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 4-17-2024 and 10-24-2025 was filed. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-7 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Sato (U.S. 2014/0064882).
With regard to claim 1, Sato teaches a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing an extension application program for extending a function of a print data generation software ([0054] An electronic original document writer 102 is a software module prepared by modifying a printer driver; [0097] Upon completion of the conversion into the electronic original document data, the process advances to step S802 to determine whether or not the converted data is image data. This determination step can be attained based on a file extension of the application data under, for example, the Windows OS) that can be commonly used with respect to a plurality of different print apparatuses ([abstract] two or more post-processing devices are designated for a print job), and for causing a computer to execute each step in a method of controlling an information processing apparatus ([0007] an information processing apparatus comprises: a designation unit configured to designate a plurality of post-processing devices used to execute post-processes of a printed material obtained after execution of one print job), the method comprising:
acquiring a print setting of a print job ([0007] a setting unit configured to set setting values of print attributes for a print job in association with the designated post-processing devices);
determining, based on the acquired print setting, whether to display guidance on a method of setting a sheet on a print apparatus that executes printing based on the print job (Figs. 19-20B; [0150] when output sheets are trimmed separately in two stages using cutting machine A, "automatically trim to fit finished size" can be set as a finishing attribute on the finishing sheets of both the "general document setting 1" and "general document setting 2" windows; [0153] the bookbinding application 104 displays a guidance shown in FIG. 20B when print processing is executed on the "JDF output" window of FIG. 19); and
displaying the guidance on the method of setting the sheet on a display unit of the information processing apparatus in case where it has been determined that the guidance is to be displayed ([0150] On this finishing sheet, the same items of book attributes as those on the finishing sheet of the "general document setting 1" window can be set. Also, on the "general document setting 2" window, attribute values different from those on the "general document setting 1" window can be set).
With regard to claim 2, the limitations are addressed above and Sato teaches wherein the extension application program is activated in response to an occurrence of a print job for the print data generation software ([0097] Upon completion of the conversion into the electronic original document data, the process advances to step S802 to determine whether or not the converted data is image data. This determination step can be attained based on a file extension of the application data under, for example, the Windows OS).
With regard to claim 3, the limitations are addressed above and Sato teaches wherein in the determining, whether to display the guidance is determined by acquiring a print setting set on the print apparatus from the print apparatus (Figs. 18A-18B; [0147] FIGS. 18A and 18B show a display example of the "general document setting 2" window when the user selects the "general document setting 2" button 1702 on the window 1100. Note that when the user selects the "general document setting 1" button 1701, the "general document setting 1" window is displayed; [0149] FIG. 18A shows an example of the display state of the paper setting sheet, and a "nesting" check box 1801 is newly settable unlike in the "general document setting 1" window. The "nesting" check box 1801 is used to set whether or not to execute nesting imposition, and is an item which is not included in the "general document setting 1" window, and is unique to settings of the entire document added for a post-process).
With regard to claim 4, the limitations are addressed above and Sato teaches wherein in the determining, whether to display the guidance is determined based on a type of the sheet ([0079] Note that the spine width is calculated from a product of the thickness of inner sheet paper decided by an inner sheet paper type, and the number of inner sheets; [0119] there are two types of finished pages of an intermediate finished size obtained after cutting by near-line finisher 1 and a final finished size obtained after three-side trimming by near-line finisher 2; [0127] FIG. 12A shows a display state of the paper setting sheet. This sheet can mainly make settings required to decide a layout on an output sheet, and allows to set an output paper size and direction, a finished size and direction, an imposition type…; [0129] FIG. 13B shows a "register mark setting" window launched when a "detail setting" button 1202 in FIG. 12A is clicked. The "register mark setting" window accepts detailed settings (for example, a line type, line width, display position, etc.) or a size of the sheet ([abstract] When two or more finished size attribute values are set, finished pages having a size smaller than a given finished size and register marks are sequentially laid out in a finished page having the given finished size in a nested manner; [0067] As a finished size attribute, two values, that is, a fixed size and user designated size can be designated. The finished size attribute indicates a size of final printed materials which are left after a print sheet indicated by a paper size is trimmed. In the present invention, the finished size can be set independently of the paper size; [0082] A paper size attribute indicates a size of a print sheet).
