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 .
The action is responsive to the following communication: an application filed on 09/23/2024 where:
Claims 1-20 are currently pending.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2, 13, 14 and 20 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.
Claims 15-18 are allowed.
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, 3-10 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Morales (US 11526317) in view of Saigusa (US 2019/0294395).
Regarding claim 1, Morales teaches: A method for submitting a print job for printing within a printing system (col. 1, lines 40-64, The method also includes receiving the print job at an embedded digital front end (DFE) of the printing device.), the method comprising:
receiving a file for a print job through a user interface for a digital front end (DFE) of a first printing device (col. 2, lines 5-10, The method also includes receiving the print job at an embedded digital front end (DFE) of the printing device.);
uploading the file for the print job within the printing system (fig. 4A, steps 408-410, Step 408 executes by receiving print job 132A for document 306 at DFE 106 of printing device 104. Client device 110A may forward print job 132A to printing device 104 using application 130A or another program. Step 410 executes by placing print job 132A into job queue 112 with other print jobs 114. Job queue 112 may include print jobs from other client devices 110B and 110C in system 100 as well as client device 110A.); and
releasing the print job for printing operations by the DFE upon receipt of the at least one print ticket setting and upload of the file for the print job (fig. 4A and step 424, Step 424 executes by releasing print job 132A for printing at printing device 104.).
Morales does not explicitly teach: displaying a simplified user interface corresponding to the DFE during the uploading of the file for the print job to the DFE, wherein the simplified user interface includes a defined subset of print ticket settings for the print job;
receiving at least one print ticket setting of the defined subset of print ticket settings within the simplified user interface to apply to the print job.
However, Saigusa teaches: displaying a simplified user interface corresponding to the DFE during the uploading of the file for the print job to the DFE, wherein the simplified user interface includes a defined subset of print ticket settings for the print job (fig. 6c and [0047, Basic print setting information, such as the number of copies and color mode, can be set by the basic print setting UI 8500. [0004], by only a relatively small amount of an information printed ticket);
receiving at least one print ticket setting of the defined subset of print ticket settings within the simplified user interface to apply to the print job ([0041], After the reception completion, the touch panel print detailed setting application 3006 establishes the print setting and transmits the print ticket 3102, which is the established print setting, to the OS 210. The basic print setting UI 8500 receives a print event due to a user operation and transmits the print ticket 3102 and a XPS (XML Paper Specification) file 3402 to be printed to a merge module 3018.).
Therefore, the Applicant's claimed invention would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Morales to include displaying a simplified user interface corresponding to the DFE during the uploading of the file for the print job to the DFE, wherein the simplified user interface includes a defined subset of print ticket settings for the print job; receiving at least one print ticket setting of the defined subset of print ticket settings within the simplified user interface to apply to the print job as taught by Saigusa. The motivation/suggestion would have been to further enhance/improve the method since doing so would allow for displaying of basic print setting UI including only a defined subset of print settings. Therefore, reducing the time needed to display the full print setting since full print capability data set would take time to obtain/processes.
Regarding claim 3, Morales and Saigusa teach: The method of claim 1, wherein the defined subset of print ticket settings is configurable via at least one DFE setting ([0047], In these instances, client device 110A may create graphic file 134A for print job 132A that the operator chooses to edit at the client device.).
Regarding claim 4, Morales and Saigusa teach: The method of claim 1, wherein releasing the print job includes providing the print job to a print engine of the first printing device (Morales, fig. 4A and step 424, Step 424 executes by releasing print job 132A for printing at printing device 104.).
Regarding claim 5, Morales and Saigusa teach: The method of claim 1, wherein uploading the file includes uploading the file to the DFE of the first printing device (Morales, col. 2, lines 5-10, The method also includes receiving the print job at an embedded digital front end (DFE) of the printing device.)).
Regarding claim 6, Morales and Saigusa teach: The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting a second printing device to receive the file for the print job and the at least one print ticket setting (Saigusa, [0047] and fig. 6B, printing 8301 is tapped among the options to thereby display a print queue selection menu 8400 for selecting a print queue of a print output destination shown in FIG. 6B. Candidates for the print output destination are listed in the print queue selection menu 8400. If a “printer 01” 8401, which is one of the candidates of the print output destination. User select printer 01-03).
