DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
2. Claims 1-11 are pending in this application.
Priority
3. Acknowledgement is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority based on application JP 2023-154188 filed on 09/21/2023 under 35 U.S.C 119(a)-(d).
Drawings
4. The drawing has been filed on 09/20/2024 are acceptable for examination purpose.
Information Disclosure Statement
5. The information disclosure statement filed on 09/20/2024 is in compliance with the provision of the 37 CFR 1.97 and therefore has been considered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
6. 35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
7. The claimed invention is directed to a judicial exception (i.e., a law of nature, a natural phenomenon, or an abstract idea) without significantly more. Claims 1-11 are directed to a judicial exception (i.e., a law of nature, a natural phenomenon, or an abstract idea) without significantly more.
Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101, because the claimed invention directed to abstract idea without significantly more. The claim recites “an information processing apparatus, comprising: an operation acceptance unit configured to accept an operation from a user; a control unit configured to accept a signal from the operation acceptance unit; a generation unit configured to accept a signal from the operation acceptance unit and generate a recovery signal; and a power source control unit configured to shift, based on the recovery signal, a power state of the information processing apparatus from a first power state in which the control unit is not energized to a second power state in which the control unit is energized, wherein the generation unit does not generate the recovery signal even when the signal from the operation acceptance unit is accepted in the second power state, and the generation unit generates the recovery signal when the signal from the operation acceptance unit is accepted in the first power state”.
The claim limitation of “an operation acceptance unit configured to accept an operation from a user; a control unit configured to accept a signal from the operation acceptance unit; a generation unit configured to accept a signal from the operation acceptance unit and generate a recovery signal; and a power source control unit configured to shift, based on the recovery signal, a power state of the information processing apparatus from a first power state in which the control unit is not energized to a second power state in which the control unit is energized, wherein the generation unit does not generate the recovery signal even when the signal from the operation acceptance unit is accepted in the second power state, and the generation unit generates the recovery signal when the signal from the operation acceptance unit is accepted in the first power state”, as drafted, is a process that, under its broadest reasonable interpretation, covers performance of the limitation in the mind but for the recitation of generic computer component. That is, other than reciting “by a control unit” nothing in the claim element precludes the step from practically being performed in the mind. For example, but for the “by a control unit”, “by a generation unit” & “by a power control source unit” languages, “accepting & shifting” in the context of this claim encompasses the user manually accepting & generating the signal to generate recovering signal for shifting the printer from power saving mode to normal operating mode. Similarly, the limitations of not generating the recovery signal in the normal operating mode as drafted, is a process that, under its broadest reasonable interpretation, covers performance of the limitation in the mind but for the recitation of generic computer component. For example, but for the “by a control unit” language, “accepting & shifting” in the context of this claim encompasses the user thinking that the information processing apparatus should be shifted to normal operating mode from the power saving mode based on the generated recovery signal. If a claim limitations, under its broadest reasonable interpretation, covers performance of the limitation in the mind but for the recitation of generic computer components, then it falls within the “Mental Processes” grouping of abstract ideas. Accordingly, the claim recites an abstract idea.
This judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application. In particular, the claim only recites one additional element – using a control unit, a generation unit & power control source unit to perform both the accepting & shifting steps. The control unit in last step is recited at a high-level of generality (i.e., as a generic control unit performing a generic computer function of ranking information based on a determined amount of use) such that it amounts no more than mere instructions to apply the exception using a generic computer component. Accordingly, this additional element does not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application because it does not impose any meaningful limits on practicing the abstract idea. The claim is directed to an abstract idea.
The claim does not include any additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception. As discussed above with respect to integration of the abstract idea into a practical application, the last steps using a control unit to perform not generating steps amounts to no more than mere instructions to apply the exception using a generic computer component. Mere instructions to apply an exception using a generic computer component cannot provide an inventive concept. The claim is not patent eligible.
The other independent claims 10-11 are obviously claimed the same subject matter as found in the claim 1 and therefore would be rejected based on same rationale applied on claim 1.