With regard to claim 5, the limitations are addressed above and Sato teaches the method further comprising:
storing a combination of a type of the sheet ([0079] Note that the spine width is calculated from a product of the thickness of inner sheet paper decided by an inner sheet paper type, and the number of inner sheets; [0119] there are two types of finished pages of an intermediate finished size obtained after cutting by near-line finisher 1 and a final finished size obtained after three-side trimming by near-line finisher 2; [0127] FIG. 12A shows a display state of the paper setting sheet. This sheet can mainly make settings required to decide a layout on an output sheet, and allows to set an output paper size and direction, a finished size and direction, an imposition type…; [0129] FIG. 13B shows a "register mark setting" window launched when a "detail setting" button 1202 in FIG. 12A is clicked. The "register mark setting" window accepts detailed settings (for example, a line type, line width, display position, etc.) and a size of the sheet that acts as a criterion for determination ([abstract] When two or more finished size attribute values are set, finished pages having a size smaller than a given finished size and register marks are sequentially laid out in a finished page having the given finished size in a nested manner; [0067] As a finished size attribute, two values, that is, a fixed size and user designated size can be designated. The finished size attribute indicates a size of final printed materials which are left after a print sheet indicated by a paper size is trimmed. In the present invention, the finished size can be set independently of the paper size; [0082] A paper size attribute indicates a size of a print sheet).
With regard to claim 6, the limitations are addressed above and Sato teaches wherein in the displaying, a screen including a message and an image of an illustration that describe the method of setting the sheet is displayed on the display unit (Fig. 10; Fig. 12A; Figs. 18A-18B; Figs. 20A-20B; [0123] FIG. 10 shows a display example of a "printer selection" window by the bookbinding application 104 of the document processing system according to this embodiment. The user can select a printer used to print a book file, and a type of near-line finisher used in a post-process after the print process. In FIG. 10, a selection box 1001 is an area used to designate a printer to be used in a print process).
With regard to claim 7, the limitations are addressed above and Sato teaches wherein the screen further includes a button that issues an instruction for causing the print apparatus to start printing ([0125] FIG. 11 shows a display example of a window when a "print style" menu is selected on the window 1100 shown in FIG. 8. The user selects a "general document setting" button 1111, thereby displaying a "general document setting" window shown in FIGS. 12A to 12C; [0134] When a print execution instruction is issued by an OK button, the bookbinding application 104 starts print processing which combines the printer and near-line finisher; [0147] FIGS. 18A and 18B show a display example of the "general document setting 2" window when the user selects the "general document setting 2" button 1702 on the window 1100. Note that when the user selects the "general document setting 1" button 1701).
With regard to claim 14, Sato teaches an information processing apparatus that executes an extension application program for extending a function of a print data generation software ([0054] An electronic original document writer 102 is a software module prepared by modifying a printer driver; [0097] Upon completion of the conversion into the electronic original document data, the process advances to step S802 to determine whether or not the converted data is image data. This determination step can be attained based on a file extension of the application data under, for example, the Windows OS) that can be commonly used with respect to a plurality of different print apparatuses ([abstract] two or more post-processing devices are designated for a print job), the information processing apparatus ([0007] an information processing apparatus comprises: a designation unit configured to designate a plurality of post-processing devices used to execute post-processes of a printed material obtained after execution of one print job) comprising:
one or more memory devices that store a set of instructions (Fig. 9, 202, 203 and 211; [0114] The RAM 202 functions as a main memory); and
one or more processors that execute the set of instructions ([0156] it is executed by the computer 100 (more specifically, its processor)) to:
acquire a print setting of a print job ([0007] a setting unit configured to set setting values of print attributes for a print job in association with the designated post-processing devices);
determine, based on the acquired print setting, whether to display guidance on a method of setting a sheet on a print apparatus that executes printing based on the print job (Figs. 19-20B; [0150] when output sheets are trimmed separately in two stages using cutting machine A, "automatically trim to fit finished size" can be set as a finishing attribute on the finishing sheets of both the "general document setting 1" and "general document setting 2" windows; [0153] the bookbinding application 104 displays a guidance shown in FIG. 20B when print processing is executed on the "JDF output" window of FIG. 19); and
display the guidance on the method of setting the sheet on a display unit of the information processing apparatus in a case where it has been determined that the guidance is to be displayed ([0150] On this finishing sheet, the same items of book attributes as those on the finishing sheet of the "general document setting 1" window can be set. Also, on the "general document setting 2" window, attribute values different from those on the "general document setting 1" window can be set).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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 8-11, 13 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sato (U.S. 2014/0064882) in view of Hayashi (U.S. 2023/0205472).
