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 10/30/2024 has been entered and considered.
Claims 1-11 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 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.
Claims 1, and 10-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as unpatentable over Nomura et al. (JP 2021148849, A1).
Regarding claim 1, Nomura teaches a reading device (Figs 1-2 illustrates an image forming apparatus 100 comprising said reading device) comprising:
a conveyor that conveys a sheet through a conveyance path (Figs 1-2 further illustrates a conveyor 106 that conveys a sheet through a conveyance path);
a reader provided with a reading sensor that optically reads the sheet conveyed through the conveyance path (Figs 1-2 further illustrates a reader 110/170 provided with a reading sensor that optically reads the sheet conveyed through the conveyance path); and
a hardware processor that controls the reader (control unit 101 of further Figs. 1-2 further comprises said hardware processor that controls the reader 110/170);
wherein the reader includes a background section that is disposed to face the reading sensor across the conveyance path, the background section having a background surface serving as a background of the sheet when the sheet is read (the reader 170 of at least Figs. 2-3 further comprises a background section 171 that is disposed to face the reading sensor across the conveyance path, the background section having a background surface serving as a background of the sheet when the sheet is read);
and the hardware processor switches the background surface of the background section on the basis of attribute information of the sheet to be conveyed (the disclosure and Figs. 2-3 further recite the switching background “As shown in FIG. 3, the background members 171a and 171b have a black surface 1711 and a white surface 1712, and are rotated by a drive source (not shown) to switch the background when reading the paper to black or white” on the basis of attribute color, size, position information of the sheet to be conveyed).
Regarding claim 10, Nomura teaches in at least Figs. 1-2 an image forming system comprising: a sheet feeder that feeds a sheet (at least Figs. 1-2 further teaches a paper feeding unit 105 that feeds a sheet);
a conveyor that conveys the sheet through a conveyance path (at least Figs. 1-2 further teaches a conveyor 106 that conveys the sheet through a conveyance path);
a reader provided with a reading sensor that optically reads the sheet conveyed through the conveyance path (Figs 1-2 further illustrates a reader 110/170 provided with a reading sensor that optically reads the sheet conveyed through the conveyance path);
an image former that forms an image on the conveyed sheet on a downstream side from the reader in the conveyance path (Figs 1-2 further illustrates an image former 150 that forms an image on the conveyed sheet on a downstream side from the reader in the conveyance path);
and a hardware processor that controls the reader (control unit 101 of further Figs. 1-2 further comprises said hardware processor that controls the reader 110/170);
wherein the reader includes a background section that is disposed to face the reading sensor across the conveyance path, the background section having a background surface serving as a background of the sheet when the sheet is read (the reader 170 of at least Figs. 2-3 further comprises a background section 171 that is disposed to face the reading sensor across the conveyance path, the background section having a background surface serving as a background of the sheet when the sheet is read);
and the hardware processor switches the background surface of the background section on the basis of attribute information of the sheet to be conveyed (the disclosure and Figs. 2-3 further recite the switching background “As shown in FIG. 3, the background members 171a and 171b have a black surface 1711 and a white surface 1712, and are rotated by a drive source (not shown) to switch the background when reading the paper to black or white” on the basis of attribute color, size, position information of the sheet to be conveyed).
Regarding claim 11, Nomura teaches at least in the disclosure a non-transitory recording medium storing a computer readable control program for controlling an image forming system that includes a sheet feeder that feeds a sheet (the disclosure and at least Figs. 1-2 further cites “Further, in the above description, an example in which a non-volatile semiconductor memory or a hard disk is used as a computer-readable medium in which a program for executing each process is stored is disclosed” to execute at least in Figs. 1-2 said controlling image forming system that includes a sheet feeder 105 that feeds a sheet);
a conveyor that conveys the sheet through a conveyance path (at least Figs. 1-2 further teaches a conveyor 106 that conveys the sheet through a conveyance path);
a reader provided with a reading sensor that optically reads the sheet conveyed through the conveyance path (Figs 1-2 further illustrates a reader 110/170 provided with a reading sensor that optically reads the sheet conveyed through the conveyance path);
an image former that forms an image on the conveyed sheet on a downstream side from the reader in the conveyance path (Figs 1-2 further illustrates an image former 150 that forms an image on the conveyed sheet on a downstream side from the reader in the conveyance path);
the reader including a background section that is disposed to face the reading sensor across the conveyance path, the background section having a background surface serving as a background of the sheet when the sheet is read (the reader 170 of at least Figs. 2-3 further comprises a background section 171 that is disposed to face the reading sensor across the conveyance path, the background section having a background surface serving as a background of the sheet when the sheet is read);
the program executing processing of switching the background surface of the background section on the basis of attribute information of the sheet to be conveyed (the disclosure and Figs. 2-3 further recite the switching background “As shown in FIG. 3, the background members 171a and 171b have a black surface 1711 and a white surface 1712, and are rotated by a drive source (not shown) to switch the background when reading the paper to black or white” on the basis of attribute color, size, position information of the sheet to be conveyed).
