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 .
Response to filed Amendments
Applicant’s Amendments/Remarks filed on 08/10/2026 have been received and made of record.
Claims 1, and 6-7 have been amended.
Claim 2 has been cancelled.
Claims 1, and 3-7 are currently pending.
Please refer to the action below.
Examiner Notes
The claims in this application are given their broadest reasonable interpretation using the plain meaning of the claim language in light of the specification as it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. However, the claimed subject matter, not the specification, is the measure of the invention.
Response to Remarks/Arguments
Applicants’ arguments of 08/10/2026, corresponding to pages 6-9 and the newly cited claims amendments pertaining to the outstanding 103 rejection of Igawa in view of Matsushita and further in view of Iwanami, and/or Igawa in view of Matsushita, have been considered, but they are moot in light of the new ground of rejections. Furthermore, regarding the newly cited claimed amendments incorporated in the independent claims of 1, and 6-7 citing “wherein the control information in the management file includes information indicating whether to perform the start processing of the application program, and wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine whether to perform the start processing of the application program based on the control information associated with the version of the application program to be started in the management file, before starting the start processing of the application program”, have been considered, however, they are not persuasive.
The Examiner respectfully disagrees. Yoshihama in at least Figs. 5-13 clearly teaches an information processing system employing the substantially at or during a start application trigger event the obtaining of an information file including control information depicting at least a recent update information to the to-be started application, web page URL link information, versions information of the application program, information as to whether to start processing of the said application program before in a case the starting the start processing of the application program.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 t to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis 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.
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.
Claims 1, 4, and 6-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a) (1) as being unpatentable over Yoshihama et al. (US 2016/0335225, cited in IDS).
Regarding claim 1, Yoshihama teaches an information processing apparatus (information processing apparatus 10 of at least Figs. 1, 6, and 12 configured to access external device 20 to obtain subsequent and/or during and in a case after starting of a first application program an information file of Figs. 5-13 from the external device containing message information associated with device control information such as newly released device version data, control URL data, and control messages on whether to start or proceed with the processing of the application program) comprising:
a communication device configured to, in response to receiving an operation to start an application program, communicate with an external apparatus and obtain a management file, the management file including control information associated with a version of the application program (para. 0031 and Fig. 2 teaches a communication device 15 configured to in Figs. 5-13, in response to receiving an operation to start an application program, communicate with an external apparatus 20 and obtain an information file indicative of the management file of further para. 0064-0066, the information file including control message information associated with a version of the application program); and
at least one processor configured to, in a case where the control information associated with the version of the application program to be started is included in the management file obtained through the communication device, perform a control related to start processing of the application program based on the control information associated with the version of the application program to be started (at least one processor 11 of para. 0032 configured to, in a case where the message control information of at least Figs. 6-13 associated with the version of the application program to be started is included in the information or management file obtained through the communication device, perform a control as announced so as to refrain from starting the application or to proceed to the related start processing of the application program based on the control information associated with the version of the application program to be started);
wherein the control information in the management file includes information indicating whether to perform the start processing of the application program (obtained control information of further Figs. 5-12 further comprising illustrated control information in the information file including further information indicating whether to perform in a case the start processing of the application program before the program is started); and
wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine whether to perform the start processing of the application program based on the control information associated with the version of the application program to be started in the management file, before starting the start processing of the application program (Figs. 5-12 further illustrates displayed versions information of the program to be started where a case exists further in at least Fig. 12 where the system may obtain information before starting the start processing of the application program as to whether to perform the start processing of the application program based on the control information associated with the version of the application program to be started in the management file, before said starting the start processing of the application program).
Regarding claim 4 (according to claim 1), Yoshihama further teaches wherein the management file obtained through the communication device includes control information associated with each of a plurality of versions of the application program (the obtained information file of further Figs. 5-12 further comprises control information associated with each of a plurality of versions of the application program); and
wherein in a case where the control information associated with the version of the application program to be started is included in the obtained management file, the at least one processor is configured to perform a control related to the start processing of the application program (the system is further adapted or at least configured, based on the data obtained in at least Figs. 5-12, to perform a control related to the start processing of the application program in a case understoodly where the control information associated with the version of the application program to be started is included in the obtained management file).
