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 .
Filed IDS of 10/02/2024 and 02/18/2025 have been entered and considered. Claims 1-17 are currently pending.
Please refer to the action below.
Examiner Notes
The claims in this application are given their broadest reasonable interpretation using the plain meaning of the claim language in light of the specification as it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. However, the claimed subject matter, not the specification, is the measure of the invention.
Claim Interpretations - 35 USC § 112(f)
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
Claims limitations of “a unit”, “a setting unit”, and “a generation unit” of (claims 1, and 11) have been interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because it uses/they use a generic placeholder “to” coupled with functional language “generates”, and “to set” (claims 1, and 11) without reciting sufficient structure to achieve the function. Furthermore, the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier.
Since the claim limitations invokes 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, claims 1-17 have been interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification that achieves the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
A review of the specification shows that the following appears to be the corresponding structure described in the specification, for the 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph limitation:
• (“a unit”, “a setting unit”, and “a generation unit”) – Specification [0162] and [0213], It appears that the units as cited in para. 0162 and 0213 comprises corresponding “functions of a corresponding functional unit are executed by the MPU 601 executing a computer program corresponding to the functional unit. The functional units illustrated in FIG. 22A may be implemented in hardware”.
If applicant wishes to provide further explanation or dispute the examiner’s interpretation of the corresponding structure, applicant must identify the corresponding structure with reference to the specification by page and line number, and to the drawing, if any, by reference characters in response to this Office action.
If applicant does not intend to have the claim limitation(s) treated under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112 , sixth paragraph, applicant may amend the claim(s) so that it/they will clearly not invoke 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, or present a sufficient showing that the claim recites/recite sufficient structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function to preclude application of 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph.
For more information, see MPEP § 2173 et seq. and Supplementary Examination Guidelines for Determining Compliance With 35 U.S.C. 112 and for Treatment of Related Issues in Patent Applications, 76 FR 7162, 7167 (Feb. 9, 2011).
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 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)(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.
(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.
Claim 1, and 10 is/are further rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being unpatentable over Kakutani et al. (US 2007/0216954, A1).
Regarding claim 1, Kakutani teaches a printing apparatus of at least Figs. 8-10 operable to form dots on a printing medium by repeating a forward scan and a backward scan,
the printing apparatus comprising:
a generation unit configured to generate first data of a dot pattern to be formed in a forward scan and second data of a dot pattern to be formed in a backward scan (generated first data of a dot pattern to be formed in a forward scan and second data of a dot pattern to be formed in a backward scan of at least Figs. 8-10, 30-31 and para. 0073-0080, and 0159-0164) wherein the generation unit generates the first data and the second data such that the dot pattern to be formed in the forward scan and the dot pattern to be formed in the backward scan have either a blue noise characteristic or a green noise characteristic as a spatial frequency characteristic (at least Figs. 8-10, 30-31 and para. 0073-0080, and 0159-0164 further illustrates wherein the generation unit generates the first data and the second data such that the dot pattern to be formed in the forward scan and the dot pattern to be formed in the backward scan as further noted in at least para. para. 0161-0162 to have either a blue noise characteristic or a green noise characteristic as a spatial frequency characteristic); and the number of dots to be formed in the forward scan and the number of dots to be formed in the backward scan are substantially the same (para. 0077-0080 and 0164 further implies the dot formation or dispersion to be formed in the forward scan and the number of dots to be formed in the backward scan are substantially the same to suppress as cited “degradation of the image quality also in cases such as when there is partial variation in the gap of the printing head and the printing paper”).
