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 .
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 § 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.
Claim(s) 1-2, 4, 9-11, and 14-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fujiwara (US 2019/0263616) in view of Miyagawa et al. (US 2014/0270396).
(1) regarding claims 1, 16 and 17:
Fujiwara ‘616 discloses a control apparatus (paragraph [0033]) comprising:
a movable portion whose mechanical position is movable to a plurality of positions including a first position in which a space to stack discharged media has a predetermined size and a second position in which the space is expanded to a size greater than the predetermined size in a direction of stacking of the media (paragraph [0009], where the discharge tray is able to move up or down between positions depending on the size (amount) of discharged sheets received); and
at least one memory (paragraph [0035], memories ROM and RAM) and at least one processor (paragraph [0035], controller 7):
Fujiwara ‘616 discloses all the subject matter as described above except where the control apparatus is a print control apparatus;
where the media is print media;
where the execution of an operation is an execution of printing;
a control unit configured to perform control to make a first notification regarding movement of the movable portion to the second position during execution of printing in which printed print media are discharged to the space in a case where the movable portion is in the first position.
However, Miyagawa ‘396 teaches where the control apparatus is a print control apparatus (paragraph [0037], image forming system);
where the media is print media (paragraph [0049], printed sheets);
where the execution of an operation is an execution of printing (paragraph [0049], printing);
a control unit configured to perform control to make a first notification regarding movement of the movable portion to the second position during execution of printing in which printed print media are discharged to the space in a case where the movable portion is in the first position (paragraph [0156], where a notification is made when the position of the discharge tray is at a predetermined position(being interpreted as first position) and then moving to a secondary position to accommodate an increase in discharged sheets).
Having a system of Miyagawa ‘396 reference and then given the well-established teaching of Fujiwara ‘616 reference, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Fujiwara ‘616 to include the limitations as taught by Miyagawa ‘396 because even when the LCD 60 of the test apparatus 4 is located out of sight from the location of the discharge tray 501, it becomes possible to check or take out the defective printed material stacked on the discharge tray 501 while checking an image or the like of the defective printed material via the mobile terminal. Therefore, the convenience for the user can be improved (paragraph [0105]).
(2) regarding claim 2:
Fujiwara ‘616 discloses all the subject matter as described above except a detector configured to detect a position of the movable portion,
wherein the control unit performs control to make the first notification based on a detection result of the detector.
However, Miyagawa ‘396 teaches a detector configured to detect a position of the movable portion (paragraph [0149]),
wherein the control unit performs control to make the first notification based on a detection result of the detector (paragraph [0156], where a notification is made when the position of the discharge tray is at a predetermined position(being interpreted as first position) and then moving to a secondary position to accommodate an increase in discharged sheets).
Having a system of Miyagawa ‘396 reference and then given the well-established teaching of Fujiwara ‘616 reference, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Fujiwara ‘616 to include the limitations as taught by Miyagawa ‘396 because even when the LCD 60 of the test apparatus 4 is located out of sight from the location of the discharge tray 501, it becomes possible to check or take out the defective printed material stacked on the discharge tray 501 while checking an image or the like of the defective printed material via the mobile terminal. Therefore, the convenience for the user can be improved (paragraph [0105]).
(3) regarding claim 4:
Fujiwara ‘616 discloses all the subject matter as described above except wherein in a case where the movable portion is in the first position and a stacked amount of print media discharged to the space exceeds a first threshold during execution of the printing, the control unit performs control to make the first notification.
However, Miyagawa ‘396 teaches wherein in a case where the movable portion is in the first position and a stacked amount of print media discharged to the space exceeds a first threshold during execution of the printing, the control unit performs control to make the first notification (paragraph [0155]-[0156], where a notification is made when more print jobs are received).
Having a system of Miyagawa ‘396 reference and then given the well-established teaching of Fujiwara ‘616 reference, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Fujiwara ‘616 to include the limitations as taught by Miyagawa ‘396 because even when the LCD 60 of the test apparatus 4 is located out of sight from the location of the discharge tray 501, it becomes possible to check or take out the defective printed material stacked on the discharge tray 501 while checking an image or the like of the defective printed material via the mobile terminal. Therefore, the convenience for the user can be improved (paragraph [0105]).
(4) regarding claim 9:
Fujiwara ‘616 discloses all the subject matter as described above except wherein in a case where a predetermined operation is performed, the control unit initializes the stacked amount.
However, Miyagawa ‘396 teaches wherein in a case where a predetermined operation is performed, the control unit initializes the stacked amount (paragraph [0156]).
