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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 11/20/2024 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 not provided an explanation of relevance of cited document(s) discussed below.
Reference US 20100073416 A1 is a general background reference covering: In a liquid droplet ejection control apparatus, a plurality of head control (HC) boards are disposed in correspondence to ejectors that eject liquid droplets and are plurally arrayed in a liquid droplet ejecting head, and the HC boards are connected to each other in a daisy chain by a synchronization signal line. Each of the HC boards is equipped with a memory for storing identification information. When an identification signal representing the identification information is superimposed on a synchronization signal received via the synchronization signal line from a prior stage, the identification information that the identification signal represents is stored in the memory, the identification signal superimposed on the received synchronization signal is changed so as to represent identification information different from the identification information that the identification signal represents, and the synchronization signal on which the changed identification signal has been superimposed is transmitted to a later stage. (see abstract).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 1-11, 14-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1) as being anticipated by Kazume et al. (Kazume) (US 2009/0225355 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Kazume discloses a printing apparatus (e.g., there is provided a printing apparatus, paragraph 10) comprising: a main control circuit (e.g., head office, fig. 1); and
a plurality of sub-control circuits which is connected in series to each other and which is configured to transmit print data transmitted from the main control circuit downstream, the plurality of sub-control circuits including at least a downstream-most sub-control circuit positioned on a downstream-most side among the plurality of sub-control circuits and an upstream-most sub-control circuit positioned on an upstream-most side among the plurality of sub-control circuits and connected to the main control circuit (e.g., the present invention, there is provided a printing apparatus including a connecting unit that makes a network connection to other printing apparatus that performs a printing process of printing data transmitted from a host apparatus on a printing medium on a downstream side in a data transmission direction; a first transmitting unit that transmits print hold information for holding the printing process to the other printing apparatus; a second transmitting unit that transmits the printing data to the other printing apparatus; a third transmitting unit that transmits page deletion information for deleting data corresponding to a printed page to the other printing apparatus every time a page is printed on the printing medium; and a fourth transmitting unit that transmits, paragraph 10),
wherein each of at least one sub-control circuit, which is included in the plurality of sub-control circuits and which is other than the downstream-most sub-control circuit is configured to: store information indicating one of a plurality of transmitting methods of the print data, the plurality of transmitting methods including a transmitting method by which the one of the plurality of sub-control circuits having received the print data transmits entirety of the print data received downstream (e.g., according to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printing control method for a printing apparatus that performs a printing process of printing data transmitted from a host apparatus on a printing medium. The printing control method includes making a network connection to other printing apparatus on a downstream side in a data transmission direction; first transmitting including transmitting print hold information for holding the printing process to the other printing apparatus, paragraph 11); and
transmit the print data downstream, by the one of the plurality of transmitting methods indicated by the information, in a case where the print data is received (e.g., second transmitting including transmitting the printing data to the other printing apparatus, paragraph 11).
Regarding claim 2, Kazume discloses wherein: the print data includes a plurality of parts corresponding to the plurality of sub-control circuits, respectively;
the information is first information indicating a first transmitting method by which one of the plurality of sub-control circuits having received the print data saves corresponding data which is one of the plurality of parts, of the print data received, corresponding to self and transmits the print data from which the corresponding data has been excluded downstream (e.g., The printing control method includes making a network connection to other printing apparatus on a downstream side in a data transmission direction; first transmitting including transmitting print hold information for holding the printing process to the other printing apparatus, paragraph 11), or second information indicating a second transmitting method being the transmitting method by which the one of the plurality of sub-control circuits having received the print data transmits the entirety of the print data received downstream (e.g., second transmitting including transmitting the printing data to the other printing apparatus, paragraph 11);
the main control circuit is configured to execute a transmitting process of transmitting, to the upstream-most sub-control circuit, the plurality of parts of the print data (e.g., As shown in FIG. 1, for example, as the intranet A in a head office of a convenience store chain, there is assumed a server client system in which a plurality of clients 3 such as a computer and a printer is connected to various server computers (hereinafter, "server") 1 via a network 2 such as a local area network (LAN), paragraph 35);
in an initial state, the information stored in the upstream-most sub-control circuit is the first information (e.g., As shown in FIG. 1, for the network print system 100 according to the present embodiment, a network environment is assumed in which an intranet A and an intranet B in plural companies or offices, which are corporate networks based on the Internet technique, are interconnected with each other via an Internet network 150, paragraph 34); and
in a case where the upstream-most sub-control circuit receives the print data, the upstream-most sub-control circuit is configured to save the corresponding data, then transmit the print data from which the corresponding data has been excluded downstream, and rewrite the information stored in the upstream-most sub-control circuit to the second information (e.g., The "main printer" is uniquely determined by the host apparatus. However, the "sub printer 1" and the "sub printer 2" can be determined fixedly or the sequence thereof can be changed for each process. For example, the sequence of the "sub printer 1" and the "sub printer 2" can be realized by storing an IP address of the printer, to which the data is transmitted next, in the storage unit (the ROM 83, the NV-RAM 84, or the magnetic disk device 64) of the printer, and referring to the stored IP address at the time of data transfer, paragraph 68).