Regarding claim 10, Kakutani teaches a method of controlling a printing apparatus of at least Figs. 8-10 operable to form dots on a printing medium by repeating a forward scan and a backward scan,
the method comprising:
generating first data of a dot pattern to be formed in a forward scan and second data of a dot pattern to be formed in a backward scan (generated first data of a dot pattern to be formed in a forward scan and second data of a dot pattern to be formed in a backward scan of at least Figs. 8-10, 30-31 and para. 0073-0080, and 0159-0164) wherein in the generation, the first data and the second data are generated such that the dot pattern to be formed in the forward scan and the dot pattern to be formed in the backward scan have either a blue noise characteristic or a green noise characteristic as a spatial frequency characteristic (at least Figs. 8-10, 30-31 and para. 0073-0080, and 0159-0164 further illustrates wherein the generation unit generates the first data and the second data such that the dot pattern to be formed in the forward scan and the dot pattern to be formed in the backward scan as further noted in at least para. para. 0161-0162 to have either a blue noise characteristic or a green noise characteristic as a spatial frequency characteristic); and the number of dots to be formed in the forward scan and the number of dots to be formed in the backward scan are substantially the same (para. 0077-0080 and 0164 further implies the dot formation or dispersion to be formed in the forward scan and the number of dots to be formed in the backward scan are substantially the same to suppress as cited “degradation of the image quality also in cases such as when there is partial variation in the gap of the printing head and the printing paper”).
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 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, 4, 11-12, and 17 is/are further rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as obvious over Kakutani in view of Nakagawa et al. (US 2015/0092242, A1).
Regarding claim 2 (according to claim 1), Kakutani is silent regarding wherein the generation unit generates a composite dither pattern, in which the number of thresholds of the same value are the same, using two dither patterns having either a blue noise characteristic or a green noise characteristic as a spatial frequency characteristic and generates the first data and the second data by performing binarization processing of an input image using the composite dither pattern.
Nakagawa teaches in at least para. 0009-0011 designing and generating a composite dither pattern made of plural dither patterns, in which the number of thresholds of the same value are the same, using two dither patterns having either a blue noise characteristic or a green noise characteristic as a spatial frequency characteristic and generates the first data and the second data by performing binarization processing of an input image using the composite dither pattern. It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Kakutani in view of Nakagawa to include wherein generates said composite dither pattern, in which the number of thresholds of the same value are the same, using two dither patterns having either a Blue noise characteristic or a green noise characteristic as a spatial frequency characteristic and generates the first data and the second data by performing binarization processing of an input image using the composite dither pattern, as discussed above, as Kakutani in view of Nakagawa are in the same of endeavor employing methods and systems for generating dot data or dot formation data by using a dither matrix that stores a plurality of threshold values depicting spatial frequency characteristics of threshold values established at pixels in a Blue or green noise dither matrix having Blue noise characteristics, Nakagawa’s combination architecture of designed/combined dither patterns indicative of the said composite dither pattern, using two dither patterns having either a Blue noise characteristic or a green noise characteristic as a spatial frequency characteristic and the generated first data and the second data by performing binarization processing of an input image further complements the methods and systems for generating the dot data or dot formation data by using the dither matrix of Kakutani, in a sense that said methods and systems of Kakutani when combined with the stacked and/or composite dither patterns combination architecture of Nakagawa, it further advantageously enables said methods and systems of Kakutani to generate for each pass of the scanning means performed data binarization using said dither method to realize optimum dot dispersibility and image quality according to at least known dither image thinning methods which may be further realized according to further known methods to yield predictable results since known work in one field of endeavor may prompt variations of it for use in either the same field or a different one based on design incentives or other market forces if the variations are predictable to one of ordinary skill in the art as said combination is thus the adaptation of an old idea or invention using newer technology that is either commonly available and understood in the art thereby a variation on already known art (See MPEP 2143, KSR Exemplary Rationale F).
Regarding claim 4 (according to claim 1), Kakutani is silent regarding wherein the generation unit generates a composite dither pattern, in which the number of thresholds of the same value are the same, using two dither patterns having either a Blue noise characteristic or a green noise characteristic as a spatial frequency characteristic, divides thresholds in the composite dither pattern into a plurality of groups, and generates the first data and the second data by performing binarization processing based on an index pattern that accords with a group to which a pixel value in an input image belongs.
