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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 10/03/2024 was 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.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claims 1-5, 7-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1) as being anticipated by Jansen et al. (Jansen) (US 2015/0304542 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Jansen discloses a method for printing a paper web with a print motif by use of a digital printing facility (e.g., The above system provides the advantage during measuring of a free-running paper web that correction can be made for the focal distance with the accurately measured focal distance. With this technique the waves and folds in the paper web can be identified and measured, paragraph 18), wherein the method comprises:
providing a digital print template, which contains digital information on the print motif, and a target tone value of a color of the print motif (e.g., When the distance between the paper web and the sensor units is constant, the size of a recorded image, or the enlargement, is determined by the optical system. A better correlation between the recorded image and the digital print image forming the basis thereof can be made by correcting for a varying distance between paper web and sensor units, paragraph 39),
printing onto a surface of the paper web by the digital printing facility on a basis of the digital print template (e.g., the printing press preferably also comprises a scaling unit for scaling an image recorded by the first and/or second sensor unit of a printed image corresponding to the digital print image printed on a paper web by the printing press using the distance determined with the camera system and the digital print image, paragraph 38),
determining at least one actual tone value of the color at least one point of the printed surface (e.g., particularly during production of printed material on rotary offset printing presses, different optical cameras are used to measure quality of the produced printed material. Use is generally made of different cameras for different functions, such as measuring the colour register, measuring the colour in the printed material or of a colour bar and measuring defects in the printed material, paragraph 8),
comparing the determined actual tone value with the target tone value, and 25
correcting the tone value in the digital information of the print template based on the results of the comparison (e.g., the colour measuring system also comprises a colour correcting unit for performing a colour correction on at least one of the respective images subject to the determined focal distance, paragraph 35).
Regarding claim 2, Jansen discloses wherein target tone values of different colors are provided and the actual tone values of several of these colors are determined (e.g., the invention provides a colour measuring system for measuring colour in a printed image printed by a printing press, paragraph 35).
Regarding claim 3, Jansen discloses wherein the actual tone value of a the color is determined by measuring tone values of the color at different points of the printed surface which have a same target tone value for the color, andin colour between the two sensors the differences in colour measured using the two sensors are minimal, paragraph 24).
Regarding claim 4, Jansen discloses wherein a difference between the actual tone value and the target tone value is determined when comparing the actual tone value and the target tone value (e.g., the first sensor unit can thus measure the colours from white to black with the available range, while the second sensor unit is set so that it can measure the colours from black to light black with the same range. This increase in the dynamic range provides the possibility of much better measurement of colours and accurate measurement of higher density values, paragraph 25).
Regarding claim 5, Jansen discloses wherein the tone value is corrected by subtracting a difference from the tone value (e.g., by automatically calibrating out the differences in colour between the two sensors the differences in colour measured using the two sensors are minimal, paragraph 24).
Regarding claim 7, Jansen discloses sensor unit can differ from a resolution and/or dynamic range of the second sensor unit. A substantially higher dynamic range can hereby be realized in the overlap area. The first sensor unit can thus measure the colours from white to black with the available range, while the second sensor unit is set so that it can measure the colours from black to light black with the same range. This increase in the dynamic range provides the possibility of much better measurement of colours and accurate measurement of higher density values, paragraph 25).
Regarding claim 8, Jansen discloses wherein the actual tone value of the color is determined at various points of the printed surface and compared with the target tone value (e.g., a resolution and/or dynamic range of the first sensor unit can differ from a resolution and/or dynamic range of the second sensor unit. A substantially higher dynamic range can hereby be realized in the overlap area. The first sensor unit can thus measure the colours from white to black with the available range, while the second sensor unit is set so that it can measure the colours from black to light black with the same range. This increase in the dynamic range provides the possibility of much better measurement of colours and accurate measurement of higher density values, paragraph 25).
Regarding claim 9, Jansen discloses wherein the paper web is impregnated after printing on the printed surface and pressed with a core before the at least one actual tone value is determined (e.g., the above system provides the advantage during measuring of a free-running paper web that correction can be made for the focal distance with the accurately measured focal distance. With this technique the waves and folds in the paper web can be identified and measured, paragraph 18).
Regarding claim 10, Jansen discloses wherein the target tone values of the different colors are provided and the actual tone values of all of the colors, are determined (e.g., the first sensor unit can thus measure the colours from white to black with the available range, while the second sensor unit is set so that it can measure the colours from black to light black with the same range. This increase in the dynamic range provides the possibility of much better measurement of colours and accurate measurement of higher density values, paragraph 25).
Regarding claim 11, Jansen discloses wherein a respective point of the printed surface is hyperspectrally captured with a scanner, an image scanner, a camera and/or a light sensor in order to determine an actual tone value (e.g., the first sensor unit can thus measure the colours from white to black with the available range, while the second sensor unit is set so that it can measure the colours from black to light black with the same range. This increase in the dynamic range provides the possibility of much better measurement of colours and accurate measurement of higher density values, paragraph 25) .
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 6, 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jansen et al. (Jansen) (US 2015/0304542 A1) as applied to claims 1, 9 above, and further in view of Pfeiffer et al. (Pfeiffer) (US 2023/0396725 A1).
Regarding claim 6, Jansen does not specifically disclose wherein multiple actual tone values of a color are determined and is output as a value table and/or a gradation curve.
Pfeiffer discloses wherein multiple actual tone values of a color are determined and is output as a value table and/or a gradation curve (e.g., FIG. 2 shows a plurality of copies of the section 6, which have been combined to form a print image 8. The individual sections 6, which are identical in terms of motif, are printed with different color settings. This is controlled via an electric control unit 10, which is preferably designed as an electronic data processing device, paragraph 41).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to have modified Jansen to include wherein multiple actual tone values of a color are determined and is output as a value table and/or a gradation curve as taught by Pfeiffer. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to have modified Jansen by the teaching of Pfeiffer to apply for particular application.
Regarding claim 12, Jansen does not specifically disclose wherein the core is a wood-based material.
Pfeiffer discloses wherein the core is a wood-based material (e.g., Paper products that feature a decorative pattern or motif are now used in a wide range of products, for example to influence the appearance of the products. For example, this relates to floor, wall or ceiling panels where a printed decorative paper is applied to, especially glued or laminated onto, a solid core, for example made of a wood-based material, paragraph 2).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to have modified Jansen to include wherein the core is a wood-based material as taught by Pfeiffer. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to have modified Jansen by the teaching of Pfeiffer to apply for particular application.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to QUANG N VO whose telephone number is (571)270-1121. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 7AM-4PM, EST.
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/QUANG N VO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2683
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