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 .
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 1-6 and 8-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kido US 20120050378 A1 and Yokokawa et al. US 20250121607 A1.
Regarding claim 1, Kido teaches,
a printing apparatus (Paragraph 0037, “FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the
schematic configuration of an ink jet recording apparatus”),
a printing head configured to eject a colored liquid onto a medium (Paragraph 0041, “The number of independently provided recording heads 8 is equal to the number of colors of ink to be discharged”)
a printing control unit configured to control ejection of the colored liquid from the printing head to print a test pattern on the medium (Paragraph 0038, “The control unit 2… governs various types of control of the overall inkjet recording apparatus 1”; Paragraph 0020, “The technique includes: recording a test pattern onto the recording medium using the recording head”),
wherein the test pattern includes at least one patch (Figure 6D, Item 64),
the patch includes a colored region to which the colored liquid is ejected and a blank region to which the colored liquid is not ejected (Paragraph 0099, “The position marks 46 are rectangular blank patterns formed in the recording colors corresponding to the respective test pattern components 38 through 44, and are formed at equal intervals in the head main scanning direction 34”),
the blank region has a predetermined shape and is located on an inner side of the patch (Figure 6B, Item 46),
the colored region is arranged to surround the blank region and is adjacent to an outer side of the blank region (Figure 6B, Item 46).
Kido does not disclose the test pattern being for determining an upper limit value of an ejection amount of the colored liquid that is able to be ejected for printing an image.
However, Yokokawa et al. teaches a test pattern with multiple patches, each having two areas bordering one another where different quantities of ink are ejected in order to find which ejection values lead to bleeding of ink (Figure 12, “SELECT PATCHES WHERE NEITHER BLEED NOR BLANK SPOT IS OCCURRING AT BOUNDARY PORTION BETWEEN TWO AREAS”). By doing so, an upper limit value of an ejection amount of the colored liquid would be found. Note that this is done by virtue of having two bordering regions of differing ink density, which is present in the test pattern of Kido (Note that the blank regions of Kido, the position marks 46, are surrounded by colored regions of varying density). Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the test pattern of Kido to be used for determining an upper limit value of an ejection amount of the colored liquid that is able to be ejected for printing an image in order to increase image quality by mitigating bleeding, as taught by Yokokawa et al (Paragraph 0092, “When the area 1 with a large amount of chromatic color ink and the area 2 with a small amount of chromatic color ink border on each other, chromatic color ink flows from the area 1 to the area 2 and bleed occurs along the boundary between the areas as shown in FIG. 13B”).
Regarding claim 2, Kido teaches,
the predetermined shape is a rectangular shape (Paragraph 0099, “The position marks 46 are rectangular blank patterns formed in the recording colors corresponding to the respective test pattern components 38 through 44, and are formed at equal intervals in the head main scanning direction 34”).
Regarding claim 3,
Kido does not disclose that the test pattern includes a plurality of the patches in which an amount of the colored liquid ejected per unit area is different.
However, Yokokawa et al. teaches a test pattern with multiple patches having varying densities of colored ink (Figure 12, “CHROMATIC COLOR INK IMPLANTATION AMOUNT”). Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have that the test pattern includes a plurality of patches in which an amount of the colored liquid ejected per unit area is different in order to increase image quality by finding the optimal density to mitigate bleeding and blank spots, as taught by Yokokawa et al (Figure 12, “SELECT PATCHES WHERE NEITHER BLEED NOR BLANK SPOT IS OCCURRING AT BOUNDARY PORTION BETWEEN TWO AREAS”).
Regarding claim 4,
Kido does not disclose that the colored region includes a first partial region of a first color and a second partial region of a second color different from the first color, the first partial region and the second partial region being adjacent to each other.
However, Yokokawa et al. teaches a test pattern having multiple patches each having two areas of different colors adjacent to each other (Figure 11B; Paragraph 0087, “In other words, the color of the area 1 and the color of the area 2 are different from each other”). Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Kido to have that the colored region has a first partial region of a first color and a second partial region of a second color being adjacent to each other in order to be able to find the optimal amount of treatment liquid for a given color combination, as taught by Yokokawa et al. (Paragraph 0087, “Between the patches, the application amounts of chromatic color inks are the same, but the application amounts of reactive liquid are different. By using these test patterns, it is possible to determine the application amount of reactive liquid, which provides no blank spot or bleed”).