Nakagawa teaches in at least para. 0009-0011 designing and generating a composite dither pattern made of plural dither patterns, in which the number of thresholds of the same value are the same, using two dither patterns having either a Blue noise characteristic or a green noise characteristic as a spatial frequency characteristic and wherein the dither threshold is as understood divided into a plurality of groups, where the system further generates the first data and the second data by performing binarization processing based on dots On/OFF pattern indicative of the index pattern that accords with a group to which a pixel value in an input image belongs. It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Kakutani in view of Nakagawa to include wherein said generate composite dither pattern, in which the number of thresholds of the same value are the same, using two dither patterns having either a Blue noise characteristic or a green noise characteristic as a spatial frequency characteristic, divides thresholds in the composite dither pattern into a plurality of groups, and generates the first data and the second data by performing binarization processing based on an index pattern that accords with a group to which a pixel value in an input image belongs, as discussed above, as Kakutani in view of Nakagawa are in the same of endeavor employing methods and systems for generating dot data or dot formation data by using a dither matrix that stores a plurality of threshold values depicting spatial frequency characteristics of threshold values established at pixels in a Blue or green noise dither matrix having Blue noise characteristics, Nakagawa’s combination architecture of designed/combined dither patterns indicative of the said composite dither pattern, using two dither patterns having either a Blue noise characteristic or a green noise characteristic as a spatial frequency characteristic and the generated first data and the second data by performing binarization processing of an input image further complements the methods and systems for generating the dot data or dot formation data by using the dither matrix of Kakutani, in a sense that said methods and systems of Kakutani when combined with the stacked and/or composite dither patterns combination architecture of Nakagawa, it further advantageously enables said methods and systems of Kakutani to generate for each pass of the scanning means performed data binarization using said dither method to realize optimum dot dispersibility and image quality according to at least known dither image thinning methods which may be further realized according to further known methods to yield predictable results since known work in one field of endeavor may prompt variations of it for use in either the same field or a different one based on design incentives or other market forces if the variations are predictable to one of ordinary skill in the art as said combination is thus the adaptation of an old idea or invention using newer technology that is either commonly available and understood in the art thereby a variation on already known art (See MPEP 2143, KSR Exemplary Rationale F).
Regarding claim 11, Kakutani teaches a printing apparatus of at least Figs. 8-10 operable to form dots on a printing medium by repeating a forward scan and a backward scan,
the printing apparatus comprising:
a generation unit configured to generate first data of a dot pattern to be formed in a forward scan and second data of a dot pattern to be formed in a backward scan (generated first data of a dot pattern to be formed in a forward scan and second data of a dot pattern to be formed in a backward scan of at least Figs. 8-10, 30-31 and para. 0073-0080, and 0159-0164) wherein the generation unit generates the first data and the second data such that the dot pattern to be formed in the forward scan and the dot pattern to be formed in the backward scan have either a blue noise characteristic or a green noise characteristic as a spatial frequency characteristic (at least Figs. 8-10, 30-31 and para. 0073-0080, and 0159-0164 further illustrates wherein the generation unit generates the first data and the second data such that the dot pattern to be formed in the forward scan and the dot pattern to be formed in the backward scan as further noted in at least para. para. 0161-0162 to have either a blue noise characteristic or a green noise characteristic as a spatial frequency characteristic); and
Kakutani is silent regarding wherein the above lined-out items such as said generation unit causes the dot pattern to be formed in the forward scan and the dot pattern to be formed in the backward scan to be different between colors.
