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 .
DETAILED ACTION
This Office Action is in response to the communication and claim amendment
filed on 12/24/2025; Claims 1-12 were cancelled; Claims 13-17 have been added; Claims 13 and 17 are independent claims. Claims 13-17 have been examined and are pending. This Action is made FINAL.
Claim Objections
Claim 14 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Regarding to Claim 14, the acronym URL should be spelled out in full as its first occurrence. Appropriate correction is required.
Response to Arguments
The rejections of claims 1-5 and 9-12 under 35 U.S.C. § 101 are withdrawn as the claims have been canceled.
Applicants’ arguments with respect to new claims 13-17 have been fully considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection.
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 13-14 and 16-17are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sako (“Sako,” US 11,169,751) in view of HP Development Company, L.P., (“EWS,” HP LaserJet Enterprise, HP LaserJet Managed, HP PageWide Enterprise, HP PageWide Managed – Configuration Guide using the Embedded Web Server (EWS), Edition 3, July 2019, 2019, pages 1-244) and further in view of Ikeda (“Ikeda,” US 8,891,104).
Regarding claim 13, Sako teaches an image formation device, comprising:
an operation unit (Sako: Col. 4, lines 18-23, An operation unit interface (I/F) 115 connects an operation unit 116 and the control unit 110. The operation unit 116 is provided with a liquid crystal display (LCD) unit having a touch panel function and various hardware keys, and functions as a display unit for displaying information and a reception unit for receiving user's instructions.);
a server function (Sako: Col. 6, limes 61-67, "The remote UI service 415 is a web service offering the remote user interface function for performing the device setting and management of the MFP 102 via the external web browser.");
one or more controllers including one or more processors and one or more memories, the one or more controllers (Mapping to Primary Reference: The '751 reference discloses a control unit 210 within MFP 101/102 comprising: Col. 3, line 58 to Col 7, line 7: “..processing unit (CPU) 111 controls operations of the entire MFP 102. The CPU 111 reads a control program stored in a read only memory (ROM) 112 or a storage 114 and performs print control, reading control, and other various control operations. The ROM 112 stores a control program that can be executed by the CPU 111. A random access memory (RAM) 113 serves as the main memory of the CPU 111 and is used as a work area or a temporary storage area for loading various control programs. … ) being configured to:
provide, via the server function, a web browser of a user terminal with a setting screen for specifying parameters required to use a cloud storage service from the image formation device (Sako: Col. 6, lines 61-67, "The remote UI service 415 is a web service offering the remote user interface function for performing the device setting and management of the MFP 102 via the external web browser. The user such as the administrator can confirm and change various device settings of the MFP 102 on the display of a personal computer (PC) by using the remote UI service 415 from the web browser of the client terminal 101." Col. 7, lines 1-5, "According to the present exemplary embodiment, the user can perform at least processing for registering the MFP 102 with the CPS 320 and processing for changing the share range setting for the printers on the CPS 320, by accessing the remote UI service 415 from the web browser.");
store, as the parameters specified through the setting screen, code data necessary for using the cloud storage service from the image formation device (Sako: Col. 7, lines 6-10, "A setting storage unit 403 stores cloud registration information 404 including registration information about the registration with the CPS 320, setting information related to the CPS 320, and the access token for accessing the cloud platform.": Col. 9, lines 45-51, "The registration control unit 414a stores the cloud device ID, the access token, and the registration status as the cloud registration information 404 of the setting storage unit 403. The access token is authorization information indicating the right to access the resources on a specific tenant on the cloud platform 300.");
receive a login operation from a user (Sako: Col. 12, lines 33-35, "when the user logs in to the MFP 102, the MFP 102 may make an inquiry about whether a print job of the user exists.");
Sako discloses store, as the parameters specified through the setting screen, code data necessary for using the cloud storage service from the image formation device but does not explicitly disclose
“store display name on the image forming device.”, “display, on the operation unit, an object corresponding to the display name;”
However, in an analogous art, EWS discloses
store display name on the image forming device.” (EWS: p. 184-185; “5. Enter a title for the Quick Set in the Quick Set Title (required) field.”, “6. Select the location for the quick set to appear on the printer from the Button Location drop-down list. This setting determines whether the Quick Set displays on the Home screen or within the Quick Sets area on the printer control panel.”; p. 92, “Quick Sets are short-cut jobs that are available from the Home screen or within the Quick Sets feature on the printer control panel and do not impact the defaults set for the base application.”; “Save to Network Folder — Use Save to Network Folder Quick Sets to configure and save commonly used settings for saving jobs to a network folder”).