With regard to claim 8, Sato teaches a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium ([claim 13] A non-transitory computer-readable medium in which a program is recorded for causing a computer) storing an extension application program for extending a function of a print data generation software ([0054] An electronic original document writer 102 is a software module prepared by modifying a printer driver; [0097] Upon completion of the conversion into the electronic original document data, the process advances to step S802 to determine whether or not the converted data is image data. This determination step can be attained based on a file extension of the application data under, for example, the Windows OS) that can be commonly used with respect to a plurality of different print apparatuses ([abstract] two or more post-processing devices are designated for a print job), and for causing a computer to execute each step in a method of controlling an information processing apparatus ([0007] an information processing apparatus comprises: a designation unit configured to designate a plurality of post-processing devices used to execute post-processes of a printed material obtained after execution of one print job), the method comprising:
acquiring a print setting of a print job ([0007] a setting unit configured to set setting values of print attributes for a print job in association with the designated post-processing devices);
determining, based on the acquired print setting, whether printing can be performed under a print setting set on a print apparatus (Figs. 19-20B; [0150] when output sheets are trimmed separately in two stages using cutting machine A, "automatically trim to fit finished size" can be set as a finishing attribute on the finishing sheets of both the "general document setting 1" and "general document setting 2" windows; [0153] the bookbinding application 104 displays a guidance shown in FIG. 20B when print processing is executed on the "JDF output" window of FIG. 19). However, Sato does not specifically teach:
- in a case where it has been determined that printing cannot be performed, displaying, on a display unit of the information processing apparatus, a screen indicating that printing cannot be performed under the print setting set on the print apparatus
Hayashi teaches a printer configured to switch whether a predetermined process related to cutting a sheet paper is to be executed or not ([abstract]; [0003]). Hayashi also teaches in a case where it has been determined that printing cannot be performed ([0054] The paper size error includes a message indicating that the media-size is not the same as the contained paper size (NO in S14) and the media-size is not half the contained paper size (NO in S50) so that printing cannot be executed; [0057] the printer 10 does not display the inquiry screen in a situation where printing cannot be performed properly and in a situation where the paper size selected by the user cannot be realized even by cutting the sheet paper), display, on a display unit of the information processing apparatus, a screen indicating that printing cannot be performed under the print setting set on the print apparatus ([0054] The paper size error includes a message indicating that the media-size is not the same as the contained paper size (NO in S14) and the media-size is not half the contained paper size (NO in S50) so that printing cannot be executed). Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which said subject matter pertains to have modified the printer system taught by Sato, with the message of non-printing as taught by Hayashi, to have achieved a printer system with a print setting screen that allows users to use the standard driver to designate print functions.
With regard to claim 9, the limitations are addressed above and Sato teaches wherein the screen includes a print setting obtained by changing the print setting on the print apparatus in order to perform printing under the print setting acquired in the acquiring ([0104] when the user changes a layout for original document pages, the change contents are reflected to attributes such as a print method; [0151] when the settings are changed from those using two or more near-line finishers to those using only one finisher on the "printer selection" window of FIG. 16, the bookbinding application 104 controls to leave the book attribute values as final products in the book file. For example, when the settings are changed from those using two or more near-line finishers to those using only one finisher on the "printer selection" window of FIG. 16).