Nakagawa further teaches the generating and distributing of at least para. 0079 and 0127 and the abstract using at least a dither pattern method to generate or cause the dot pattern to be formed in the forward scan and the dot pattern to be formed in the backward scan to be different between colors. It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Kakutani in view of Nakagawa to include wherein said generation unit causes the dot pattern to be formed in the forward scan and the dot pattern to be formed in the backward scan to be different between colors, as discussed above, as Kakutani in view of Nakagawa are in the same of endeavor employing methods and systems for generating dot data or dot formation data by using a dither matrix that stores a plurality of threshold values depicting spatial frequency characteristics of threshold values established at pixels in a Blue or green noise dither matrix having Blue noise characteristics, Nakagawa’s combination architecture of using designed/combined dither patterns for realizing dot arrangement dispersibility for single colors and for mixed colors further complements the methods and systems for generating the dot data or dot formation data by using the dither matrix of Kakutani, in a sense that said methods and systems of Kakutani when combined with the stacked and/or composite dither patterns combination architecture of Nakagawa, it further advantageously enables said methods and systems of Kakutani to generate or cause dot pattern to be formed in the forward scan and the dot pattern to be formed in the backward scan to be different between colors and yet realize excellent dispersibility and image quality according to at least known dither image thinning methods which may be further realized according to further known methods to yield predictable results since known work in one field of endeavor may prompt variations of it for use in either the same field or a different one based on design incentives or other market forces if the variations are predictable to one of ordinary skill in the art as said combination is thus the adaptation of an old idea or invention using newer technology that is either commonly available and understood in the art thereby a variation on already known art (See MPEP 2143, KSR Exemplary Rationale F).
Regarding claim 12 (according to claim 11), Kakutani is silent regarding wherein the generation unit generates a composite dither pattern using two dither patterns having either a blue noise characteristic or a green noise characteristic as a spatial frequency characteristic and performs quantization processing of a first color in an input image based on tone data of a second color related to tone data of the first color in the input image and the composite dither pattern.
Nakagawa further teaches in at least para. 0001-0004 performed image quantization processing of different colors in an input image based on tone data of a second color related to tone data of the first color in the input image and further teaches at in at least in para. 0009-0011 designing and generating a composite dither pattern made of plural dither patterns, using at least two dither patterns having either a blue noise characteristic or a green noise characteristic as a spatial frequency characteristic and performs quantization processing of a first color in an input image based on tone data of a second color related to tone data of the first color in the input image and obviously the stacked and/or combined dither pattern. It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Kakutani in view of Nakagawa to include wherein said generates a composite dither pattern using two dither patterns having either a Blue noise characteristic or a green noise characteristic as a spatial frequency characteristic and performs quantization processing of a first color in an input image based on tone data of a second color related to tone data of the first color in the input image and the composite dither pattern, as discussed above, as Kakutani in view of Nakagawa are in the same of endeavor employing methods and systems for generating dot data or dot formation data by using a dither matrix that stores a plurality of threshold values depicting spatial frequency characteristics of threshold values established at pixels in a Blue or green noise dither matrix having Blue noise characteristics, Nakagawa’s combination architecture of using designed/combined dither patterns for realizing dot arrangement dispersibility for single colors and for mixed colors further complements the methods and systems for generating the dot data or dot formation data by using the dither matrix of Kakutani, in a sense that said methods and systems of Kakutani when combined with the stacked and/or composite dither patterns combination architecture of Nakagawa, it further advantageously enables said methods and systems of Kakutani to generate or cause dot pattern to be formed in the forward scan and the dot pattern to be formed in the backward scan to be different between colors and yet realize excellent dispersibility and image quality according to at least known dither image thinning methods which may be further realized according to further known methods to yield predictable results since known work in one field of endeavor may prompt variations of it for use in either the same field or a different one based on design incentives or other market forces if the variations are predictable to one of ordinary skill in the art as said combination is thus the adaptation of an old idea or invention using newer technology that is either commonly available and understood in the art thereby a variation on already known art (See MPEP 2143, KSR Exemplary Rationale F).
