DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1-33 have been examined.
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 .
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 to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
Priority
The current application is a National Stage entry of PCT/JP2022/032522, International Filing Date: 08/30/2022.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 11/04/2024, 10/03/2025, and 03/12/2026 have been 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 1-33 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by United States Patent Application Publication No. US 20200356687 A1 to Salzman et al., hereinafter Salzman.
Regarding claim 1, Salzman discloses an information terminal comprising: two or more pieces of hardware; a receiver configured to receive software or a setting parameter; a storage module configured to store software or a setting parameter; a controller configured to control at least one or more of the two or more pieces of hardware based on the software or the setting parameter stored in the storage module; and a changer configured to change the software or the setting parameter stored in the storage module to the software or the setting parameter received by the receiver so as to be usable, wherein the controller makes at least one or more functions of the two or more pieces of hardware usable or unusable according to the software or the setting parameter made usable by the changer (paragraphs 19, 21, 29, 30, 32, 36, 39, 47, 50, 55-60, 64, 69, 100, and 139).
Regarding claim 2, Salzman discloses an information terminal comprising: two or more pieces of hardware; a receiver configured to receive a change instruction of software or a setting parameter; a storage module configured to store two or more pieces of software or setting parameters; a controller configured to control at least one or more of the two or more pieces of hardware based on the software or the setting parameter stored in the storage module; and a changer configured to change any one or more pieces of software or setting parameters among the two or more pieces of software or the setting parameters stored in the storage module based on the change instruction received by the receiver so as to be usable, wherein the controller makes at least one or more functions of the two or more pieces of hardware usable or unusable according to the software or the setting parameter made usable by the changer (paragraphs 19, 21, 29, 30, 32, 36, 39, 47, 50, 55-60, 64, 69, 100, and 139).
Regarding claim 3, Salzman discloses an information terminal comprising: two or more pieces of hardware; a receiver configured to receive software or a setting parameter; a storage module configured to store software or a setting parameter; a controller configured to control at least one of the two or more pieces of hardware based on the software or the setting parameter stored in the storage module; and a changer configured to change the software or the setting parameter stored in the storage module to the software or the setting parameter received by the receiver so as to be usable, wherein the controller restricts use of at least one or more functions of the two or more pieces of hardware according to the software or the setting parameter made usable by the changer (paragraphs 19, 21, 29, 30, 32, 36, 39, 47, 50, 55-60, 64, 69, 100, and 139).
Regarding claim 4, Salzman discloses an information terminal comprising: two or more pieces of hardware; a receiver configured to receive a change instruction of software or a setting parameter transmitted from the server; a storage module configured to store two or more pieces of software or setting parameters; a controller configured to control at least one or more of the two or more pieces of hardware based on the software or the setting parameter stored in the storage module; and a changer configured to change to any one of software or a setting parameter among the two or more pieces of software or the setting parameters stored in the storage module based on the change instruction received by the receiver so as to be usable, wherein the controller restricts use of at least one or more functions of the two or more pieces of hardware according to the software or the setting parameter made usable by the changer (paragraphs 19, 21, 29, 30, 32, 36, 39, 47, 50, 55-60, 64, 69, 100, and 139).
Regarding claim 5, Salzman discloses an information terminal comprising: two or more pieces of hardware; a receiver configured to receive a change instruction of a software processing routine; a storage module configured to store software; a controller configured to control at least one or more of the two or more pieces of hardware based on the software stored in the storage module; and a changer configured to change a software processing routine stored in the storage module based on the change instruction received by the receiver, wherein the controller makes at least one or more functions of the two or more pieces of hardware usable or unusable according to the software processing routine changed by the changer (paragraphs 19, 21, 29, 30, 32, 36, 39, 47, 50, 55-60, 64, 69, 100, and 139).
Regarding claim 6, Salzman discloses an information terminal comprising: two or more pieces of hardware; a receiver configured to receive a change instruction of a software processing routine; a storage module configured to store software; a controller configured to control at least one or more of the two or more pieces of hardware based on the software stored in the storage module; and a changer configured to change a software processing routine stored in the storage module based on the change instruction received by the receiver, wherein the controller restricts use of at least one or more functions of the two or more pieces of hardware according to the software processing routine changed by the changer (paragraphs 19, 21, 29, 30, 32, 36, 39, 47, 50, 55-60, 64, 69, 100, 101, and 139).