With regard to claim 10, the limitations are addressed above and Sato teaches wherein the screen further includes a button that issues an instruction for starting printing under the changed print setting ([0104] when the user changes a layout for original document pages, the change contents are reflected to attributes such as a print method; [0151] when the settings are changed from those using two or more near-line finishers to those using only one finisher on the "printer selection" window of FIG. 16, the bookbinding application 104 controls to leave the book attribute values as final products in the book file. For example, when the settings are changed from those using two or more near-line finishers to those using only one finisher on the "printer selection" window of FIG. 16).
With regard to claim 11, the limitations are addressed above and Sato teaches wherein in the displaying, the print setting acquired in the acquiring, the print setting set on the print apparatus (Fig. 10; Fig. 12A; Figs. 18A-18B; Figs. 20A-20B; [0123] FIG. 10 shows a display example of a "printer selection" window by the bookbinding application 104 of the document processing system according to this embodiment. The user can select a printer used to print a book file, and a type of near-line finisher used in a post-process after the print process. In FIG. 10, a selection box 1001 is an area used to designate a printer to be used in a print process). However, Sato does not specifically teach:
- a message indicating that printing cannot be performed under the current print setting set on the print apparatus are displayed on the screen
Hayashi teaches a printer configured to switch whether a predetermined process related to cutting a sheet paper is to be executed or not ([abstract]; [0003]). Hayashi also teaches a message indicating that printing cannot be performed under the current print setting set on the print apparatus are displayed on the screen ([0054] The paper size error includes a message indicating that the media-size is not the same as the contained paper size (NO in S14) and the media-size is not half the contained paper size (NO in S50) so that printing cannot be executed; [0057] the printer 10 does not display the inquiry screen in a situation where printing cannot be performed properly and in a situation where the paper size selected by the user cannot be realized even by cutting the sheet paper). Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which said subject matter pertains to have modified the printer system taught by Sato, with the message of non-printing as taught by Hayashi, to have achieved a printer system with a print setting screen that allows users to use the standard driver to designate print functions.
With regard to claim 13, the limitations are addressed above and Sato teaches wherein the print setting includes at least one of a type of a sheet ([0079] Note that the spine width is calculated from a product of the thickness of inner sheet paper decided by an inner sheet paper type, and the number of inner sheets; [0119] there are two types of finished pages of an intermediate finished size obtained after cutting by near-line finisher 1 and a final finished size obtained after three-side trimming by near-line finisher 2; [0127] FIG. 12A shows a display state of the paper setting sheet. This sheet can mainly make settings required to decide a layout on an output sheet, and allows to set an output paper size and direction, a finished size and direction, an imposition type…; [0129] FIG. 13B shows a "register mark setting" window launched when a "detail setting" button 1202 in FIG. 12A is clicked. The "register mark setting" window accepts detailed settings (for example, a line type, line width, display position, etc.), a size of the sheet ([abstract] When two or more finished size attribute values are set, finished pages having a size smaller than a given finished size and register marks are sequentially laid out in a finished page having the given finished size in a nested manner; [0067] As a finished size attribute, two values, that is, a fixed size and user designated size can be designated. The finished size attribute indicates a size of final printed materials which are left after a print sheet indicated by a paper size is trimmed. In the present invention, the finished size can be set independently of the paper size; [0082] A paper size attribute indicates a size of a print sheet), and a setting of a sheet feeding port ([0007] a setting unit configured to set setting values of print attributes for a print job in association with the designated post-processing devices).
