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 .
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.
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.
Information Disclosure Statement
The Information Disclosure Statements filed on January 21, 2025, June 4, 2025, and September 18, 2025 have been considered by the examiner.
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.
Claim(s) 1 and 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ohba (Pub. No. US 2010/0195135).
Claim 1:
Ohba discloses an information processing apparatus comprising:
a communication device that performs data communication with an external device, via a network [fig. 4; par. 0084, 93, 96 – “The communication interface 29 functions as a communicator to exchange data with information processing apparatuses such as the clients 4 and 6 via the network 6, or perform FAX communications with external devices via a telephone circuit. For example, a NIC (Network Interface Card), a modem, a TA (Terminal Adapter), a wireless interface or etc. is employed as the communication interface 29.” … “Meanwhile, the client 4 includes a communication interface 41, a CPU 42 and a display 43 as well as an operation portion 44. The communication interface 41 serves to exchange data with the client 5 and the image processing apparatus 2 via the network 6.” … “The communication interface 51 serves to exchange data with the client 4 and the image processing apparatus 2 via the network 6.”];
an access-right information storage device containing access-right information with respect to a storage on the network, in association with user identification information for identifying a user [fig. 4; par. 0074-0083, 0100 – “The memory 13 is a hard disk drive or etc. that records in itself job information 14, user authentication information 20 and other information.” … “The user authentication information 20 serves to limit users' use of the image processing apparatus 2. It includes for example, user IDs, passwords and other information of users who are permitted to use the image processing apparatus 2.” … “Furthermore, the access authority information generator 58 activates its function, generating share user information indicating users who are permitted to access the shared folder and access permission information defining the users' user authority level to use base data stored in the shared folder, collectively as access authority information. The share user information and the access permission information are preliminarily set and recorded in the memory 3, by an administrator or another person, and the access administer 50 administers these information pieces.”]; and
a control device including a processor, and configured to act, when the processor executes a control program, as a controller that makes access to the storage according to a processing request from the user [figs. 4-5; par. 0075-0080, 0103-0125 – “By reading out and executing a program stored in the ROM 11, the CPU 10 activates the image processing apparatus 2's basic functions (the copying, network printing, scanning and FAX functions and other functions), and the various functions to be described hereinafter.” … “The job information 14 relates to a job received by the image processing apparatus 2, and includes receipt date and time information 15, user information 16, storage location information 17, share user information 18 and job access authority information 19, as well as data (a file) to be processed by the job, a name of the data, conditions for job execution and other information.” … “The storage location information 17 indicates a storage location of a shared folder, received together with a job via the network 6, by the image processing apparatus 2, and also a storage location of base data specified by user to be processed by the job (for example, electronic data of a document, an image or etc. to be printed). In this embodiment, the storage location information 17 includes an address and a name of the client 5, and information (a file path) representing a shared folder in a hard disk drive 3, storing the base data.” … “FIG. 5 is a flowchart representing a process routine executed in the client 5 of the image processing system 1. This process routine is executed by the CPU 52 according to a predetermined program recorded in a recording medium such as a ROM not shown in Figures.”], in a case where the access-right information, associated with the user identification information of the user requesting the processing, is stored in the access-right information storage device, when the communication device receives, from an external image processing apparatus, the processing request to the storage from the user [figs. 5-7; pars. 0076, 0074-0083, 0119, 0126-0138 – “The share user information 18 indicates users (share users) who are permitted to access a shared folder, and it is extracted from access authority information set for the shared folder, received together with a job via the network 6, by the image processing apparatus 2. For example, if a user using the client 4 is permitted to access base data stored in the client 5 via the network 6, the share user information 18 includes user information of the client 4.” … “Meanwhile, when the image processing apparatus 2 receives the job via the network 6, the communication interface 29 activates its functions, generating the receipt date and time information 15. Then, it is judged whether or not it is a FAX receipt job to receive image data from a FAX apparatus, not a PC-FAX transmission job. If it is judged that it is not a FAX receipt job, but user information and access information of a shared folder are received together with the job, the user authenticator 31 activates its function, judging whether or not the user is permitted to register jobs, based on the user authentication information 20.” … “In Step S201, when the image processing apparatus 2 receives a job via the network 6, the receipt date and time information 15 is generated. Then it is judged in Step S202, whether or not it is a FAX receipt job from a facsimile apparatus. If it is a FAX receipt job from a facsimile apparatus (YES in Step S202), a FAX receipt job receiving process is executed in Step S209. If it is not a FAX receipt job from a facsimile apparatus (NO in Step S202), then it is judged in Step S203, whether or not it is an authenticated, based on user information received together with the job.”],
wherein the controller causes the storage and the image processing apparatus to upload and download data between each other, via the communication device [figs. 4, 7; pars. 0076, 0074-0083, 0097, 0119, 0126-0138 – bidirectional communication between image processing apparatus and clients. Users have authenticated access to base data stored in hard disk 3.].
