DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Continuation Application
2. The application is a continuation of 18/308,979, filed on 04/28/2023, Patent No. 12,079,527 which is continuation of 17/674,899, filed on 02/18/2022, Patent No. 11,669,286.
Priority
3. Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
4. 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.
5. The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
6. Claims 1-3, 5-9, 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by NAGAI U.S. Patent Application No. 2018/0349074 (hereinafter NAGAI).
Regarding claim 1, NAGAI discloses an image forming system (an image forming system, Figures 1, 3) comprising:
a plurality of image forming apparatuses each having an image forming unit that forms an image on a sheet (Multiple image forming apparatuses are connected to one network that the print data that is capable of being printed using an image forming unit 103; paragraphs 31-34, Figures 1-2); and
an operating portion that is wirelessly connectable to each of the plurality of image forming units, and that accepts operations by a user, the operating portion providing operation instructions, which are instructions for operations related to image forming, to each of the plurality of image forming units based on the operations by the user (An operation unit 105 where the image forming apparatus with which the print data stored in the main apparatus is to be output is installed and selects the print data with the operation unit 105 to instruct the printing. The image forming apparatus with which the print data is to be output may be any of the sub apparatuses 200, 201, and 202 and may be any of the main apparatus 100 and the sub apparatuses 200, 201, and 202; paragraphs 39-40, 47-48),
wherein the plurality of image forming apparatuses each have a first operation mode (considered as Operating state/ Standby state) and a second operation mode (considered as Power saving state/Shutdown state) in which power consumption is lower than the first operation mode and the operating portion is switchable between the first operation mode and the second operation mode (Power consumption in the power saving state is smaller than those in the operating state and the standby state; paragraphs 61-64),
among multiple wirelessly connected image forming apparatuses, the operating portion sends the operation instructions to the image forming apparatus in the first operation mode and the operation portion does not send the operation instruction to the image forming apparatuses in the second mode (Control unit transmits the print data to an external image forming apparatus in response to a request from the external image forming apparatus, determines whether at least one external certain image forming apparatus is capable of communication if a power-off request is submitted in the quick response available state, and makes the transition to the response available state if the external certain image forming apparatus is not capable of communication; paragraphs 10-13, 63).
Regarding claim 2, NAGAI discloses the image forming system according to claim 1,
wherein the operating portion further comprises a displaying portion for displaying settings related to the image forming (An operation unit 105 of the main apparatus 100 to receive an instruction from the user. The operation unit 105 is a touch panel disposed on the surface of a display apparatus displayed as options of the destination of the transmission of the print data on a selection screen of a printer; paragraphs 39, 45), and
wherein the displaying portion displays a list of the plurality of image forming apparatuses that are wirelessly connected to the operating portion (Upon selection of any of the main apparatus 100 and the sub apparatuses 200, 201, and 202 by the user, the print data is transmitted to the selected image forming apparatus. Then, the printing is performed in the image forming apparatus to which the print data is transmitted for output; paragraph 45 and paragraph 33 indicating that communication may be wireless communication and the communication method is not particularly restricted).
Regarding claim 3, NAGAI discloses the image forming system according to claim 2,
wherein, when the operating portion is in the first operation mode, the operation instructions are given to a selected image forming apparatus among the plurality of image forming apparatuses displayed in the list by the displaying portion (Main apparatus 100 and the sub apparatuses 200, 201, and 202 are displayed as options of the destination of the transmission of the print data on a selection screen of a printer. Upon selection of any of the main apparatus 100 and the sub apparatuses 200, 201, and 202 by the user, the print data is transmitted to the selected image forming apparatus; paragraphs 45, 48-49, Figures 5-6).
Regarding claim 5, NAGAI discloses the image forming system according to claim 1,
wherein, when the operating portion is in the second operation mode, the operation instructions include an instruction to shift an image forming apparatus, which is in the first power mode, to the second power mode (Process concerning the image formation is stopped and the working state is changed to the shutdown state. The power state is changed to the response unavailable state in association with the transition to the shutdown state; paragraphs 63, 91, Figures 9, 11).
Regarding claim 6, NAGAI discloses the image forming system according to claim 1,
wherein, when the operating portion is in the second operation mode, the operation instructions include an instruction to shift an image forming apparatus, which is in the second power mode, to the first power mode (an operation serving as a trigger to turn on the main apparatus and the working states of the sub apparatuses after the transition to the standby state B in response to the power-off request; paragraph 90).
