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 .
Claims 1 – 9 are pending in this application.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers submitted under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), which papers have been placed of record in the file.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 10/28/2024 was filed in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Applicant has provided an explanation of relevance of cited document(s) JP-2023-053990 A on pages 1 - 2 of the specification. U.S PreGrant Publication No. 2020/0174726 A1 is the U.S version of JP-2023-053990 A.
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 Interpretation
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.
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. The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim element (also commonly referred to as a claim limitation) is limited by the description in the specification when 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is invoked.
As explained in MPEP § 2181, subsection I, claim limitations that meet the following three-prong test will be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
(A) the claim limitation uses the term “means” or “step” or a term used as a substitute for “means” that is a generic placeholder (also called a nonce term or a non-structural term having no specific structural meaning) for performing the claimed function;
(B) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is modified by functional language, typically, but not always linked by the transition word “for” (e.g., “means for”) or another linking word or phrase, such as “configured to” or “so that”; and
(C) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is not modified by sufficient structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function.
Use of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim with functional language creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites sufficient structure, material, or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Absence of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is not to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is not interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites function without reciting sufficient structure, material or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Claim limitations in this application that use the word “means” (or “step”) are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action. Conversely, claim limitations in this application that do not use the word “means” (or “step”) are not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action.
This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word “means,” but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because the claim limitation(s) uses a generic placeholder that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier. Such claim limitation(s) is/are: "display unit", "receiving unit", "medium container unit", "size detection unit", "control unit", "reception unit", and "memory unit" in claims 1 - 3 and 6 - 9.
Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
Display unit is read by the Examiner as being item 20 of Fig. 1, in which corresponds to a touch panel, Specification on ¶0021.
Receiving Unit is read by the Examiner as being item 10 of Fig. 1, in which corresponds to a communication I/F, Specification on ¶0020.
Medium container Unit is read by the Examiner as being item 60, in which corresponds to a sheet feeding cassette, Specification ¶0025.
Size detection unit is read by the Examiner as being item 63 of Fig. 1, in which corresponds to a size detection sensor 63, Specification on ¶0031.
Control unit is read by the Examiner as being item 70 of Fig. 1, in which corresponds to a computer including a processor 90, Specification on ¶0032.
Reception unit is also read by the Examiner as being item 20 of Fig. 1, in which is configured to receive input via a touch panel 20, Specification on ¶0021.
Memory unit is read by the Examiner as being item 80 of Fig. 1, in which is a non-volatile memory device, Specification on ¶0034.
If applicant does not intend to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph.
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)(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.
Claims 1 - 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yokobori et al. (U.S PreGrant Publication No. 2004/0136734 A1, hereinafter 'Yokobori').
With respect to claim 1, Yokobori teaches a printing apparatus (e.g., an image forming apparatus, abstract, ¶0012) comprising: a display unit (e.g., an operation section, ¶0035, ¶0090); a receiving unit receiving a print request (e.g., In order to display and select setting for a job, a print/copy request (start) should be inherently received for said job, ¶0180 - ¶0182); a medium container unit holding a printing medium (e.g., a tray storing recording material, ¶0079); a size detection unit detecting a size of the printing medium held in the medium container unit (e.g., size detecting means 43n, Fig. 3); and a control unit (e.g., a controller, ¶0038) controlling the display unit to display a first display relating to the size of the printing medium (e.g., controlling said operation section to display a first screen related to a size of the recording material, ¶00035 - ¶0036, ¶0098, Fig. 6) and a second display relating to a material of the printing medium (e.g., a second screen related to at least a material of said recording material, ¶0101, Fig. 5), wherein when the print request to designate a first size as the size of the printing medium and designate a first material as the material of the printing medium is received and- the size of the printing medium held in the medium container unit is a second size and a material of the printing medium is a second material (Figs. 5 – 7 shows displaying information (e.g., elements, objects, etc.) including selecting at least a size of a sheet (recording material) and selecting at least a type/material of said sheet, and these selection can be even switched to another size or type/material of said sheet, ¶0013 - ¶0016, ¶0035, ¶0093, ¶0098, ¶0121, ¶0168), the control unit displays the first display in one of a first mode and a second mode different from the first mode based on the first size and the second size (e.g., under examiner’s approach: each time a setting is switched, display any of modes based on any of the sizes of the sheet, ¶0069, ¶0093, ¶0098 and ¶0120 - ¶0124), and the control unit displays the second display in one of a third mode and a fourth mode different from the third mode based on the first material and the second material (e.g., examiner’s approach: each time setting is switched, display any of the modes based any on the type/material of the sheet, ¶0171 - ¶0173, Figs. 5 - 7).
