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 08/19/2022 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 US 2021/0162744 A1 is a general background reference covering: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes: a liquid ejecting head that includes a flow path formation substrate in which a pressure chamber communicating with a nozzle is formed, a vibration plate, and a piezoelectric actuator having a first electrode, a piezoelectric layer, and a second electrode; and a drive unit that supplies a drive signal for driving the piezoelectric actuator, in which the piezoelectric actuator includes an active portion, the active portion is extended from an edge portion, which is a region other than a central portion of a region facing the pressure chamber, to the outside of the pressure chamber, and the drive signal includes a contraction element that contracts the pressure chamber from a reference volume of the pressure chamber when no electric field is applied to the piezoelectric layer, and an expansion element that expands the pressure chamber contracted by the contraction element. (see abstract).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 15, 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being incomplete for omitting essential structural cooperative relationships of elements, such omission amounting to a gap between the necessary structural connections. See MPEP § 2172.01. The omitted structural cooperative relationships are: limitation of claims 15 is “…when purchasing a head unit different from the head unit”; and limitations of claim 16 “related to a warranty for a head unit different from the head unit”. There are no relationships between a head unit with other structures or any reason warranty for a head unit in a printing device.
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, 2, 4-7, 10-14, 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tomioka (US 11,782,652 B2) view of Odean et al. (Odean) (US 8,988,716 B1).
Regarding claim 1, Tomioka discloses an ink jet system (e.g., figure 1, paragraph 16) comprising:
a recording device on which a head unit that ejects ink is mounted and that executes a recording operation on a recording medium (e.g., In the present embodiment, the printing apparatus 104 is assumed to be an apparatus for performing printing with an ink-jet method, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. The printing apparatus 104 may be, for example, an apparatus for performing printing with an electrophotographic method or a heat sublimation system, paragraph 16, figure 1);
a processing device coupled to the recording device and performing a data process for causing the recording device to execute the recording operation (e.g., The program memory 406 including a ROM stores various types of program codes and an application 415 for communicating with the relay server 103. The application 415 accesses the printer unit 401 to acquire the ink information and the paper information, paragraph 32); and
a server configured to be coupled to either the recording device or the processing device, wherein the server authenticates a user who causes the recording device to execute the recording operation (e.g., The printing apparatus 104 is capable of communicating with the relay server 103 via the AP 106 and the Internet. The audio control device 101 and the terminal device 105 are capable of connecting (communicating) with each other via the AP 106. In the communication system illustrated in FIG. 1, the audio control device 101, the printing apparatus 104, and the terminal device 105 are in connection with the same AP 106 to be able to use the Internet, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration, paragraph 17),
acquires recording operation information about the recording operation from the recording device, the processing device, or a terminal device used by the user (e.g., In step S609, the terminal device 105 registers services (skills) to be used by using the audio control device 101. According to the present embodiment, since a printing service using the audio control device 101 is used, a printing service applicable to the printing apparatus 104 is to be registered. Therefore, the terminal device 105 transmits information indicating that the printing service applicable to the printing apparatus 104 was selected by the user, to the management server 102, paragraph 47),
Tomioka does not specifically disclose determines reward information indicating one or a plurality of rewards based on trigger information including part of or all of the recording operation information, and grants the user one or a plurality of rewards indicated by the reward information.
Odean discloses determines reward information indicating one or a plurality of rewards based on trigger information including part of or all of the recording operation information, and grants the user one or a plurality of rewards indicated by the reward information (e.g., the access criteria 139 may specify that larger purchases are associated with greater printing privileges then relatively smaller purchases. In examples such as those referenced above in which the printing privileges are provided in conjunction with a customer loyalty or rewards program, access rights and associated printing privileges may be cumulative with respect to multiple purchases of the user 125 at one or more associated branches/franchises of the retail establishment, paragraph 73). …716
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to have modified Tomioka to include determines reward information indicating one or a plurality of rewards based on trigger information including part of or all of the recording operation information, and grants the user one or a plurality of rewards indicated by the reward information as taught by Odean. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to have modified Tomioka by the teaching of Odean to increase printing production.