The dependent claims 2-9 depend either directly or indirectly from claim 1 are obviously claimed either directly or indirectly the same subject matter as found in the claim 1 and are therefore rejected for depending from a rejected base claim 1 and for not overcoming the rejection of the base claim 1.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
8. 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.
9. Claims 1, 5-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ito, US Pub 2022/0109765.
As to claim 1 [independent], Ito teaches an information processing apparatus, comprising [fig. 1, element 10; 0023]:
an operation acceptance unit [fig. 3, element 200] configured to accept an operation from a user [0023, 0030, 0038 Ito teaches that the operation unit 200 or display 200 accepts or receives user’s command from user];
a control unit [fig. 3, element 300] configured to accept a signal from the operation acceptance unit [0023, 0030, 0038 Ito teaches that the operation unit 200 accepts or receives user’s command from user and (command) signal is generated based on the user’s command from the user for or by the controller 300];
a generation unit [fig. 3, element 305] configured to accept a signal from the operation acceptance unit and generate a recovery signal [0047-0051 Ito teaches that the power supply control unit 305 accepts and generates a wakeup/recovery signal for the printer 10 to shift from power saving mode or first power state to standby/normal mode or second power state in a case where the user inputs an user’s command to the operation unit 200, while the printer 10 is in the power saving mode or first power state]; and
a power source control unit [fig. 3, element 305] configured to shift, based on the recovery signal, a power state of the information processing apparatus from a first power state in which the control unit is not energized to a second power state in which the control unit is energized [0047-0051 Ito teaches that the power supply control unit 305 accepts and generates a wakeup/recovery signal for the printer 10 to shift from power saving mode or first power state to standby/normal mode or second power state in a case where the user inputs an user’s command to the operation unit 200, while the printer 10 is in the power saving mode or first power state], wherein
the generation unit does not generate the recovery signal even when the signal from the operation acceptance unit is accepted in the second power state [0047-0051 Ito teaches that the power supply control unit 305 accepts and generates a wakeup/recovery signal for the printer 10 to shift from power saving mode or first power state to standby/normal mode or second power state in a case where the user inputs an user’s command to the operation unit 200, while the printer 10 is in the power saving mode or first power state. However, it is extremely understandable that the when the printer 10 is in the standby/normal mode or second power state then there is no need of generating the recover signal, because the printer 10 is already in the standby/normal mode or second power state], and the generation unit generates the recovery signal when the signal from the operation acceptance unit is accepted in the first power state [0047-0051 Ito teaches that the power supply control unit 305 accepts and generates a wakeup/recovery signal for the printer 10 to shift from power saving mode or first power state to standby/normal mode or second power state in a case where the user inputs an user’s command to the operation unit 200, while the printer 10 is in the power saving mode or first power state].
As to claim 5 [dependent from claim 1], Ito teaches wherein the operation acceptance unit is constituted by a touch panel configured to accept an operation from the user [0002, 0023, 0030, 0038, 0040 Ito teaches that the operation unit 200 or display 200 accepts or receives user’s command from user. The display 200 that displays a screen based on data generated by controller 300 for the user who operates the operation unit 200 or display 200 and the controller 300 monitors the user’s command to use the functions of the printer 10] and a touch panel control unit configured to monitor the operation from the user on the touch panel [0002, 0023, 0030, 0038, 0040 Ito teaches that the operation unit 200 or display 200 accepts or receives user’s command from user. The display 200 that displays a screen based on data generated by controller 300 for the user who operates the operation unit 200 or display 200 and the controller 300 monitors the user’s command to use the functions of the printer 10], and
when the operation from the user on the touch panel is sensed, the touch panel control unit outputs sensing information for notification of touch sensing and information of coordinates where the operation is accepted [0002, 0023, 0030, 0038, 0040 Ito teaches that the operation unit 200 or display 200 accepts or receives user’s command from user. The display 200 that displays a screen based on data generated by controller 300 for the user who operates the operation unit 200 or display 200 and the controller 300 monitors the user’s command to use the functions of the printer 10].
