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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 4/12/2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: The specification uses the abbreviation “UI” without first defining UI. Please correct the first instance, which will correct all instances. For example “an user input (UI) operation panel 102.” Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
(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.
Claim(s) 1-7, 9 and 11-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by JP 2004209945 A to Kunihiro.
With regard to Claim 1, Kunihiro teaches a controlling apparatus (206) which includes a buffer tank (304) configured to supply a liquid, which contains a sedimentation component, to a print head device (103) and a replacement tank (303) configured to supply the liquid to the buffer tank (304) [0009], and is configured to control a printing apparatus capable of performing printing by using the liquid [0006], comprising:
one or more processors and/or circuitry [0014] and (fig. 2) which function as:
an obtaining unit configured to obtain liquid remaining amounts of the replacement tank of the liquid and the buffer tank of the liquid [0018-0021]; and
a notification unit configured to notify content that replacement of the replacement tank is possible in a case where the replacement tank of the liquid is empty and the buffer tank of the liquid has a free space equal to one replacement tank of the liquid or more [0020].
With regard to Claim 2, Kunihiro teaches wherein the one or more processors and/or circuitry further function as a control unit configured to determine that replacement of the replacement tank is possible in a case where the replacement tank of the liquid is empty and the buffer tank of the liquid has a free space equal to one replacement tank of the liquid or more, and the notification unit notifies content that replacement of the replacement tank is possible in a case where the control unit determines that replacement is possible (fig. 3) [0014 and 0018-0021].
With regard to Claim 3, Kunihiro teaches wherein the printing apparatus includes a replacement tank in which a predetermined liquid is gradually supplied from a predetermined replacement tank to a predetermined buffer tank and a replacement tank in which all liquid in the replacement tank is supplied to the buffer tank in case of replacing the replacement tank [0018-0021].
With regard to Claim 4, Kunihiro teaches wherein the predetermined liquid is a liquid not containing the sedimentation component [0006].
With regard to Claim 5, Kunihiro teaches wherein the printing apparatus includes a plurality of the replacement tanks of the liquid [0036].
With regard to Claim 6, Kunihiro teaches wherein, in a case where the buffer tank of the liquid has a free space for the plurality of replacement tanks of the liquid, the notification unit notifies content that replacement of the plurality of the replacement tanks of the liquid is possible [0014, 0020, 0023].
With regard to Claim 7, Kunihiro teaches wherein the notification unit displays notification content on a UI screen [0014].
With regard to Claim 9, Kunihiro teaches wherein, in a case where a replacement tank of a liquid not containing the sedimentation component is empty, the control unit determines that replacement of the replacement tank of the liquid not containing the sedimentation component is possible [0018 and 0020].
With regard to Claim 11, Kunihiro teaches a method of controlling a controlling apparatus which includes a buffer tank (304) configured to supply a liquid, which contains a sedimentation component, to a print head device (103) and a replacement tank (303) configured to supply the liquid to the buffer tank, and is configured to control a printing apparatus capable of performing printing by using the liquid, the method comprising: obtaining liquid remaining amounts of the replacement tank of the liquid and the buffer tank of the liquid; and notifying content that replacement of the replacement tank is possible in a case where the replacement tank of the liquid is empty and the buffer tank of the liquid has a free space equal to one replacement tank of the liquid or more [0014 and 0018-0021].
With regard to Claim 12, Kunihiro teaches a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to perform a method of controlling a controlling apparatus which includes a buffer tank (304) configured to supply a liquid, which contains a sedimentation component, to a print head device (103) and a replacement tank (303) configured to supply the liquid to the buffer tank, and is configured to control a printing apparatus capable of performing printing by using the liquid [0006], the method comprising: obtaining liquid remaining amounts of the replacement tank of the liquid and the buffer tank of the liquid; and notifying content that replacement of the replacement tank is possible in a case where the replacement tank of the liquid is empty and the buffer tank of the liquid has a free space equal to one replacement tank of the liquid or more [0014 and 0018-0021].
