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 .
The action is responsive to the following communication: an application filed on 04/12/2024 where:
Claims 1-12 are currently pending.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-9 and 11-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Sakaguchi (US 2024/0069663).
Regarding claim 1, Sakaguchi teaches: An image forming apparatus (fig. 1, image processing apparatus 10) comprising:
an image forming portion configured to form an image on a recording medium (fig. 2, image processing apparatus 10, [0034], a print function for forming an image represented by image data on a recording medium); and
an operation portion including a display portion that displays as an operation screen an image including icons each indicating information on image formation (fig. 2, [0038], an operation display device 13 that accepts an operation for executing various functions such as the copy function, the print function, and the scan function from a user.),
the operation portion being configured to input the information on image formation by a first mode in which the operation portion detects a position of an instruction portion being in contact with a surface of the display portion (see fig. 9 and [0110], contact operation (Abstract, first mode), which allow the user to make contact with the display unit/operation portion) or a second mode in which the operation portion detects a position of the instruction portion at a position away from the surface by a predetermined distance in a direction perpendicular to the surface (see fig. 9 and [0110], contactless operation (Abstract, second mode) which allow the detection of the user finger 3 away from the surface of the display/operation portion),
wherein
the operation portion that is in the first mode displays as the operation screen a first image including the icons on the display portion (see fig. 9 [0109], contact operation/first mode display icons on display/operation portion),
the operation portion that is in the second mode displays as the operation screen a second image different from the first image on the display portion (see fig. 9 and [0109], contactless operation (second mode} display icons which is different from the display of the contact operation see fig. 9), and
the second image displayed as the operation screen on the display portion when the operation portion is in the second mode includes icons that are larger in size than the icons included in the first image (see fig. 9 and [0109], contactless operation (second mode) the icon displayed is larger than the contact operation (first mode) see fig. 9).
Regarding claim 2, Sakaguchi teaches: The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the icons included in the second image displayed as the operation screen on the display portion in the second mode is larger in size than the icons included in the first image (see fig. 9, “copy” icon is larger in the contactless operation (second mode)) than the contact operation (first mode)).
Regarding claim 3, Sakaguchi teaches: The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operation portion that is in the second mode divides the plurality of icons included in the first image displayed as a single operation screen on the display portion in the first mode, between a plurality of the second images, and displays the plurality of the divided second images on the display portion one by one so as to switch among the plurality of the divided second images (see fig. 9, the contactless operation the icons are displayed one by one).
Regarding claim 4, Sakaguchi teaches: The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein each of the divided second images includes a switch icon indicating a function of switching among the divided second images (see fig. 9, [0109], The second home screen 52 further displays a page switching button 52D.).
Regarding claim 7, Sakaguchi teaches: The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the icons included in the second image displayed as a single operation screen on the display portion in the second mode are smaller in number than the icons included in the first image displayed as a single operation screen on the display portion in the first mode (see fig. 9, and [0109], the icons displayed on the contactless operation screen are less icons than the contact operation screen).
Regarding claim 11, Sakaguchi teaches: The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operation portion that is in the second mode divides the first image displayed as a single operation screen on the display portion in the first mode, into a first divided image including an icon indicating that several ones of the plurality of icons included in the first image are integrated into one and a second divided image including the integrated several icons, and displays the second image including the first divided image and the second image including the second divided image on the display portion one by one so as to switch between the second image including the first divided image and the second image including the second divided image (see fig. 14, once the user select copy, the copy is divide into 53D, then S14 and S15, [0126-132]).
Regarding claim 12, Sakaguchi teaches: The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first image displayed as a single operation screen on the display portion in the first mode (see fig. 9, contact operation display single operation screen) includes a first change icon indicating a function of changing to the second mode (see fig. 9, mode switch 51D), and the second image displayed as a single operation screen on the display portion in the second mode includes a second change icon indicating a function of changing to the first mode (see fig. 9, switch to contactless operation which show the rearranging of icons).