Regarding claim 7, Salzman discloses wherein the controller makes at least one or more functions of the two or more pieces of hardware usable or unusable according to the software or the setting parameter made usable by the changer (paragraphs 55-60, 69, 100, and 101).
Regarding claim 8, Salzman discloses wherein the controller restricts use of at least one or more functions of the two or more pieces of hardware according to the software or the setting parameter made usable by the changer (paragraphs 55-60, 69, 100, and 101).
Regarding claim 9, Salzman discloses wherein the changer makes the software or the setting parameter usable by restarting the information terminal (paragraphs 55-60, 69, 100, and 101).
Regarding claim 10, Salzman discloses wherein the changer changes the software or the setting parameter according to a use history of the two or more pieces of hardware (paragraphs 75 and 120).
Regarding claim 11, Salzman discloses a recommender configured to recommend a change of the software or the setting parameter according to a use history of the two or more pieces of hardware (paragraphs 75 and 120).
Regarding claim 12, Salzman discloses a storage module configured to store a change history of the software or the setting parameter (paragraphs 75 and 120).
Regarding claim 13, Salzman teaches a control method of an information terminal including two or more pieces of hardware, the method comprising: a step of receiving, by a receiver, software or a setting parameter; a step of controlling, by a controller, at least one or more of the two or more pieces of hardware based on software or a setting parameter stored in a storage module that stores the software or the setting parameter; and a step of changing, by a changer, the software or the setting parameter stored in the storage module to the software or the setting parameter received by the receiver so as to be usable, wherein the controller makes at least one or more functions of the two or more pieces of hardware usable or unusable according to the software or the setting parameter made usable by the changer (paragraphs 19, 21, 29, 30, 32, 36, 39, 47, 50, 55-60, 64, 69, 100, and 139).
Regarding claim 14, Salzman teaches a control method of an information terminal including two or more pieces of hardware, the method comprising: a step of receiving, by a receiver, a change instruction of software or a setting parameter; a step of controlling, by a controller, at least one or more of the two or more pieces of hardware based on the software or the setting parameters stored in a storage module that stores two or more pieces of software or the setting parameters; and a step of changing, by a changer, any one or more pieces of the software or the setting parameters of the two or more pieces of software or the setting parameters stored in the storage module based on the change instruction received by the receiver so as to be usable, wherein the controller makes at least one or more functions of the two or more pieces of hardware usable or unusable according to the software or the setting parameter made usable by the changer (paragraphs 19, 21, 29, 30, 32, 36, 39, 47, 50, 55-60, 64, 69, 100, and 139).
Regarding claim 15, Salzman teaches a control method of an information terminal including two or more pieces of hardware, the method comprising: a step of receiving, by a receiver, software or a setting parameter; a step of controlling, by a controller, at least one of the two or more pieces of hardware based on software or a setting parameter stored in a storage module that stores the software or the setting parameter; and a step of changing, by a changer, the software or the setting parameter stored in the storage module to the software or the setting parameter received by the receiver so as to be usable, wherein the controller restricts use of at least one or more functions of the two or more pieces of hardware according to the software or the setting parameter made usable by the changer (paragraphs 19, 21, 29, 30, 32, 36, 39, 47, 50, 55-60, 64, 69, 100, and 139).
Regarding claim 16, Salzman teaches a control method of an information terminal including two or more pieces of hardware, the method comprising: a step of receiving, by a receiver, a change instruction of software or a setting parameter transmitted from the server; a step of controlling, by a controller, at least one or more of the two or more pieces of hardware based on the software or the setting parameters stored in a storage module that stores two or more pieces of software or the setting parameters; and a step of changing, by a changer, to any one of the software or the setting parameter of the two or more pieces of software or the setting parameters stored in the storage module based on the change instruction received by the receiver so as to be usable, wherein the controller restricts use of at least one or more functions of the two or more pieces of hardware according to the software or the setting parameter made usable by the changer (paragraphs 19, 21, 29, 30, 32, 36, 39, 47, 50, 55-60, 64, 69, 100, and 139).
