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 § 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 1-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1) as being anticipated by Takahashi (US 2021/0122155 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Takahashi discloses an information processing apparatus comprising circuitry configured to (e.g., the inkjet apparatus 1 includes mechanical components such as a main scanning motor 8, a gear 9, a pressure roller 10, a timing belt 11, and a guide rod 12. The inkjet apparatus 1 reciprocates an ink carriage 5 in a main scanning direction A with such mechanical components, paragraph 37): obtain a measurement result of an amount of ink drop discharged from one or more nozzles of an inkjet head in response to receiving a signal for starting a restriction on a total amount of ink drop (e.g., The drive control board 18 performs control such as inputting a drive waveform to the head module 15 through, e.g., the cable 19. The head module 15 discharges liquid according to the drive waveform, paragraph 47);
create a table used for converting a gradation value into the amount of ink drop based on the measurement result of the amount of ink drop (e.g., Accordingly, the drive control board 18 includes a digital/analog (D/A) converter, an operational amplifier, an electrolytic capacitor, an electronic circuit such as a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), and a current amplification device in order to generate a drive waveform corresponding to the characteristics of each head module 15, paragraphs 48, 51); and
restrict a total amount of ink drop corresponding to the gradation value using the table (e.g., the drive-waveform-data storage device 107 stores data indicating a drive waveform for driving the head module 15 to cause the head unit to discharge liquid, paragraph 77, 82).
Regarding claim 2, Takahashi discloses wherein the circuitry is configured to obtain the measurement result of the amount of ink drop discharged from all nozzles used in printing (e.g., FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating an example of control for correcting the size of liquid. For example, in the case of image data for instructing an image to be formed to have a uniform density, the size of liquid (hereinafter, simply referred to as “size”) to be discharged by a head unit is set to be consistently a small droplet SZ1 in a state before the correction is performed, paragraphs 126, 127).
Regarding claim 3, Takahashi discloses wherein the circuitry is configured to obtain the measurement result of the amount of ink drop corresponding to a desired gradation value (e.g., the size may be corrected based on the deviation amount. That is, when the deviation amount is a large value equal to or larger than a certain value, the size may be corrected from the small droplet SZ1 to, e.g., a large droplet, paragraph 130).
Regarding claim 4, Takahashi discloses wherein the circuitry is configured to: obtain the measurement result of the amount of ink drop a plurality of times; and create the table based on an average value of the measurement results of the amount of ink drop (e.g., FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating an example of control for correcting the size of liquid. For example, in the case of image data for instructing an image to be formed to have a uniform density, the size of liquid (hereinafter, simply referred to as “size”) to be discharged by a head unit is set to be consistently a small droplet SZ1 in a state before the correction is performed, paragraphs 126, 127).
Regarding claim 5, Takahashi discloses wherein the circuitry is configured to obtain the measurement result of the amount of ink drop corresponding to a specific gradation value specified on a user interface (UI) (e.g., FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating an example of control for correcting the size of liquid. For example, in the case of image data for instructing an image to be formed to have a uniform density, the size of liquid (hereinafter, simply referred to as “size”) to be discharged by a head unit is set to be consistently a small droplet SZ1 in a state before the correction is performed, paragraph 126).
Regarding claim 6, Takahashi discloses wherein the circuitry is configured to obtain the measurement result of the amount of ink drop for a number of times of measurement specified on a user interface (UI) (e.g., it is assumed that an image is formed with the size of the small droplet SZ1 at any of the first measurement position PS1, the second measurement position PS2, and the third measurement position PS3, paragraph 127).
Regarding claim 7, Takahashi discloses wherein the circuitry is further configured to, after the amount of ink drop is measured, display, on a display, a change in ink amount, which is a difference between the measurement result of the amount of ink drop currently obtained and the measurement result of the amount of ink drop previously obtained (e.g., FIG. 16 is a diagram of an example of a case in which the size of liquid is corrected. For example, in the second-round pass, control is performed so that the size used at the second measurement position PS2 is corrected to a medium droplet SZ2, paragraph 129).
Regarding claim 8, Takahashi discloses wherein the circuitry is configured to display, on the display, a message used for determining a measurement condition for measuring the amount of ink drop for a next time based on the change in ink amount (e.g., paragraphs 86, 87).
Regarding claim 9, claim 9 is an information processing method reciting the same or similar claim limitations or features as recited in claim 1. Therefore, claim 9 is rejected as set forth above as claim 1.
Regarding claim 10, claim 10 is a non-transitory recording medium claim reciting the same or similar claim limitations or features as recited in claim 1. Therefore, claim 10 is rejected as set forth above as claim 1.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted to later than the payment of the Issue Fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the Issue Fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statements of Reasons for Allowance.”
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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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.
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/QUANG N VO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2683
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