CTNF 18/748,028 CTNF 70773 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. Detailed Office Action 1. Claims 1-9 are pending. Claims 1 and 9 are independent. Claim Rejection under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) 2. 07-30-02 AIA The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b): (b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA), second paragraph: The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention. 3. Claims 1-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA), second paragraph, as failing to set forth the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant regards as the invention. Claim 1, line 10 recites “the determination”. It is unclear from the claim language what “the determination” is referring to. Language of the claim itself should be clearly written. Claim 1 recites the following, among other limitations : “a management information necessity determiner which determines whether or not to add, as an image, a code related to the management information to data subjected to the image processing; a determination condition setter which receives a setting of a determination condition for use in the determination [[ this line is line 10 of claim 1 ]] restrictively from the authenticated administrator;” According to para 0007 of the specification, it appears that “the determination” is referring to the determines/determining step in the management information necessity determiner. That part of the specification reads “for use in the determining of the determination step”, which appears to be the method claim (see claim 9) equivalent or corresponding to the apparatus claim (claim 1) (see para 0006-0008). Note : The examiner suggests the following language for further clarity in line 10 of claim 1 . Instead of “the determination”, it is suggested to have – the determination of the management information necessity determiner – or similar languages. Allowable Subject Matter 07-43-02 AIA 4. Claim s 1-8 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. 12-151-07 AIA 07-97 12-51-07 5. Claim 9 is allowed. Reasons for Allowance 13-03 AIA 6. The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: Claim 9 requires, in a method of adding management information related to image processing, the following steps: determining whether or not to add, as an image, a code related to the management information to data subjected to the image processing; receiving a setting of a determination condition for use in the determining restrictively from the authenticated administrator; and superimposing the code related to the management information on the data as an image, based on the determination condition; The above limitations in combination with other limitations of claim 9 are not taught by the prior art of record. Apparatus claim 1 corresponds to method claim 9. Claims 2-8 depend on claim 1 . Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.” Pertinent Prior Art 07-96 7. The prior art or art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Ishikawa et al. (US 2008/0232639 A1), para 0051, 0055 Ishikawa et al. (US 8325970 B1) Kim et al. (US 10133469 B2; US 2015/0052467 A1): Claim 8: A mobile device connected to multiple photo printers comprising: a memory configured to store an image; a communication interface configured to perform data communication with the multiple photo printers; a controller configured to control operations of the mobile device; and a display configured to display at least one image based upon a command of the controller, wherein the controller is further configured to: output a first application graphical user interface (GUI); map a specific time, at which a first image is moved to a photo printer folder, to the first image and store the mapped specific time to the memory, when a signal moving the first image, displayed on a first section of the first application GUI, to the photo printer folder displayed on a second section of the first application GUI is detected; output a second application GUI related to the photo printer folder; display the first image on a first section within the second application GUI; display at least one image on a second section within the second application GUI according to an order based on a mapped specific time that each of the at least one image is moved to the photo printer folder, wherein the mapped specific times for the first image and at least one image displayed in the second section are stored in the memory in a table; display at least one editing icon on a third section within the second application GUI; and display an identifier field on a fourth section within the second application GUI, wherein the identifier field displays data connecting the first image displayed on the first section to a specific user, wherein information associated with the data displayed in the identifier field is automatically added to a printout of the first image, the added information including a Quick Response (QR) code, and wherein the controller is further configured to: perform pairing with the multiple photo printers so as to print out a requested image; determine a first photo printer by applying priority levels to the paired multiple photo printers; and transmit the requested image to the determined first photo printer . Conclusion 8. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHEUKFAN LEE whose telephone number is (571)272-7407. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. 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, BENNY TIEU can be reached at (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 published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /CHEUKFAN LEE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2682 Application/Control Number: 18/748,028 Page 2 Art Unit: 2682 Application/Control Number: 18/748,028 Page 3 Art Unit: 2682 Application/Control Number: 18/748,028 Page 4 Art Unit: 2682 Application/Control Number: 18/748,028 Page 5 Art Unit: 2682 Application/Control Number: 18/748,028 Page 6 Art Unit: 2682 Application/Control Number: 18/748,028 Page 7 Art Unit: 2682