Regarding claim 17, Salzman teaches a control method of an information terminal including two or more pieces of hardware, the method comprising: a step of receiving, by a receiver, a change instruction of a software processing routine; a step of controlling, by a controller, at least one or more of the two or more pieces of hardware based on software stored in a storage module that stores the software; and a step of changing, by a changer, a software processing routine stored in the storage module based on the change instruction received by the receiver, wherein the controller makes at least one or more functions of the two or more pieces of hardware usable or unusable according to the software processing routine changed by the changer (paragraphs 19, 21, 29, 30, 32, 36, 39, 47, 50, 55-60, 64, 69, 100, and 139).
Regarding claim 18, Salzman teaches a control method of an information terminal including two or more pieces of hardware, the method comprising: a step of receiving, by a receiver, a change instruction of a software processing routine; a step of controlling, by a controller, at least one or more of the two or more pieces of hardware based on software stored in a storage module; and a step of changing, by a changer, a software processing routine stored in the storage module based on the change instruction received by the receiver, wherein the controller restricts use of at least one or more functions of the two or more pieces of hardware according to the software processing routine changed by the changer (paragraphs 19, 21, 29, 30, 32, 36, 39, 47, 50, 55-60, 64, 69, 100, and 139).
Regarding claim 19, Salzman discloses a control program of an information terminal including two or more pieces of hardware, the control program causing a computer to function as: a receiver configured to receive software or a setting parameter; a controller configured to control at least one or more of the two or more pieces of hardware based on software or a setting parameter stored in a storage module that stores the software or the setting parameter; and a changer configured to change the software or the setting parameter stored in the storage module to the software or the setting parameter received by the receiver so as to be usable, wherein the controller makes at least one or more functions of the two or more pieces of hardware usable or unusable according to the software or the setting parameter made usable by the changer (paragraphs 19, 21, 29, 30, 32, 36, 39, 47, 50, 55-60, 64, 69, 100, and 139).
Regarding claim 20, Salzman discloses a control program of an information terminal including two or more pieces of hardware, the control program causing a computer to function as: a receiver configured to receive a change instruction of software or a setting parameter; a controller configured to control at least one or more of the two or more pieces of hardware based on the software or the setting parameters stored in a storage module that stores two or more pieces of software or the setting parameters; and a changer configured to change any one or more pieces of software or setting parameters among the two or more pieces of software or the setting parameters stored in the storage module based on the change instruction received by the receiver so as to be usable, wherein the controller makes at least one or more functions of the two or more pieces of hardware usable or unusable according to the software or the setting parameter made usable by the changer (paragraphs 19, 21, 29, 30, 32, 36, 39, 47, 50, 55-60, 64, 69, 100, and 139).
Regarding claim 21, Salzman discloses a control program of an information terminal including two or more pieces of hardware, the control program causing a computer to function as: a receiver configured to receive software or a setting parameter; a controller configured to control at least one of the two or more pieces of hardware based on software or a setting parameter stored in a storage module that stores the software or the setting parameter; and a changer configured to change the software or the setting parameter stored in the storage module to the software or the setting parameter received by the receiver so as to be usable, wherein the controller restricts use of at least one or more functions of the two or more pieces of hardware according to the software or the setting parameter made usable by the changer (paragraphs 19, 21, 29, 30, 32, 36, 39, 47, 50, 55-60, 64, 69, 100, and 139).
Regarding claim 22, Salzman discloses a control program of an information terminal including two or more pieces of hardware, the control program causing a computer to function as: a receiver configured to receive a change instruction of software or a setting parameter transmitted from the server; a controller configured to control at least one or more of the two or more pieces of hardware based on the software or the setting parameters stored in a storage module that stores two or more pieces of software or the setting parameters; and a changer configured to change to any one of software or a setting parameter among the two or more pieces of software or the setting parameters stored in the storage module based on the change instruction received by the receiver so as to be usable, wherein the controller restricts use of at least one or more functions of the two or more pieces of hardware according to the software or the setting parameter made usable by the changer (paragraphs 19, 21, 29, 30, 32, 36, 39, 47, 50, 55-60, 64, 69, 100, and 139).
