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 .
Status of Claims
Claims 1-20 are pending.
Information Disclosure Statement
The Information Disclosure Statement filed on 04/15/2025 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97 and have been considered. An initialed copy of the Form 1449 is enclosed herewith.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. Examiner suggests that title maybe changed to provide more description regarding the instant invention. Therefore, a new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
Objection
Claims 9 and 19 are objected to because of the following informalities: fix the grammar in the limitation “obtaining a toner replacement table is obtained” in line 5 of claim 9 and “obtain a toner replacement table is obtained” in line 6 of claim 19. 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 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 1-2, 4, 6-7, 11-12, 14, and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nishikawa, US 2010/0054764 in view of Togami, US 2008/0226310.
Regarding claim 1, Nishikawa discloses an image forming method applied to an image forming device (image forming method for printer 100 including an image forming unit 10 for forming an image on a sheet of paper, paragraph 20), comprising:
obtaining imaging data and determining demand for toner by the imaging data, wherein the imaging data includes at least one type of image data (CPU 31 receives print job data containing several settings such as designated tray, paper size, print direction and print quality. Next, the CPU 31 acquires the number of pages to be printed from the received print job data. The print data in the print job data contains one or more files, and each file is formed on a page basis. Then, the CPU 31 calculates the amount of toner to be consumed based on the received print job data, paragraphs 39-40);
determining a remaining amount of toner (CPU 31 determines whether or not the remaining amount of toner is sufficient, paragraph 43);
detecting whether there is at least one toner whose remaining amount is lower than the demand for the toner by the imaging data (CPU 31 acquires the required toner amount corresponding to the value of the print counter by referring to the estimated required toner amount table 341, and determines that the remaining amount of toner is sufficient if the remaining amount of toner is greater than the required toner amount. For example, if the value of the print counter is 300, the required toner amount is 30 mg. If the actual remaining amount of toner is less than 30 mg, it is presumed that the remaining amount of toner is insufficient, paragraph 43);
when there is at least one toner whose remaining amount is lower than the demand for the toner by the imaging data, obtaining an imaging mode (i.e., toner-saving mode, paragraphs 35-36) and adjusting the demand for the toners by the imaging data based on the imaging mode (if the remaining amount of toner is not sufficient, the CPU 31 performs the printing operation in the toner-saving mode for restraining the amount of toner to be consumed. In the toner-saving mode, development efficiency of the developing section is lowered by reducing developing bias, so that a density of an image to be printed is lowered than that of an image to be printed by the non-saving mode. The density is set to an appropriate value based on the remaining amount of toner and the estimated amount of toner to be consumed. Consumption of toner can be reduced by setting the density to a low value and density can also be calculated and set based on the estimated amount of toner to be consumed and set as a fixed value stored for the toner-saving mode, paragraph 44. Also see paragraph 45 for a method of reducing the amount of toner to be consumed is not limited to changes in the density. For example, dot skipping and printing in reduced size are also conceivable);
and performing imaging processing on the imaging data based on the demand for the toners by the imaging data after adjustment (“perform printing operation by toner-saving mode”, S106, fig.6 and as described in paragraph 44 above).
Nishikawa discloses that in case of a color printer, a color of which toner consumption should be reduced may be substituted for a different color when printing, paragraph 45 but fails to explicitly disclose determining demand for each toner; determining a remaining amount of each toner.
However, Togami teaches determining demand for each toner by imaging data (developer consumption is calculated for each of four colors: Y, M, C, and Bk. The estimated developer consumption Ttc1 is calculated for each of four colors: Y, M, C, and Bk as well, paragraphs 60, 85-87); determining a remaining amount of each toner (calculation of the developer remaining amount, detection of shortage of developer, and the like processes are performed for each of color materials, paragraphs 60, 85-87).
Nishikawa and Togami are combinable because they both are in the same field of endeavor dealing with detecting remaining amount of toner.
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Nishikawa to incorporate the teachings of Togami to explicitly provide remaining amount of each toner for the benefit of making it possible to remove the need of replacing a developer container during a course of an image-forming job, and assure printing even when the remaining-developer level is low. Thus, a decrease in productivity is prevented as taught by Togami in paragraph 91.