Regarding claim 17, Kakutani teaches a method of controlling a printing apparatus of at least Figs. 8-10 operable to form dots on a printing medium by repeating a forward scan and a backward scan,
the method comprising:
generating first data of a dot pattern to be formed in a forward scan and second data of a dot pattern to be formed in a backward scan (generated first data of a dot pattern to be formed in a forward scan and second data of a dot pattern to be formed in a backward scan of at least Figs. 8-10, 30-31 and para. 0073-0080, and 0159-0164) wherein in the generation, the first data and the second data are generated such that the dot pattern to be formed in the forward scan and the dot pattern to be formed in the backward scan have either a blue noise characteristic or a green noise characteristic as a spatial frequency characteristic (at least Figs. 8-10, 30-31 and para. 0073-0080, and 0159-0164 further illustrates wherein the generation unit generates the first data and the second data such that the dot pattern to be formed in the forward scan and the dot pattern to be formed in the backward scan as further noted in at least para. para. 0161-0162 to have either a blue noise characteristic or a green noise characteristic as a spatial frequency characteristic);
Kakutani is silent regarding wherein the above lined-out items such as in the generation, the dot pattern to be formed in the forward scan and the dot pattern to be formed in the backward scan are made to be different between colors.
Nakagawa further teaches the generating and distributing of at least para. 0079 and 0127 and the abstract using at least a dither pattern method to generate or cause the dot pattern to be formed in the forward scan and the dot pattern to be formed in the backward scan to be different between colors. It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Kakutani in view of Nakagawa to include wherein in the generation, the dot pattern to be formed in the forward scan and the dot pattern to be formed in the backward scan are made to be different between colors, as discussed above, as Kakutani in view of Nakagawa are in the same of endeavor employing methods and systems for generating dot data or dot formation data by using a dither matrix that stores a plurality of threshold values depicting spatial frequency characteristics of threshold values established at pixels in a Blue or green noise dither matrix having Blue noise characteristics, Nakagawa’s combination architecture of using designed/combined dither patterns for realizing dot arrangement dispersibility for single colors and for mixed colors further complements the methods and systems for generating the dot data or dot formation data by using the dither matrix of Kakutani, in a sense that said methods and systems of Kakutani when combined with the stacked and/or composite dither patterns combination architecture of Nakagawa, it further advantageously enables said methods and systems of Kakutani to generate or cause dot pattern to be formed in the forward scan and the dot pattern to be formed in the backward scan to be different between colors and yet realize excellent dispersibility and image quality according to at least known dither image thinning methods which may be further realized according to further known methods to yield predictable results since known work in one field of endeavor may prompt variations of it for use in either the same field or a different one based on design incentives or other market forces if the variations are predictable to one of ordinary skill in the art as said combination is thus the adaptation of an old idea or invention using newer technology that is either commonly available and understood in the art thereby a variation on already known art (See MPEP 2143, KSR Exemplary Rationale F).
Claims 3, 5, and 7 is/are further rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as obvious over Kakutani in view of Nakagawa, and further in view of Marumoto et al. (JP 2011042048, A1).
Regarding claim 3 (according to claim 2), Kakutani in view of Nakagawa are silent regarding wherein the generation unit generates the composite dither pattern by arranging thresholds in the two dither patterns according to a column thinning pattern.
Marumoto teaches a case at least in the disclosure and Figs. 1 and 17 multi-pass printing using a mask and “column thinning control” performing citing “In the case of the dither method, binary data is generated using a repeated dither pattern in which thresholds are arranged in a predetermined pattern”, further teaches in steps 502-503, column dithering thinning processing which further generate overlapped masked patterns indicative in the art of composited dither patterns by arranging thresholds in obviously two or more dither patterns according to the said at least cited column thinning pattern. It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Kakutani in view of Nakagawa, and further in view of Marumoto to include wherein said generation unit generates the composite dither pattern by arranging thresholds in the two dither patterns according to a column thinning pattern, as discussed above, as Kakutani in view of Nakagawa, and further in view of Marumoto are in the same of endeavor employing methods and systems for generating dot data or dot formation data by using a dither matrix that stores a plurality of threshold values depicting spatial frequency characteristics of threshold values established at pixels in a Blue or green noise dither matrix having Blue noise characteristics, Marumoto’s combination architecture of designed/combined overlapped dither masks patterns, usage of the pass mask pattern and the