Regarding claim 7, NAGAI discloses the image forming system according to claim 5,
wherein the second power mode includes a state in which the plurality of image forming apparatuses are shut down (Working states of all the sub apparatuses are the shutdown state, the control unit 104 determines that the degree of access from the sub apparatuses is low and changes the working state of the host apparatus to the power saving state; paragraph 64).
Regarding claim 8, NAGAI discloses the image forming system according to claim 6,
wherein the second power mode includes a state in which the plurality of image forming apparatuses are shut down (Working states of all the sub apparatuses are the shutdown state; paragraph 64).
Regarding claim 9, NAGAI discloses the image forming system according to claim 1,
wherein the operating portion and the plurality of image forming apparatuses are connected wirelessly without a local area network (a communication device 101 is a network interface circuit and is used to communicate with an external device connected to the main apparatus 100 via the network. The communication may be wireless communication; paragraph 33).
Regarding claim 11, NAGAI discloses the image forming system according to claim 1,
wherein the operating portion sends common operation instruction to each of the image forming apparatus in the first mode that are wirelessly connected to the operating portion (Process concerning the image formation is capable of being immediately started upon reception of the request for the printing process or the request to transmit the print data from an external device; paragraph 61 and paragraph 33 indicating that a communication device 101 is a network interface circuit and is used to communicate with an external device connected to the main apparatus 100 via the wireless network).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
7. 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.
8. Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over NAGAI in view of TACHIWA U.S. Patent Application No. 2019/0065126 (hereinafter TACHIWA).
Regarding claim 10, NAGAI discloses the image forming system according to claim 1.
NAGAI does not explicitly disclose wherein the operating portion and the plurality of image forming apparatuses are connected by WiFi Direct.
However, TACHIWA working in the same field teaches wherein the operating portion and the plurality of image forming apparatuses are connected by WiFi Direct (Communication unit executes communication so that the communication apparatuses communicate based on the Wi-Fi Direct standard; paragraph 31, Figure 1).
In view of the above, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention was made to combine the system of NAGAI as taught by TACHIWA to include: wherein the operating portion and the plurality of image forming apparatuses are connected by Wi-Fi Direct. By doing so, the combined system of TACHIWA would have generated a printer would be capable of establishing a wireless LAN connection and establishing the wireless LAN connection with the detected printer.
Information Disclosure Statement
9. The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on July 29, 2024 and December 09, 2024 were filed in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Cited Art
10. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
SUGIMOTO (US 2019/0196768) discloses an information processing system, comprising: an electronic apparatus that transmits radio waves at a constant output; and a portable terminal that receives the radio waves, and together with sequentially transmitting a reservation request, reservation content, and start of the reservation content to the electronic apparatus in accordance with a change in intensity of the radio waves according to a distance to the electronic apparatus, sequentially informs of current reservation status, wherein the radio waves include access information in wireless communication; and the portable terminal determines a change in intensity of the received radio waves n three stages of a first level to a third level (first level<second level<third level); in the case of the first level, requests the electronic apparatus for a reservation based on the access information, receives reservation information from the electronic apparatus indicating a current reservation status, and informs of current reservation status on a first reservation confirmation screen; in the case of the second level, transmits reservation contents and a request for the reservation information to the electronic apparatus, receives reservation information from the electronic apparatus indicating a current reservation status, and informs of current reservation status on a second reservation confirmation screen; and in the case of the third level, transmits a request for the reservation information to the electronic apparatus, and when the reservation order is at the top of the order, transmits a request to start the reservation contents.
Mihira (US 2019/0149681) discloses an information processing apparatus which is communicably connected to an image forming apparatus and which performs an image process in cooperation with the image forming apparatus, comprising: a receiving unit configured to receive data from an external device through a network; a power supply switch configured to become either an on state or an off state in accordance with an operation by a user; a power control unit configured to, in a case where the receiving unit receives the data from the external device or in a case where the power supply switch becomes the on state in accordance with the operation by the user, return a power state of the information processing apparatus from a power saving state; and a transmitting unit configured to transmit, to the image forming apparatus, a start instruction for starting the image forming apparatus, wherein (1) in the case where the receiving unit receives the data from the external device, the power control unit returns the power state of the information processing apparatus from the power saving state, and the transmitting unit transmits the start instruction to the image forming apparatus, and (2) in the case where the power supply switch becomes the on state in accordance with the operation by the user, the power control unit returns the power state of the information processing apparatus from the power saving state, but the transmitting unit does not transmit the start instruction to the image forming apparatus.
11. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ALLEN H NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)270-1229. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7 am-4 pm.
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. 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.
/ALLEN H NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2683
Prosecution Insights