Regarding claim 5, Kido teaches,
the printing head,
the printing control unit controls ejection of the colored liquid,
the test pattern including a plurality of patches.
Kido does not disclose:
the printing head is further configured to eject a functional liquid to a region same as the region to which the colored liquid is ejected,
the printing control unit controls the functional liquid from the printing head to print the test pattern on the medium,
the test pattern includes a plurality of the patches in which an amount of the functional liquid ejected per unit area is different,
the plurality of patches in which an amount of the colored liquid ejected per unit area is different are arranged side by side in a first order in a first direction,
the first order is a descending order or an ascending order of the amount of the colored liquid,
the plurality of patches in which an amount of the functional liquid ejected per unit area is different are arranged side by side in a second order in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction,
the second order is a descending order or an ascending order of the amount of the functional liquid.
However, Yokokawa et al. teaches a printing head ejecting functional liquid to the same region as the region to which the colored region is ejected, and a printing control unit which controls the ejection of a functional liquid to a test pattern (Paragraph 0033, “The print head 9 includes a discharge port array 22RCT that discharges reactive liquid (RCT)”; Paragraph 0035, “The CPU 301 performs processing operation, such… printing operation”).
Furthermore, the test pattern of Yokokawa et al. A has multiple patches having varying densities of colored liquid and a reactive liquid, being a functional liquid (Figure 11A, “CHROMATIC COLOR INK IMPLANTATION AMOUNT”, “REACTIVE LIQUID IMPLANTATION AMOUNT”). These patches are arranged side by side in a first and second direction orthogonal to each other, with ejection amount of functional liquid increasing to the right, and ejection amount of colored liquid increasing downwards. Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Kido to have that the test pattern has multiple patches of varying densities of colored liquid and functional liquid arranged in a first and second direction orthogonal to each other, ranked in a descending or ascending order of ejection amount, so that the optimal ejection amount of functional liquid for a given color liquid density can be found, as taught by Yokokawa et al. (Paragraph 0089, “The application amount of reactive liquid is determined in accordance with a print result of the test pattern… Reactive liquid of an amount by which bleed or beading does not occur with respect to the application amount of chromatic color ink is supplied to the area 1 of each patch”).
Regarding claim 6,
Kido does not disclose that the patch further includes a blank line to which the colored liquid is not ejected, and the colored region is adjacent to both sides of the blank line.
However, Yokokawa et al. shows a patch which includes a blank line to which the colored liquid is not ejected, with a colored region being adjacent to both sides of the blank line (Figure 11A). Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Kido to have a blank line to which the colored region is not ejected with the colored region adjacent to both sides of the blank line to separate the colored region into separate areas, as taught by Yokokawa et al. (Figure 11A).
Regarding claim 8, Kido teaches,
a printing method (Paragraph 0020, “According to an aspect of the embodiments, a faulty discharge detection technique…”) comprising:
controlling ejection of a colored liquid from a printing head configured to eject the colored liquid onto a medium (Paragraph 0038, “The control unit 2… governs various types of control of the overall inkjet recording apparatus 1”),
printing a test pattern on the medium (Paragraph 0020, “The technique includes: recording a test pattern onto the recording medium using the recording head”),
the test pattern includes at least one patch (Figure 6D, Item 64),
the patch includes a colored region to which the colored liquid is ejected and a blank region to which the colored liquid is not ejected (Paragraph 0099, “The position marks 46 are rectangular blank patterns formed in the recording colors corresponding to the respective test pattern components 38 through 44, and are formed at equal intervals in the head main scanning direction 34”),
the blank region has a predetermined shape and is located on an inner side of the patch (Figure 6B, Item 46),
the colored region is arranged to surround the blank region and is adjacent to an outer side of the blank region (Figure 6B, Item 46).
Kido does not disclose that the test pattern is for determining an upper limit value of an ejection amount of the colored liquid that is able to be ejected for printing an image.