Regarding claim 2, Tomioka discloses wherein the recording operation information includes condition information about a condition in an environment in which the head unit is used during the recording operation, and wherein the server transmits, to the recording device or the processing device, control information for controlling the recording operation based on the condition information (e.g., The audio control device 101 and the terminal device 105 are capable of communicating with the management server 102 via the AP 106 and the Internet. The printing apparatus 104 is capable of communicating with the relay server 103 via the AP 106 and the Internet, paragraph 17).
Regarding claim 4, Tomioka discloses wherein the processing device generates recording data used in the recording operation by executing an image process on image data, and wherein the control information includes information about the image process (e.g., The CPU 405 is a processor for controlling the above-described units in the printing apparatus 104. The program memory 406 including a ROM stores various types of program codes and an application 415 for communicating with the relay server 103. The application 415 accesses the printer unit 401 to acquire the ink information and the paper information. The work memory 407 including a RAM is used to temporarily store and buffer image data when performing each service, paragraph 32).
Regarding claim 5, Tomioka discloses wherein the recording operation information includes characteristic information about an ejection characteristic of the head unit when the recording operation is executed based on the control information, and evaluation information about evaluation by the user when the recording operation is executed based on the control information (e.g., an error state refers to a state where the printing apparatus 104 is unable to perform printing. Error states include a cover open state, paper jam state, out-of-paper state, busy state, and offline state. The cover open state refers to a state where a cover (not illustrated) is opened when an ink cartridge is attached to the printing head included in the printing apparatus 104. The paper jam state refers to a state where paper (recording medium) jams in the conveyance path. The out-of-paper state refers to a state where the printing apparatus 104 holds no paper. The busy state refers to a state where the printing apparatus 104 is performing non-print processing (for example, scan processing for reading a document and generating image data). The offline state refers to a state where power is not supplied to the printer unit 401 (or power supply is restricted). Error states may include a small-ink-amount state where the printing apparatus 104 holds a small amount of remaining ink (recording agent), an out-of-ink state where the printing apparatus 104 holds no ink, and a small-paper-amount state where the printing apparatus 104 holds a small amount of paper. If a plurality of errors occurs in the printing apparatus 104, a plurality of error states is identified in step S1004, paragraph 116).
Regarding claim 6, Tomioka discloses wherein the trigger information includes at least one of the condition information, the characteristic information, and the evaluation information (e.g., In step S1002, the CPU 301 analyzes the currently retained status information of the printing apparatus 104 to identify the status of the printing apparatus 104. The status of the printing apparatus 104 includes an error state (an error occurrence), the normal state (no error occurrence), and a state where printing is currently being performed based on a print job. According to the present embodiment, an error state refers to a state where the printing apparatus 104 is unable to perform printing. Error states include a cover open state, paper jam state, out-of-paper state, busy state, and offline state. The cover open state refers to a state where a cover (not illustrated) is opened when an ink cartridge is attached to the printing head included in the printing apparatus 104. The paper jam state refers to a state where paper (recording medium) jams in the conveyance path. The out-of-paper state refers to a state where the printing apparatus 104 holds no paper. The busy state refers to a state where the printing apparatus 104 is performing non-print processing (for example, scan processing for reading a document and generating image data), paragraph 116).
Regarding claim 7, Odean discloses wherein the trigger information includes at least the condition information and the characteristic information, and wherein the server determines the reward information by weighting the characteristic information more than the condition information (e.g., in other example implementations, the provider 120 may wish to implement the providing of printer access rights in conjunction with a customer loyalty or rewards program, paragraph 68).
