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 .
Priority
Examiner acknowledges the following data:
Parent data
19008282 filed 01/02/2025 claims foreign priority to 24151147.6, filed 01/10/2024.
Information Disclosure statements
The information disclosure statements (IDS) were submitted and filed on 01/02/2025. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
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 1-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Smith et al (US 2003/0149917) in view of Shikama et al (US 2022/0156021).
Regarding claim 1, Smith et al discloses method (fig. 1, method) of remotely using a remote print manager module which is installed on each printer of a cluster of printers (fig. 1, Additional MFP features may include: browser-compatible printer management software (print manager module) having an embedded web server and administration software (e.g, HP WEB JETADMIN.RTM.) to deliver remote printer management services and solutions for one-to-one and one-to-many printer management (cluster of printers), [0023], lines 1-3) and is configured to display printer data and job data of each printer in the cluster in a window of a web browser, the method comprising the steps of (fig. 1, Additional MFP features may include: browser-compatible printer management software (print manager module) having an embedded web server and administration software (e.g, HP WEB JETADMIN.RTM.) to deliver remote printer management services and solutions for one-to-one and one-to-many printer management (cluster of printers). MFP may also have an ability to send automatic e-mail alerts, and be optionally configured to send preconfigured notifications of printer problems and job status via e-mail to designated recipients on the network. An e-mail notice (display) may even provide a hot link for ordering supplies via the Internet, [0023], lines 1-3, [0024], lines 1-3);
a) selecting a first printer in the cluster by means of the web browser (administrator may refresh the Web browser and select the software bundle file from a menu or the like. Activation of an update software icon or button then causes the administrative software to send the software bundle to a printer (selected a first printer) of the plurality of printers 110 or 112 (cluster) as depicted in fig. 1 needing new or revised software, [0042], lines 10-12);
b) connecting to the remote print manager module of the first printer in the cluster (fig. 1, Additional MFP features may include: browser-compatible printer management software (print manager module) having an embedded web server and administration software (e.g, HP WEB JETADMIN.RTM.) to deliver remote printer management services and solutions for one-to-one (first printer) and one-to-many printer management (cluster of printers), [0023], lines 1-3);
c) detecting a remote print manager module of a second printer in the cluster, the remote print manager module of the second printer having a higher software version than the remote print manager module of the first printer (using administrative software to revise printer software (higher software version) for a plurality of printers (second printer in the cluster). According to this method, an administrator initiates execution of administrative software (e.g., HP WEB JETADMIN.RTM.). Next, the administrator creates a device group, in part, by selecting (detect) printers from a list for inclusion in the group. The administrator may update software for printers in this group (detecting a remote print manager module of a second printer in the cluster) by activating an "update" icon or button displayed by the administrative software and optionally selecting all or only some of the printers in the group, [0043], lines 1-5);
e) selecting the second printer in the cluster by means of the web browser (administrator initiates execution of administrative software (e.g., HP WEB JETADMIN.RTM.). Next, the administrator creates a device group, in part, by selecting printers (second printer) from a list for inclusion in the group, [0043], lines 2-3); and
f) connecting to the remote print manager module of the second printer (using administrative software to revise printer software for a plurality of printers. According to this method, an administrator initiates execution of administrative software (e.g., HP WEB JETADMIN.RTM.). Next, the administrator creates a device group, in part, by selecting printers from a list for inclusion in the group. The administrator may update software for printers in this group by activating an "update" icon or button displayed by the administrative software and optionally selecting all or only some of the printers in the group, [0043], lines 1-5).
Smith et al does not specifically disclose concept of d) disconnecting from the remote print manager module of the first printer;
However, Shikama et al specifically teaches concept of d) disconnecting from the remote print manager module of the first printer (When a disconnection button (not illustrated in FIG. 9) is pressed, the printer control unit 803b disconnects the communication between the information processing apparatus 1 and the handheld printer 2, [0094], lines 3-5);
At the time the invention was filed, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified system of Smith et al with concept of d) disconnecting from the remote print manager module of the first printer of Shikama et al. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to improve handheld printer that applies ink while being manually operated on a paper surface, without a paper conveyance system, (Shikama et al, [0003], 2-3).