Claims 1-7, and 10-11 is/are further rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as unpatentable over Shoichi Nomura et al. (US 2022/0182509, A1), hereinafter Shoichi.
Regarding claim 1, Shoichi teaches a reading device (the at least Abstract of Shoichi cites an image inspection apparatus comprising said reading device) comprising:
a conveyor 106 of Fig. 1 that conveys a sheet through a conveyance path;
a reader 170 of Figs. 1 and the Abstract provided with a reading sensor that optically reads the sheet conveyed through the conveyance path; and
a hardware processor of the Abstract that controls the reader,
wherein the reader includes a background section that is disposed to face the reading sensor across the conveyance path, the background section having a background surface serving as a background of the sheet when the sheet is read (the at least reader 170 of Fig. 1 and para. 0039-0046 further includes a background section 171 that is disposed to face the reading sensor across the conveyance path, the background section having a background surface serving as a background of the sheet when the sheet is read);
and the hardware processor switches the background surface of the background section on the basis of attribute information of the sheet to be conveyed (para. 0039 and Figs. 1-2 further illustrates and cites “Each of the background materials 171a and 171b, for example, has two surfaces (black surface 1711 and white surface 1712) with different densities (colors), as shown in FIG. 1, and can be rotated by a drive source not shown in the figure to switch the background surface (the surface facing the corresponding reader) to black or white when reading the sheet” for switching said background surface of the background section on the basis of attribute color information of the sheet to be conveyed).
Regarding claim 2 (according to claim 1), Shoichi further teaches wherein the background section includes a plurality of the background surfaces different in color or brightness, the attribute information of the sheet is information regarding a color of the sheet (para. 0047-0055 further teaches the background section 171 includes a plurality of the background surfaces different in color or brightness, the attribute information of the sheet is information regarding a color of the sheet);
and the hardware processor switches the background surfaces on the basis of the information regarding the color of the sheet (the Abstract, and para. 0039 and Figs. 1-2 further illustrates and cites “Each of the background materials 171a and 171b, for example, has two surfaces (black surface 1711 and white surface 1712) with different densities (colors), as shown in FIG. 1, and can be rotated by a drive source not shown in the figure to switch the background surface (the surface facing the corresponding reader) to black or white when reading the sheet” for switching said background surface of the background section on the basis of attribute color information of the sheet to be conveyed).
Regarding claim 3 (according to claim 1), Shoichi further teaches wherein the reader reads an end of the sheet conveyed on the background surface (para. 0099).
Regarding claim 4 (according to claim 2), Shoichi further teaches wherein the background section includes a first background surface and a second background surface that is different in brightness from the first background surface (Abstract and para. 0047-0055); and the hardware processor switches the background section to the background surface having a greater brightness difference with respect to the color of the sheet to be conveyed (the switching of at least para. 0039 as further noted in para. 0047-0055 further includes at least as implied switching of the said background section 171 to the background surface having inherently a greater brightness difference with respect to the color of the sheet to be conveyed closest to the color of the fed sheet).
Regarding claim 5 (according to claim 1), Shoichi further teaches wherein the reader includes a first reading sensor, a second reading sensor, a first background section disposed to face the first reading sensor, and a second background section disposed to face the second reading sensor (Abstract and Fig. 1); and the hardware processor switches background surfaces of the first and second background sections on the basis of the attribute information of the sheet (para. 0039).
