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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for foreign priority based on an application filed in Japan on June 12, 2024. It is noted, however, that applicant has not filed a certified copy of the Japanese application as required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 04/23/2025 and 09/26/2024 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
Claim Objections
Claims 6 and 13 are objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 6 sets forth “the storage component is configured”. However, a storage component has not been previously set forth in the independent claim from which claim 6 depends. It is clear from the claimed subject matter that claim 6 should depend from claim 5, which sets for “a storage component”. In like manner, claim 13 should depend from claim 12. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1, 6-8, 13-15 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Saito Yasushi (JP 2008003227 A).
Regarding claim 1, Yasushi discloses an image forming apparatus (¶ [1]), comprising:
a conveying component configured to convey a sheet (¶ [7]);
a tag communication component configured to perform a first communication with a radio tag brought within a reading position different from the conveying component (¶ [7] and ¶ [12]) and a second communication with the radio tag provided on the sheet being conveyed by the conveying component (¶ [16]); and
a controller configured to acquire setting information used in the second communication pre-associated with information that is read in the first communication (¶ [22]) and cause the tag communication component to perform the second communication in accordance with the acquired setting information (¶ [22]).
Regarding claim 6, Yasushi discloses the image forming apparatus according to claim 1 (see rejection of claim 1).
Yasushi fails to explicitly disclose wherein the storage component is configured to be detachably provided on the image forming apparatus.
Sadatoshi teaches the storage component is configured to be detachably provided on the image forming apparatus (¶ (63] contents of server memory transferred to USB flash memory).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the invention was effectively filed for the image forming apparatus as disclosed by Yasushi comprising a tag communication component configured to perform a first communication with a radio tag brought within a reading position different from the conveying component to utilize the teachings of Sadatoshi which teaches Sadatoshi which teaches the storage component is configured to be detachably provided on the image forming apparatus to provide a more secure transfer of the settings to the image forming device.
Regarding claim 7, Yasushi discloses the image forming apparatus according to claim 1 (see rejection of claim 1), wherein the controller acquires an image formation job data from a personal computer, a smartphone, or a tablet (¶ [13]).
Regarding claim 8, Yasushi discloses a radio tag communication apparatus, comprising:
a tag communication component configured to perform a first communication with a radio tag brought within a reading position different from the conveying component and a second communication with the radio tag provided on a sheet being conveyed by a conveying component (see rejection of claim 1; communication means); and
a controller configured to acquire setting information used in the second communication pre-associated with information that is read in the first communication and cause the tag communication component to perform the second communication in accordance with the acquired setting information (see rejection of claim 1).
Regarding claim 13, Yasushi discloses the radio tag communication apparatus according to claim 8 (see rejection of claim 8), wherein the storage component is configured to be detachably provided on the radio tag communication apparatus (see rejection of claim 6 wherein the radio tag communication apparatus is a component of the image forming apparatus).
Regarding claim 14, Yasushi discloses the radio tag communication apparatus according to claim 8 (see rejection of claim 8), wherein the controller acquires an image formation job data from a personal computer, a smartphone, or a tablet (see rejection of claim 7).
Regarding claim 15, Yasushi discloses a method for an image forming apparatus (see rejection of claim 1), comprising:
conveying a sheet (see rejection of claim 1);
a tag communication component configured to performing a first communication with a radio tag brought within a reading position different from a conveying component and a second communication with the radio tag provided on the sheet being conveyed by the conveying component (see rejection of claim 1); and
acquiring setting information used in the second communication pre-associated with information that is read in the first communication and causing the tag communication component to perform the second communication in accordance with the acquired setting information (see rejection of claim 1).
Regarding claim 20, Yasushi discloses the method according to claim 15 (see rejection of claim 15), further comprising:
acquiring an image formation job data from a personal computer, a smartphone, or a tablet (see rejection of claim 7).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
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 2, 9 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Saito Yasushi (JP 2008003227 A) in view of Fumiharu Nakayama et al (US 20220400185 A1).
Regarding claim 2, Yasushi discloses the image forming apparatus according to claim 1 (see rejection of claim 1).
Yasushi fails to explicitly disclose wherein the setting information includes at least one information of a transmission output and a polarized-wave direction of an antenna that the tag communication component uses to communicate with the radio tag.
Nakayama et al, in the same field of endeavor of an image forming apparatus capable of reading a wireless tag from a print medium (Abstract), teaches the setting information includes at least one information of a transmission output and a polarized-wave direction of an antenna that the tag communication component uses to communicate with the radio tag (¶ [32] and ¶ [35]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the invention was effectively filed for the image forming apparatus as disclosed by Yasushi comprising a tag communication component configured to perform a first communication with a radio tag brought within a reading position different from the conveying component to utilize the teachings of Nakayama et al which teaches the setting information includes at least one information of a transmission output and a polarized-wave direction of an antenna that the tag communication component uses to communicate with the radio tag to aid in the reduction of writing failures to the wireless tag.
Regarding claim 9, Yasushi discloses the radio tag communication apparatus according to claim 8 (see rejection of claim 8), wherein the setting information includes at least one information of a transmission output and a polarized-wave direction of an antenna that the tag communication component uses to communicate with the radio tag (see rejection of claim 2).
Regarding claim 16, Yasushi discloses the method according to claim 15 (see rejection of claim 15), wherein the setting information includes at least one information of a transmission output and a polarized-wave direction of an antenna that the tag communication component uses to communicate with the radio tag (see rejection of claim 2).
