the placed document ends at this point. Next, in the removal detection processing of the placed document in step S 707, area data is selected from the document area management table 1207. Here, the area data 1021 is first selected in S821. Next, in S822, a difference continuous area in which areas overlap is searched from the document area mask image data 1205 (FIG. 12) set in the area data 1021 and the binary image data 1302 generated in S703 this time. In S823, it is determined whether a difference continuous area in which the areas overlap in S822 is found. Since the determination of S823 is NO at this time, the process advances to S824, and the document state of the area data 1021 is set to "removed". Since the removal determination processing of the area data 1021 is completed at this time, the process returns to S821 and the area data 1121 is selected this time. Since the area data 1121 has an area overlapping the area 1321 of the binary image data 1302, the determination in S823 is NO, and the process ends without changing the setting of the area data 1121. Thus, the removal detection processing of the placed document is ended.”). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, to combine the system of Takahashi with the document platen of Kamai to obtain the invention as specified in claim 4.
13. Regarding Claim 5, a combination of Takahashi and Kamai teaches the system of claim 4. Takahashi discloses wherein the processor is configured to, when the occupied area of the document having moved has changed in size ([par. 0090, ln. 1 to par. 0094, ln. 9] see “In S1614, a rectangle with the largest calculated difference amount is selected.”), {notify a user of overlap of the documents}. Specifically, Takahashi discloses wherein the occupied area having moved has a change in size is used to determine overlap but does not specifically disclose notifying a user of the overlap.
However, Kamai specifically teaches wherein the processor is configured to, when the occupied area of the document having moved has changed in size, notify a user of overlap of the documents ([par. 0071, ln. 1-5] “FIG. 8 is a flow chart showing an example of the flow of document overlap detection processing in FIG. FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of retention/notification processing in FIG. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of screens 81 and 81b for notifying that document overlap has occurred. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the orientation relationship between the original images 42d and 42e in the scanned image 40b and the originals 20d and 20e on the platen glass 10e2.”, [par. 0081, ln. 1-5] “The screen 81 has a message 810 , a yes button 811 and a no button 812 . The message 810 is composed of a sentence notifying that the originals are overlapped and a sentence implicitly prompting the user to rearrange the originals by asking whether or not to rearrange the originals. The Yes button 811 is a button for inputting the intention to rearrange, and the No button 812 is a button for inputting the intention not to rearrange.”). The motivation to combine would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art in that it allows user intervention to prevent erroneous scanning of overlapping documents. One of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, would have combined the system of Takahashi with the document platen and user notification of overlapping of Kamai through known means, with no change to their respective function, and the combination would have yielded nothing more than predicable results. Specifically, one of ordinary skill in the art would have combined the system of Takahashi with the document platen and user notification of overlapping of Kamai such that the documents of the camera scanner of Takahashi (e.g., [Fig. 2]) were held in place by a platen analogous to Kamai, and wherein the user was notified if a document is overlapping as disclosed in Kamai.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, to combine the system of Takahashi with the document platen and user notification of overlapping of Kamai to obtain the invention as specified in claim 5.
14. Regarding Claim 6, a combination of Takahashi and Kamai teaches the system of claim 4. Takahashi further discloses wherein the processor is configured to, when the occupied area of the document having moved has not changed in size, to update the occupied area of the document to the occupied area after the document has moved ([par. 0032, ln. 1 to par. 0036, ln. 10], [par. 0064, ln. 1 to par. 0066, ln. 11] “…Next, in the process of detecting a new document in step S705, the area 1321 has an area overlapping with the area data 1121 of the document area management table 1207 of FIG. 12, so this process is ended without being detected as a new document. Subsequently, in the update detection processing of the placed document in step S706, the area 1321 overlaps the area data 1121. Therefore, the area data 1121 is found in step S812. In S814, the state of the area data 1121 is set to "update", and in S815, binary image data 1303 is generated. In S816, the binary image data 1303 is set in the area data 1121 as document area mask image data. Thus, the update detection processing of the placed document ends at this point…”). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, to combine the system of Takahashi with the document platen and user notification of overlapping of Kamai to obtain the invention as specified in claim 6.
15. Regarding Claim 7, the claim language is analogous to claim 1 with the exception of “A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to implement: a function of…” wherein the remainder of the claim is analogous to claim 1. Takahashi further discloses a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to implement their method ([Fig. 1-4], [par. 0014, ln. 1-3], [par. 0015, ln. 1-3], [par. 0017, ln. 1-6], [par. 0018, ln. 1-4]). Rejections analogous to claim 1 are further applicable to the remainder of claim 7 in view of the analogous claim language. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, to combine the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of Takahashi with the document platen of Kamai to obtain the invention as specified in claim 7.
Conclusion
16. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure. See PTO-892.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PAULO ANDRES GARCIA whose telephone number is (703)756-5493. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri, 8-4:30PM ET.
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/PAULO ANDRES GARCIA/Examiner, Art Unit 2669
/CHAN S PARK/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2669
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