As to claim 6 [dependent from claim 5], Ito teaches wherein the touch panel control unit is connected to the control unit and the generation unit, and
when the operation from the user on the touch panel is sensed, the touch panel control unit transmits the sensing information for the notification of the touch sensing to the control unit and the generation unit [0002, 0023, 0030, 0038, 0040 Ito teaches that the operation unit 200 or display 200 accepts or receives user’s command from user. The display 200 that displays a screen based on data generated by controller 300 for the user who operates the operation unit 200 or display 200 and the controller 300 monitors the user’s command to use the functions of the printer 10].
As to claim 7 [dependent from claim 5], Ito teaches a reset unit configured to reset the control unit and the touch panel control unit,
wherein when the information processing apparatus shifts from the first power state to the second power state, the reset unit resets the control unit and the touch panel control unit [0047-0051, 0059-0061, 0063-0065 Ito teaches that the power supply control unit 305 accepts and generates a wakeup/recovery signal for the printer 10 to shift from power saving mode or first power state to standby/normal mode or second power state in a case where the user inputs an user’s command to the operation unit 200, while the printer 10 is in the power saving mode or first power state. In response to the wakeup/recovery signal, the controller 300 & the operation unit 200 or display 200 have been reset after receiving the power supply from the power supply control unit 305].
As to claim 8 [dependent from claim 1], Ito teaches a main control unit [fig. 3, element 301; 0038] configured to control an operation of the information processing apparatus [fig. 3, element 301; 0038 Ito teaches that main central processing unit (CPU) 301, and controls the entire printer 10. The operation unit 200 or display 200 functions as a user interface (UI), and includes the input device that receives a user's operation and the display device that displays a screen],
wherein the main control unit notifies the control unit of the power state of the information processing apparatus [0026, 0046-0048 Ito teaches that the power supply control unit 305 performs power supply control of the entire printer 10. In a case where no power is supplied to the main CPU 301 and the printer unit 400, the power supply control unit 305 performs on/off control of a power supply of the printer 10 provided in the controller 300. In a case where power is supplied to the main CPU 301 and the printer unit 400, the main CPU 301 controls the power supply control unit 305 to perform on/off control of power supply to each of the units].
As to claim 9 [dependent from claim 8], Ito teaches a power supply unit configured to supply power from a power source, wherein
the power supply unit controls power supply to the control unit based on the notification of the power state from the main control unit [0026, 0046-0048 Ito teaches that the power supply control unit 305 performs power supply control of the entire printer 10. In a case where no power is supplied to the main CPU 301 and the printer unit 400, the power supply control unit 305 performs on/off control of a power supply of the printer 10 provided in the controller 300. In a case where power is supplied to the main CPU 301 and the printer unit 400, the main CPU 301 controls the power supply control unit 305 to perform on/off control of power supply to each of the units].
As to claims 10-11 [independent], However, the independent claims 10-11 essentially claimed same subject matter as claimed in the independent claim 1 for/and/with other claim limitations, and are therefore the independent claims 10-11 would be rejected based on same rationale as applied to the independent claim 1.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
10. 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.
11. Claims 2-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ito, US Pub 2022/0109765 in view of Kawaguchi, US Pub 2015/0153973.
As to claim 2 [dependent from claim 1], Ito teaches wherein when the signal from the operation acceptance unit is accepted in the second power state [0047-0051 Ito teaches that the power supply control unit 305 accepts and generates a wakeup/recovery signal for the printer 10 to shift from power saving mode or first power state to standby/normal mode or second power state in a case where the user inputs an user’s command to the operation unit 200, while the printer 10 is in the power saving mode or first power state. However, it is extremely understandable that the when the printer 10 is in the standby/normal mode or second power state then there is no need of generating the recover signal, because the printer 10 is already in the standby/normal mode or second power state]],
Ito doesn’t teach the generation unit does not generate the recovery signal by generating a disabled signal.
