CTNF 18/667,679 CTNF 82476 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. 12-151 AIA 26-51 12-51 Status of Claims Claims 1-11 are pending. Claims 4-11 have been withdrawn. Information Disclosure Statement The Information Disclosure Statement filed on 05/17/2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97 and have been considered. An initialed copy of the Form 1449 is enclosed herewith. Specification 06-11 AIA 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. Election/Restrictions 08-25-01 AIA Applicant’s election without traverse of Species I, encompassing claims 1-3 in the reply filed on 04/16/2026 is acknowledged. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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. 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim s 1-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hada, US 6,236,827 in view of Imaizumi et al., US 6,441,915 . Regarding claim 1, Hada discloses an electrophotographic image forming apparatus ( copier is composed of an image reading unit 100 and a printing unit 200 ) that scans a surface of an image carrier with multiple beams emitted from a plurality of light emitting elements based on image data of multiple colors, including black ( in printing unit 200, laser diodes provided for C, M, Y, and K, these laser beams are respectively scanned on surfaces of photosensitive drums 1C to 1K that are provided for the image forming system 36. The electrostatic latent images are developed into visible toner images by corresponding developing units 4C to 4K. The developing units 4C to 4K respectively supply the photosensitive drums 1C to 1K with C, M, Y, and K toners as developers. With application of electric fields of transfer brushes 5C to 5K, the toner images formed on the surfaces of the photosensitive drums 1C to 1K and are superimposed on the recording sheet to form a color image, col. 4, lines 23-46 ), the electrophotographic image forming apparatus ( copier ) comprising: performing electronic correction of image data of a predetermined color in accordance with a characteristic of black ( deviation is obtained for each color from the detection result and based on that a correction approximation function is formulated that is used for determining writing positions for pixels of an image for each color and in accordance with the correction approximation function, an image writing position at which an image forming unit starts writing is corrected such as deviations of the other black registration marks 50Kc and 50Ke, and the other color registration marks can be obtained. However, the deviation of the registration mark 50Ks itself may be obtained so as to correct the image forming position, abstract, col. 17, lines 34-48 ); and a density smoothing processor ( MTF correction unit 311 ) that smoothens, by a density smoothing process, a density level difference of an image of the predetermined color subjected to the electronic correction ( image processing control unit 310 performs an A/D conversion process and shading correction process on the image data, and then converts the image data into density data for each of the reproduction colors C, M, Y and K. Then, the MTF correction unit 311 performs the well-known data processes, such as an edge emphasis process and smoothing process, on the density data to improve an image quality. After this, the density data is stored into the image memory 312 for each reproduction color, col. 5, lines 19-29 ). Hada fails to explicitly disclose a bow corrector that performs electronic bow correction of image data of a predetermined color other than black in accordance with a bow characteristic of black; and a density level difference of an image of the predetermined color subjected to the electronic bow correction. However, Imaizumi teaches a bow corrector ( image distortion corrector ) that performs electronic bow correction of image data of a predetermined color other than black in accordance with a bow characteristic of black ( amounts of color shift of the C, M and Y components from the K component are detected by a resist detecting sensor 315 which is located in a still more downstream site than the K developing unit located at the most downstream position. An image distortion corrector 540 corrects the main scan magnification distortion, the bow distortion and the skew distortion of the C, M and Y components by means of the interpolation by a gradation level distribution in accordance with the result of the color shift detection and the predetermined C, M, or Y are finally corrected, col. 8, line 53 – col. 9, line 10 ); and a density level difference of an image of the predetermined color subjected to the electronic bow correction ( in order to correct the relative distortion of the other three colors C, M and Y, the image distortion correction is not performed for the black data K.sub.53-50. Meanwhile, for the other data C, M and Y.sub.53-50, the correction data (interpolation data) is generated and the interpolated is performed for each color, so that the C, M and Y data correspond with the distortion of the black data. The same circuits are provided for the three colors C, M and Y and interpolation data KD are stored beforehand in a line memory by calculating line select signals and density distribution quantities for each main scan address in the main scan and sub-scan directions, col. 13, lines 51-65 ). Hada and Imaizumi are in the same art of endeavor as both are dealing with image forming apparatus correction of image data. It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Hada to incorporate the teachings of Imaizumi to provide bow correction of image data. Doing so would provide efficient and effective image forming apparatus having an image distortion correction system which can perform edge processing more correctly as recognized by Imaizumi at col. 1, lines 43-45. Regarding claim 