display, on the operation unit, an object corresponding to the display name (Sako: fig. 2, MFP (102), operation unit (116) ; Col. 4, lines 18-29, An operation unit interface (I/F) 115 connects an operation unit 116 and the control unit 110. The operation unit 116 is provided with a liquid crystal display (LCD) unit having a touch panel function and various hardware keys, and functions as a display unit for displaying information and a reception unit for receiving user's instructions; Sako: Abstract, “the MFP displays a screen related to the cloud server to be displayed”.; EWS: p. 184-185; “5. Enter a title for the Quick Set in the Quick Set Title (required) field.”, “6. Select the location for the quick set to appear on the printer from the Button Location drop-down list. This setting determines whether the Quick Set displays on the Home screen or within the Quick Sets area on the printer control panel.”; p. 142, And: "Name the Quick Set something that users can understand quickly (e.g., 'Scan and save to a folder'));
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of EWS with the method and system of Sako to include “store display name on the image forming device.” “display, on the operation unit, an object corresponding to the display name. One would have been motivated to do so because it is quick and easy to configure a printer's control panel. Configure the Home screen to save both time and money on frequently-performed tasks (EWS: p. 16).
The combination of Sako and EWS teaches display, on the operation unit, an object corresponding to the display name, and including user taps names Quick Set button (EWS: p. 142, b. From the Button Location drop-down, select one of the following options to indicate where the Quick Set button will display on the product control panel) but does not explicitly disclose
“display, based on a user operation for the object and on the operation unit, an input screen for receiving a user input; “and “access the cloud storage service, in a case where the user input received through the input screen matches the code data.”
However, in an analogous art, Ikeda discloses
display an input screen for receiving a user input on an operation unit panel (Ikeda: FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen for inputting a PIN code according to the present exemplary embodiment. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen for prompting PIN code input according to the present exemplary embodiment."; Col 6, line 62-67 to Col. 7, lines 1- 2, In step S5-013, the job controller 2002 requests the UI 2001 illustrated in FIG. 10 to display a screen for prompting PIN code input on the display 208 (4008). FIG. 8 illustrates an example of the screen for prompting the PIN code input according to the present exemplary embodiment. In step S5-014, the job controller 2002 determines whether the user has operated the PANEL 206 of the MFP 200 to input a PIN code through the UI 2001; Abstract, the request unit requests input of a PIN code if the suspension flag is enabled when the acquisition unit acquires the job list again; Col. 3, lines 45-46, The UI 2001 draws a screen on the display 206 through the DISPC 207 and accepts inputs from the PANEL 206 through the PANELC 205.)
access the cloud storage service, in a case where the user input received through the input screen matches the code data (Ikeda: Col. 7, lines 9-12, In step S5-018, the job controller 2002 compares the PIN code that is input according to the request and the PIN code that is included in the ticket of the jth job ID acquired in step S5-017; Abstract, "The control unit controls printing of the job to be secure printed based on the input PIN code."; Col. 5, lines 45-47, step SS-024, the MFP 200 issues a download request to the cloud printer server 100 for the job data of the job ID (3008); Col., Col. 7, lines 8-22, “the job controller2002 compares the PIN code that is input according to the request and the PIN code that is included in the ticket of the jth job ID required n step S5-017 [] If the acquired ticket includes no valid PIN code (No in step S5-018), the job controller 2002 skips to step S5-021 [] If the two PIN codes coincide with each other (Yes, and coinciding with the input PIN code in step SS-018), the job controller 2002 proceeds to step SS-019. In step SS-019, the job controller 2002 proceeds to steps S5-019. In step SS-019, the job controller 2002 20acquires the job from the cloud print server 1 in order to perform the processing for printing the jth job”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Ikeda with the method and system of Sako and EWS to include display, based on a user operation for the object and on the operation unit, an input screen for receiving a user input; and access the cloud storage service, in a case where the user input received through the input screen matches the code data. One would have been motivated to prevent the printing from starting in a place out of sight and information from leaking to a third party when printing a highly confidential document (Ikeda: Col: 1, lines 15-18).
Regarding claim 14, the combination of Sako, EWS, and Ikeda teaches the image formation device according to claim 13. The combination of Sako, EWS, and Ikeda further teaches
wherein the one or more controllers are further configured to store, as the parameters specified through the setting screen, URL information (Sako: Col. 9, lines 45-48, "The registration control unit 414a stores the cloud device ID, the access token, and the registration status as the cloud registration information 404 of the setting storage unit 403."; Col. 9, lines 48-51, "The access token is authorization information indicating the right to access the resources on a specific tenant on the cloud platform 300."); Ikeda: Col. 4, lines 58-61,"The job list includes at least a job ID. Aside from the job ID(s), the job list includes job data on each job and universal resource locator (URL) information indicating the storage location of a job ticket."); and
wherein, in a case where the user input received through the input screen matches the code data, the image formation device accesses the cloud storage service using the URL information (Sako: Col. 9, lines 48-51, "The access token is authorization information indicating the right to access the resources on a specific tenant on the cloud platform 300."; Ikeda: Col. 7, lines 9-14, “In step S5-018, the job controller 2002 compares the PIN code that is input according to the request and the PIN code that is included in the ticket of the jth job ID acquired in step S5-017."; Ikeda: Col. 4 lines 59-61, "the job list includes job data on each job and universal resource locator (URL) information indicating the storage location of a job ticket."; Ikeda: Col. 5, lines 20-22 "the job controller 2002 acquires a ticket of the ith job ID included in the temporarily stored job ID list."; Sako Col. 12, lines 26-28, "In step S806, the NFP 102 transmits a print job acquisition request including the cloud device ID and the access token to the CPS 320."; Sako. Col. 13, lines 17-18, "This request includes the cloud device ID and the access token stored as the registration information 404.").