With respect to claim 2, Yokobori teaches a printing apparatus (e.g., an image forming apparatus, abstract, ¶0012) comprising: a display unit (e.g., an operation section, ¶0035, ¶0090); a receiving unit receiving a print request (e.g., In order to display and select setting for a job, a print/copy request (start) should be inherently received for said job, ¶0180 - ¶0182); a medium container unit holding a printing medium (e.g., a tray storing recording material, ¶0079); a size detection unit detecting a size of the printing medium held in the medium container unit (e.g., size detecting means 43n, Fig. 3); and a control unit (e.g., a controller, ¶0038) controlling the display unit to display a first display relating to the size of the printing medium (e.g., controlling said operation section to display a first screen related to a size of the recording material, ¶00035 - ¶0036, ¶0098, Fig. 6) and a second display relating to a material of the printing medium (e.g., a second screen related to at least a material of said recording material, ¶0101, Fig. 5), wherein when the print request to designate a first size as the size of the printing medium and designate a first material as the material of the printing medium is received and the size of the printing medium held in the medium container unit is a second size different from the first size and a material of the printing medium is a second material different from the first material (Figs. 5 – 7 shows displaying information including selecting at least a size of a sheet (recording material) and selecting at least a type/material of said sheet, and these selection can be even switched to another size or type/material of said sheet, ¶0013 - ¶0016, ¶0035, ¶0093, ¶0098, ¶0121, ¶0168), the control unit displays the first display in a second mode and displays the second display in a fourth mode, when the size detection unit detecting the size of the printing medium held in the medium container unit detects that the size of the printing medium held in the medium container unit is changed from the second size to the first size, the control unit continues the display of the second display in the fourth mode and changes the mode of the first display from the second mode to a first mode different from the second mode (e.g., under examiner’s approach: each time setting is switched, display any of the mode based on any of the sizes of the sheet, ¶0069, ¶0093, ¶0098 and ¶0120 - ¶0124), and when a setting of the material of the printing medium held in the medium container unit is changed from the second material to the first material, the control unit continues the display of the first display in the first mode and changes the mode of the second display from the fourth mode to a third mode different from the fourth mode (e.g., examiner’s approach: each time setting is switched, display any of the mode based any on the type/material of the sheet, ¶0171 - ¶0173, Figs. 5 - 7).
With respect to claim 3, Yokobori teaches the printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a reception unit receiving an operation; and a memory unit storing setting information for correlating a second size as the size of the printing medium detected by the size detection unit to the second material as a material of the printing medium, wherein the control unit displays the second size and the second material on the display unit, and updates the second material stored as the setting information by the memory unit based on the operation received by the reception unit (e.g., this corresponds to the operation section configured to receive inputs via a touch panel; and also a memory storing control conditions for type and size of the recording material, ¶0090 and ¶0118).
With respect to claim 4, Yokobori teaches the printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first display includes the first size, a first object displayed to accompany the first size, the second size, and a second object displayed to accompany the second size (Fig. 7), and the control unit displays the first object and the second object in the first mode when the first size and the second size are the same, and displays the first object and the second object in the second mode when the first size and the second size are different (e.g., displays objects in a “first mode” when sizes are the same; or display objects in a “second mode” when sizes are different, Figs 8 – 10, ¶0009, ¶0014, ¶0120).
With respect to claim 5, Yokobori teaches the printing device according to claim 1, wherein the second display includes the first material, a third object displayed to accompany the first material, the second material, and a fourth object displayed to accompany the second material (Fig. 5), and the control unit displays the third object and the fourth object in the third mode when the first material and the second material are the same, and displays the third object and the fourth object in the fourth mode when the first material and the second material are different (e.g., displays objects in a “first mode” when types/materials are the same; or display objects in a “second mode” when types/materials are different, Figs 11 – 14, ¶0009, ¶0014, ¶0120).