Regarding claim 7, Morales and Saigusa teach: The method of claim 6, wherein uploading the file for the print job includes uploading the file to the second printing device (Saigusa, [0047] and fig. 6B, printing 8301 is tapped among the options to thereby display a print queue selection menu 8400 for selecting a print queue of a print output destination shown in FIG. 6B. Candidates for the print output destination are listed in the print queue selection menu 8400. If a “printer 01” 8401, which is one of the candidates of the print output destination. User select printer 01-03).
Regarding claim 8, Morales and Saigusa teach: The method of claim 6, further comprising deleting the file from the DFE of the first printing device (Saigusa, [0079], The Temporary is a setting for temporary storing, is stored in the local PC, and deletes the information stored by the OS at any time).
Regarding claim 9, Morales and Saigusa teach: The method of claim 1, further comprising expanding the defined subset of print ticket settings to include at least one additional print ticket setting (Saigusa, [0047], If the basic print setting UI 8500 is depressed, the touch panel print detailed setting application 3006 is activated and the user can perform more detailed settings that are not in the basic settings.).
Regarding claim 10, Morales and Saigusa teach: The method of claim 1, further comprising holding the print job until the at least one print ticket setting is received (Morales, fig. 4A and step 410, job is held in the print queue. Step 424 executes by releasing print job 132A for printing at printing device 104.).
Claim 19 is rejected for reasons similar to claim 1 above
Claims 11 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Morales (US 11526317) in view of Saigusa (US 2019/0294395) and further in view of Ryuutou (US 2010/0168888).
Regarding claim 11, Morales and Saigusa teach: The method of claim 1.
Morales and Saigusa do not explicitly teach: further comprising receiving an instruction to cancel the print job; and performing one of cancelling upload of the file for the print job or deleting the file from the printing system if it is uploaded.
However, Ryuutou teaches: further comprising receiving an instruction to cancel the print job; and performing one of cancelling upload of the file for the print job or deleting the file from the printing system if it is uploaded ([0126], The job creation function includes a function of changing or canceling a job already registered in the remote server apparatus 12 and setting or changing the access right of the personnel (designer, advertising agency, client, and printing company) who cooperate in producing a printed material.).
Therefore, the Applicant's claimed invention would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Morales and Saigusa to include wherein the defined subset of print ticket settings is defined by tracking print ticket settings used at the first printing device or within the printing system as taught by Stanich. The motivation/suggestion would have been to further enhance/improve the method since doing so would allow for cancelling of job already registered. Therefore, allowing for cancelling of a print job in order to not waste print material.
Claims 12 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Morales (US 11526317) in view of Saigusa (US 2019/0294395) and further in view of Stanich et al. (11,283,936, hereinafter Stanich).
Regarding claim 12, Morales and Saigusa teach: The method of claim 1.
Morales and Saigusa do not explicitly teach: wherein the defined subset of print ticket settings is defined by tracking print ticket settings used at the first printing device or within the printing system.
However, Stanich teaches: wherein the defined subset of print ticket settings is defined by tracking print ticket settings used at the first printing device or within the printing system (Col. 8, lines 30-45, However other embodiments may comprise settings tracking module 330 receiving the print job settings information via a job ticket submitted with the print job and/or components of print controller 140.).
Therefore, the Applicant's claimed invention would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Morales and Saigusa to include wherein the defined subset of print ticket settings is defined by tracking print ticket settings used at the first printing device or within the printing system as taught by Stanich. The motivation/suggestion would have been to further enhance/improve the method since doing so would allow for tracking print setting according to print job. Therefore, allowing for an estimation of ink usage data of the print job in order to track the amount of remaining ink in the printer.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANDREW H LAM whose telephone number is (571)270-7969 and fax number is 571-270-8969. The examiner can normally be reached on 9AM-5PM.
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.
Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/ANDREW H LAM/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2682
Prosecution Insights