Regarding claim 2, Combination of Nishikawa with Togami further teaches wherein adjusting the demand for the toners by the imaging data based on the imaging mode includes: determining the image data of a target type corresponding to the imaging mode, and reducing the demand for a target toner by the image data of the target type, wherein the target toner is a toner whose remaining amount is lower than the demand for the toner by the imaging data (Nishikawa, in toner-saving mode, the amount of toner to be consumed is restrained and the printing operation is performed with the restrained amount of toner. Depending upon target data, the print modes are shifted from the non-saving mode to the toner-saving mode by comparing the required toner amount corresponding to the value of the print counter for the target data with an actual remaining amount of toner left in a toner cartridge, paragraph 35).
(Togami also additionally teaches the developer shortage ratio is converted into a developer reduction ratio for each unit, and is set to each unit. Each unit performs a process for reducing a developer consumption by an amount corresponding to the reduction ratio. For example, when it is estimated that the printing can be completed by reducing by half the developer consumption, the developer consumption is reduced by half, for instance, when the developer shortage ratio is equal to or smaller than 50%, combining image is performed or when the developer shortage ratio is greater than 50%, pixel density values are decreased, paragraph 63).
Nishikawa and Togami are combinable because they both are in the same field of endeavor dealing with detecting remaining amount of toner.
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Nishikawa to incorporate the teachings of Togami to explicitly provide remaining amount of each toner for the benefit of making it possible to remove the need of replacing a developer container during a course of an image-forming job, and assure printing even when the remaining-developer level is low. Thus, a decrease in productivity is prevented as taught by Togami in paragraph 91.
Regarding claim 4, Combination of Nishikawa with Togami further teaches wherein: reducing the demand for the target toner by the image data of the target type includes: replacing the demand for the target toner by the image data of the target type in the imaging data with the demand for at least one other toner by the image data of the target type, wherein the at least one other toner includes a toner other than the target toner (Nishikawa, in case of a color printer, a color of which toner consumption should be reduced may be substituted for a different color when printing, paragraph 45 and Togami, CPU 7 resets the developer remaining amount Rt, the total sheet count, and the developer consumption Ttc2 to their initial values at a time of replacement of the developer container and resumes a control operation for a new developer container at a start of a subsequent output job, paragraph 38).
Nishikawa and Togami are combinable because they both are in the same field of endeavor dealing with detecting remaining amount of toner.
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Nishikawa to incorporate the teachings of Togami to explicitly provide remaining amount of each toner for the benefit of making it possible to remove the need of replacing a developer container during a course of an image-forming job, and assure printing even when the remaining-developer level is low. Thus, a decrease in productivity is prevented as taught by Togami in paragraph 91.
Regarding claim 6, Combination of Nishikawa with Togami further teaches wherein: reducing the demand for the target toner by the image data of the target type includes: increasing brightness of the image data of the target type (Togami, upon receipt of an instruction from the CPU 7 to suppress developer consumption, the color converter 402 regulates a total amount of the developer or increases brightness (brightens) in color conversion, thereby reducing a total consumption of the developer, paragraph 36), and/or reducing contrast of the image data of the target type (Togami, upon instruction from the CPU 7 to suppress developer consumption, the .gamma. converter performs .gamma. conversion using a .gamma. curve, which is set to decrease all color densities such as contrast, thereby suppressing developer consumption, for example, in the photo mode, the .gamma. converter performs .gamma. correction using a relatively flat or less contrast for smooth half-toning, paragraphs 36, 81).
Nishikawa and Togami are combinable because they both are in the same field of endeavor dealing with detecting remaining amount of toner.
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Nishikawa to incorporate the teachings of Togami to explicitly provide remaining amount of each toner for the benefit of making it possible to remove the need of replacing a developer container during a course of an image-forming job, and assure printing even when the remaining-developer level is low. Thus, a decrease in productivity is prevented as taught by Togami in paragraph 91.