With respect to claim 6, Yokobori teaches the printing apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising: a reception unit receiving an operation; and a plurality of the medium container units, wherein the control unit displays the second size in a size corresponding to the size of the printing medium held in each of the plurality of medium container units, the control unit displays the second size and the second object as the first display corresponding to the medium container unit selected through the operation received by the reception unit, and the control unit displays the second size as the first display corresponding to the medium container unit unselected through the operation received by the reception unit (e.g., this corresponds to the operation section configured to receive inputs via a touch panel; and displaying, via said operation section, information to guide the user to select/set/designate any of the sizes, type or materials, Figs. 8 – 14; each selection/set/designation is updated, ¶0006, ¶0014, ¶0110 and ¶0175).
With respect to claim 7, Yokobori teaches the printing apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising: a reception unit receiving an operation; and a plurality of the medium container units, wherein the control unit displays the second material with a material corresponding to the size of the printing medium held in each of the plurality of medium container units, the control unit displays the second material and the fourth object as the second display corresponding to the medium container unit selected through the operation received by the reception unit, and the control unit displays the second material as the second display corresponding to the medium container unit unselected through the operation received by the reception unit. (e.g., this corresponds to the operation section configured to receive inputs via a touch panel; and displaying, via said operation section, information to guide the user to select/set/designate any of the types or materials, Figs. 8 – 14; each selection/set/designation is updated, ¶0006, ¶0014, ¶0110 and ¶0175).
With respect to claim 8, Yokobori teaches the printing apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising a memory unit storing setting information for correlating the second size as the size of the printing medium detected by the size detection unit to the second material as the material of the printing medium, wherein when the control unit displays the first object and the second object in the second mode, the control unit displays the second size, the second object, and a guidance display for promoting a change of the setting information as the first display corresponding to the medium container unit selected through the operation received by the reception unit (e.g., this corresponds to the memory storing the sizes to be compared (or matched) with those detected in order to display selectable modes/objects, ¶0016, Figs. 8 - 10).
With respect to claim 9, Yokobori teaches the printing apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising a memory unit storing setting information for correlating the second size as the size of the printing medium detected by the size detection unit to the second material as the material of the printing medium, wherein when the control unit displays the third object and the fourth object in the third mode, the control unit displays the second material, the fourth object, and a guidance display for promoting a change of the setting information as the second display corresponding to the medium container unit selected through the operation received by the reception unit (e.g., this corresponds to the memory storing the types or materials to be compared (or matched) with those detected in order to selectable display modes/objects, ¶0016, Figs. 8 - 10).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon are considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Shinohara et al. (U.S PG Publication No. 2018/0107146 A1)1
Gassho (U.S PG Publication No. 2015/0273894 A1)2
1This reference provides an image forming apparatus configured to execute an image forming operation adequately while reducing a cumbersome work of a user of setting the sheet size. A processor of the image forming apparatus configured to execute a mode where the processor controls an image forming portion to form the image on the sheet even if the sheet size included in an image forming job is inconsistent with the sheet size stored in a storage portion. In such a mode, the processor controls a notification portion so as to give notification in a case where a size detection portion detects one of regular sheet sizes and where the sheet size included in the image forming job is inconsistent with the sheet size detected by the size detection portion.
2This reference teaches a device main unit includes a second specification operating unit operated in order to specify the type of the medium housed inside the housing unit, separate from the first specification operating unit. The first specification operating unit is constituted so as to select a first mode for specifying the control device for control according to the type of the medium specified by the first specification operating unit, and a second mode for specifying the control device for control in charge of an operation of the second specification operating unit for specifying the type of the medium inside the housing unit. In this case, it is preferable that the control device is further configured to allow implementation of the warning process when the first specification operating unit is in the first mode. The control device is further configured to implement a report process that prompts specification of the type of the medium with the second specification operating unit without implementing the warning process when the first specification operating unit is in the second mode.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JUAN M GUILLERMETY whose telephone number is (571)270-3481. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00AM - 5:00PM.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Benny Q TIEU can be reached at 571-272-7490. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JUAN M GUILLERMETY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2682
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