Kawaguchi teaches wherein when the signal from the operation acceptance unit is accepted in the second power state [figs. 3, 4a; 0055-0058, 0090 Kawaguchi teaches that the user of the display or operating unit of the printer 10 accepts the signals related to the triggering recovery signal of the printer 10 in the standby/normal mode or second power state], the generation unit does not generate the recovery signal by generating a disabled signal [figs. 3, 4a; 0055-0058, 0090 Kawaguchi teaches that the user of the display or operating unit of the printer 10 accepts the signals related to the triggering recovery signal of the printer 10 in the standby/normal mode or second power state, but doesn’t & wouldn’t generate recovery signal by disabling the recovery signal based on the selections are made by the user (e.g., fig. 4a) when the printer 10 is at least in the standby/normal mode or second power state].
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate Kawaguchi teaching to not generate the recovery signal by generating a disabled signal to modify Ito’s teaching to execute predetermined functional processing for selecting priority on power saving or priority on convenience as a condition for switching to the second power state which is lower than the first power state and receives multiple recovery triggers for switching to the first power state by storing a number of times of detection of each recovery trigger, if the user accepts disabling a recovery trigger of which the user has been notified by the notification unit. The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been benefitted to the user to have printer provides power saving control that conforms to a power saving environment set by the user and facilitates convenience and power saving.
As to claim 3 [dependent from claim 1], Ito doesn’t teach wherein in the second power state, the generation unit does not generate the recovery signal by rejecting the signal from the operation acceptance unit.
Kawaguchi teaches wherein in the second power state, the generation unit does not generate the recovery signal by rejecting the signal from the operation acceptance unit [figs. 3, 4a; 0055-0058, 0090 Kawaguchi teaches that the user of the display or operating unit of the printer 10 accepts the signals related to the triggering recovery signal of the printer 10 in the standby/normal mode or second power state, but doesn’t & wouldn’t generate recovery signal by disabling or rejecting the recovery signal based on the selections are made by the user (e.g., fig. 4a) when the printer 10 is at least in the standby/normal mode or second power state].
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate Kawaguchi teaching to not generate the recovery signal by generating a disabled signal to modify Ito’s teaching to execute predetermined functional processing for selecting priority on power saving or priority on convenience as a condition for switching to the second power state which is lower than the first power state and receives multiple recovery triggers for switching to the first power state by storing a number of times of detection of each recovery trigger, if the user accepts disabling a recovery trigger of which the user has been notified by the notification unit. The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been benefitted to the user to have printer provides power saving control that conforms to a power saving environment set by the user and facilitates convenience and power saving.
As to claim 4 [dependent from claim 1], Ito doesn’t teach wherein in the second power state, the generation unit does not generate the recovery signal by disabling the signal accepted from the operation acceptance unit.
Kawaguchi teaches wherein in the second power state, the generation unit does not generate the recovery signal by disabling the signal accepted from the operation acceptance unit [figs. 3, 4a; 0055-0058, 0090 Kawaguchi teaches that the user of the display or operating unit of the printer 10 accepts the signals related to the triggering recovery signal of the printer 10 in the standby/normal mode or second power state, but doesn’t & wouldn’t generate recovery signal by disabling or rejecting the recovery signal based on the selections are made by the user (e.g., fig. 4a) when the printer 10 is at least in the standby/normal mode or second power state].
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate Kawaguchi teaching to not generate the recovery signal by generating a disabled signal to modify Ito’s teaching to execute predetermined functional processing for selecting priority on power saving or priority on convenience as a condition for switching to the second power state which is lower than the first power state and receives multiple recovery triggers for switching to the first power state by storing a number of times of detection of each recovery trigger, if the user accepts disabling a recovery trigger of which the user has been notified by the notification unit. The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been benefitted to the user to have printer provides power saving control that conforms to a power saving environment set by the user and facilitates convenience and power saving.
Conclusion
12. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HARIS SABAH whose telephone number is (571)270-3917. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday/Friday from 9:00AM to 5:30PM EST.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor, Benny Tieu, can be reached on (571)272-7490. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. The Examiner’s personal fax number is (571)270-4917.
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/HARIS SABAH/Examiner, Art Unit 2682
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