Regarding claim 6 (according to claim 1), Shoichi further teaches wherein each of the first and second background sections includes a plurality of background surfaces different in color or brightness, the attribute information of the sheet includes information regarding a size of the sheet (the Abstract further illustrates said first and second background sections includes a plurality of background surfaces different in color or brightness, the attribute information of the sheet includes thickness and size information regarding a size of the sheet), and the hardware processor switches the background surfaces of the first and second background sections on the basis of the size of the sheet (at least para. 0039 further illustrates the switching of the background surfaces of the first and second background sections on the basis of the thickness or size of the sheet).
Regarding claim 7 (according to claim 6), Shoichi further teaches wherein the first reading sensor and the second reading sensor are disposed adjacent to each other in a conveyance direction of the sheet, and are disposed so as to at least partially vary in reading region in a width direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction (at least Fig. 1 and the Abstract further illustrates first reading sensor 170a and the second reading sensor170b are disposed adjacent to each other in a conveyance direction of the sheet, and are disposed so as to at least partially vary in reading region in a width direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction).
Regarding claim 10, Shoichi teaches an image forming system (Figs. 1 and 10 of Shoichi illustrates said image forming system) comprising:
a sheet feeder that feeds a sheet (sheet feeding unit 105 of Figs. 1 and 10 and para. 0028);
a conveyor that conveys the sheet through a conveyance path (conveyor 106 of Figs. 1, and 10 and para. 0028);
a reader provided with a reading sensor that optically reads the sheet conveyed through the conveyance path (reading unit 170 of Figs. 1, and 10 and para. 0028);
an image former that forms an image on the conveyed sheet on a downstream side from the reader in the conveyance path (the at least image former 150 of Figs. 1, and 10 and para. 0028);
and a hardware processor that controls the reader (the at least controller 101 of Figs. 1, and 10 and para. 0028 further comprises said hardware processor);
wherein the reader includes a background section that is disposed to face the reading sensor across the conveyance path, the background section having a background surface serving as a background of the sheet when the sheet is read (the at least reader 170 of Figs. 1, 10 and para. 0039-0046 further includes a background section 171 that is disposed to face the reading sensor across the conveyance path, the background section having a background surface serving as a background of the sheet when the sheet is read);
and the hardware processor switches the background surface of the background section on the basis of attribute information of the sheet to be conveyed (para. 0039 and Figs. 1-2 further illustrates and cites “Each of the background materials 171a and 171b, for example, has two surfaces (black surface 1711 and white surface 1712) with different densities (colors), as shown in FIG. 1, and can be rotated by a drive source not shown in the figure to switch the background surface (the surface facing the corresponding reader) to black or white when reading the sheet” for switching said background surface of the background section on the basis of attribute color information of the sheet to be conveyed).
Regarding claim 11, Shoichi teaches at least in para. 0126 a non-transitory recording medium storing a computer readable control program for controlling an image forming system that includes a sheet feeder that feeds a sheet (Shoichi further teaches at least in para. 0032-0039 said controlling an image forming system of at least Figs. 1, and 10 that includes a sheet feeder 106 that feeds a sheet);
a conveyor that conveys the sheet through a conveyance path (conveyor 106 of Figs. 1, and 10 and para. 0028);
a reader provided with a reading sensor that optically reads the sheet conveyed through the conveyance path (reading unit 170 of Figs. 1, and 10 and para. 0028);
an image former that forms an image on the conveyed sheet on a downstream side from the reader in the conveyance path (the at least image former 150 of Figs. 1, and 10 and para. 0028);
the reader including a background section that is disposed to face the reading sensor across the conveyance path, the background section having a background surface serving as a background of the sheet when the sheet is read (the at least reader 170 of Fig. 1 and para. 0039-0046 further includes a background section 171 that is disposed to face the reading sensor across the conveyance path, the background section having a background surface serving as a background of the sheet when the sheet is read);
the program executing processing of switching the background surface of the background section on the basis of attribute information of the sheet to be conveyed (para. 0039 and Figs. 1-2 further illustrates and cites “Each of the background materials 171a and 171b, for example, has two surfaces (black surface 1711 and white surface 1712) with different densities (colors), as shown in FIG. 1, and can be rotated by a drive source not shown in the figure to switch the background surface (the surface facing the corresponding reader) to black or white when reading the sheet” for switching said background surface of the background section on the basis of attribute color information of the sheet to be conveyed).