2, Combination of Hada with Imaizumi further teaches wherein: the predetermined color is one of cyan, magenta, and yellow (Imaizumi , col. 3, lines 64-67, image data transmitted from the image reader 200 or the interface 207 is converted to print data of cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y) and black (K). The data is sent to controllers (not shown) of exposure heads. Each exposure head controller allows a laser to emit the light in accordance with the electric signal of the transmitted image data ), and the electrophotographic image forming apparatus (Imaizumi , image forming apparatus 100 as shown in fig. 1 ) further comprises one or more controllers that perform electronic bow correction (Imaizumi , bow correction, col. 8, line 53 – col. 9, line 10 ) only on image data of cyan, magenta, and yellow, so as to match the image data of cyan, magenta, and yellow to the bow characteristic of black without performing electronic bow correction of image data of black (Imaizumi , in order to correct the relative distortion of the other three colors C, M and Y, the image distortion correction is not performed for the black data K.sub.53-50. Meanwhile, for the other data C, M and Y.sub.53-50, the correction data (interpolation data) is generated and the interpolated is performed for each color, so that the C, M and Y data correspond with the distortion of the black data. The same circuits are provided for the three colors C, M and Y and interpolation data KD are stored beforehand in a line memory by calculating line select signals and density distribution quantities for each main scan address in the main scan and sub-scan directions, col. 13, lines 51-65 ). Hada and Imaizumi are in the same art of endeavor as both are dealing with image forming apparatus correction of image data. It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Hada to incorporate the teachings of Imaizumi to provide bow correction of image data. Doing so would provide efficient and effective image forming apparatus having an image distortion correction system which can perform edge processing more correctly as recognized by Imaizumi at col. 1, lines 43-45. Regarding claim 3, Combination of Hada with Imaizumi further teaches a density correction processor (Hada, image processing control unit 310 ) that performs density correction (Hada, image processing control unit 310 performs an A/D conversion process and shading correction process on the image data, and then converts the image data into density data for each of the reproduction colors C, M, Y and K, col. 5, lines 19-29 ), by inter-face light intensity correction (Hada, shading correction ), on the image of the predetermined color subjected to the electronic bow correction (Imaizumi, amounts of color shift of the C, M and Y components from the K component are detected by a resist detecting sensor 315 which is located in a still more downstream site than the K developing unit located at the most downstream position. An image distortion corrector 540 corrects the main scan magnification distortion, the bow distortion and the skew distortion of the C, M and Y components by means of the interpolation by a gradation level distribution in accordance with the result of the color shift detection and the predetermined C, M, or Y are finally corrected, col. 8, line 53 – col. 9, line 10 ), and on an image of black not subjected to the electronic bow correction (Imaizumi , in order to correct the relative distortion of the other three colors C, M and Y, the image distortion correction is not performed for the black data K.sub.53-50. Meanwhile, for the other data C, M and Y.sub.53-50, the correction data (interpolation data) is generated and the interpolated is performed for each color, so that the C, M and Y data correspond with the distortion of the black data. The same circuits are provided for the three colors C, M and Y and interpolation data KD are stored beforehand in a line memory by calculating line select signals and density distribution quantities for each main scan address in the main scan and sub-scan directions, col. 13, lines 51-65 ). Hada and Imaizumi are in the same art of endeavor as both are dealing with image forming apparatus correction of image data. It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Hada to incorporate the teachings of Imaizumi to provide bow correction of image data. Doing so would provide efficient and effective image forming apparatus having an image distortion correction system which can perform edge processing more correctly as recognized by Imaizumi at col. 1, lines 43-45 . Conclusion 07-96 AIA The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Suhara, US 8,451,309 Hirota et al., US 6,631,207 Hiromatsu, US 2003/0197900 Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PAWANDEEP DHINGRA whose telephone number is (571) 270-1231. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00-5:00. 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, Abderrahim Merouan can be reached at (571) 270-5254. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. 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If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /PAWAN DHINGRA/Examiner, Art Unit 2683 /ABDERRAHIM MEROUAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2683 Application/Control Number: 18/667,679 Page 2 Art Unit: 2683 Application/Control Number: 18/667,679 Page 3 Art Unit: 2683 Application/Control Number: 18/667,679 Page 4 Art Unit: 2683 Application/Control Number: 18/667,679 Page 5 Art Unit: 2683 Application/Control Number: 18/667,679 Page 6 Art Unit: 2683 Application/Control Number: 18/667,679 Page 7 Art Unit: 2683 Application/Control Number: 18/667,679 Page 8 Art Unit: 2683 Application/Control Number: 18/667,679 Page 9 Art Unit: 2683 Application/Control Number: 18/667,679 Page 10 Art Unit: 2683
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