Having a system of Miyagawa ‘396 reference and then given the well-established teaching of Fujiwara ‘616 reference, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Fujiwara ‘616 to include the limitations as taught by Miyagawa ‘396 because even when the LCD 60 of the test apparatus 4 is located out of sight from the location of the discharge tray 501, it becomes possible to check or take out the defective printed material stacked on the discharge tray 501 while checking an image or the like of the defective printed material via the mobile terminal. Therefore, the convenience for the user can be improved (paragraph [0105]).
(5) regarding claim 10:
Fujiwara ‘616 discloses all the subject matter as described above except wherein the stacked amount is obtained based on a number of discharged print media.
However, Miyagawa ‘396 teaches wherein the stacked amount is obtained based on a number of discharged print media (paragraph [0156]).
Having a system of Miyagawa ‘396 reference and then given the well-established teaching of Fujiwara ‘616 reference, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Fujiwara ‘616 to include the limitations as taught by Miyagawa ‘396 because even when the LCD 60 of the test apparatus 4 is located out of sight from the location of the discharge tray 501, it becomes possible to check or take out the defective printed material stacked on the discharge tray 501 while checking an image or the like of the defective printed material via the mobile terminal. Therefore, the convenience for the user can be improved (paragraph [0105]).
(6) regarding claim 11:
Fujiwara ‘616 discloses all the subject matter as described above except wherein the stacked amount is obtained further based on a type of print medium.
However, Miyagawa ‘396 teaches wherein the stacked amount is obtained further based on a type of print medium (paragraph [0076]).
Having a system of Miyagawa ‘396 reference and then given the well-established teaching of Fujiwara ‘616 reference, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Fujiwara ‘616 to include the limitations as taught by Miyagawa ‘396 because even when the LCD 60 of the test apparatus 4 is located out of sight from the location of the discharge tray 501, it becomes possible to check or take out the defective printed material stacked on the discharge tray 501 while checking an image or the like of the defective printed material via the mobile terminal. Therefore, the convenience for the user can be improved (paragraph [0105]).
(7) regarding claim 14:
Fujiwara ‘616 further discloses wherein the movable portion is a scan portion configured to read a document (paragraph [0042]).
(8) regarding claim 15:
Fujiwara ‘616 discloses all the subject matter as described above except wherein the printing is printing on the print media.
However, Miyagawa ‘396 teaches wherein the printing is printing on the print media (paragraph [0049]).
Having a system of Miyagawa ‘396 reference and then given the well-established teaching of Fujiwara ‘616 reference, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Fujiwara ‘616 to include the limitations as taught by Miyagawa ‘396 because even when the LCD 60 of the test apparatus 4 is located out of sight from the location of the discharge tray 501, it becomes possible to check or take out the defective printed material stacked on the discharge tray 501 while checking an image or the like of the defective printed material via the mobile terminal. Therefore, the convenience for the user can be improved (paragraph [0105]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3, 5-8, and 12-13 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 a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
A. Claim 3 discloses the unique and distinct limitations of “wherein the first notification is a notification which prompts a user to move the movable portion to the second position”, either alone or in combination, the applied prior art does not teach the claimed subject matter.
B. Claim 5 discloses the unique and distinct limitations of “wherein after the first notification is made, in a case where the stacked amount exceeds a second threshold greater than the first threshold with the movable portion unmoved to the second position, the control unit performs control to stop the printing”, either alone or in combination, the applied prior art does not teach the claimed subject matter. Claims 6 and 7 depend either directly or indirectly on claim 5, therefore a similar analysis applies.
C. Claim 8 discloses the unique and distinct limitations of “wherein after the first notification is made, in a case where the movable portion is moved to the second position, the control unit performs control to make a second notification which prompts removal of print media stacked in the space from the space”, either alone or in combination, the applied prior art does not teach the claimed subject matter.
D. Claim 12 discloses the unique and distinct limitations of “a detector configured to detect a position of the movable portion, wherein in a case where the printing is started, if the detector detects that the movable portion is in the second position, the control unit does not make the first notification even if the stacked amount exceeds the first threshold”, either alone or in combination, the applied prior art does not teach the claimed subject matter.
E. Claim 13 discloses the unique and distinct limitations of “wherein in a case where the printing is started, if the detector detects that the movable portion is in the second position, the control unit performs control to make a second notification which prompts removal of stacked print media from the space”, either alone or in combination, the applied prior art does not teach the claimed subject matter.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LENNIN R RODRIGUEZ whose telephone number is (571)270-1678. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 9:00am-7:00pm.
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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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/LENNIN R RODRIGUEZGONZALEZ/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2683
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