Regarding claim 16, the combination of Sako, EWS, and Ikeda teaches the image formation device according to claim 13. The combination of Sako, EWS, and Ikeda further teaches comprising a scanner (Sako: Col. 3, lines 4-6, The MFPs 102 to 104, the MFP B are provided with a scan function of reading a document by using a scanner; Ikeda: Col. 3, lines 8-11, The MFP 200 also includes a display controller 5 (referred to as DISPC) 207 and a display 208. The MFP 200 further includes a printer unit (referred to as PRINTER) 211and a scanner unit (referred to as SCANNER) 212 Scanner).
Regarding claim 17, claim 17 is directed to a method for an image formation device having an operation unit and a server function associated with the method claimed in claim 13; claim 17 is similar in scope to claim 13, and is therefore rejected under similar rationale.
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sako (“Sako,” US 11,169,751) in view of HP Development Company, L.P., (“EWS,” HP LaserJet Enterprise, HP LaserJet Managed, HP PageWide Enterprise, HP PageWide Managed – Configuration Guide using the Embedded Web Server (EWS), Edition 3, July 2019, 2019, pages 1-244), and Ikeda (“Ikeda,” US 8,891,104), and further in view of Omori (“Omori,” US 2020/0344366).
Regarding claim 15, the combination of Sako, EWS, and Ikeda teaches the image formation device according to claim 13. Sako, EWS, and Ikeda do not explicitly disclose wherein the one or more controllers are further configured to:
display, on the operation unit, another object for displaying another setting screen for specifying parameters required to use the cloud storage service from the image formation device;
display, based on a user operation for the another object and on the operation unit, the another setting screen; and
store, as the parameters specified through the another setting screen, a display name on the image forming device and code data necessary for using the cloud storage service from the image formation device.
However, in an analogous art, Omori discloses
display, on the operation unit, another object for displaying another setting screen for specifying parameters required to use the cloud storage service from the image formation device (Omori: par. 0039, When the user presses a "New destination" button 506, a transmission type selection screen is displayed, and a destination setting screen based on the transmission type selected by the user is displayed);
display, based on a user operation for the another object and on the operation unit, the another setting screen (Omori: par. 0039, “When the user presses a "New destination" button 506, a transmission type selection screen is displayed, and a destination setting screen based on the transmission type selected by the user is displayed”; par. 0053, A host name input window 710 is for inputting a host name to be destination information about a new destination to be registered [ ] A folder name input window 711 is for inputting a folder name attached to the host name input in the host name input window 710.; par. 0054, A user name input window 712 is for inputting a user name in login information for accessing to the host name input in the host name input window 710 [ ] A password input window 713 is for inputting a password in the login information for accessing to the host name input in the host name input window 710); and
store, as the parameters specified through the another setting screen, a display name on the image forming device and code data necessary for using the cloud storage service from the image formation device (Omori: par. 0046, FIG. 6C illustrates an example of a screen where a type selection pop-up menu of a new destination to be registered in the address book is displayed on the operation unit 105 by a user pressing the "Register" button 605; par. 0047, A pop-up menu 609 is for selecting a type of the new destination to be registered in the address book. The pop-up menu 609 is displayed by pressing the "Register" button 605. One of new destination registration screens illustrated in FIGS. 7A to 7C appears based on the type selected on the pop-up menu 609.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Omori with the method and system of Sako, EWS, and Ikeda to include display, on the operation unit, another object for displaying another setting screen for specifying parameters required to use the cloud storage service from the image formation device; display, based on a user operation for the another object and on the operation unit, the another setting screen; and store, as the parameters specified through the another setting screen, a display name on the image forming device and code data necessary for using the cloud storage service from the image formation device. One would have been motivated to provide an on-panel "New destination" registration mechanism — directly on the device's operation unit — enables users to add and immediately access new storage destinations without requiring a separate computer or browser (Omori: par. 0039, 0053-0054). One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to incorporate this on-panel registration capability into Omori reference's cloud storage system because it produces a direct, practical benefit: a user can configure a new cloud storage destination from the device's own touchscreen and that destination immediately becomes a selectable named object on the panel. This is a predictable improvement requiring only routine engineering skill. See KSR Int'l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398 (2007).
Conclusion
Applicant’s amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 CANH LE whose telephone number is (571)270-1380. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday to Friday 6:00AM to 3:30PM other Friday off.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Luu Pham, can be reached at telephone number 571-270-5002. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Canh Le/
Examiner, Art Unit 2439
March, 28th 2026
/LUU T PHAM/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2439
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