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 .
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(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.
Claim(s) 1 and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and (a)(2) as being anticipated by Katsumi et al. (US 6157794).
With respect to claims 1 and 11, Katsumi et al. disclose a high-power supply apparatus (e.g., item(s) 103 and/or 105) and method of operating such, to supply power in an image forming apparatus (e.g., figs. 1 and/or 2), the high-voltage power supply apparatus comprising: a charging circuit (e.g., “charge high-voltage source”) to output a charging high voltage to a charging device (2) of the image forming apparatus (as shown at least by fig. 2); a developing circuit (e.g., item 105) to output a developing high voltage to a developing device (e.g., item(s) 4 and/or 7) of the image forming apparatus (as shown at least by figs. 1 and/or 2); and a protecting circuit to control output of the developing circuit (4 and/or 7) to be stopped when an error occurs in the charging circuit, and to control output of the charging circuit (2) to be stopped when an error occurs in the developing circuit (as discussed at least in col. 5, line 63 – col. 10, line 47).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 2-3 and 12-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Katsumi et al. (US 6157794) in view of Miyamoto (US 2018/0335713).
With respect to claims 2, 12 and 13, Katsumi et al. disclose the high voltage power supply apparatus and operating method of claims 1 and 11 as discussed above, and further disclose wherein the protecting circuit comprises circuitry to determine an error and to stop the output of the developing circuit and the charging circuit when the error is detected (as shown at least by figs. 1-2 and/or as discussed at least in col. 5, line 63 – col. 10, line 47), but do not disclose wherein the error is an over-current of the charging circuit or the developing circuit.
With further respect to claims 2, 12 and 13, Miyamoto teaches a protecting circuit comprising: a first protecting circuit to determine whether the charging circuit outputs an over-current and a second protecting circuit to determine whether the developing circuit outputs an over-current (as shown at least by figs. 5 and/or 6 and/or as discussed at least in paragraphs 48-59).
With further respect to claims 3 and 14, Katsumi et al. do not disclose the details of the charging and/or protecting circuitry.
With further respect to claims 3 and 14, Miyamoto teaches wherein the charging circuit (300) and/or protecting circuit comprises: a first comparator to control output of a first base voltage that is a basis to generate the charging high voltage (as shown at least by figs. 5 and/or 6 and/or as discussed at least in paragraphs 48-87), a first signal outputter to receive an output signal of the first comparator and output a charging high voltage including a direct current (as shown at least by figs. 5 and/or 6 and/or as discussed at least in paragraphs 26 and/or 48-87); a sensing circuit to sense whether the charging circuit outputs an over-current from an output current of the first signal outputter (as shown at least by figs. 5 and/or 6 and/or as discussed at least in paragraphs 48-87); and a first over-current protection (OCP) circuit to stop output of the charging circuit based on a sensing result of the sensing circuit (as shown at least by figs. 5 and/or 6 and/or as discussed at least in paragraphs 48-87).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at time the invention was effectively filed to detect as the error of Katsumi et al. an over-current of the developing and/or charging unit(s) as taught by Miyamoto at least because there would have been a reasonable expectation of success in protecting the image forming apparatus.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-10 and 15 are 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.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for indicating allowable subject matter: The prior art of record does not disclose or suggest the claimed developing circuit comprises: a second comparator to receive a developing input signal and control output of a second base voltage that is a basis to generate the developing high voltage, a second signal outputter to receive an output signal of the second comparator and output a developing high voltage including a DC, and a second OCP circuit to stop output of the developing circuit when the developing circuit outputs an over-current from an output current of the second signal outputter, in combination with the remaining claim elements as set forth in the claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSEPH S WONG whose telephone number is (571)272-8457. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday (9-5).
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, Walter L Lindsay Jr. can be reached at (571) 272-1674. 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.
/JOSEPH S WONG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2852
JSW
Prosecution Insights