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 .
Claim Objections
Claims 1, 6 are objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 1 states “in a case where communicating using both the first network interface and the second network interface”. It should be amended to “in a case where communicating using both the first network interface and the second network interface is enabled”. Claim 6 states “to provide a communication path performs wireless communication”. It should be amended to “to provide a communication path that performs wireless communication”. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim(s) 1-5, 7-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20180048515 to Saito in view of US 20160142581 to Morita further in view of US 20170280488 to Kawasaki.
Regarding claim 1, Saito discloses an information processing apparatus capable of communicating with an external apparatus using a first network interface(paragraph 22-26; printer 10 (information processing apparatus) has wireless I/F 18 that functions as WFD interface (first network interface) that connects to mobile terminal 8 (external apparatus) and non-WFD interface (second network interface)), which connects to a first external network and to which first address information is assigned wherein the first address information is to be used when communicating with an external apparatus via the first external network (paragraph 22-23-26, 52-53; wireless I/F 18 for WFD interface connects to external network with mobile terminal 8; in step s18 IP address for WFD (first address) for printer is set and used for communication with mobile), and a second network interface, which connects to a second external network different from the first external network and to which second address information is assigned (paragraph 22-23-26, 28, 58; printer 10 (information processing apparatus) has wireless I/F 18 that functions as WFD interface (first network interface) and non-WFD interface (second network interface) that connects to second external network via AP with PC; non-WFD IP address (second address) for printer is set when communication with PC via AP), wherein the second address information is to be used when communicating with an external apparatus via the second external network (paragraph 22-23-26, 28, 58; non-WFD IP address for printer is set when communication with PC via AP), the information processing apparatus comprising:
a display (paragraph 25; display 14); and
at least one memory and at least one processor which function as (paragraph 27; memory 24 stores program instructions; paragraph 27; memory 24 stores program instructions that is executed by CPU 22 ):
a notification setting unit configured to set notifying to an external apparatus communication information of the first network interface based on a user's operation regarding a network interface as setting (paragraph 52-53; in s18 WFD IP address (communication information) for printer (first setting/communication information) for WFD network (first network interface) is set as setting that is notified to mobile terminal 8 in step s20; paragraph 38-39, 71-72; user provides operation to change operation setting to build either a WFD network or non-WFD network interface) in a case where communicating using both the first network interface and the second network interface (Paragraph 74-77, 81; in step s78 it is determined that WFD network (first network interface) is established together with establishment of non-WFD network (second network interface) from step s74 ).
However Saito does not disclose notification setting unit configured to set notifying
based on a user's operation via a setting screen displayed on the display;
a notification setting unit configured to set notifying to an external apparatus which of communication information of the first network interface and communication information of the second network interface;
connection information based on setting set by the notification setting unit.
Morita discloses notification setting unit configured to set notifying based on a user's operation via a setting screen displayed on the display (paragraph 64-67; user can select the communication method via 502 and connection information via screen 500; paragraph 72, 74-75; the NFC communication 310 provides notification of the connection information after the setting of communication method and connection information; in step s701 notifying via reading);
a notification setting unit configured to set notifying to an external apparatus which of communication information of the first network interface and communication information of the second network interface (paragraph 61, 65, 72, 74-75; information processing apparatus (external apparatus) is notified of the set connection information of either selected one of the WiFi direct (first network interface) or wireless LAN (second network interface) via the NFC control unit 412 (notification setting unit));
connection information based on setting set by the notification setting unit (paragraph 61, 65, 72, 74-75; connection information such as name of AP or IP address is set based on setting by user selecting one of the WiFi direct (first network interface) or wireless LAN (second network interface) for notifying).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention was made to modify the system of Saito as taught by Morita to provide notification setting to set connection information to be notified.
The motivation to combine the references is to allow user to configure the network including selecting the type of connection method and setup the AP connection to thereby store the associated connection information in NFC for notification to external device (paragraph 61, 65, 72, 74-75).
Morita discloses connection information based on setting set by the notification setting unit (paragraph 61, 65, 72, 74-75; connection information such as name of AP or IP address is set based on setting by user selecting one of the WiFi direct (first network interface) or wireless LAN (second network interface) for notifying). However Saito in view of Morita does not disclose a display control unit configured to display on the display a connection screen which includes one connection information of first connection information and second connection information and does not include other connection information in a case where receiving a predetermined user's operation, the first connection information including the first address information but not including the second address information and the second connection information including the second address information but not including the first address information.