performed column dither thinning process further complements the methods and systems for generating the dot data or dot formation data by using the combined/stacked dither matrix of Kakutani in view of Nakagawa in a sense that said methods and systems of Kakutani in view of Nakagawa when combined with the overlapped dither masks patterns, usage of the pass mask pattern and the performed column dither thinning process architecture of Marumoto, it further advantageously enables said methods and systems of Kakutani in view of Marumoto when combine to generate column dot printing in a case “Focusing on the mask pattern at this time, it can be seen that in the band 1 and the band 2, the column thinning is reversed for each pass, and therefore, a mask pattern that is completely different for each pass is used and ON dots are determined….. By using this characteristic, the period in the recording medium conveyance direction can be increased. In the case of the 16 passes described above, the feed amount is 32. However, for example, by using column thinning 2, it is possible to synchronize with the mask even if the period is set to double 64. As a result, the binarization pattern period can be extended” for each pass of the scanning means to realize optimum dot dispersibility and image quality according to at least known dither image thinning methods which may be further realized according to further known methods to yield predictable results since known work in one field of endeavor may prompt variations of it for use in either the same field or a different one based on design incentives or other market forces if the variations are predictable to one of ordinary skill in the art as said combination is thus the adaptation of an old idea or invention using newer technology that is either commonly available and understood in the art thereby a variation on already known art (See MPEP 2143, KSR Exemplary Rationale F).
Regarding claim 5 (according to claim 2), Kakutani in view of Nakagawa are silent regarding wherein further comprising: a unit configured to perform printing of dots on the printing medium using, in addition to the first data and the second data, a pass mask designed so as to synchronize with the composite dither pattern.
Marumoto further teaches a case at least in the disclosure and Figs. 1 and 17 multi-pass printing using generated overlapped mask patterns configured to perform printing of dots on the printing medium using, in addition to the first data and the second data, a pass mask designed according to those skill in the art so as to synchronize with in a case the overlapped dither mask patterns. It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Kakutani in view of Nakagawa, and further in view of Marumoto to include wherein said perform printing of dots on the printing medium using, in addition to the first data and the second data, a pass mask designed so as to synchronize with the composite dither pattern, as discussed above, as Kakutani in view of Nakagawa, and further in view of Marumoto are in the same of endeavor employing methods and systems for generating dot data or dot formation data by using a dither matrix that stores a plurality of threshold values depicting spatial frequency characteristics of threshold values established at pixels in a Blue or green noise dither matrix having Blue noise characteristics, Marumoto’s combination architecture of designed/combined overlapped dither masks patterns, usage of the pass mask pattern and the performed column dither thinning process further complements the methods and systems for generating the dot data or dot formation data by using the combined/stacked dither matrix of Kakutani in view of Nakagawa in a sense that said methods and systems of Kakutani in view of Nakagawa when combined with the overlapped dither masks patterns, usage of the pass mask pattern and the performed column dither thinning process architecture of Marumoto, it further advantageously enables said methods and systems of Kakutani in view of Marumoto when combine to generate column dot printing in a case “Focusing on the mask pattern at this time, it can be seen that in the band 1 and the band 2, the column thinning is reversed for each pass, and therefore, a mask pattern that is completely different for each pass is used and ON dots are determined….. By using this characteristic, the period in the recording medium conveyance direction can be increased. In the case of the 16 passes described above, the feed amount is 32. However, for example, by using column thinning 2, it is possible to synchronize with the mask even if the period is set to double 64. As a result, the binarization pattern period can be extended” for each pass of the scanning means to realize optimum dot dispersibility and image quality according to at least known dither image thinning methods which may be further realized according to further known methods to yield predictable results since known work in one field of endeavor may prompt variations of it for use in either the same field or a different one based on design incentives or other market forces if the variations are predictable to one of ordinary skill in the art as said combination is thus the adaptation of an old idea or invention using newer technology that is either commonly available and understood in the art thereby a variation on already known art (See MPEP 2143, KSR Exemplary Rationale F).
Regarding claim 7 (according to claim 5), Kakutani in view of Nakagawa are silent regarding wherein the pass mask is a mask generated based on a result of binarization processing of a pixel value for each tone of the input image based on the composite dither pattern.