Regarding claim 3, Kazume discloses wherein the main control circuit is configured to transmit the plurality of parts of the print data to the upstream-most sub-control circuit starting from a part, of the print data, corresponding to the upstream-most sub-control circuit (e.g., (1) Upon reception of an "Acquire apparatus" command from the print server 11, the main printer performs a printer occupying process and transmits the "Acquire apparatus" command to the sub printer (the sub printer 1 in FIG. 6). At this time, the hold-information transmitting unit 102 in the main printer specifies a hold of a paper ejection as information. The information is the print hold information for holding the printing process, paragraph 70).
Regarding claim 4, Kazume discloses wherein: the plurality of sub-control circuits includes at least one intermediate sub-control circuit positioned between the upstream-most sub-control circuit and the downstream-most sub-control circuit (e.g., (2) The sub printer (the sub printer 1 in FIG. 6) performs the printer occupying process. Further, because a hold of paper ejection is specified in the information, the sub printer holds the paper ejection from the printer, paragraph 72);
in the initial state, information stored in each of the at least one intermediate sub-control circuit is the first information; and in a case where each of the at least one intermediate sub-control circuit receives the print data, each of the at least one intermediate sub-control circuit is configured to store the corresponding data, then transmit the print data from which the corresponding data has been excluded downstream, and rewrite the information stored in self to the second information (e.g., In addition, the update unit 107 in the main printer updates the table of the printer information held in the NV-RAM 84. When there is a lower-level sub printer (on the downstream side in the data transmission direction) (the sub printer 2 in FIG. 6), the sub printer transmits the "Acquire apparatus" command received from an upper-level printer (an upstream side in the data transmission direction) to the lower-level sub printer, paragraph 72).
Regarding claim 5, Kazume discloses wherein in a case where the information stored in the upstream-most sub-control circuit is the second information, and where the upstream-most sub-control circuit receives the print data, the upstream-most sub-control circuit is configured to transmit the entirety of the print data received downstream without saving the print data received (e.g., The sub printer achieves synchronization of job management between the printers by using the JOB ID notified from the main printer. When there is a lower-level sub printer (the sub printer 2 in FIG. 6), the sub printer transmits the "Start JOB" command received from an upper-level printer to the lower-level sub printer. When there is no lower-level sub printer, the sub printer transmits a "Job start response" command to an upper-level printer, paragraph 77).
Regarding claim 6, Kazume discloses wherein in a case where the information stored in one of the upstream-most sub-control circuit and the at least one intermediate sub-control circuit is the second information, and where the one of the upstream-most sub-control circuit and the at least one intermediate sub-control circuit receives the print data, the one of the upstream-most sub-control circuit and the at least one intermediate sub-control circuit is configured to transmit the entirety of the print data received downstream without saving the print data received (e.g., (3) Upon reception of a "Start JOB" command from the print server 11, the main printer performs a "JOB start" process, and transmits the "Start JOB" command to the sub printer (the sub printer 1 in FIG. 6). At this time, the main printer adds an obtained JOB ID to the information, paragraph 76).
Regarding claim 7, Kazume discloses wherein the main control circuit is configured to execute: a first generating process of generating, from the print data, a first data unit including at least one of the plurality of parts of the image data including the part corresponding to the upstream-most sub-control circuit (e.g., (1) Upon reception of an "Acquire apparatus" command from the print server 11, the main printer performs a printer occupying process and transmits the "Acquire apparatus" command to the sub printer (the sub printer 1 in FIG. 6). At this time, the hold-information transmitting unit 102 in the main printer specifies a hold of a paper ejection as information. The information is the print hold information for holding the printing process, paragraph 70);
a second generating process of generating, from remaining print data, a second data unit including at least one of the plurality of parts of the image data including a part corresponding to a sub-control circuit positioned upstream-most among the plurality of sub-control circuits corresponding to the parts of the print data included in the remaining print data, the remaining print data being data obtained by excluding parts included in a data unit, of the first data unit and the second data unit, having been generated from the print data (e.g., When there is a lower-level sub printer (on the downstream side in the data transmission direction) (the sub printer 2 in FIG. 6), the sub printer transmits the "Acquire apparatus" command received from an upper-level printer (an upstream side in the data transmission direction) to the lower-level sub printer. When there is no lower-level sub printer, the sub printer transmits an "Apparatus acquisition response" command to an upper-level printer. Further, the lower-level printer transmits the "Apparatus acquisition response" command to the upper-level printer, paragraph 72);
a first transmitting process of transmitting the first data unit generated to the upstream-most sub-control circuit; and a second transmitting process of transmitting the second data unit generated to the upstream-most sub-control circuit; and the main control circuit is configured to execute the second transmitting process after executing the first transmitting process, in the transmitting process (e.g., (4) The sub printer (the sub printer 1 in FIG. 6) performs a JOB start process, but does not create the JOB ID. The sub printer achieves synchronization of job management between the printers by using the JOB ID notified from the main printer. When there is a lower-level sub printer (the sub printer 2 in FIG. 6), the sub printer transmits the "Start JOB" command received from an upper-level printer to the lower-level sub printer. When there is no lower-level sub printer, the sub printer transmits a "Job start response" command to an upper-level printer. Further, the lower-level printer transmits the "Job start response" command to the upper-level printer. The main printer waits for the response from the sub printer, and transmits the "Job start response" command to the print server 11, paragraph 77).