Kawasaki discloses a display control unit configured to display on the display a connection screen which includes one connection information of first connection information and second connection information and does not include other connection information in a case where receiving a predetermined user's operation (paragraph 35, 39, 41-45, ; CPU 301 (display control unit); printer displays connection screen shown in Fig. 4a/b; based on button 403 or 413 being pressed one connection information is displayed in form of QR 402/412 that includes either one of first IP address 401 and second IP address 411 (first connection information and second connection information) associated with infrastructure and direct connection and no other IP address is provided; user pressing button 403/413 provides predetermined user's operation ), the first connection information including the first address information but not including the second address information and the second connection information including the second address information but not including the first address information (paragraph 43-45; the first IP address 401 is first IP address for infrastructure and not including IP address for direct and the second IP address 411 is second IP address for direct and not including IP address for infrastructure).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention was made to modify the system of Saito as taught by Kawasaki to provide display of connection screen.
The motivation to combine the references is to provide connection screen having option to select different connection method and providing associated QR code that can be captured to obtain the IP address of the selected connection method (paragraph 43-45).
Regarding claim 2, Morita disclose the information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first network interface performs communication using a wired infrastructure and the second network interface connects to an external access point via a wireless infrastructure and performs wireless communication with an external apparatus via the external access point (paragraph 55, 121, 129; communication unit 307 can support both wired LAN with AP and wireless LAN (first/second network interface) with connection to external AP to communicate with information processing apparatus 130 (external apparatus)).
Regarding claim 3, Kawasaki discloses the information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a near field wireless communication interface, wherein the near field wireless communication interface is a Bluetooth (registered trademark) communication interface that performs wireless communication according to Bluetooth Low Energy communication method (paragraph 67, 69; bluetooth I/F 306 (near field wireless communication interface) of printer supports BLE communication).
Regarding claim 4, Kawasaki discloses the information processing apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a plurality of near field wireless communication interfaces, wherein the plurality of near field wireless communication interfaces include NFC (near field communication) communication interfaces (paragraph 37; plurality include Bluetooth I/F and NFC I/F 311; ), and the Bluetooth communication interface and the NFC communication interface notify of the set connection information to an external apparatus (paragraph 74, 79, 83; set connection information can be notified via Bluetooth or NFC to portable terminal (external app.) ).
Regarding claim 5, Morita discloses connection information based on setting set by the notification setting unit (paragraph 61, 65, 72, 74-75; connection information such as name of AP or IP address is set based on setting by user selecting one of the WiFi direct (first network interface) or wireless LAN (second network interface) for notifying). Further Kawasaki discloses the information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the connection screen further displays thereon a QR code (registered trademark) including one connection information of the first connection information and the second connection information but not including other connection information (paragraph 43, 45; screen displays QR code 402 or 412 having IP address of infrastructure interface (first connection information) or direct connection (second connection information) but no other IP address).
Regarding claim 7, Saito discloses the information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the first address information and the second address information includes at least one of an IP address and a MAC address (paragraph 52, 74; WFD IP address (first address) for the printer 10 and non-WFD IP address (second address) for printer 10).
Regarding claim 8, Saito discloses the information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a printer performing printing (paragraph 25; printing execution device 16).
Regarding claim 9, Saito discloses a method of controlling an information processing apparatus communicating with an external apparatus using a first network interface (paragraph 22-26; printer 10 (information processing apparatus) has wireless I/F 18 that functions as WFD interface (first network interface) that connects to mobile terminal 8 (external apparatus) and non-WFD interface (second network interface)), which connects to a first external network and to which first address information is assigned wherein the first address information is to be used when communicating with an external apparatus via the first external network (paragraph 22-23-26, 52-53; wireless I/F 18 for WFD interface connects to external network with mobile terminal 8; in step s18 IP address for WFD (first address) for printer is set and used for communication with mobile), and a second network interface, which connects to a second external network different from the first external network and to which second address information is assigned (paragraph 22-23-26, 28, 58; printer 10 (information processing apparatus) has wireless I/F 18 that functions as WFD interface (first network interface) and non-WFD interface (second network interface) that connects to second external network via AP with PC; non-WFD IP address (second address) for printer is set when communication with PC via AP), wherein the second address information is to be used when communicating with an external apparatus via the second external network (paragraph 22-23-26, 28, 58; non-WFD IP address for printer is set when communication with PC via AP) and comprising a display (paragraph 25; display 14), the method comprising:
setting of notifying to an external apparatus communication information of the first network interface based on a user's operation regarding a network interface as setting (paragraph 52-53; in s18 WFD IP address (communication information) for printer (first setting/communication information) for WFD network (first network interface) is set as setting that is notified to mobile terminal 8 in step s20; paragraph 38-39, 71-72; user provides operation to change operation setting to build either a WFD network or non-WFD network interface) in a case where communicating using both the first network interface and the second network interface (Paragraph 74-77, 81; in step s78 it is determined that WFD network (first network interface) is established together with establishment of non-WFD network (second network interface) from step s74).