Regarding claim 10, Odean discloses wherein the trigger information includes purchase history information about a purchase history of the head unit by the user (e.g., he device may be a smartphone, and the user may use the application 112 to purchase a ticket (e.g., a movie ticket, or an airline ticket). Then, the user may print the purchased ticket directly to the cloud-aware printer 118, even though the device 108 and/or the operating system 110 may not have the resources, or otherwise be configured, to support native printing in a conventional sense (e.g., may not currently be executing a print driver of any sort associated with the cloud-aware printer 118), paragraph 17).
Regarding claim 11, Odean discloses wherein the trigger information includes introduction history information about an introduction history of another user by the user (e.g., the system 100 of FIG. 1, it may occur that the user 125 arrives at a location of the provider 120 and wishes to use the cloud-aware printer 118. Then, the provider 120 may provide the user 125 with a customized printer identifier 124 for this purpose. For example, as described in detail below, the provider 120 may provide the customized printer identifier 124 as part of a purchase receipt given to the user 125 in conjunction with consummating a business transaction/sale, paragraph 48).
Regarding claim 12, Odean discloses wherein a process of determining the reward information includes calculating a score indicating a degree to which the user contributed to the ink jet system based on the trigger information, and determining the reward information so that the larger the score is, the greater a reward is (e.g., In implementations of the system 100, the provider 120 may have various different criteria for assigning or otherwise providing printer access rights. Such criteria are illustrated in FIG. 1 as access criteria 139. For example, as referenced above and described in detail below, the provider 120 may wish to provide printer access as part of a customer reward program, and may therefore define the access criteria 139 such that customers who make a larger number of purchases, more frequent purchases, and/or more high-value purchases, are provided with a greater amount of printer access rights, paragraph 52).
Regarding claim 13, Odean discloses wherein a first device that is any one of the recording device, the processing device, and the terminal device includes a display device that displays an image, and wherein the first device receives the reward information from the server, and displays, on the display device, an image in which the user is allowed to recognize one or a plurality of rewards indicated by the reward information (e.g., In implementations of the system 100, the provider 120 may have various different criteria for assigning or otherwise providing printer access rights. Such criteria are illustrated in FIG. 1 as access criteria 139. For example, as referenced above and described in detail below, the provider 120 may wish to provide printer access as part of a customer reward program, and may therefore define the access criteria 139 such that customers who make a larger number of purchases, more frequent purchases, and/or more high-value purchases, are provided with a greater amount of printer access rights, paragraph 52).
Regarding claim 14, Odean discloses wherein a first device that is any one of the recording device, the processing device, and the terminal device includes an input device that receives operation information indicating an operation by the user, and wherein a process of determining the reward information includes generating reward candidate information indicating a plurality of rewards that is candidates for a reward to be granted to the user based on the trigger information (e.g., In implementations of the system 100, the provider 120 may have various different criteria for assigning or otherwise providing printer access rights. Such criteria are illustrated in FIG. 1 as access criteria 139. For example, as referenced above and described in detail below, the provider 120 may wish to provide printer access as part of a customer reward program, and may therefore define the access criteria 139 such that customers who make a larger number of purchases, more frequent purchases, and/or more high-value purchases, are provided with a greater amount of printer access rights, paragraph 52),
transmitting the reward candidate information to the first device, receiving, from the first device, selection information indicating one or a plurality of rewards selected by the user using the input device from among a plurality of rewards indicated by the reward candidate information, and determining the selection information as the reward information (e.g., the first business may wish to provide various levels of printing privileges in conjunction with additional purchases of goods or services. In other example implementations, the provider 120 may wish to implement the providing of printer access rights in conjunction with a customer loyalty or rewards program. In still other additional or alternative embodiments, it may occur that the provider 120 may wish to provide a certain minimum level of printing privileges which expire and/or renew in the context of certain defined time periods and/or quantity of print jobs, without necessarily being correlated with purchases of goods or services, paragraph 68).