Regarding claim 7, Combination of Nishikawa with Togami further teaches wherein: adjusting the demand of the toners by the imaging data further includes: reducing the demand of the target toner by non-target type image data (Nishikawa, a method of reducing the amount of toner to be consumed is achieved by non-target type data such as dot skipping and printing in reduced size, paragraph 45 and Togami, CPU 7 calculates a developer consumption and developer remaining amount is updated to a value calculated by subtracting the developer consumption from an initial developer amount, which is an amount of the developer in a newly-replaced developer container and thereby, CPU 7 resets the developer remaining amount, the total sheet count, and the developer consumption to their initial values at a time of replacement of the developer container and resumes a control operation for a new developer container at a start of a subsequent output job with non-target type image data, paragraphs 37-38).
Nishikawa and Togami are combinable because they both are in the same field of endeavor dealing with detecting remaining amount of toner.
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Nishikawa to incorporate the teachings of Togami to explicitly provide remaining amount of each toner for the benefit of making it possible to remove the need of replacing a developer container during a course of an image-forming job, and assure printing even when the remaining-developer level is low. Thus, a decrease in productivity is prevented as taught by Togami in paragraph 91.
Regarding claim 11, Nishikawa discloses an electronic device (printer 100, fig. 1), comprising: one or more processors and a memory storing computer program instructions that, when being executed, cause the one or more processors to (printer 100 is provided with a control section 30 having a CPU 31, a ROM 32, a RAM 33, wherein, ROM 32 stores several control programs, settings, and initial values for controlling the printer 100. The RAM 33 serves as a work area for reading out the control programs and a storage area for temporarily storing image data, paragraphs 28-29): rest of the claim essentially recites similar features as claim 1 and thus is rejected on the same rationale.
Regarding claim 12, it is an apparatus version of claim 2 reciting similar features and thus is rejected on the same rationale.
Regarding claim 14, it is an apparatus version of claim 4 reciting similar features and thus is rejected on the same rationale.
Regarding claim 16, which recites a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing a computer program version of claim 1, see rationale as applied above. Note that non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing a computer program is taught by Togami in paragraph 42.
Claims 3, 13 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nishikawa, US 2010/0054764 in view of Togami, US 2008/0226310 as applied in claims 1-2 above and further in view of Muramoto, JP 2013-029657.
Regarding claim 3, Combination of Nishikawa with Togami fails to further teach wherein: imaging mode includes at least one of a pattern priority mode, a text priority mode, and a life priority mode; image data of the target type corresponding to the pattern priority mode is first-type image data, and the first-type image data includes other types of image data in the imaging data except for pattern-type image data; the image data of the target type corresponding to the text priority mode is second-type image data and the second-type image data includes other types of image data in the imaging data except for text-type image data; and the image data of the target type corresponding to the life priority mode includes all types of image data.
However, Muramoto teaches wherein: imaging mode includes at least one of a pattern priority mode (i.e., character priority mode), a text priority mode, and a life priority mode (i.e., image priority mode);
image data of the target type corresponding to the pattern priority mode (i.e., character priority mode) is first-type image data, and the first-type image data includes other types of image data in the imaging data except for pattern-type image data (in “character priority mode”, other types of image data such as only character image data is processed and not any other data such as pattern-type image data, where the toner saving amount is reduced as much as possible to improve the output image quality, paragraphs 73, 19);
the image data of the target type corresponding to the text priority mode is second-type image data and the second-type image data includes other types of image data in the imaging data except for text-type image data (alternative scenario); and the image data of the target type corresponding to the life priority mode includes all types of image data (in "image priority mode", all types of image data is processed such that when input image is an image, the toner saving amount is reduced as much as possible to improve the output image quality, and when the input image is a character image, toner consumption is increased by increasing the toner save amount to such an extent that image visibility is not impaired, paragraphs 73).
Nishikawa and Togami are combinable with Muramoto because they all are in the same field of endeavor dealing with performing image processing including type of image data.
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Nishikawa and Togami to incorporate the teachings of Muramoto for the benefit of accurately grasping the replacement time of the toner container while saving the consumption of the toner within the range that does not impair the image quality as taught by Muramoto in paragraph 81.
Regarding claim 13, it is an apparatus version of claim 3 reciting similar features and thus is rejected on the same rationale.
