DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant's election with traverse of Species I in the reply filed on 7/29/26 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the grounds that the various embodiments are closely related and do not require significantly separate fields of search. This is not found persuasive because due to their mutually exclusive characteristics, the species require a different field of search (e.g., searching different classes/subclasses or electronic resources, or employing different search queries); and/or the prior art applicable to one species would not likely be applicable to another species; and/or the species are likely to raise different non-prior art issues under 35 U.S.C. 101 and/or 35 U.S.C. 112, first paragraph.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
Claims 3 and 7-9 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Applicant timely traversed the restriction (election) requirement in the reply filed on 7/29/26.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
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.
Claim 11 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim 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 11 recites the limitation "the special color setting" in line 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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 1, 2, 4-6, 14 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hanawa US Publication 2012/0327437 (hereafter “Hanawa”) and Hatakeyama US Publication 2008/0297833 (hereafter “Hatakeyama”).
Referring to claim 1, 14 and 15, Hanawa discloses an information processing method comprising:
an obtaining step of obtaining print data containing first print setting information representing setting information of printing, and third print setting information applied to a hot folder corresponding to the printing apparatus (paragraph 128, The CPU 43 reads out the print setting table of the hot folder stored in the RAM 42 (S23) and then, reads out the DPOF information of the file dropped onto the hot folder from the memory medium 51 (S24));
a notification step of making a predetermined notification based on the first print setting information, and the third print setting information (paragraph 114, When the setting item is changed, the user change settings of the hot folder by using the DPOF information of a file, and the confirmation screen G2 illustrated in FIG. 6C is displayed on the screen, which then automatically transitions to the change screen illustrated in FIG. 8A).
While Hanawa discloses obtaining print settings, Hanawa does not disclose expressly obtaining second print setting information representing a current print setting in a printing apparatus intended to print the print data.
Hatakeyama discloses an obtaining step of obtaining print data containing second print setting information representing a current print setting in a printing apparatus intended to print the print data (paragraph 195, When the printer driver 306 notifies the print control program 303 that network printer configuration information has changed, the printer configuration change detection unit 703 detects it in step S1501), and third print setting information applied to a hot folder corresponding to the printing apparatus (paragraph 334, In step S2704, the hot folder management unit 2407 of the print control program 2400 refers to the job ticket name storage field 2605 of the hot folder management table 2600 (FIG. 26) and reads out attribute information described in the job ticket), and
a notification step of making a predetermined notification based on the first print setting information, the second print setting information, and the third print setting information (paragraph 209, In step S1510, the output determination unit 704 of the print control program 303 determines operation contents to be performed when the network printer has become unable to execute print processing complying with the attribute information described in the job ticket).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to obtain a current print setting in a printing apparatus intended to print the print data. The motivation for doing so would have been to prevent print failures while reducing the amount of manual reconfiguration work needed when a printer status changes. Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine Hatakeyama with Hanawa to obtain the invention as specified in claim 1.
Referring to claim 2, Hanawa discloses wherein the predetermined notification is a notification indicating whether printing of the print data in the printing apparatus is suitable or not (paragraph 110, However, when the file having the DPOF information is dropped on a hot folder, the settings to be applied to the file includes two settings, i.e. the settings of the DPOF and the settings of the hot folder; therefore, which print settings will be reflected is not clear).
Hatakeyama discloses wherein the predetermined notification is a notification indicating whether printing of the print data in the printing apparatus is suitable or not (paragraph 209, In step S1510, the output determination unit 704 of the print control program 303 determines operation contents to be performed when the network printer has become unable to execute print processing complying with the attribute information described in the job ticket).
Referring to claim 4, Hatakeyama discloses wherein in the obtaining step, the second print setting information is obtained in a case where a folder including the second print setting information provided by the printing apparatus is set (paragraph 203, In step S1505, the output determination unit 704 of the print control program 303 determines whether the printer name acquired in step S1504 matches the printer name received in step S1501).
Referring to claim 5, Hanawa discloses wherein in a case where printing of the print data is unsuitable due to plural factors, in the notification step, the predetermined notification includes the plural factors (paragraph 110, However, when the file having the DPOF information is dropped on a hot folder, the settings to be applied to the file includes two settings, i.e. the settings of the DPOF and the settings of the hot folder; therefore, which print settings will be reflected is not clear).
Hatakeyama discloses wherein in a case where printing of the print data is unsuitable due to plural factors, in the notification step, the predetermined notification includes the plural factors (paragraph 211, In step S1511, the display unit 705 of the print control program 303 displays the attribute information list display window (FIG. 10). In displaying the attribute information list display window (FIG. 10), it may be checked whether all set items of the attribute information described in the job ticket allow print processing by the network printer, and set items that do not allow print processing may be displayed).