Regarding claim 17, Tomioka discloses wherein the recording operation information includes condition information about a condition in an environment in which the head unit is used during the recording operation (e.g., The cover open state refers to a state where a cover (not illustrated) is opened when an ink cartridge is attached to the printing head included in the printing apparatus 104, paragraph 116), wherein
the server transmits, to the recording device or the processing device, one or more pieces of control information for controlling the recording operation based on the condition information (e.g., a server system that communicates with the printing apparatus includes a first transmission unit configured to transmit information for causing the printing apparatus to perform the print processing, a printing unit configured to perform the print processing based on information for causing the printing apparatus to perform the print processing, paragraph 6).
Tomioka does not specifically disclose wherein one or a plurality of rewards indicated by the reward information include a third reward related to the number of the one or more pieces of control information transmitted from the server based on the condition information.
Odean discloses one or a plurality of rewards indicated by the reward information include a third reward related to the number of the one or more pieces of control information transmitted from the server based on the condition information (e.g., In implementations of the system 100, the provider 120 may have various different criteria for assigning or otherwise providing printer access rights. Such criteria are illustrated in FIG. 1 as access criteria 139. For example, as referenced above and described in detail below, the provider 120 may wish to provide printer access as part of a customer reward program, and may therefore define the access criteria 139 such that customers who make a larger number of purchases, more frequent purchases, and/or more high-value purchases, are provided with a greater amount of printer access rights, paragraph 52).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to have modified Tomioka to include one or a plurality of rewards indicated by the reward information include a third reward related to the number of the one or more pieces of control information transmitted from the server based on the condition information as taught by Odean. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to have modified Tomioka by the teaching of Odean to use for particular application.
Regarding claim 18, Odean discloses wherein one or a plurality of rewards indicated by the reward information include a fourth reward related to a method of determining a lifespan of the head unit (e.g., the provider 120 may wish to implement the providing of printer access rights in conjunction with a customer loyalty or rewards program. In still other additional or alternative embodiments, it may occur that the provider 120 may wish to provide a certain minimum level of printing privileges which expire and/or renew in the context of certain defined time periods and/or quantity of print jobs, without necessarily being correlated with purchases of goods or services, paragraph 68).
Regarding claim 19, Odean discloses wherein one or a plurality of rewards indicated by the reward information include a fifth reward related to a service provided by a system different from the ink jet system (e.g., the provider 120 may wish to implement the providing of printer access rights in conjunction with a customer loyalty or rewards program. In still other additional or alternative embodiments, it may occur that the provider 120 may wish to provide a certain minimum level of printing privileges which expire and/or renew in the context of certain defined time periods and/or quantity of print jobs, without necessarily being correlated with purchases of goods or services, paragraph 68).
Regarding claim 20, Tomioka discloses wherein the recording operation information includes at least the condition information, wherein the server is configured to access a storage device that stores condition information history information having a history of condition information about a condition in an environment in which the head unit is used during the recording operation (e.g., a state where printing is currently being performed based on a print job. According to the present embodiment, an error state refers to a state where the printing apparatus 104 is unable to perform printing. Error states include a cover open state, paper jam state, out-of-paper state, busy state, and offline state. The cover open state refers to a state where a cover (not illustrated) is opened when an ink cartridge is attached to the printing head included in the printing apparatus 104, paragraph 116), and wherein 652
Tomioka does not specifically disclose a process of determining the reward information includes determining the reward information so that a size of a reward when information same as the condition information included in the recording operation information is not included in the condition information history information is greater than a size of a reward when information same as the condition information included in the recording operation information is included in the condition information history information.
Odean discloses a process of determining the reward information includes determining the reward information so that a size of a reward when information same as the condition information included in the recording operation information is not included in the condition information history information is greater than a size of a reward when information same as the condition information included in the recording operation information is included in the condition information history information (e.g., the first business may wish to provide various levels of printing privileges in conjunction with additional purchases of goods or services. In other example implementations, the provider 120 may wish to implement the providing of printer access rights in conjunction with a customer loyalty or rewards program. In still other additional or alternative embodiments, it may occur that the provider 120 may wish to provide a certain minimum level of printing privileges which expire and/or renew in the context of certain defined time periods and/or quantity of print jobs, without necessarily being correlated with purchases of goods or services, paragraph 68). 716
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to have modified Tomioka to include a process of determining the reward information includes determining the reward information so that a size of a reward when information same as the condition information included in the recording operation information is not included in the condition information history information is greater than a size of a reward when information same as the condition information included in the recording operation information is included in the condition information history information as taught by Odean. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to have modified Tomioka by the teaching of Odean to effectively reward users for their contributions.