Regarding claim 2, Smith et al discloses method (fig. 1, method), wherein step c) of detecting the second printer is performed by the remote print manager module of the first printer (using administrative software to revise printer software (higher software version) for a plurality of printers (second printer in the cluster). According to this method, an administrator initiates execution of administrative software (e.g., HP WEB JETADMIN.RTM.). Next, the administrator creates a device group, in part, by selecting (detect) printers from a list for inclusion in the group. The administrator may update software for printers in this group (detecting a remote print manager module of a second printer in the cluster) by activating an "update" icon or button displayed by the administrative software and optionally selecting all or only some of the printers in the group, [0043], lines 1-5).
Regarding claim 3, Smith et al discloses method (fig. 1, method), wherein step c) of detecting the second printer is performed by the web browser (using administrative software to revise printer software (higher software version) for a plurality of printers (second printer in the cluster). According to this method, an administrator initiates execution of administrative software (e.g., HP WEB JETADMIN.RTM.). Next, the administrator creates a device group, in part, by selecting (detect) printers from a list for inclusion in the group. The administrator may update software for printers in this group (detecting a remote print manager module of a second printer in the cluster) by activating an "update" icon or button displayed by the administrative software and optionally selecting all or only some of the printers in the group, [0043], lines 1-5).
Regarding claim 4, Smith et al discloses method (fig. 1, method), wherein the method comprises the step of the remote print manager module of the first printer giving visual feedback on the window of the web browser to confirm the selection of the second printer (In yet another exemplary method of revising printer software, an administrator initiates execution of Web administration software (e.g., HP WEB JETADMIN.RTM.). Next, the administrator enters an IP address or IP hostname of a printer in a device find field. Once found, the administration software displays a status window for the printer. In conjunction with the status window, the administrative software also displays an "update" icon or button. Activation of the update button results in a display of further information related to the type of update to perform (e.g., update printers). Selection of an "update printers" option causes the administrative software to display an icon or button for uploading of new (or revised) printer software and a browse option to aid in locating an already downloaded software bundle, typically downloaded from a printer manufacturer's Web site, [0042], lines 1-8).
Regarding claim 5, Smith et al discloses method (fig. 1, method), wherein the printer data and job data comprise a multi-printer schedule of print jobs of the printers in the cluster (MFP features may include: browser-compatible printer management software having an embedded web server and administration software (e.g, HP WEB JETADMIN.RTM.) to deliver remote printer management services and solutions for one-to-one and one-to-many printer management; Internet software that may include easy custom Internet software disk replication utility to customize what options administrators will load to their systems; administration software for easy intranet administration; Internet installer software for easy downloading and updating of software; software utility software to let a user or an administrator know when updates are available; Internet page set up utility software to format and print internet pages, and to poll the internet for addresses that a user (or device) has requested as well as schedule the printing of those selected pages at any specified interval or intervals, [0023], lines 1-3, [0024], lines 1-8).
Regarding claim 6, Smith et al discloses print fleet system comprising a cluster of printers, each printer in the cluster comprising a remote print manager configured to display printer data and job data of each printer in the cluster of printers in a window of a web browser, wherein each printer in the cluster is configured to perform the steps of the method (fig. 1, Additional MFP features may include: browser-compatible printer management software (print manager module) having an embedded web server and administration software (e.g, HP WEB JETADMIN.RTM.) to deliver remote printer management services and solutions for one-to-one and one-to-many printer management (cluster of printers). MFP may also have an ability to send automatic e-mail alerts, and be optionally configured to send preconfigured notifications of printer problems and job status via e-mail to designated recipients on the network. An e-mail notice (display) may even provide a hot link for ordering supplies via the Internet, [0023], lines 1-3, [0024], lines 1-3).
Regarding claim 7, Smith et al discloses non-transitory recording medium comprising computer executable program code configured to instruct a computer connected to a print fleet system to perform the steps of the method (printer 110 includes a processor 120, an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM) 122, and a random access memory (RAM) 124. The processor 120 processes various instructions necessary to operate the printer 110 and/or communicate with other devices, [0015], lines 2-4).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FRANTZ BATAILLE whose telephone number is (571)270-7286. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9:00 AM-5:00 PM.
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/FRANTZ BATAILLE/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2681
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