DETAILED ACTION
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 Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, filed 01/29/2026, with respect to claims 1-8 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The rejection of claims 1-8 has been withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 9-11 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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 9-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tachibana (US 20150283842 A1) in view of Makita et al. (US 2022/0259000 A1) further in view of Sato et al. (US 2004/0130088 A1).
With respect to Claim 9, Tachibana’842 shows an image forming apparatus (figure 1 MFP described in paragraph [0042]) comprising:
a printer (Figure 1, printer section 313) configured to form images on a plurality of sheets (paragraph [0009] print images on sheets); and
a control unit comprising at least one processor and configured to receive a print job in which the sheets on which the images are formed by the printer are folded in a plurality of sheet bundles, [ ], and control the unit printer based on the print job (figure 1-2 finisher 315 described in paragraphs [0049] and [0058] to fold printed sheets guided therein),
[ ] .
Tachibana’842 does not specifically show each sheet bundle being tri-folded by folding one end portion and an other end portion of the sheet bundle toward a same side of the sheet bundle.
Makita’000 shows sheet bundle being tri-folded by folding one end portion and an other end portion of the sheet bundle toward a same side of the sheet bundle (paragraphs [0016] and [0060] finisher 5 can generate a sheet bundle and perform Z-folding and C-folding).
At the time of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claim invention to modify Tachibana’842 to include sheet bundle being tri-folded by folding one end portion and an other end portion of the sheet bundle toward a same side of the sheet bundle method taught by Makita’000. The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been to improve the system’s ability to be able to facilitate any desired folding for sheet bundling in a finisher (paragraphs [0057] and [0060]).
Tachibana’842 and Makita’000 does not show specifically wherein in the print job, the control unit is configured to control the printer in such a manner that the page order of the sheets is in reverse.
Sato’088 shows wherein in the print job, the control unit is configured to control the printer in such a manner that the page order of the sheets is in reverse (paragraphs [0012]-[0014] and [0181]-[0189] having a sheet bundle in the reverse page order).
At the time of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claim invention to modify Tachibana’842 and Makita’000 to include wherein in the print job, the control unit is configured to control the printer in such a manner that the page order of the sheets is in reverse method taught by Sato’088. The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been to improve the system’s ability to have a reverse tab sheet bundle without the user being conscious of manners of output of the tab sheet bundle dependent on tab sheet setting, thereby limiting wasteful image formation due to errors in a tab sheet mode process as occurring in the prior art, to save paper resources (paragraph [0015]) .
With respect to Claim 10, Tachibana’842, Makita’000 and Sato’088 show the image forming system according to claim 9, wherein the control unit is configured to divide the sheets into a plurality of sheet bundles each having a predetermined number of sheets prior to folding (in Makita’000: paragraph [0016] sheet processing apparatus generates a sheet bundle and in Sato’088: paragraphs [0016] and [0171] creating the predetermined sheet bundle as desired).
With respect to Claim 11, Tachibana’842, Makita’000 and Sato’088 show the image forming system according to claim 9, wherein the control unit is configured such that the reverse page order is determined based on the received print job information (in Sato’088: paragraphs [0012]-[0014] and [0181]-[0189] having a sheet bundle in the reverse page order).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-8 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: none of the references either singularly or in combination teach or fairly suggest an image forming apparatus comprising: a printer configured to form images on a plurality of sheets; and a control unit comprising at least one processor and configured to receive a print job in which the sheets on which the images are formed by the printer are folded in a plurality of sheet bundles, each sheet bundle being tri-folded by folding one end portion and an other end portion of the sheet bundle toward a same side of the sheet bundle, and control the printer based on the print job, wherein, for the print job in which the plurality of sheet bundles including a first sheet bundle and a second sheet bundle formed after the first sheet bundle are formed, the printer forms the images on the sheets in such a manner that page numbers of sheets included in the first sheet bundle are larger than page numbers of sheets included in the second sheet bundle.
Makita et al. (US 2022/0259000 A1) shows paragraphs [0016] and [0060] performing Z-folding or C-folding on a discharged sheet bundle. Makita do not include all the detailed combined limitations included in the claim including a printer configured to form images on a plurality of sheets; and a control unit comprising at least one processor and configured to receive a print job in which the sheets on which the images are formed by the printer are folded in a plurality of sheet bundles, each sheet bundle being tri-folded by folding one end portion and an other end portion of the sheet bundle toward a same side of the sheet bundle, and control the printer based on the print job, wherein, for the print job in which the plurality of sheet bundles including a first sheet bundle and a second sheet bundle formed after the first sheet bundle are formed, the printer forms the images on the sheets in such a manner that page numbers of sheets included in the first sheet bundle are larger than page numbers of sheets included in the second sheet bundle, therefore this claim is allowable.