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tomioka (US 11,782,652 B2) view of Odean et al. (Odean) (US 8,988,716 B1). as applied to claims 1, 2 above, and further in view of Sheahan et al. (Sheahan) (US 2012/0062632 A1).
Regarding to claim 3, Tomioka and Odean do not specifically disclose wherein the head unit includes a drive element, and wherein the control information includes information about a drive signal applied to the drive element.
Sheahan discloses wherein the head unit includes a drive element, and wherein the control information includes information about a drive signal applied to the drive element (e.g., drive circuitry for driving the array of nozzles, the drive circuitry being configured to extract a clock signal from the data transmission from the PEC, paragraphs 13, 32).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to have modified Tomioka and Odean to include disclose wherein the head unit includes a drive element, and wherein the control information includes information about a drive signal applied to the drive element as taught by Sheahan. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to have modified Tomioka and Odean by the teaching of Sheahan to print data/image.
Claims 8, 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tomioka (US 11,782,652 B2) view of Odean et al. (Odean) (US 8,988,716 B1). as applied to claims 1, 2, 5, 6 above, and further in view of Mendelsohn et al. (Mendelsohn) (US 2008/0221998 A1).
Regarding claim 8, Tomioka and Odean do not specifically disclose wherein the trigger information includes at least the condition information and the evaluation information, and wherein the server determines the reward information by weighting the evaluation information more than the condition information.
Mendelsohn discloses wherein the trigger information includes at least the condition information and the evaluation information, and wherein the server determines the reward information by weighting the evaluation information more than the condition information (e.g., a method of interaction between an electronic theme park experience and a live theme park experience comprising interactively awarding rewards. A unique identifier is assigned to a person; rewards, being goods or services, are awarded to the uniquely identified person for predetermined activities involving transactions at an electronic theme park experience or the live theme park experience. The redemption of rewards for goods or services to the uniquely identified person is for predetermined activities at the other of the electronic theme park experience or live theme park from which the reward was earned, paragraph 33). 33…998
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to have modified Tomioka and Odean to include wherein the trigger information includes at least the condition information and the evaluation information, and wherein the server determines the reward information by weighting the evaluation information more than the condition information as taught by Mendelsohn. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to have modified Tomioka and Odean by the teaching of Mendelsohn to use for particular application.
Regarding claim 9, Tomioka and Odean do not specifically disclose wherein the trigger information includes at least the characteristic information and the evaluation information, and wherein the server determines the reward information by weighting the characteristic information more than the evaluation information.
Mendelsohn discloses wherein the trigger information includes at least the characteristic information and the evaluation information, and wherein the server determines the reward information by weighting the characteristic information more than the evaluation information (e.g., The system includes the display of rewards or benefits obtainable at the live or electronic theme park, the rewards or benefits being earned in the other of the live or electronic theme park. An awards display window is configured to display a plurality of awards for which a player may redeem rewards. The system is configured to increase the rewards in response to an aspect of a player's activity in at least one of the theme park formats, paragraph 30). 30…998
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to have modified Tomioka and Odean to include wherein the trigger information includes at least the characteristic information and the evaluation information, and wherein the server determines the reward information by weighting the characteristic information more than the evaluation information as taught by Mendelsohn. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to have modified Tomioka and Odean by the teaching of Mendelsohn to use for particular application.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to QUANG N VO whose telephone number is (571)270-1121. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 7AM-4PM, EST.
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/QUANG N VO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2683