Marumoto further teaches a case at least in the disclosure and Figs. 1 and 17 multi-pass printing using generated overlapped mask patterns, and the pass mask designed according to those skill in the art so as to synchronize with in a case the overlapped dither mask patterns, where said pass mask is a mask generated based on a result of binarization processing of a pixel value for each tone of the input image based on in a case said overlapped mask patterns indicative of the composite dither pattern. It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Kakutani in view of Nakagawa, and further in view of Marumoto to include wherein said pass mask is a mask generated based on a result of binarization processing of a pixel value for each tone of the input image based on the composite dither pattern, as discussed above, as Kakutani in view of Nakagawa, and further in view of Marumoto are in the same of endeavor employing methods and systems for generating dot data or dot formation data by using a dither matrix that stores a plurality of threshold values depicting spatial frequency characteristics of threshold values established at pixels in a Blue or green noise dither matrix having Blue noise characteristics, Marumoto’s combination architecture of designed/combined overlapped dither masks patterns, usage of the pass mask pattern and the performed column dither thinning process further complements the methods and systems for generating the dot data or dot formation data by using the combined/stacked dither matrix of Kakutani in view of Nakagawa in a sense that said methods and systems of Kakutani in view of Nakagawa when combined with the overlapped dither masks patterns, usage of the pass mask pattern and the performed column dither thinning process architecture of Marumoto, it further advantageously enables said methods and systems of Kakutani in view of Marumoto when combine to generate column dot printing in a case “Focusing on the mask pattern at this time, it can be seen that in the band 1 and the band 2, the column thinning is reversed for each pass, and therefore, a mask pattern that is completely different for each pass is used and ON dots are determined….. By using this characteristic, the period in the recording medium conveyance direction can be increased. In the case of the 16 passes described above, the feed amount is 32. However, for example, by using column thinning 2, it is possible to synchronize with the mask even if the period is set to double 64. As a result, the binarization pattern period can be extended” for each pass of the scanning means to realize optimum dot dispersibility and image quality according to at least known dither image thinning methods which may be further realized according to further known methods to yield predictable results since known work in one field of endeavor may prompt variations of it for use in either the same field or a different one based on design incentives or other market forces if the variations are predictable to one of ordinary skill in the art as said combination is thus the adaptation of an old idea or invention using newer technology that is either commonly available and understood in the art thereby a variation on already known art (See MPEP 2143, KSR Exemplary Rationale F).
Claims Standings
Claims 6, 8-9, and 13-16 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. The prior arts do not appear to teach: claim 6. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a unit configured to: generate a composite dither pattern, in which the number of thresholds of the same value are the same, using two dither patterns having either a Blue noise characteristic or a green noise characteristic as a spatial frequency characteristic and generate a pass mask such that a printing duty in units of a resolution of the input image is equal for each pass, wherein the first data and the second data are generated based on an index pattern designed such that the composite dither pattern and the pass mask synchronize with each other.
8. The printing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a vertical size of the composite dither pattern is the same as a feed amount of a printing medium per pass in multi-pass printing.
9. The printing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein a vertical size of the composite dither pattern is the same as a value obtained by dividing a feed amount of a printing medium per pass in multi-pass printing by a vertical size of the index pattern.
13. The printing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the generation unit performs the quantization processing of the first color in the input image using a difference between a total value of tone values indicated by the tone data of the second color and a threshold of the composite dither pattern.
14. The printing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the generation unit generates the composite dither pattern by arranging thresholds of the two dither patterns, and a pattern for obtaining the first data and the second data from a result of quantization processing is different between colors.
15. The printing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the generation unit generates the composite dither pattern by arranging thresholds of the two dither patterns, and a pattern for obtaining the first data and the second data from a result of quantization processing is inverted between colors.
16. The printing apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising: a setting unit configured to set a pattern.
Conclusion
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/MARCELLUS J AUGUSTIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2682 08/20/2026
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