Referring to claim 6, Hanawa discloses wherein in the obtaining step, the third print setting information is obtained from a hot folder information file stored in the hot folder (paragraph 128, The CPU 43 reads out the print setting table of the hot folder stored in the RAM 42 (S23) and then, reads out the DPOF information of the file dropped onto the hot folder from the memory medium 51 (S24)).
Claims 10-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hanawa US Publication 2012/0327437 and Hatakeyama US Publication 2008/0297833 as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Morales US Patent 11,550,523 (hereafter “Morales”).
Referring to claim 10, Hanawa discloses wherein the print setting information of the first to third print setting information includes information concerning a setting, but does not disclose expressly a special color setting.
Morales discloses wherein the print setting information of the first to third print setting information includes information concerning a special color setting (col. 4, lines 10-25, For example, these image rasterization parameters may include and/or effect calibration curves, paper definitions, international color consortium profiles (ICC profiles), spot color definitions, tone adjustment curves, color conversion settings, colorant limits (e.g., ink, toner), rendering intent, K preservation, CGR level, etc., max colorant densities, print margin, and/or halftones).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to provide a special color setting for a hot folder. The motivation for doing so would have been to allow a user greater customization for the appearance of their document. Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine Morales with Hanawa to obtain the invention as specified in claim 10.
Referring to claim 11, Hanawa discloses wherein in a case where the print data includes information concerning a special setting, in the obtaining step, information concerning the special setting of the first print setting information is obtained (paragraph 128, The CPU 43 reads out the print setting table of the hot folder stored in the RAM 42 (S23) and then, reads out the DPOF information of the file dropped onto the hot folder from the memory medium 51 (S24)).
Hanawa does not disclose expressly a special color setting.
Morales discloses wherein in a case where the print data includes information concerning a special color, in the obtaining step, information concerning the special color setting of the first print setting information is obtained (col. 4, lines 10-25, For example, these image rasterization parameters may include and/or effect calibration curves, paper definitions, international color consortium profiles (ICC profiles), spot color definitions, tone adjustment curves, color conversion settings, colorant limits (e.g., ink, toner), rendering intent, K preservation, CGR level, etc., max colorant densities, print margin, and/or halftones).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to provide a special color setting for a hot folder. The motivation for doing so would have been to allow a user greater customization for the appearance of their document. Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine Morales with Hanawa to obtain the invention as specified in claim 11.
Referring to claim 12, Hanawa discloses wherein in a case where the print data includes information concerning special setting and the third print setting information has a special setting enabled, in the notification step, a notification of being unsuitable for printing of the print data in the printing apparatus is made.
wherein in a case where the print data includes information concerning special color and the third print setting information has a special color setting enabled, in the notification step, a notification of being unsuitable for printing of the print data in the printing apparatus is made (paragraph 110, However, when the file having the DPOF information is dropped on a hot folder, the settings to be applied to the file includes two settings, i.e. the settings of the DPOF and the settings of the hot folder; therefore, which print settings will be reflected is not clear).
Hanawa does not disclose expressly a special color setting.
Morales discloses wherein in a case where the print data includes information concerning special color and the third print setting information has a special color setting enabled (col. 4, lines 10-25, For example, these image rasterization parameters may include and/or effect calibration curves, paper definitions, international color consortium profiles (ICC profiles), spot color definitions, tone adjustment curves, color conversion settings, colorant limits (e.g., ink, toner), rendering intent, K preservation, CGR level, etc., max colorant densities, print margin, and/or halftones).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to provide a special color setting for a hot folder. The motivation for doing so would have been to allow a user greater customization for the appearance of their document. Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine Morales with Hanawa to obtain the invention as specified in claim 12.
Referring to claim 13, Hatakeyama discloses wherein in a case where information concerning special setting included in the first print setting information does not match information concerning special setting in the second print setting information, in the notification step, a notification of being unsuitable for printing of the print data in the printing apparatus is made (paragraph 211, In step S1511, the display unit 705 of the print control program 303 displays the attribute information list display window (FIG. 10). In displaying the attribute information list display window (FIG. 10), it may be checked whether all set items of the attribute information described in the job ticket allow print processing by the network printer, and set items that do not allow print processing may be displayed)..
Hanawa and Hatakeyama do not disclose expressly a special color setting.
Morales discloses
wherein in a case where information concerning special color included in the first print setting information does not match information concerning special color set in the second print setting information (col. 4, lines 10-25, For example, these image rasterization parameters may include and/or effect calibration curves, paper definitions, international color consortium profiles (ICC profiles), spot color definitions, tone adjustment curves, color conversion settings, colorant limits (e.g., ink, toner), rendering intent, K preservation, CGR level, etc., max colorant densities, print margin, and/or halftones).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to provide a special color setting for a hot folder. The motivation for doing so would have been to allow a user greater customization for the appearance of their document. Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine Morales with Hanawa and Hatakeyama to obtain the invention as specified in claim 13.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PETER K HUNTSINGER whose telephone number is (571)272-7435. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8:30 - 5:00.
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/PETER K HUNTSINGER/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2682
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