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(s) 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kunihiro as modified by US Pub. 2018/0370241 to Koganehira.
With regard to Claims 8, Kunihiro teaches the claimed invention except for wherein the notification unit notifies notification content through audio.
However, Koganehira teaches wherein the notification unit notifies notification content through audio [0012, 0032, 0040 and 0042]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify Kunihiro with the teachings of Koganehira to prepare the user to replace the necessary tank [0106].
Claim(s) 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kunihiro as modified by JP 2010221597 A to Urabe.
With regard to Claims 10, Kunihiro teaches the claimed invention except for wherein, the control unit locks the replacement tank of the liquid in a case where the replacement of the replacement tank of the liquid is not possible, and unlocks the replacement tank of the liquid in a case where the replacement of the replacement tank of the liquid is possible.
However, Urabe teaches wherein, the control unit locks the replacement tank of the liquid in a case where the replacement of the replacement tank of the liquid is not possible, and unlocks the replacement tank of the liquid in a case where the replacement of the replacement tank of the liquid is possible (Absent paragraph numbers, see Abstract). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify Kunihiro with the teachings of Urabe to appropriately determine the replacement timing of the tank without causing an increase in cost of the device (Abstract).
Examiner Note
The examiner cites particular columns and lines numbers (or paragraphs or figures) in the references as applied to the claims above for the convenience of the applicant. The specified citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim. Other passages and figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested that, in preparing responses, applicant fully consider the references in their entirety as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the examiner.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. TW 202306650 A discloses a liquid storage unit 11 includes a tank 11a and a buffer tank 11b, and when the liquid remaining amount in the tank 11a becomes empty below a predetermined value, the tank is replaced with a new one. Even during replacement, in order to supply the liquid to the applicator 13 , a buffer tank 11 b is provided in the liquid supply path 12 on the upstream side of the pump 22 . While the buffer tank 11b is used to replace the empty tank 11a with a new tank 11a filled with liquid, the replacement of the tank 11a is performed before the liquid in the buffer tank 11b becomes empty.
JP 2004160699 A discloses an ink jet recording apparatus for supplying ink of an ink cartridge via a flow path to an ink jet recording head for ejecting ink droplets, wherein the recording head is provided between the ink jet recording head and the ink cartridge. A buffer tank having a larger capacity than the amount of ink consumed when performing the ink filling operation is connected, and when the remaining amount of ink in the ink cartridge becomes equal to or less than a specified value, the ink in the ink cartridge is transferred to the buffer tank. And a control means for transferring and injecting ink of a new ink cartridge into the buffer tank.
US 20190100014 A1 discloses when the CPU 101 has determined based on the output result from the remaining-amount detection sensor 120 that the liquid surface of ink in the sub tank 6 is in the near empty state in which the liquid surface is less than the detection position, the massage informing the user of the necessity of replacement of the main tank 30 is displayed on the touch panel 161. Since the detection position is above the outlet 66, no air enters the supply tube 22 when the near empty state is detected. Accordingly, in this embodiment, the ink in the main tank 30 is effectively used while air is prevented from entering the supply tube 22.
US 20230173811 A1 discloses when replacing the sub tank 26, the liquid container 14 previously used as the main tank 22 may be reused as the sub tank 26. For example, the liquid container 14 that has been used as the main tank 22 and has run out of the liquid may be reused as the sub tank 26. In this case, the remaining amount information stored in the memory circuit 18 of the liquid container 14 to be reused indicates that the remaining amount of liquid is zero or very small. Accordingly, if the controller 41 performs an operational control based on the remaining amount information stored in the memory circuit 18 of the sub tank 26, it is not possible to supply the liquid from the sub tank 26 to the head 12.
Communication with the PTO
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SHARON A POLK whose telephone number is (571)270-7910. The examiner can normally be reached M-F, 7-3.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Douglas Rodriguez can be reached at 571-431-0716. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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SHARON A. POLK
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2853
/Sharon Polk/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2853