However, Yokokawa et al. teaches a test pattern with multiple patches, each having two areas bordering one another where different quantities of ink are ejected in order to find which ejection values lead to bleeding of ink (Figure 12, “SELECT PATCHES WHERE NEITHER BLEED NOR BLANK SPOT IS OCCURRING AT BOUNDARY PORTION BETWEEN TWO AREAS”). By doing so, an upper limit value of an ejection amount of the colored liquid would be found. Note that this is done by virtue of having two bordering regions of differing ink density, which is present in the test pattern of Kido (Note that the blank regions of Kido, the position marks 46, are surrounded by colored regions of varying density). Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the test pattern of Kido to be used for determining an upper limit value of an ejection amount of the colored liquid that is able to be ejected for printing an image in order to increase image quality by mitigating bleeding, as taught by Yokokawa et al (Paragraph 0092, “When the area 1 with a large amount of chromatic color ink and the area 2 with a small amount of chromatic color ink border on each other, chromatic color ink flows from the area 1 to the area 2 and bleed occurs along the boundary between the areas as shown in FIG. 13B”).
Regarding claim 9, Kido teaches,
a test pattern (Paragraph 0020, “The technique includes: recording a test pattern onto the recording medium using the recording head”),
the test pattern includes at least one patch (Figure 6D, Item 64),
the patch includes a colored region to which the colored liquid is ejected and a blank region to which the colored liquid is not ejected (Paragraph 0099, “The position marks 46 are rectangular blank patterns formed in the recording colors corresponding to the respective test pattern components 38 through 44, and are formed at equal intervals in the head main scanning direction 34”),
the blank region has a predetermined shape and is located on an inner side of the patch (Figure 6B, Item 46),
the colored region is arranged to surround the blank region and is adjacent to an outer side of the blank region (Figure 6B, Item 46).
Kido does not disclose that the test pattern is for determining an upper limit value of an ejection amount of a colored liquid that is able to be ejected for printing an image.
However, Yokokawa et al. teaches a test pattern with multiple patches, each having two areas bordering one another where different quantities of ink are ejected in order to find which ejection values lead to bleeding of ink (Figure 12, “SELECT PATCHES WHERE NEITHER BLEED NOR BLANK SPOT IS OCCURRING AT BOUNDARY PORTION BETWEEN TWO AREAS”). By doing so, an upper limit value of an ejection amount of the colored liquid would be found. Note that this is done by virtue of having two bordering regions of differing ink density, which is present in the test pattern of Kido (Note that the blank regions of Kido, the position marks 46, are surrounded by colored regions of varying density). Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the test pattern of Kido to be used for determining an upper limit value of an ejection amount of the colored liquid that is able to be ejected for printing an image in order to increase image quality by mitigating bleeding, as taught by Yokokawa et al (Paragraph 0092, “When the area 1 with a large amount of chromatic color ink and the area 2 with a small amount of chromatic color ink border on each other, chromatic color ink flows from the area 1 to the area 2 and bleed occurs along the boundary between the areas as shown in FIG. 13B”).
Note that in MPEP 2112.01, it is stated that “where the only difference between a prior art product and a claimed product is printed matter that is not functionally related to the product, the content of the printed matter will not distinguish the claimed product from the prior art.”
Claim(s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kido US 20120050378 A1 and Yokokawa et al. US 20250121607 A1 as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Uetsuki et al. US 20240198691 A1.
Regarding claim 7,
Modified Kido does not disclose that the patch further includes a colored line to which the colored liquid is ejected, a color of the colored line is different from a color of the colored region, and the colored region is adjacent to both sides of the colored line.
However, Uetsuki et al. teaches a patch having a first ink color as a background color and a second ink color as a fine line over the patch (Figure 16A; Paragraph 0144, “In this patch, a first ink color is applied as a background color in each of regions denoted by reference numeral 1601, a second ink color is applied as a fine line color in fine line regions denoted by reference numerals 1602 and 1603, and the reaction liquid is applied over the entire patch”). Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Kido to have that the patch further includes a colored line of a different color than the colored region, with the colored region adjacent to both sides of the colored line, in order to be able to find the optimal amount of functional liquid to prevent bleeding for a certain color combination between the colored region and the colored line, as taught by Uetsuki et al. (Paragraph 0147, “For a combination of predetermined first ink color and second ink color, an application amount of the reaction liquid in which no bleed occurs and that is optimal for an application amount of the inks is obtained by using a pattern as illustrated in FIG. 16C”).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Rami Alshoroogi whose telephone number is (571)272-8946. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 10am-6pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Douglas Rodriguez can be reached at (571)431-0716. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/RAMI A ALSHOROOGI/ Examiner, Art Unit 2853
/DOUGLAS X RODRIGUEZ/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2853
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