Claims 1-4 and 9-11 is/are further rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as unpatentable over Yamazaki et al. (EP 3883228, A1).
Regarding claim 1, Yamazaki teaches at least in Fig. 1 and the Abstract a reading device comprising: a conveyor that conveys a sheet through a conveyance path (Figs. 1-2 illustrates a sheet M being conveyed in a conveyance path R of an inherent conveyor means);
a reader provided with a reading sensor that optically reads the sheet conveyed through the conveyance path (read device of further Figs. 1-2 further provided with a reading unit 401 of Figs. 1-9); and
a hardware processor that controls the reader (the disclosure further cites a “image forming apparatus 5 according to the present embodiment includes a control apparatus” including said hardware processor);
wherein the reader includes a background section that is disposed to face the reading sensor across the conveyance path, the background section having a background surface serving as a background of the sheet when the sheet is read (Figs. 1-9 further illustrates a background color switching mechanism 93 for switching the background color of the print sheet M that is disposed to face the reading sensor across the conveyance path, the background section having a background surface serving as a background of the sheet when the sheet is read);
and the hardware processor switches the background surface of the background section on the basis of attribute information of the sheet to be conveyed (the at least control apparatus of the disclosure further configured as illustrated further in at least Figs. 5-9 switches the background surface of the background section on the basis of attribute color, thickness, and position information of the sheet to be conveyed).
Regarding claim 2 (according to claim 1), Yamazaki further teaches wherein the background section includes a plurality of the background surfaces different in color or brightness, the attribute information of the sheet is information regarding a color of the sheet (the background color switching mechanism 93 of further Figs. 5-9 further includes a plurality of the background gray surface 937, black surface 938, white surface 938 and shading surface 407 different in color or brightness, the attribute information of the sheet is information regarding a color of the sheet);
and the hardware processor switches the background surfaces on the basis of the information regarding the color of the sheet (switching background 93 of Figs. 5-9).
Regarding claim 3 (according to claim 1), Yamazaki further teaches wherein the reader reads an end of the sheet conveyed on the background surface (the position and size of the sheet M of further Figs. 5-9 is determined by obviously reading an end of the sheet conveyed on the background surface).
Regarding claim 4 (according to claim 2), Yamazaki further teaches wherein the background section includes a first background surface and a second background surface that is different in brightness from the first background surface (the background color switching mechanism 93 of further Figs. 5-9 further includes said plurality of the background gray surface 937, black surface 938, white surface 938 and shading surface 407 different in color or brightness), and the hardware processor switches the background section to the background surface having a greater brightness difference with respect to the color of the sheet to be conveyed (it is further implied at least the switching of the background color switching mechanism 93 of at least Figs. 5-9 is rotated as would be appreciated by one skill in the art to the background surface having a greater brightness difference with respect to the color of the sheet to be conveyed).
Regarding claim 9, Yamazaki further teaches an image forming system of Figs. 1-2 comprising:
a sheet feeder that feeds a sheet (the image forming apparatus 5 of at least Figs. 1-2 further comprises an inherent sheet feeding means);
the reading device 401 of Figs. 1-2 according to claim 1;
an image former that forms an image on the sheet conveyed from the reading device (the image forming apparatus 5 of at least Figs. 1-2 further comprises an inherent image forming means);
a correction value calculator that calculates a sheet position correction value on the basis of read data obtained by the reading device reading the sheet (the disclosure further cites detecting an image formation position and a sheet position detection so as to calculate further in Figs. 5-9 “a desired position on a recording medium on the basis of an image obtained by reading a position detection indicator for detecting the position of an image formed on the recording medium…The correction value calculated by the image position detection apparatus 400 is transmitted to the control apparatus, and is used as a correction value for generating bitmap data and a correction value for conveying the print sheet M to the print engine. a correction value calculation unit included in the image position detection apparatus 400 calculates a correction value for adjusting the print position of the image on the print sheet M to a desired position, on the basis of the read image having been generated….reading unit 401 derives information about the distance from the reading unit 401 to the image-formed surface of the print sheet M on the basis of position information detected from the longitudinal lines 406L, 406R, and calculates the position of the print sheet M on the basis of information about the distance s, and the like of the print sheet M” further including the said sheet position correction value); and
a printing hardware processor that adjusts a formation position of an image on at least one of a first surface and a second surface of the read sheet on the basis of the sheet position correction value calculated by the correction value calculator (the disclosure and Figs. 5-9 further illustrates the said adjusting formation position of an image on at least one of a first surface and a second surface of the read sheet on the basis of the sheet position correction value calculated by the correction value calculator).