Claims 3, 4, 10, 11, 17 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Saito Yasushi (JP 2008003227 A) in view of Tomoyuki Kumabayashi (US 20210405934 A1).
Regarding claim 3, Yasushi discloses the image forming apparatus according to claim 1 (see rejection of claim 1).
Yasushi fails to explicitly disclose wherein the controller acquires the setting information associated with the radio tag communicating in the first communication, from an external device connected to a network.
Kumabayashi, in the same field of endeavor of a printer capable of performing RFID communication (Abstract), teaches the controller acquires the setting information associated with the radio tag communicating in the first communication, from an external device connected to a network (¶ [145-148]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the invention was effectively filed for the image forming apparatus as disclosed by Yasushi comprising a tag communication component configured to perform a first communication with a radio tag brought within a reading position different from the conveying component to utilize the teachings of Kumabayashi which teaches the controller acquires the setting information associated with the radio tag communicating in the first communication, from an external device connected to a network to enable proper communication parameters setting for RFID communication in an easy manner.
Regarding claim 4, Yasushi discloses the image forming apparatus according to claim 1 (see rejection of claim 1).
Yasushi fails to explicitly disclose wherein the information that is read in the first communication includes type information indicating a type of the radio tag.
Kumabayashi teaches the information that is read in the first communication includes type information indicating a type of the radio tag (¶ [113-114] and ¶ [178]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the invention was effectively filed for the image forming apparatus as disclosed by Yasushi comprising a tag communication component configured to perform a first communication with a radio tag brought within a reading position different from the conveying component to utilize the teachings of Kumabayashi which teaches wherein the information that is read in the first communication includes type information indicating a type of the radio tag to enable proper communication parameters for the RFID communication.
Regarding claim 10, Yasushi discloses the radio tag communication apparatus according to claim 8 (see rejection of claim 8), wherein the controller acquires the setting information associated with the radio tag communicating in the first communication, from an external device connected to a network (see rejection of claim 3).
Regarding claim 11, Yasushi discloses the radio tag communication apparatus according to claim 8 (see rejection of claim 8), wherein the information that is read in the first communication includes type information indicating a type of the radio tag (see rejection of claim 4).
Regarding claim 17, Yasushi discloses the method according to claim 15 (see rejection of claim 15), further comprising:
acquiring the setting information associated with the radio tag communicating in the first communication, from an external device connected to a network (see rejection of claim 3).
Regarding claim 18, Yasushi discloses the method according to claim 15 (see rejection of claim 15), wherein the information that is read in the first communication includes type information indicating a type of the radio tag (see rejection of claim 4).
Claims 5, 12 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Saito Yasushi (JP 2008003227 A) in view of Sadatoshi Oishi (US 20240031497 A1).
Regarding claim 5, Yasushi discloses the image forming apparatus according to claim 1 (see rejection of claim 1).
Yasushi fails to explicitly disclose at least one sheet feeding component, wherein the controller causes a storage component to store the setting information and information indicating the sheet feeding component as a sheet feeding source of the sheet in association with each other, and causes the tag communication component to perform the second communication in accordance with the setting information associated with the sheet feeding component that feeds the sheet when the sheet is fed.
Oishi, in the same field of endeavor of a printer capable of reading wireless tag information from a paper medium (Abstract), teaches one sheet feeding component, wherein the controller causes a storage component to store the setting information and information indicating the sheet feeding component as a sheet feeding source of the sheet in association with each other (¶ [92] and ¶ [133] storing setting parameter information and sheet identification information; *Note ¶ [35] indicates sheet identification information comprises an association between the type of sheet and the sheet cassette which the sheet is located), and causes the tag communication component to perform the second communication in accordance with the setting information associated with the sheet feeding component that feeds the sheet when the sheet is fed (¶ [53-57] and ¶ [107-108] wherein the parameters are used in determining the manner in which the print job will be produced).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the invention was effectively filed for the image forming apparatus as disclosed by Yasushi comprising a tag communication component configured to perform a first communication with a radio tag brought within a reading position different from the conveying component to utilize the teachings of Oishi which teaches at least one sheet feeding component, wherein the controller causes a storage component to store the setting information and information indicating the sheet feeding component as a sheet feeding source of the sheet in association with each other, and causes the tag communication component to perform the second communication in accordance with the setting information associated with the sheet feeding component that feeds the sheet when the sheet is fed to enable various settings corresponding to types of sheets provided with wireless tags to be efficiently processed and printing performed.
Regarding claim 12, Yasushi discloses the radio tag communication apparatus according to claim 8 (see rejection of claim 8), further comprising at least one sheet feeding component, wherein the controller causes a storage component to store the setting information and information indicating a sheet feeding source of the sheet, and causes the tag communication component to perform the second communication in accordance with the setting information associated with the sheet when the sheet is fed (see rejection of claim 5).
Regarding claim 19, Yasushi discloses the method according to claim 15 (see rejection of claim 15), further comprising:
causing a storage component to store the setting information and information indicating a sheet feeding component as a sheet feeding source of the sheet in association with each other, and performing the second communication in accordance with the setting information associated with the sheet feeding component that feeds the sheet when the sheet is fed (see rejection of claim 5).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAMARES Q WASHINGTON whose telephone number is (571)270-1585. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 8:30am-4:30pm.
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/JAMARES Q WASHINGTON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2681
July 11, 2026
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