Regarding claim 6, Yoshihama teaches an application execution control method to be executed by a computer (controller 51 of further Fig. 2 and para. 0031-0034 further comprises an application execution control method to be executed by a computer 11 configured to access external device 20 to obtain subsequent and/or during and in a case after starting of a first application program an information file of Figs. 5-13 from the external device containing message information associated with device control information such as newly released device version data, control URL data, and control messages on whether to start or proceed with the processing of the application program),
the method comprising: in response to receiving an operation to start an application program, communicating with an external apparatus and obtaining a management file, the management file including control information associated with a version of the application program (para. 0031 and Fig. 2 teaches a communication device 15 configured to in Figs. 5-13, in response to receiving an operation to start an application program, communicate with an external apparatus 20 and obtain an information file indicative of the management file of further para. 0064-0066, the information file including control message information associated with a version of the application program); and in a case where the control information associated with the version of the application program to be started is included in the obtained management file, performing a control related to start processing of the application program based on the control information associated with the version of the application program to be started (at least one processor 11 of para. 0032 configured to, in a case where the message control information of at least Figs. 6-13 associated with the version of the application program to be started is included in the information or management file obtained through the communication device, perform a control as announced so as to refrain from starting the application or to proceed to the related start processing of the application program based on the control information associated with the version of the application program to be started);
wherein the control information in the management file includes information indicating whether to perform the start processing of the application program (obtained control information of further Figs. 5-12 further comprising illustrated control information in the information file including further information indicating whether to perform in a case the start processing of the application program before the program is started); and
wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine whether to perform the start processing of the application program based on the control information associated with the version of the application program to be started in the management file, before starting the start processing of the application program (Figs. 5-12 further illustrates displayed versions information of the program to be started where a case exists further in at least Fig. 12 where the system may obtain information before starting the start processing of the application program as to whether to perform the start processing of the application program based on the control information associated with the version of the application program to be started in the management file, before said starting the start processing of the application program).
Regarding claim 7, Yoshihama teaches in at least para. 0003 and 0031-0032 a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon and readable by a computer, the computer program, when executed by the computer, causing the computer to perform (controller 51 of further Fig. 2 and para. 0031-0034 further comprises an application execution control method configured to access external device 20 to obtain subsequent and/or during and in a case after starting of a first application program an information file of Figs. 5-13 from the external device containing message information associated with device control information such as newly released device version data, control URL data, and control messages on whether to start or proceed with the processing of the application program): in response to receiving an operation to start an application program, communicating with an external apparatus and obtaining a management file, the management file including control information associated with a version of the application program (para. 0031 and Fig. 2 teaches a communication device 15 configured to in Figs. 5-13, in response to receiving an operation to start an application program, communicate with an external apparatus 20 and obtain an information file indicative of the management file of further para. 0064-0066, the information file including control message information associated with a version of the application program); and in a case where the control information associated with the version of the application program to be started is included in the obtained management file, performing a control related to start processing of the application program based on the control information associated with the version of the application program to be started (at least one processor 11 of para. 0032 configured to, in a case where the message control information of at least Figs. 6-13 associated with the version of the application program to be started is included in the information or management file obtained through the communication device, perform a control as announced so as to refrain from starting the application or to proceed to the related start processing of the application program based on the control information associated with the version of the application program to be started);
wherein the control information in the management file includes information indicating whether to perform the start processing of the application program (obtained control information of further Figs. 5-12 further comprising illustrated control information in the information file including further information indicating whether to perform in a case the start processing of the application program before the program is started); and
wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine whether to perform the start processing of the application program based on the control information associated with the version of the application program to be started in the management file, before starting the start processing of the application program (Figs. 5-12 further illustrates displayed versions information of the program to be started where a case exists further in at least Fig. 12 where the system may obtain information before starting the start processing of the application program as to whether to perform the start processing of the application program based on the control information associated with the version of the application program to be started in the management file, before said starting the start processing of the application program).
Claim 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being obvious over Yoshihama in view of Iwanami et al. (WO 2014/1711281, previously cited).
Regarding claim 3 (according to claim 1), Yoshihama is silent regarding wherein further comprising: a display configured to display a screen generated by the application program and a Web page, wherein the control information in the management file includes a uniform resource locator (URL) of a Web page associated with the version of the application program and information indicating whether to display the Web page by a Web browser or by a screen generated by the application program in a case where the Web page is displayed on the display, and
wherein the at least one processor is configured to: obtain information on the Web page via the communication device; and based on the information included in the control information, control the Web page to be displayed on the display by the Web browser or by the screen generated by the application program.