Regarding claim 17, Combination of Nishikawa with Togami and Muramoto further teaches determine the image data of a target type corresponding to the imaging mode, and reduce the demand for a target toner by the image data of the target type, wherein the target toner is a toner whose remaining amount is lower than the demand for the toner by the imaging data (Nishikawa, in toner-saving mode, the amount of toner to be consumed is restrained and the printing operation is performed with the restrained amount of toner. Depending upon target data, the print modes are shifted from the non-saving mode to the toner-saving mode by comparing the required toner amount corresponding to the value of the print counter for the target data with an actual remaining amount of toner left in a toner cartridge, paragraph 35), (Togami also additionally teaches the developer shortage ratio is converted into a developer reduction ratio for each unit, and is set to each unit. Each unit performs a process for reducing a developer consumption by an amount corresponding to the reduction ratio. For example, when it is estimated that the printing can be completed by reducing by half the developer consumption, the developer consumption is reduced by half, for instance, when the developer shortage ratio is equal to or smaller than 50%, combining image is performed or when the developer shortage ratio is greater than 50%, pixel density values are decreased, paragraph 63);
the imaging mode includes at least one of a pattern priority mode (Muramoto, i.e., character priority mode), a text priority mode, and a life priority mode (Muramoto, i.e., image priority mode); the image data of the target type corresponding to the pattern priority mode is first-type image data, and the first-type image data includes other types of image data in the imaging data except for pattern-type image data (Muramoto, in “character priority mode”, other types of image data such as only character image data is processed and not any other data such as pattern-type image data, where the toner saving amount is reduced as much as possible to improve the output image quality, paragraphs 73, 19); the image data of the target type corresponding to the text priority mode is second-type image data and the second-type image data includes other types of image data in the imaging data except for text-type image data (alternative scenario); and the image data of the target type corresponding to the life priority mode includes all types of image data (Muramoto, in "image priority mode", all types of image data is processed such that when input image is an image, the toner saving amount is reduced as much as possible to improve the output image quality, and when the input image is a character image, toner consumption is increased by increasing the toner save amount to such an extent that image visibility is not impaired, paragraphs 73).
Nishikawa and Togami are combinable with Muramoto because they all are in the same field of endeavor dealing with performing image processing including type of image data.
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Nishikawa and Togami to incorporate the teachings of Muramoto for the benefit of accurately grasping the replacement time of the toner container while saving the consumption of the toner within the range that does not impair the image quality as taught by Muramoto in paragraph 81.
Claims 5, 8-10, 15, and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nishikawa, US 2010/0054764 in view of Togami, US 2008/0226310 as applied in claims 1-2 above and further in view of Hasegawa et al., JP 2005-250302.
Regarding claim 5, Combination of Nishikawa with Togami further teaches wherein: reducing the demand for the target toner by the image data of the target type includes: replacing a first color corresponding to at least part of pixels in the image data of the target type with a second color (Nishikawa, in case of a color printer, a color of which toner consumption should be reduced may be substituted for a different color when printing, paragraph 45 and Togami, developer consumption for each color pixel for each CMYK color is calculated and developer remaining amount is updated to a value calculated by subtracting the developer consumption from an initial developer amount, which is an amount of the developer in a newly-replaced developer container such that CPU resets the developer remaining amount and resumes a control operation for a new developer container at a start of a subsequent output job, thereby replacing CMYK color for example with part of pixels in the image data with a second color, paragraphs 37-38).
Nishikawa and Togami are combinable because they both are in the same field of endeavor dealing with detecting remaining amount of toner.
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Nishikawa to incorporate the teachings of Togami to explicitly provide remaining amount of each toner for the benefit of making it possible to remove the need of replacing a developer container during a course of an image-forming job, and assure printing even when the remaining-developer level is low. Thus, a decrease in productivity is prevented as taught by Togami in paragraph 91.
Combination of Nishikawa with Togami fails to explicitly teach wherein demand for the target toner by a single pixel corresponding to second color is less than the demand for target toner by a single pixel corresponding to first color.