Regarding claim 23, Salzman discloses a control program of an information terminal including two or more pieces of hardware, the control program causing a computer to function as: a receiver configured to receive a change instruction of a software processing routine; a controller configured to control at least one or more of the two or more pieces of hardware based on software stored in a storage module that stores the software; and a changer configured to change a software processing routine stored in the storage module based on the change instruction received by the receiver, wherein the controller makes at least one or more functions of the two or more pieces of hardware usable or unusable according to the software processing routine changed by the changer (paragraphs 19, 21, 29, 30, 32, 36, 39, 47, 50, 55-60, 64, 69, 100, and 139).
Regarding claim 24, Salzman discloses a control program of an information terminal including two or more pieces of hardware, the control program causing a computer to function as: a receiver configured to receive a change instruction of a software processing routine; a controller configured to control at least one or more of the two or more pieces of hardware based on software stored in a storage module; and a changer configured to change a software processing routine stored in the storage module based on the change instruction received by the receiver, wherein the controller restricts use of at least one or more functions of the two or more pieces of hardware according to the software processing routine changed by the changer (paragraphs 19, 21, 29, 30, 32, 36, 39, 47, 50, 55-60, 64, 69, 100, and 139).
Regarding claim 25, Salzman discloses an information processing apparatus comprising: a receiver configured to receive an instruction from a first terminal; and a transmitter configured to transmit software or a setting parameter to a second terminal including two or more pieces of hardware based on the instruction received by the receiver (paragraphs 19, 21, 29, 30, 32, 36, 39, 47, and 156).
Regarding claim 26, Salzman discloses a determiner configured to determine whether a predetermined condition is satisfied, wherein the transmitter transmits software or a setting parameter that makes the two or more pieces of hardware included in the second terminal usable based on a determination result by the determiner (paragraphs 55-60, 69, 100, and 101).
Regarding claim 27, Salzman discloses a determiner configured to determine whether a predetermined condition is satisfied, wherein the transmitter instructs the second terminal to change to software or a setting parameter that makes the two or more pieces of hardware included in the second terminal usable based on a determination result by the determiner (paragraphs 55-60, 69, 100, and 101).
Regarding claim 28, Salzman discloses a recommender configured to recommend a change of the software or the setting parameter according to a use history of the two or more pieces of hardware (paragraphs 75 and 120).
Regarding claim 29, Salzman discloses a storage module configured to store a change history of the software or the setting parameter (paragraphs 75 and 120).
Regarding claim 30, Salzman discloses a restriction module configured to restrict transmission and reception of information related to hardware other than the hardware made usable among the two or more pieces of hardware or hardware made unusable according to a change in the software or the setting parameter (paragraphs 55-60, 69, 100, and 101).
Regarding claim 31, Salzman discloses a contract plan information changer configured to change contract plan information of the second terminal for a contractor of the second terminal according to a change in the software or the setting parameter (paragraphs 55-60, 69, 100, 101, and 117).
Regarding claim 32, Salzman teaches an information processing method comprising: a step of receiving, by a receiver, an instruction from a first terminal; and a step of transmitting, by a transmitter, software or a setting parameter to a second terminal including two or more pieces of hardware based on the instruction received by the receiver (paragraphs 19, 21, 29, 30, 32, 36, 39, 47, and 156).
Regarding claim 33, Salzman discloses an information processing program causing a computer to function as: a receiver configured to receive an instruction from a first terminal; and a transmitter configured to transmit software or a setting parameter to a second terminal including two or more pieces of hardware based on the instruction received by the receiver (paragraphs 19, 21, 29, 30, 32, 36, 39, 47, and 156).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The references cited on form PTO-892 are cited to further show the state of the art with respect to restricting device usage.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JEREMIAH L AVERY whose telephone number is (571)272-8627. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30am -5:00pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Lynn Feild can be reached at 571-272-2092. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JEREMIAH L AVERY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2431
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