CTNF 18/830,688 CTNF 87833 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. 07-30-03-h AIA Claim Interpretation 07-30-03 AIA The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f): (f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof. The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph: An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof. This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word “means,” but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because the claim limitation(s) uses a generic placeholder that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier. Such claim limitation(s) are: Granting unit – processor, Specification paragraph [0007] Acquisition unit – processor, Specification paragraph [0075] Reading device – imaging device, Specification paragraph [0138] Product determination unit fails – processor, Specification paragraph [0075] Number information generation unit – processor, Specification paragraph [0075] User management unit – management server, paragraph [0130] in claims 7-11. Because these claim limitation(s) are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, they are being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof. If applicant does not intend to have these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. Allowable Subject Matter 12-151-08 AIA 07-43 12-51-08 Claim s 2-4 and 8-10 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 1, 5-7, and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Peacemaker et al. (U.S.P.G. Pub. No. 2021/0272074) in view of Okazaki et al. (U.S.P.G. Pub. No. 2023/0388434) . Regarding claim 1, Peacemaker et al. (U.S.P.G. Pub. No. 2021/0272074) discloses: A control method for a management device that manages a storage container that stores a consumable item (Figures 1, 2, paragraph [0022], container 110 such as plastic/glass bottle, aluminum can) the method causing a processor of the management device to function as a granting unit configured to: grant a privilege of a first amount to a user when the user brought in a first number of storage containers in a collecting action of bringing the storage container into collection equipment for collecting the storage container (paragraph [0023], points get redeemed at 1 point to 1 cent for a hypothetical user that deposited a number of containers equating to less than 10,000 points); and grant the privilege of a second amount to the user when the user brought in a second number of storage containers more than the first number of storage containers in the collecting action (paragraph [0023], points get redeemed at a 1 point to 1.5 cents for a second hypothetical user that has deposited a second, larger number of containers equating to more than 10,000 points and is redeeming those points), wherein a value obtained by dividing the second amount by the second number is larger than a value obtained by dividing the first amount by the first number (paragraph [0023], the redemption value for the second user is higher on a per container basis) Peacemaker et al. does not explicitly disclose: Wherein the storage container that stores a consumable item is used in a printing apparatus Okazaki et al. (U.S.P.G. Pub. No. 2023/0388434) discloses: Wherein the storage container that stores a consumable item used in a printing apparatus (paragraph [0058], a user offers a used ink cartridge for collection to the recycling company), granting unit configured to: grant a privilege of a first amount to a user when the user brought in a first number of storage containers in a collecting action of bringing the storage container into collection equipment for collecting the storage container (paragraph [0058], a particular number of reward points is awarded to the user in exchange; see also paragraph [0082]) Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the system of Okazaki et al. with the system of Peacemaker et al. such that the storage container that stores a consumable item was used in a printing apparatus as described in Okazaki. The suggestion/motivation would have been in order to implement a system capable of encouraging “environmental protection and ecology [through the] reuse of consumables such as the ink cartridges” (paragraph [0056] of the Okazuki et al. reference). Regarding claim 5, Peacemaker et al. additionally discloses: further causing the processor of the management device to function as a user management unit configured to manage history information relating to a history of the collecting action by the user, wherein the granting unit determines, based on the history information, an amount of a privilege granted to the user (paragraphs [0023], users recycling history is tracked via rewards account with current point balance allowing for a specific amount of reward redemption) Regarding claim 6, Peacemaker additionally discloses: wherein the collection equipment is capable of collecting the storage container in both of a case in which the consumable item does not remain in the storage container and a case in which the consumable item remains in the storage container (Figure 2, paragraph [0022], vessel 104 can collect/contain plastic bottles, cans, etc. regardless of whether they have drink/food remaining in them) Regarding claim 7, arguments analogous to claim 1 are applicable. The hardware configuration of management system with granting unit is explicitly taught by Peacemaker (see paragraphs [0020] detailing the recycling facilitation distributed system) and Okazuki (see paragraph [0035]). See the rejection of claim 1 for more detail. Regarding claim 11, arguments analogous to claim 6 are applicable. The hardware configuration of management system with granting unit and user management unit is explicitly taught by Peacemaker (see paragraphs [0020] detailing the recycling facilitation distributed system) and Okazuki (see paragraph [0035]). See the rejection of claim 6 for more detail. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOHN R WALLACE whose telephone number is (571)270-1577. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday from 8:30-5 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, Benny Tieu can be reached at 571-272-7490. 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. /JOHN R WALLACE/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2682 Application/Control Number: 18/830,688 Page 2 Art Unit: 2682 Application/Control Number: 18/830,688 Page 3 Art Unit: 2682 Application/Control Number: 18/830,688 Page 4 Art Unit: 2682 Application/Control Number: 18/830,688 Page 5 Art Unit: 2682 Application/Control Number: 18/830,688 Page 6 Art Unit: 2682 Application/Control Number: 18/830,688 Page 7 Art Unit: 2682
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