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 .
This Office Action is responsive to: Amendment filed 28 Jul. 2026
Claims 1-14 are pending in this case. Claims 1 and 14 are independent claims
Applicant’s Response
In Applicant’s Response dated 28 Jul. 2026, Applicant amended claims 1 and 14; argued against all rejections previously set forth in the Office Action dated 20 May 2026.
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 1-12 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Okubo et al. (Pub. No.: US 2021/0379807 A1; Effectively Filed: Jun. 5, 2020)(hereinafter “Okubo”) in view of Konta et al. (Pub. No.: US 2018/0064403 A1; Effectively Filed: Aug. 14, 2017)(hereinafter “Konta”).
Regarding independent claims 1 and 14, Okubo disclose an information processing device comprising:
a display control unit that displays on a display device an input screen for inputting information related to a quality of a molding product manufactured by an injection molding machine (0092; 0119; 0123-0124; 0181; 0259);
a receiving unit that receives an operation performed on the input screen (0092; 0119; 0123-0124; 0181; 0259); and
a generation unit that generates the information related to the quality of the molding product according to the operation received by the receiving unit (0092; 0119; 0123-0124; 0181; 0259), wherein
the input screen is a screen that includes a predetermined item, which is the information related to the quality of the molding product and display for each item in a graph (0009-0011; Figs 16, 21, 30 & 31)
Okubo does not expressly disclose displays an image representing a value for each item in a graph, and
the receiving unit receives a manipulation of the image such that the value for each item represented by the image changes.
Konta teach displays an image representing a value for each item in a graph (0037-0040; 0046-0051), and
the receiving unit receives a manipulation of the image such that the value for each item represented by the image changes (0028; 0031; 0037-0040; 0046-0051).
Therefore, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine Konta with Okubo for the benefit of optimizing the imaging parameters (0003).
Regarding dependent claim 2, Okubo disclose the information processing device according to Claim 1, wherein the item, which is shown in the graph on the input screen, is an item predetermined as input information to be input to an estimation unit that estimates, from the information related to the quality of the molding product, a molding condition required to obtain the quality (0012-0013; 0017; 0022-0024).
Regarding dependent claim 3, Okubo disclose the information processing device according to Claim 1, wherein the display control unit displays a reference image representing a reference at which the molding product is determined to be a non-defective product on the corresponding item for each of the items, in the graph on the input screen (0009-0014; 0022; Figs 16, 21, 30 & 31; Okubo disclose a molding conditions determination assist device capable of modifying the molding conditions so that the quality of a mold product comes closer to standard (reference) quality in a case that the quality of a mold product varies due to external factors or slight differences in the components of a molding material).
Regarding dependent claim 4, Okubo disclose the information processing device according to Claim 3, wherein the reference image, which is displayed in the graph on the input screen, includes an image indicating a range where the molding product is determined to be a non- defective product, regarding the item for which the range is specified (0014; 0026; 0098; 0204).
Regarding dependent claim 5, Okubo disclose the information processing device according to Claim 4, wherein the display control unit displays, among the items for which the range displayed in the graph on the input screen is specified, an item which is included in the range where a value that is specified through the operation received by the receiving unit is determined to be a non-defective product and other items in a distinguishable manner (0014; 0026; 0098; 0204; 0227).
Regarding dependent claim 6, Okubo disclose the information processing device according to Claim 3, wherein the reference image, which is displayed in the graph on the input screen, includes an image indicating a boundary between a non-defective product and a defective product for the molding product, regarding the item for which the boundary is specified (0009-0014; 0022; Figs 16, 21, 30 & 31; Okubo disclose a molding conditions determination assist device capable of modifying the molding conditions so that the quality of a mold product comes closer to standard (non-defective) quality in a case that the quality of a mold product varies due to external factors or slight differences in the components of a molding material).
Regarding dependent claim 7, Okubo disclose the information processing device according to Claim 6, wherein the display control unit displays, regarding the item for which the boundary displayed in the graph on the input screen is specified, a region on a side where the molding product is determined to be a non-defective product and a region on a side where the molding product is determined to be a defective product in a distinguishable manner with respect to the boundary (0009-0014; 0022; Figs 16, 21, 30 & 31).
Regarding dependent claim 8, Okubo disclose the information processing device according to Claim 3, wherein the display control unit displays an image indicating a range where the molding product is determined to be a non-defective product, regarding the item for which the range is specified, and displays an image indicating a boundary between a non-defective product and a defective product for the molding product, regarding the item for which the boundary is specified, as the reference image specified (0009-0014; 0022; 0098; 0204; 0227; Figs 16, 21, 30 & 31; Okubo disclose a molding conditions determination assist device capable of modifying the molding conditions so that the quality of a mold product comes closer to standard (non-defective) quality in a case that the quality of a mold product varies due to external factors or slight differences in the components of a molding material).
Regarding dependent claim 9, Okubo disclose the information processing device according to Claim 1, wherein the display control unit displays a character input field for inputting values with respect to at least some of the items, on the input screen that displays the graph or on another input screen that is different from the corresponding input screen (0092; 0181; 0200; 0259; Figs 16, 21, 30 & 31).
Regarding dependent claim 10, Okubo disclose the information processing device according to Claim 9, wherein the display control unit displays, in response to an operation of designating the item displayed in the graph on the input screen, the character input field for the designated item on the input screen (0092; 0181; 0200; 0259; Figs 16, 21, 30 & 31).
Regarding dependent claim 11, Okubo disclose the information processing device according to Claim 9, wherein the display control unit switches, in response to an operation of designating the item displayed in the graph on the input screen, a display to the other input screen including the character input field for the designated item (0092; 0181; 0200; 0259; Figs 16, 21, 30 & 31).
Regarding dependent claim 12, Okubo disclose the information processing device according to Claim 9, wherein the display control unit changes the content displayed in the graph based on the value input to the character input field (0092; 0181; 0200; 0259; Figs 16, 21, 30 & 31).
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Okubo in view of Konta, further in view of Yagi et al. (Pub. No.: US 2024/0042665 A1; Effectively Filed: Mar. 15, 2021)(hereinafter “Yagi”).
Regarding dependent claim 13, Okubo in view of Konta does not expressly disclose the information processing device according to Claim 1, further comprising:
a voice input unit that receives a voice input related to at least some of the items displayed in the graph on the input screen.
Yagi teach a voice input unit that receives a voice input related to at least some of the items displayed in the graph on the input screen (0085).
Therefore, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine Yagi with Okubo in view of Konta for the benefit of controlling the injection molding condition in consideration of the change in material property without depending on the operator (0003).
NOTE
It is noted that any citations to specific, pages, columns, lines, or figures in the prior art references and any interpretation of the reference should not be considered to be limiting in any way. A reference is relevant for all it contains and may be relied upon for all that it would have reasonably suggested to one having ordinary skill in the art. See MPEP 2123.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any extension fee pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAMES J DEBROW whose telephone number is (571)272-5768. The examiner can normally be reached on 09:00 - 06:00.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, William Bashore can be reached on 571-272-4088. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/James J Debrow/
Primary Patent Examiner
Art Unit 2174
571-272-5768
Prosecution Insights