Regarding claim 10, Yamazaki further teaches in Figs. 1-2 an image forming system comprising:
a sheet feeder that feeds a sheet (the image forming apparatus 5 of at least Figs. 1-2 further comprises an inherent sheet feeding means);
a conveyor that conveys the sheet through a conveyance path (Figs. 1-2 illustrates a sheet M being conveyed in a conveyance path R of an inherent conveyor means);
a reader provided with a reading sensor that optically reads the sheet conveyed through the conveyance path (read device of further Figs. 1-2 further provided with a reading unit 401 of Figs. 1-9);
an image former that forms an image on the conveyed sheet on a downstream side from the reader in the conveyance path (the image forming apparatus 5 of at least Figs. 1-2 further comprises an inherent image forming means);
and a hardware processor that controls the reader (the disclosure further cites a “image forming apparatus 5 according to the present embodiment includes a control apparatus” including said hardware processor);
wherein the reader includes a background section that is disposed to face the reading sensor across the conveyance path, the background section having a background surface serving as a background of the sheet when the sheet is read (Figs. 1-9 further illustrates a background color switching mechanism 93 for switching the background color of the print sheet M that is disposed to face the reading sensor across the conveyance path, the background section having a background surface serving as a background of the sheet when the sheet is read);
and the hardware processor switches the background surface of the background section on the basis of attribute information of the sheet to be conveyed (the at least control apparatus of the disclosure further configured as illustrated further in at least Figs. 5-9 switches the background surface of the background section on the basis of attribute color, thickness, and position information of the sheet to be conveyed).
Regarding claim 11, Yamazaki implies a non-transitory recording medium storing a computer readable control program for controlling an image forming system that includes a sheet feeder that feeds a sheet (Yamazaki teaches an image forming apparatus 5 of Figs. 1-9 including a control apparatus and at least one or more well-known CPU to comprise at least said non-transitory recording medium storing a computer readable control program for controlling the image forming system 5 that includes a known sheet feeder that feeds a sheet);
a conveyor that conveys the sheet through a conveyance path (Figs. 1-2 illustrates a sheet M being conveyed in a conveyance path R of an inherent conveyor means);
a reader provided with a reading sensor that optically reads the sheet conveyed through the conveyance path (read device of further Figs. 1-2 further provided with a reading unit 401 of Figs. 1-9); and
an image former that is disposed in the conveyance path downstream of the reader and that forms an image on the conveyed sheet (the image forming apparatus 5 of at least Figs. 1-2 further comprises an inherent image forming means);
the reader including a background section that is disposed to face the reading sensor across the conveyance path, the background section having a background surface serving as a background of the sheet when the sheet is read (Figs. 1-9 further illustrates a background color switching mechanism 93 for switching the background color of the print sheet M that is disposed to face the reading sensor across the conveyance path, the background section having a background surface serving as a background of the sheet when the sheet is read);
the program executing processing of switching the background surface of the background section on the basis of attribute information of the sheet to be conveyed (the at least control apparatus of the disclosure further configured as illustrated further in at least Figs. 5-9 switches the background surface of the background section on the basis of attribute color, thickness, and position information of the sheet to be conveyed).
Claims Standings
Claim 8 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 if properly incorporated in the respective indepddent claims 1, and 10-11 including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. the prior art does not teach: claim 8. The reading device according to claim 7, wherein the first reading sensor and the second reading sensor have reading regions that overlap each other in the width direction, and the hardware processor performs control to obtain a combination that provides a prescribed or more brightness difference between the background surface of the first background section and the background surface of the second background section, when the size of the sheet in the width direction is equal to or smaller than a predetermined value.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARCELLUS AUGUSTIN whose telephone number is (571)270-3384. The examiner can normally be reached 9 AM- 5 PM.
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/MARCELLUS J AUGUSTIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2682 10/07/2026
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