Regarding claim 8, Kazume discloses wherein the main control circuit is configured to repeat the second generating process after executing the first generating process (e.g., FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a functional configuration of the printer substituting process of the printer 31. As shown in FIG. 5, the printer 31 includes a connecting unit 101 that connects to another printer 31 via a network on a downstream side in a data transmission direction, a hold-information transmitting unit 102 that transmits print hold information for holding the printing process to the other printer 31 located on the downstream side, a data transmitting unit 103 that transmits the transmitted data to the other printer 31 located on the downstream side, paragraph 65).
Regarding claim 9, Kazume discloses wherein: the upstream-most sub-control circuit includes a memory; and the main control circuit is configured to determine a data amount of each of the first data unit and the second data unit based on a size of a free space in the memory (e.g., The "main printer" is uniquely determined by the host apparatus. However, the "sub printer 1" and the "sub printer 2" can be determined fixedly or the sequence thereof can be changed for each process. For example, the sequence of the "sub printer 1" and the "sub printer 2" can be realized by storing an IP address of the printer, to which the data is transmitted next, in the storage unit (the ROM 83, the NV-RAM 84, or the magnetic disk device 64) of the printer, and referring to the stored IP address at the time of data transfer, paragraph 68).
Regarding claim 10, Kazume discloses wherein the main control circuit is configured to obtain information regarding the size of the free space of the memory from the upstream-most sub-control circuit (e.g., the printer controller 61 includes a CPU 81 as a control subject, a RAM 82, a ROM 83 for storing various pieces of information unique to the printer 31, a non-volatile RAM (NV-RAM) 84 as a nonvolatile memory capable of holding data regardless of power ON/OFF, a font ROM 85 as a memory for holding several types of typefaces used at the time of printing, an engine I/F 86, a panel I/F 87 that connects the operation panel 62, a disk I/F 88 that connects the magnetic disk device 64, and a network I/F 89, paragraph 51).
Regarding claim 11, Kazume discloses wherein: the upstream-most sub-control circuit includes a memory; and the main control circuit is configured to change a data amount of each of the first data unit and the second data unit based on a capacity of the memory and an amount of data transmitted to the upstream-most sub-control circuit (e.g., the CPU 41 starts up a program referred to as a loader in the ROM 42, and reads the OS from the magnetic disk device 48 into the RAM 43 to start up the OS. The OS starts up the application program, reads information, or stores the information in response to user's operation. The recording medium is not limited to the CD-ROM 50, and can be a computer readable recording medium such as a flexible disk (FD), a CD-recordable (CD-R), a CD-rewritable (CD-RW), a digital versatile disk (DVD), and a semiconductor memory. In this case, the CD-ROM device 49 can be of course changed to the one capable of reading the data on the recording medium, paragraph 45).
Regarding claim 14, Kazume discloses wherein the downstream-most sub-control circuit is configured to instruct the at least one sub-control circuit other than the downstream-most sub-control circuit to rewrite the information to the first information, based on reception of the print data (e.g., there is provided a printing apparatus including a connecting unit that makes a network connection to other printing apparatus that performs a printing process of printing data transmitted from a host apparatus on a printing medium on a downstream side in a data transmission direction; a first transmitting unit that transmits print hold information for holding the printing process to the other printing apparatus; a second transmitting unit that transmits the printing data to the other printing apparatus, paragraph 10).
Regarding claim 15, claim 15 is a printing method with limitations similar of limitations of claim 1. Therefore, claim 15 is rejected as set forth above as claim 1.
Regarding claim 16, claim 16 is a non-transitory and computer-readable medium with limitations similar of limitations of claim 1. Therefore, claim 16 is rejected as set forth above as claim 1.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 12, 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kazume et al. (Kazume) (US 2009/0225355 A1) as applied to claims 1, 2, 4 above, and further in view of Yokota (US 2010/0073416 A1).