With regard to claim 15, Sato teaches an information processing apparatus that executes an extension application program for extending a function of a print data generation software ([0054] An electronic original document writer 102 is a software module prepared by modifying a printer driver; [0097] Upon completion of the conversion into the electronic original document data, the process advances to step S802 to determine whether or not the converted data is image data. This determination step can be attained based on a file extension of the application data under, for example, the Windows OS) that can be commonly used with respect to a plurality of different print apparatuses ([abstract] two or more post-processing devices are designated for a print job), the information processing apparatus ([0007] an information processing apparatus comprises: a designation unit configured to designate a plurality of post-processing devices used to execute post-processes of a printed material obtained after execution of one print job) comprising:
one or more memory devices that store a set of instructions (Fig. 9, 202, 203 and 211; [0114] The RAM 202 functions as a main memory); and
one or more processors that execute the set of instructions ([0156] it is executed by the computer 100 (more specifically, its processor)) to:
acquire a print setting of a print job ([0007] a setting unit configured to set setting values of print attributes for a print job in association with the designated post-processing devices);
determine, based on the acquired print setting, whether printing can be performed under a print setting set on a print apparatus (Figs. 19-20B; [0150] when output sheets are trimmed separately in two stages using cutting machine A, "automatically trim to fit finished size" can be set as a finishing attribute on the finishing sheets of both the "general document setting 1" and "general document setting 2" windows; [0153] the bookbinding application 104 displays a guidance shown in FIG. 20B when print processing is executed on the "JDF output" window of FIG. 19). However, Sato does not specifically teach:
- in a case where it has been determined that printing cannot be performed, display, on a display unit of the information processing apparatus, a screen indicating that printing cannot be performed under the print setting set on the print apparatus
Hayashi teaches a printer configured to switch whether a predetermined process related to cutting a sheet paper is to be executed or not ([abstract]; [0003]). Hayashi also teaches in a case where it has been determined that printing cannot be performed ([0054] The paper size error includes a message indicating that the media-size is not the same as the contained paper size (NO in S14) and the media-size is not half the contained paper size (NO in S50) so that printing cannot be executed; [0057] the printer 10 does not display the inquiry screen in a situation where printing cannot be performed properly and in a situation where the paper size selected by the user cannot be realized even by cutting the sheet paper), display, on a display unit of the information processing apparatus, a screen indicating that printing cannot be performed under the print setting set on the print apparatus ([0054] The paper size error includes a message indicating that the media-size is not the same as the contained paper size (NO in S14) and the media-size is not half the contained paper size (NO in S50) so that printing cannot be executed). Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which said subject matter pertains to have modified the printer system taught by Sato, with the message of non-printing as taught by Hayashi, to have achieved a printer system with a print setting screen that allows users to use the standard driver to designate print functions.
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sato (U.S. 2014/0064882) in view of Hayashi (U.S. 2023/0205472) and further in view of Kawano (U.S. 2021/0405944).
With regard to claim 12, the limitations are addressed above and Sato teaches wherein in the displaying, a button on the print apparatus ([0125] FIG. 11 shows a display example of a window when a "print style" menu is selected on the window 1100 shown in FIG. 8. The user selects a "general document setting" button 1111, thereby displaying a "general document setting" window shown in FIGS. 12A to 12C; [0134] When a print execution instruction is issued by an OK button, the bookbinding application 104 starts print processing which combines the printer and near-line finisher; [0147] FIGS. 18A and 18B show a display example of the "general document setting 2" window when the user selects the "general document setting 2" button 1702 on the window 1100. Note that when the user selects the "general document setting 1" button 1701) and causes printing to be started is further displayed on the screen in a case where a setting of a sheet feeding port corresponds to the print setting acquired in the acquiring, the setting of the sheet feeding port being included in the print setting set on the print apparatus (Fig. 10; Fig. 12A; Figs. 18A-18B; Figs. 20A-20B; [0123] FIG. 10 shows a display example of a "printer selection" window by the bookbinding application 104 of the document processing system according to this embodiment. The user can select a printer used to print a book file, and a type of near-line finisher used in a post-process after the print process. In FIG. 10, a selection box 1001 is an area used to designate a printer to be used in a print process). However, Sato does not specifically teach:
- a button that re-sets the print setting on the print apparatus
Kawano teaches a print apparatus that receives user instructions for a plurality of print settings and a control section which sets the print setting [abstract]. Kawano also teaches a button that re-sets the print setting on the print apparatus (Figs. 3-13, reset button 213; [0071] the basic display screen 201 includes a reset button 213; [0073] The reset button 213 is a display frame button for receiving instructions for resetting various setting details). Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which said subject matter pertains to have modified the printer system taught by Sato and the message of non-printing as taught by Hayashi, with the reset print setting taught by Kawano, to have achieved a print setting screen that allows users to use the standard driver to designate print functions.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANDREA C. LEGGETT whose telephone number is (571)270-7700. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am-5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kieu Vu can be reached at 571-272-4057. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ANDREA C LEGGETT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2171