However, Hasegawa teaches replacing a first color corresponding to at least part of pixels in the image data of the target type with a second color, wherein the demand for the target toner by a single pixel corresponding to the second color is less than the demand for target toner by a single pixel corresponding to the first color (the remaining amount of toner of each colorant is C = 60%, M = 70%, Y = 80%, K = 5%, and the consumption levels are C = 10%, M = 20%, Y = 20%, and K = 60%, it is possible to specify that the output color that caused the printing failure is K color (black) such that black color is replaced with at least part of pixels in the image data of with a another color toner to effectively distribute the amount of colorant weight based on gradation level of each pixel of the processing target image such that the colorant consumption amount of the color is reduced. For example, the image is edited so that the amount of ink is small when the amount of K colorant is small, for example, by changing any or all of the text G1, the graphic G3, and the image G5 representing the image on the third page to a chromatic color or a gray close to white so that the colorant consumption is smaller for the component of the output color with a small amount of colorant remaining, paragraphs 146-150, 100-104).
Nishikawa and Togami are combinable with Hasegawa because they all are in the same field of endeavor dealing with determining remaining toner amount.
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Nishikawa and Togami to incorporate the teachings of Hasegawa for the benefit of more effectively solving the differences in color reproduction before and after replacement of the toner and processing efficiency can be improved as taught by Hasegawa in paragraph 27.
Regarding claim 8, Nishikawa further discloses wherein: when there is at least one toner whose remaining amount is lower than the demand for the toner by the imaging data, obtaining the imaging mode (Nishikawa, if the remaining amount of toner becomes insufficient, for example, if the remaining amount of toner is less than 30 mg when the value of the print counter is 300, accordingly, the print mode is shifted to the toner-saving mode when the remaining amount of toner is determined to be insufficient, paragraph 36) includes: when there is at least one toner whose remaining amount is lower than the demand for the toner by the imaging data (Nishikawa, CPU 31 determines that the remaining amount of toner is sufficient if the remaining amount of toner is greater than the required toner amount. For example, if the value of the print counter is 300, the required toner amount is 30 mg, and if the actual remaining amount of toner is less than 30 mg, CPU 31 performs the printing operation in the toner-saving mode for restraining the amount of toner to be consumed, paragraphs 43-44), detecting whether the remaining amount of toner is not less than a corresponding remaining amount threshold (Nishikawa, CPU 31 determines that the remaining amount of toner is sufficient if the remaining amount of toner is greater than the required toner amount. For example, if the value of the print counter is 300, the required toner amount is 30 mg, and if CPU detects if the actual remaining amount of toner is greater than or no less than a corresponding remaining amount threshold of 30 mg, then the remaining amount of toner is determined to be sufficient and CPU performs the printing operation in normal mode, paragraphs 43-44, 68).
Nishikawa fails to explicitly disclose detecting remaining amount of each toner; and when there are at least two toners whose remaining amount is not less than corresponding remaining amount threshold, obtaining imaging mode.
However, Togami teaches detecting remaining amount of each toner is not less than a corresponding remaining amount threshold (Togami, calculation of the developer remaining amount, detection of shortage of developer are performed for each of color materials, it should be noted that each process is carried out for each of the color materials Y, M, C, and Bk in practice where it is detected for which toner the estimated developer consumption is greater than the corresponding developer remaining amount threshold, paragraphs 60-61); and when toner whose remaining amount is not less than corresponding remaining amount threshold, obtaining imaging mode (Togami, each process is carried out for each of the color materials Y, M, C, and Bk in practice where it is detected for which toner the estimated developer consumption is greater or less than the corresponding developer remaining amount threshold such that when the developer shortage ratio for each of the color toners is equal to or smaller than 50%, suppression of the developer consumption imaging mode is performed/obtained by combining image, paragraphs 60-63).
Nishikawa and Togami are combinable because they both are in the same field of endeavor dealing with detecting remaining amount of toner.
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Nishikawa to incorporate the teachings of Togami to explicitly provide remaining amount of each toner for the benefit of making it possible to remove the need of replacing a developer container during a course of an image-forming job, and assure printing even when the remaining-developer level is low. Thus, a decrease in productivity is prevented as taught by Togami in paragraph 91.
Combination of Nishikawa with Togami fails to explicitly teach when there are at least two toners whose remaining amount is not less than amount threshold, obtaining imaging mode.
However, Hasegawa teaches when there are at least two toners whose remaining amount is not less than corresponding remaining amount threshold, obtaining imaging mode (the remaining amount of toner of each colorant is C = 60%, M = 70%, Y = 80%, K = 5%, and the consumption level (corresponding remaining amount threshold) are C = 10%, M = 20%, Y = 20%, and K = 60%, it is possible to specify that the output color that caused the printing failure is K color (black) as for CMY the remaining amount is not less than required consumption threshold, and in response, imaging mode in terms of reduction of toner consumption amount is entered, paragraphs 146-147).