Regarding claim 12, Kazume does not specifically disclose further comprising a plurality of heads corresponding to the plurality of sub-control circuits, respectively, wherein: the upstream-most sub-control circuit includes a common memory area configured to store the corresponding data and the print data from which the corresponding data has been excluded; and the upstream-most sub-control circuit is configured to read out the corresponding data from the common memory area, transmit the corresponding data to a head, of the plurality of heads, corresponding to the upstream-most sub-control circuit, and read out, from the common memory area, the print data from which the corresponding data has been excluded, and transmit the print data from which the corresponding data has been excluded downstream.
Yokota discloses comprising a plurality of heads corresponding to the plurality of sub-control circuits, respectively, wherein: the upstream-most sub-control circuit includes a common memory area configured to store the corresponding data and the print data from which the corresponding data has been excluded; and the upstream-most sub-control circuit is configured to read out the corresponding data from the common memory area, transmit the corresponding data to a head, of the plurality of heads, corresponding to the upstream-most sub-control circuit, and read out, from the common memory area, the print data from which the corresponding data has been excluded, and transmit the print data from which the corresponding data has been excluded downstream (e.g., FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a liquid droplet ejecting apparatus 10 pertaining to the embodiment of the invention, paragraphs 30-32; the head module 14 is equipped with a bar unit 20, in which a liquid droplet ejecting head 28 (hereinafter simply called "the head 28") and control board groups of the head 28 are modularized, and a mechanism control sub-unit 40, which controls mechanisms around the head 28, paragraph 33).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to have modified Kazume to include comprising a plurality of heads corresponding to the plurality of sub-control circuits, respectively, wherein: the upstream-most sub-control circuit includes a common memory area configured to store the corresponding data and the print data from which the corresponding data has been excluded; and the upstream-most sub-control circuit is configured to read out the corresponding data from the common memory area, transmit the corresponding data to a head, of the plurality of heads, corresponding to the upstream-most sub-control circuit, and read out, from the common memory area, the print data from which the corresponding data has been excluded, and transmit the print data from which the corresponding data has been excluded downstream as taught by Yokota. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to have modified Kazume by the teaching of Yokota to use for a particular application.
Regarding claim 13, Kazume does not specifically disclose comprising a plurality of heads corresponding to the plurality of sub-control circuits, respectively, wherein: each of the upstream-most sub-control circuit and the at least one intermediate sub-control circuit includes a common memory area configured to store the corresponding data and the print data from which the corresponding data has been excluded; and each of the upstream-most sub-control circuit and the at least one intermediate sub-control circuit is configured to read out the corresponding data from the common memory area, transmit the corresponding data to a head, of the plurality of heads, corresponding to self, read out, from the common memory area, the print data from which the corresponding data has been excluded, and transmit the print data from which the corresponding data has been excluded downstream.
Yokota discloses comprising a plurality of heads corresponding to the plurality of sub-control circuits, respectively, wherein: each of the upstream-most sub-control circuit and the at least one intermediate sub-control circuit includes a common memory area configured to store the corresponding data and the print data from which the corresponding data has been excluded; and each of the upstream-most sub-control circuit and the at least one intermediate sub-control circuit is configured to read out the corresponding data from the common memory area, transmit the corresponding data to a head, of the plurality of heads, corresponding to self, read out, from the common memory area, the print data from which the corresponding data has been excluded, and transmit the print data from which the corresponding data has been excluded downstream (e.g., FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a liquid droplet ejecting apparatus 10 pertaining to the embodiment of the invention, paragraphs 30-32; the head module 14 is equipped with a bar unit 20, in which a liquid droplet ejecting head 28 (hereinafter simply called "the head 28") and control board groups of the head 28 are modularized, and a mechanism control sub-unit 40, which controls mechanisms around the head 28, paragraph 33).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to have modified Kazume to include comprising a plurality of heads corresponding to the plurality of sub-control circuits, respectively, wherein: each of the upstream-most sub-control circuit and the at least one intermediate sub-control circuit includes a common memory area configured to store the corresponding data and the print data from which the corresponding data has been excluded; and each of the upstream-most sub-control circuit and the at least one intermediate sub-control circuit is configured to read out the corresponding data from the common memory area, transmit the corresponding data to a head, of the plurality of heads, corresponding to self, read out, from the common memory area, the print data from which the corresponding data has been excluded, and transmit the print data from which the corresponding data has been excluded downstream as taught by Yokota. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to have modified Kazume by the teaching of Yokota to use for a particular application.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to QUANG N VO whose telephone number is (571)270-1121. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 7AM-4PM, EST.
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/QUANG N VO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2683
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