However Saito does not disclose setting of notifying based on a user's operation via a setting screen displayed on the display as setting;
setting of notifying to an external apparatus which of communication information of the first network interface and communication information of the second network interface; connection information based on setting of notifying to the external apparatus.
Morita discloses setting of notifying based on a user's operation via a setting screen displayed on the display as setting (paragraph 64-67; user can select the communication method via 502 and connection information via screen 500; paragraph 72, 74-75; the NFC communication 310 provides notification of the connection information after the setting of communication method and connection information; in step s701 notifying via reading);
setting of notifying to an external apparatus which of communication information of the first network interface and communication information of the second network interface (paragraph 61, 65, 72, 74-75; information processing apparatus (external apparatus) is notified of the set connection information of either selected one of the WiFi direct (first network interface) or wireless LAN (second network interface) via the NFC control unit 412 (notification setting unit)); connection information based on setting of notifying to the external apparatus (paragraph 61, 65, 72, 74-75; connection information such as name of AP or IP address is set based on setting by user selecting one of the WiFi direct (first network interface) or wireless LAN (second network interface) for notifying).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention was made to modify the system of Saito as taught by Morita to provide notification setting to set connection information to be notified.
The motivation to combine the references is to allow user to configure the network including selecting the type of connection method and setup the AP connection to thereby store the associated connection information in NFC for notification to external device (paragraph 61, 65, 72, 74-75).
Morita discloses connection information based on setting of notifying to the external apparatus (paragraph 61, 65, 72, 74-75; connection information such as name of AP or IP address is set based on setting by user selecting one of the WiFi direct (first network interface) or wireless LAN (second network interface) for notifying). However Saito in view of Morita does not disclose displaying on the display a connection screen which includes one connection information of first connection information and second connection information and does not include other connection information in a case where receiving a predetermined user's operation, the first connection information including the first address information but not including the second address information and the second connection information including the second address information but not including the first address information.
Kawasaki discloses displaying on the display a connection screen which includes one connection information of first connection information and second connection information and does not include other connection information in a case where receiving a predetermined user's operation (paragraph 35, 39, 41-45, ; CPU 301 (display control unit); printer displays connection screen shown in Fig. 4a/b; based on button 403 or 413 being pressed one connection information is displayed in form of QR 402/412 that includes either one of first IP address 401 and second IP address 411 (first connection information and second connection information) associated with infrastructure and direct connection and no other IP address is provided; user pressing button 403/413 provides predetermined user's operation ), the first connection information including the first address information but not including the second address information and the second connection information including the second address information but not including the first address information (paragraph 43-45; the first IP address 401 is first IP address for infrastructure and not including IP address for direct and the second IP address 411 is second IP address for direct and not including IP address for infrastructure).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention was made to modify the system of Saito as taught by Kawasaki to provide display of connection screen.
The motivation to combine the references is to provide connection screen having option to select different connection method and providing associated QR code that can be captured to obtain the IP address of the selected connection method (paragraph 43-45).
Regarding claim 10, see rejection of claim 9. Further Saito discloses non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable code that, when executed by a computer, causes the computer to perform a method (paragraph 27; program stored in memory 24 that is executed by CPU for performing method).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 6 is 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 and other objection to claim 6 is overcome.
Other Prior Art Cited
14. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US-20190114128 to Nagahara discloses printer having network interfaces.
JP 2017147595 to Hashimoto discloses image forming apparatus that communicates IP address.
Conclusion
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Patent Examiner
Beniyam Menberu
/BENIYAM MENBERU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2681
06/25/2026
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