Nishikawa and Togami are combinable with Hasegawa because they all are in the same field of endeavor dealing with determining remaining toner amount.
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Nishikawa and Togami to incorporate the teachings of Hasegawa for the benefit of more effectively solving the differences in color reproduction before and after replacement of the toner and processing efficiency can be improved as taught by Hasegawa in paragraph 27.
Regarding claim 9, Combination of Nishikawa with Togami further teaches wherein: when there is at least one toner whose remaining amount is lower than the demand for the toner by the imaging data, obtaining the imaging mode includes (Nishikawa, if the remaining amount of toner becomes insufficient, for example, if the remaining amount of toner is less than 30 mg when the value of the print counter is 300, accordingly, the print mode is shifted to the toner-saving mode when the remaining amount of toner is determined to be insufficient, paragraph 36):
when there is at least one toner whose remaining amount is lower than the demand for the toner by the imaging data, obtaining a toner replacement table is obtained (Nishikawa, estimated required toner amount table defining required toner amount corresponding to the value of the print counter is used for determining whether or not the remaining amount of toner is low relative to the value of the print counter, which is the threshold value in determining that the remaining amount of toner is insufficient, paragraphs 31, 43, 68), and detecting whether the target toner in the imaging data is able to be replaced with at least one other corresponding toner (Nishikawa, detecting when the toner is replaced with a new one since the remaining amount of toner is nearly equal to the amount of toner when the toner cartridge is almost full of the toner, paragraph 62 and Togami, detecting newly-replaced developer container paragraphs 37-38); and when the target toner in the imaging data is able to be replaced with at least one other corresponding toner, obtaining the imaging mode (Nishikawa, as per first embodiment, the printer has a possibility to shift to the toner-saving mode even if the toner cartridge has just been replaced, paragraph 62).
Nishikawa and Togami are combinable because they both are in the same field of endeavor dealing with detecting remaining amount of toner.
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Nishikawa to incorporate the teachings of Togami to explicitly provide remaining amount of each toner for the benefit of making it possible to remove the need of replacing a developer container during a course of an image-forming job, and assure printing even when the remaining-developer level is low. Thus, a decrease in productivity is prevented as taught by Togami in paragraph 91.
Combination of Nishikawa with Togami fails to explicitly teach wherein the toner replacement table is used to record at least one other toner corresponding to the target toner.
However, Hasegawa teaches when there is at least one toner whose remaining amount is lower than the demand for the toner by the imaging data (when printing cannot be performed based on a print job instructed with a small remaining output able number in relation to the remaining amount of toner, paragraph 187), obtaining a toner replacement table is obtained detecting whether the target toner in the imaging data is able to be replaced with at least one other corresponding toner (a toner remaining weight calculation process is performed every time a series of output processes are completed. For example, the processing is started by the end of the output processing in the image output unit, and it is confirmed whether the toner cartridge has been replaced after the previous calculation of the remaining toner weight W. When the toner cartridge is replaced, the initial value of the toner weight of the toner cartridge is adopted as the remaining toner weight and when the toner cartridge is not replaced, the previous remaining toner weight is used, paragraphs 163-164),
wherein the toner replacement table is used to record at least one other toner corresponding to the target toner (when the toner cartridge is replaced, the initial value of the toner weight of the toner cartridge is adopted as the remaining toner weight and the count value of the output number counting unit is read out to determine a new remaining toner weight, the calculated remaining toner weight is notified to the output able number calculating unit, and the remaining amount of colorant storage unit, paragraphs 164-165); and when the target toner in the imaging data is able to be replaced with at least one other corresponding toner, obtaining the imaging mode (paragraphs 166-168, 231, receiving the colorant consumption from the colorant consumption calculation unit and the colorant remaining amount management unit, the output able number calculation unit receives the colorant remaining amount input. Based on the colorant consumption calculated by the colorant consumption calculation unit and the remaining toner weight, a possible output number is calculated for each output color, the final output possible number is specified and according to the remaining amount of toner at that time, the imaging mode where color conversion coefficient that reduces the overall colorant consumption is entered).