Iwanami teaches at least in the disclosure in response to starting an application function, to provide a display control method and a display control screen of related advertisement applications in accordance to obtained plurality of URL control information and management information where as illustrated “the control information may include a plurality of pieces of URL information corresponding to the viewer's residence, occupation, or preference instead of the viewer's gender…… the control information may include a plurality of URL information corresponding to the size of the display screen for displaying the related advertisement. Specifically, the control information may include URL information of each of the three advertising applications created assuming browsing on a small screen, a medium screen, and a large screen.”, the display configured to display a screen generated by the application program and a Web page, wherein the control information in a management table includes the at least one of the plurality of uniform resource locator (URL) of a Web page associated with the version of the application program and information indicating whether to display the Web page by a Web browser or by a screen generated by the application program in a case where the Web page is displayed on the display, and wherein an at least one known processor is configured to obtain information on the Web page via the communication device via at least the obtained control information and management information and based on the information included in the control information, control the Web page to be displayed on the display by the Web browser or by the screen generated by the application program. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to combine the teachings of Yoshihama in view of Iwanami to include wherein said display configured to display a screen generated by the application program and a Web page, wherein the control information in the management file includes a uniform resource locator (URL) of a Web page associated with the version of the application program and information indicating whether to display the Web page by a Web browser or by a screen generated by the application program in a case where the Web page is displayed on the display, and wherein the at least one processor is configured to: obtain information on the Web page via the communication device; and based on the information included in the control information, control the Web page to be displayed on the display by the Web browser or by the screen generated by the application program, as discussed above, as Yoshihama in view of Iwanami are in the same field of endeavor providing, in response to starting of an application program, a method of retrieving specification and/or control device information during or after starting an application program to discriminate whether the started application satisfy a predetermined condition in association to a management table/database or the claimed management file, furthermore, Iwanami’s combination of the displayed web page incorporating a listing of candidates URL control information corresponding to the management information further complements the displayed candidates control devices associated with the obtained control information of Yoshihama during or after starting of the said application program, in a sense that said combination of the displayed web page incorporating listing of candidates URL control information corresponding to the management information of Iwanami when combined to the displayed candidates control devices associated with the obtained control information of Yoshihama further enables the system to correlate the currently started program to those programs newly release in addition to their respective display uniform resource locator further allowing the system by selecting of any of the said URL to obtain additional information on the Web page which may ultimately allow the system to control displaying of the said Web page on the display by the Web browser or the like according to further known methods to yield predictable results since known work in one field of endeavor may prompt variations of it for use in either the same field or a different one based on design incentives or other market forces if the variations are predictable to one of ordinary skill in the art as said combination is thus the adaptation of an old idea or invention using newer technology that is either commonly available and understood in the art thereby a variation on already known art (See MPEP 2143, KSR Exemplary Rationale F).
Claim 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being obvious over Yoshihama in view of Igawa et al. (2014/0132978, previously cited).
Regarding claim 5 (according to claim 1), Yoshihama further teaches wherein the application program is configured to cause the information processing apparatus to execute processing of creating print data to be printed on a to-be-printed medium (the computing apparatus 10 of at least Figs. 1-2 is known in the art to be configured to execute processing of creating print data to be printed on a to-be-printed medium; the computing apparatus 10 of further Figs. 1-2 further comprises and configured with known means for understoodly or obviously transmitting the print data to a printing apparatus);
Yoshihama is silent regarding the above lined-out items such as specifically citing processing of transmitting the print data to a printing apparatus.
Igawa teaches at least in para. 0081 further executing processing of creating print data to be printed on a to-be-printed medium and processing of transmitting the print data to a printing apparatus 10. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to combine the teachings of Yoshihama in view of Igawa to include wherein said creating print data to be printed on a to-be-printed medium and said processing of transmitting the print data to a printing apparatus, as discussed above, as Yoshihama in view of Igawa are in the same field of endeavor providing a method of retrieving specification and/or control device information during or after starting an application program to discriminate whether the started application satisfy a predetermined condition in association to an obtained information file indicative of the claimed management file, furthermore, Igawa’s combination of the configured processing configuration of transmitting created print data to be printed on a to-be-printed medium to a printing apparatus further complements the retrieved specification and/or control device information of Yoshihama during or after starting of the said application program, in a sense that said configuration combination of Igawa when combined to the obtained information file of Yoshihama in response to the started web print and/or browser application further enables the system to equivalently map obtained device information table and/or the specific management file to corresponding device specification information for performing at least the printing of said print data according to further known methods to yield predictable results since known work in one field of endeavor may prompt variations of it for use in either the same field or a different one based on design incentives or other market forces if the variations are predictable to one of ordinary skill in the art as said combination is thus the adaptation of an old idea or invention using newer technology that is either commonly available and understood in the art thereby a variation on already known art (See MPEP 2143, KSR Exemplary Rationale F).
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 date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARCELLUS AUGUSTIN whose telephone number is (571)270-3384. The examiner can normally be reached 9 AM- 5 PM.
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/MARCELLUS J AUGUSTIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2682 09/15/2026
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