Regarding claim 5, Sakaguchi teaches: An image forming apparatus (fig. 1, image processing apparatus 10) comprising:
an image forming portion configured to form an image on a recording medium (fig. 2, image processing apparatus 10, [0034], a print function for forming an image represented by image data on a recording medium); and
an operation portion including a display portion that displays as an operation screen an image including icons each indicating information on image formation (fig. 2, [0038], an operation display device 13 that accepts an operation for executing various functions such as the copy function, the print function, and the scan function from a user.),
the operation portion being configured to input the information on image formation by a first mode in which the operation portion detects a position of an instruction portion being in contact with a surface of the display portion (see fig. 9 and [0110], contact operation (Abstract, first mode), which allow the user to make contact with the display unit/operation portion) or a second mode in which the operation portion detects a position of the instruction portion at a position away from the surface by a predetermined distance in a direction perpendicular to the surface (see fig. 9 and [0110], contactless operation (Abstract, second mode) which allow the detection of the user finger 3 away from the surface of the display/operation portion),
wherein
the operation portion that is in the first mode displays as the operation screen a first image including the icons on the display portion (see fig. 9 [0109], contact operation/first mode display icons on display/operation portion),
the operation portion that is in the second mode displays as the operation screen a second image different from the first image on the display portion (second mode} display icons which is different from the display of the contact operation see fig. 9), and
a clearance between two of icons included in the second image displayed by the operation portion, as the operation screen, on the display portion in the second mode is wider than a clearance between two of the icons included in the first image displayed as the operation screen on the display portion in the first mode ([0109], Since an erroneous operation is more likely to occur in the contactless operation than in the contact operation, the size of the buttons used in the contactless operation is desirably larger than that of the buttons used in the contact operation to reduce the occurrence of erroneous operations.).
Regarding claim 6, Sakaguchi teaches: The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein clearances each between two of the icons included in the second image displayed as the operation screen on the display portion in the second mode are different from each other (see fig. 9 and [([0109], Since an erroneous operation is more likely to occur in the contactless operation than in the contact operation, the size of the buttons used in the contactless operation is desirably larger than that of the buttons used in the contact operation to reduce the occurrence of erroneous operations.).
Regarding claim 8, Sakaguchi teaches: The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the operation portion that is in the second mode divides the plurality of icons included in the first image displayed as a single operation screen on the display portion in the first mode, between a plurality of the second images, and displays the plurality of the divided second images on the display portion one by one so as to switch among the plurality of the divided second images (see fig. 9, the contactless operation the icons are displayed one by one).
Regarding claim 9, Sakaguchi teaches: The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein each of the divided second images includes a switch icon indicating a function of switching among the divided second images (see fig. 9, [0109], The second home screen 52 further displays a page switching button 52D.).
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.
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sakaguchi (US 2024/0069663) in view of Ishibashi et al. (US 2017/0277398, hereinafter Ishibashi).
Regarding claim 10, Sakaguchi teaches: The image forming apparatus according to claim 3.
Sakaguchi does not explicitly teach: wherein the operation portion displays on the display portion a setting screen for setting priorities on the plurality of icons included in the first image, and arranges the plurality of icons included in each of the divided second images, in sequence according to the priorities on the icons input through the operation portion.
However, Ishibashi teaches: wherein the operation portion displays on the display portion a setting screen for setting priorities on the plurality of icons included in the first image, and arranges the plurality of icons included in each of the divided second images, in sequence according to the priorities on the icons input through the operation portion ([0027], The menu display setting unit 26 stores parameters for determining a display mode of a display screen generated by the menu screen generation unit 22. The menu display setting unit 26 stores parameters for determining the sequence and priority of displaying icons in a menu screen. For example, the menu display setting unit 26 defines those of the icons corresponding to a given function type that are displayed in preference to the other icons. The menu display setting unit 26 determines icons displayed in preference in accordance with the number of times of use and history of use stored in the user operation history storage unit 24. For example, the menu display setting unit 26 defines frequently used icons to be displayed in preference to the other icons. The menu display setting unit 26 may predefine icons displayed in preference according to a user's input operation or may accept and store registration of favorites. The menu screen generation unit 22 generates a menu screen in accordance with the setting in the menu display setting unit 26.).
Therefore, the Applicant's claimed invention would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Sakaguchi to include wherein the operation portion displays on the display portion a setting screen for setting priorities on the plurality of icons included in the first image, and arranges the plurality of icons included in each of the divided second images, in sequence according to the priorities on the icons input through the operation portion as taught by Ishibashi. The motivation/suggestion would have been to further enhance/improve the image forming apparatus since doing so would allow for the ability to prioritize frequently used icons to be displayed in preference to the other icons.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANDREW H LAM whose telephone number is (571)270-7969 and fax number is 571-270-8969. The examiner can normally be reached on 9AM-5PM.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Benny Tieu can be reached on 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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/ANDREW H LAM/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2682