Nishikawa and Togami are combinable with Hasegawa because they all are in the same field of endeavor dealing with determining remaining toner amount.
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Nishikawa and Togami to incorporate the teachings of Hasegawa for the benefit of more effectively solving the differences in color reproduction before and after replacement of the toner and processing efficiency can be improved as taught by Hasegawa in paragraph 27.
Regarding claim 10, Combination of Nishikawa with Togami and Hasegawa further teaches wherein: when there is at least one toner whose remaining amount is lower than the demand for the toner by the imaging data, obtaining the imaging mode includes (Nishikawa, if the remaining amount of toner becomes insufficient, for example, if the remaining amount of toner is less than 30 mg when the value of the print counter is 300, accordingly, the print mode is shifted to the toner-saving mode when the remaining amount of toner is determined to be insufficient, paragraph 36):
when there is at least one toner whose remaining amount is lower than the demand for the toner by the imaging data (Nishikawa, estimated required toner amount table defining required toner amount corresponding to the value of the print counter is used for determining whether or not the remaining amount of toner is low relative to the value of the print counter, which is the threshold value in determining that the remaining amount of toner is insufficient, paragraphs 31, 43, 68) (and Hasegawa also additionally teaches, the remaining amount of toner of each colorant is C = 60%, M = 70%, Y = 80%, K = 5%, and the consumption level (corresponding remaining amount threshold) are C = 10%, M = 20%, Y = 20%, and K = 60%, it is possible to specify that the output color that caused the printing failure is K color (black) as for CMY the remaining amount is not less than required consumption threshold, and in response, imaging mode in terms of reduction of toner consumption amount is entered, paragraphs 146-147),
obtaining a color replacement table, and detecting whether a first color corresponding to at least a portion of pixel points in the imaging data is able to be replaced with a second color (Hasegawa, when the process of converting the input image data of three colors (RGB) into one of the four colors (CMYK) of the output device is performed using a color lookup table, paragraphs 193, 198),
wherein the toner replacement table is used to record the second color corresponding to the first color; and when the first color is able to be replaced with the second color, obtaining the imaging mode ((Hasegawa, color lookup table in which color conversion coefficients of levels are collected is stored in the color conversion coefficient storage unit in advance. As such a color lookup table prepared in advance such that receiving the colorant consumption from the colorant consumption calculation unit and the colorant remaining amount management unit, the output able number calculation unit receives the colorant remaining amount input. Based on the colorant consumption calculated by the colorant consumption calculation unit and the remaining toner weight, a possible output number is calculated for each output color, the final output possible number is specified and according to the remaining amount of toner at that time, the imaging mode where color conversion coefficient that reduces the overall colorant consumption is entered, paragraphs 164-168, 221, 231, 245).
Nishikawa and Togami are combinable with Hasegawa because they all are in the same field of endeavor dealing with determining remaining toner amount.
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Nishikawa and Togami to incorporate the teachings of Hasegawa for the benefit of more effectively solving the differences in color reproduction before and after replacement of the toner and processing efficiency can be improved as taught by Hasegawa in paragraph 27.
Regarding claim 15, it is an apparatus version of claim 5 reciting similar features and thus is rejected on the same rationale.
Regarding claim 18, which recites a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium version of claim 8, see rationale as applied above. Note that non-transitory computer-readable storage medium is taught Togami in paragraph 42.
Regarding claim 19, which recites a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium version of claim 9, see rationale as applied above. Note that non-transitory computer-readable storage medium is taught by Togami in paragraph 42.
Regarding claim 20, which recites a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium version of claim 10, see rationale as applied above. Note that non-transitory computer-readable storage medium is taught Togami in paragraph 42.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Nomura, US 2025/0138464
Kubota et al., US 2012/0033982
Iinuma, US 2013/0108296
Sakita et al., US 2007/0058996
Hama et al., US 2005/0185973
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PAWANDEEP DHINGRA whose telephone number is (571) 270-1231. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00-5:00.
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, Abderrahim Merouan can be reached at (571) 270-5254. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/PAWAN DHINGRA/Examiner, Art Unit 2683
/ABDERRAHIM MEROUAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2683
Prosecution Insights