Tachibana’842 shows folding printed sheets guided therein and having a reverse order from the order of input. Tachibana’842 do not include all the detailed combined limitations included in the claim including a a printer configured to form images on a plurality of sheets; and a control unit comprising at least one processor and configured to receive a print job in which the sheets on which the images are formed by the printer are folded in a plurality of sheet bundles, each sheet bundle being tri-folded by folding one end portion and an other end portion of the sheet bundle toward a same side of the sheet bundle, and control the printer based on the print job, wherein, for the print job in which the plurality of sheet bundles including a first sheet bundle and a second sheet bundle formed after the first sheet bundle are formed, the printer forms the images on the sheets in such a manner that page numbers of sheets included in the first sheet bundle are larger than page numbers of sheets included in the second sheet bundle, therefore this claim is allowable.
Awano’391 shows folding paper in Z-folding or C-folding. Awano’391 do not include all the detailed combined limitations included in the claim including a printer configured to form images on a plurality of sheets; and a control unit comprising at least one processor and configured to receive a print job in which the sheets on which the images are formed by the printer are folded in a plurality of sheet bundles, each sheet bundle being tri-folded by folding one end portion and an other end portion of the sheet bundle toward a same side of the sheet bundle, and control the printer based on the print job, wherein, for the print job in which the plurality of sheet bundles including a first sheet bundle and a second sheet bundle formed after the first sheet bundle are formed, the printer forms the images on the sheets in such a manner that page numbers of sheets included in the first sheet bundle are larger than page numbers of sheets included in the second sheet bundle, therefore this claim is allowable.
Hayashi’620 shows having sheet bundles going through a folding process. Hayashi’620 do not include all the detailed combined limitations included in the claim including a printer configured to form images on a plurality of sheets; and a control unit comprising at least one processor and configured to receive a print job in which the sheets on which the images are formed by the printer are folded in a plurality of sheet bundles, each sheet bundle being tri-folded by folding one end portion and an other end portion of the sheet bundle toward a same side of the sheet bundle, and control the printer based on the print job, wherein, for the print job in which the plurality of sheet bundles including a first sheet bundle and a second sheet bundle formed after the first sheet bundle are formed, the printer forms the images on the sheets in such a manner that page numbers of sheets included in the first sheet bundle are larger than page numbers of sheets included in the second sheet bundle, therefore this claim is allowable.
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.”
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Osada (US 20140140747 A1): in paragraph [0228] In step S6001, the CPU 101 determines whether the reverse order printing is instructed in the print settings of the received job.
Van Horssen et al. (US 2016/0105571 A1): paragraph [0047] shows the printer 100 will modify the print job and specify that the first processing step (printing the document) is to be done with reverse page order.
Sato et al. (US 2004/0136745 A1): paragraph [0186] shows the CPU of the controller section CONT is responsive to selection of the face-down tray 3 that receives each tab sheet of a tab sheet bundle discharged in a face-down state, for inhibiting selection of feed trays other than the cassettes 21a to 21d in which a tab sheet bundle in a reverse page order is set and the deck 28 and the manual feed tray 27 in which a tab sheet bundle in a normal page order is set (in other words, inhibiting selection of the cassettes 21a to 21d in which a tab sheet bundle in a normal page order is set and the deck 28 and the manual feed tray 27 in which a tab sheet bundle in a reverse page order is set). Further, the CPU of the controller section CONT is responsive to selection of any of the cassettes 21a to 21d in which a tab sheet bundle in a normal page order is set or either of the deck 28 or the manual feed tray 27 in which a tab sheet bundle in a reverse page order is set, for inhibiting selection of a discharge tray other than the face-up tray 2 (that is, inhibiting selection of the face-down tray 3), and responsive to selection of any of the cassettes 21a to 21d in which a tab sheet bundle in a reverse page order is set or either of the deck 28 or the manual feed tray 27 in which a tab sheet bundle in a normal page order is set, for inhibiting selection of a discharge tray other than the face-down tray 3 (that is, inhibiting selection of the face-up tray 2).
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 nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) 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 IRIANA CRUZ whose telephone number is (571)270-3246. The examiner can normally be reached 10-6.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Akwasi M. Sarpong can be reached at (571) 270-3438. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/IRIANA CRUZ/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2681
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