CTNF 18/668,798 CTNF 80950 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. The action is responsive to the following communication: an application filed on 05/20/2024 where: Claims 1-16 are currently pending. 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. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 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 1-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamada (US 2014/0033090) in view of Uekusa et al. (US 2005/0094200, hereinafter Uekusa) . Regarding claim 1, Yamada teaches: An image processing apparatus (fig. 1, printer 1) comprising: at least one memory that stores a program ([0027], by executing a control program stored in the ROM 10b); and at least one processor ([0027], The controller 10 is provided with a CPU 10a, a ROM 10b, a RAM 10c, and the like) that executes the program to perform: receiving a selection of use environment of the image processing apparatus from among use environments ([0115-0121], In S209, the controller 10 display the simple printing conditions change screen 42. In S210, the controller 10 executes printing of the security print job to be executed under the printing conditions which are changed on the simple printing conditions change screen 42. See figs. 3-6 and 8); and setting values corresponding to the selected use environment ([0115-0121], wherein the processor 10 of the printer 1 causes the display 12 to display print settings to be selected by the user to change the received print settings prior to execute the printing process with the changed print settings in the first use environment corresponding to the secure print environment. Yamada does not explicitly teach: proposing one or more values corresponding to the selected use environment. However, Uekusa teaches: proposing one or more values corresponding to the selected use environment ([0100-0101], In step S1613, the user interface driver 203 notifies the application 201 of the list of the selection items (obtained in step S1612) which can be selected on the print conditions designated from the application 201 and finishes the processing routine). 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 Yamada to include proposing one or more values corresponding to the selected use environment as taught by Uekusa. The motivation/suggestion would have been to further enhance/improve the image processing apparatus since doing so would allow for a mechanism for deciding selection items of the output settings which can be set in consideration of setting order of the output setting obtained by an application and preventing illegal output setting which cannot be outputted by the image forming apparatus from being set. Regarding claim 2, Yamada and Uekusa teach: The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the proposed one or more values are not included in the set values corresponding to the selected use environment (Yamada, [0042] and fig. 2, The computer (PC) 2 transmitted the non secure print job print job to the printer 1 with print data to be printed and the printer 1 acquired the group of print settings which "MAY NOT" include(s) specific print setting(s) i.e. user's password and stored them in the memory 13). Regarding claim 3, Yamada and Uekusa teach: The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the one or more values and one or more items corresponding to the one or more values are displayed to propose the one or more values corresponding to the selected use environment (Uekusa, see fig. 17A, Step S1707, display settable selection items list in print condition of the ith setting order). Regarding claim 4, Yamada and Uekusa teach: The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one processor executes the program to further perform: receiving an instruction to set the proposed one or more values; and based on the instruction, setting the proposed one or more values (Uekusa, [0100-0101], In step S1613, the user interface driver 203 notifies the application 201 of the list of the selection items (obtained in step S1612) which can be selected on the print conditions designated from the application 201 and finishes the processing routine). Regarding claim 5, Yamada and Uekusa teach: The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in a case where a first use environment is selected, one or more first values corresponding to the first use environment are proposed (Yamada, [115], secure print environment), and wherein in a case where a second use environment (Yamada, non secure print environment) different from the first use environment is selected, one or more second values corresponding to the second use environment different from the one or more first values are proposed Yamada, [0042] and fig. 2, The computer (PC) 2 transmitted the non secure print job print job to the printer 1 with print data to be printed and the printer 1 acquired the group of print settings which "MAY NOT" include(s) specific print setting(s) i.e. user's password and stored them in the memory 13). Regarding claim 6, Yamada and Uekusa teach: The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the proposed one or more values are determined based on one or more logs about use of functions of the image processing apparatus (Uekusa, [0109-0110], In step S1710, the application 201 discriminates whether or not the printer has been changed on the basis of the event obtained in step S1709. If the printer has been changed as a result of the discrimination, the processing routine is returned to step S1701. If NO, step S1711 follows). Regarding claim 7, Yamada teaches: An image processing apparatus (fig. 1, printer 1) comprising: at least one memory that stores a program ([0027], by executing a control program stored in the ROM 10b); and at least one processor ([0027], The controller 10 is provided with a CPU 10a, a ROM 10b, a RAM 10c, and the like) that executes the program to perform: receiving a selection of use environment of the image processing apparatus from among use environments ([0115-0121], In S209, the controller 10 display the simple printing conditions change screen 42. In S210, the controller 10 executes printing of the security print job to be executed under the printing conditions which are changed on the simple printing conditions change screen 42. See figs. 3-6 and 8); and setting values corresponding to the selected use environment ([0115-0121], wherein the processor 10 of the printer 1 causes the display 12 to display print settings to be selected by the user to change the received print settings prior to execute the printing process with the changed print settings in the first use environment corresponding to the secure print environment. Yamada does not explicitly teach: inquiring of a user whether to set one or more values corresponding to the selected use environment. However, Uekusa teaches: inquiring of a user whether to set one or more values corresponding to the selected use environment (fig. 17A, steps S1706-S1709, and [0106-0109], In step S1709, the application 201 obtains the event when it receives the operating instruction from the user on the print condition setting display screen 700.). 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 Yamada to include inquiring of a user whether to set one or more values corresponding to the selected use environment as taught by Uekusa. The motivation/suggestion would have been to further enhance/improve the image processing apparatus since doing so would allow for a mechanism for deciding selection items of the output settings which can be set in consideration of setting order of the output setting obtained by an application and preventing illegal output setting which cannot be outputted by the image forming apparatus from being set. Claims 13 and 15 is rejected for reasons similar to claim 1 above. Claims 14 and 16 is rejected for reasons similar to claim 7 above. Claim 8 is rejected for reasons similar to claim 2 above. Claim 9 is rejected for reasons similar to claim 3 above. Claim 10 is rejected for reasons similar to claim 4 above. Claim 11 is rejected for reasons similar to claim 5 above. Claim 12 is rejected for reasons similar to claim 6 above. 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. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /ANDREW H LAM/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2682 Application/Control Number: 18/668,798 Page 2 Art Unit: 2682 Application/Control Number: 18/668,798 Page 3 Art Unit: 2682 Application/Control Number: 18/668,798 Page 4 Art Unit: 2682 Application/Control Number: 18/668,798 Page 5 Art Unit: 2682 Application/Control Number: 18/668,798 Page 6 Art Unit: 2682 Application/Control Number: 18/668,798 Page 7 Art Unit: 2682 Application/Control Number: 18/668,798 Page 8 Art Unit: 2682
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