Claim 9:
Ohba discloses an information processing system comprising:
an image processing apparatus [fig. 4 – image processing apparatus - 2]; and
an information processing apparatus [fig. 4 – information processing apparatuses - 4, 5],
the information processing apparatus including:
a communication device that performs data communication with an external device, via a network [fig. 4; par. 0084, 93, 96 – “The communication interface 29 functions as a communicator to exchange data with information processing apparatuses such as the clients 4 and 6 via the network 6, or perform FAX communications with external devices via a telephone circuit. For example, a NIC (Network Interface Card), a modem, a TA (Terminal Adapter), a wireless interface or etc. is employed as the communication interface 29.” … “Meanwhile, the client 4 includes a communication interface 41, a CPU 42 and a display 43 as well as an operation portion 44. The communication interface 41 serves to exchange data with the client 5 and the image processing apparatus 2 via the network 6.” … “The communication interface 51 serves to exchange data with the client 4 and the image processing apparatus 2 via the network 6.”];
an access-right information storage device containing access-right information with respect to a storage on the network, in association with user identification information for identifying a user [fig. 4; par. 0074-0083, 0100 – “The memory 13 is a hard disk drive or etc. that records in itself job information 14, user authentication information 20 and other information.” … “The user authentication information 20 serves to limit users' use of the image processing apparatus 2. It includes for example, user IDs, passwords and other information of users who are permitted to use the image processing apparatus 2.” … “Furthermore, the access authority information generator 58 activates its function, generating share user information indicating users who are permitted to access the shared folder and access permission information defining the users' user authority level to use base data stored in the shared folder, collectively as access authority information. The share user information and the access permission information are preliminarily set and recorded in the memory 3, by an administrator or another person, and the access administer 50 administers these information pieces.”]; and
a control device including a processor, and configured to act, when the processor executes a control program, as a controller that makes access to the storage according to a processing request from the user [figs. 4-5; par. 0075-0080, 0103-0125 – “By reading out and executing a program stored in the ROM 11, the CPU 10 activates the image processing apparatus 2's basic functions (the copying, network printing, scanning and FAX functions and other functions), and the various functions to be described hereinafter.” … “The job information 14 relates to a job received by the image processing apparatus 2, and includes receipt date and time information 15, user information 16, storage location information 17, share user information 18 and job access authority information 19, as well as data (a file) to be processed by the job, a name of the data, conditions for job execution and other information.” … “The storage location information 17 indicates a storage location of a shared folder, received together with a job via the network 6, by the image processing apparatus 2, and also a storage location of base data specified by user to be processed by the job (for example, electronic data of a document, an image or etc. to be printed). In this embodiment, the storage location information 17 includes an address and a name of the client 5, and information (a file path) representing a shared folder in a hard disk drive 3, storing the base data.” … “FIG. 5 is a flowchart representing a process routine executed in the client 5 of the image processing system 1. This process routine is executed by the CPU 52 according to a predetermined program recorded in a recording medium such as a ROM not shown in Figures.”], in a case where the access-right information, associated with the user identification information of the user requesting the processing, is stored in the access-right information storage device, when the communication device receives, from an external image processing apparatus, the processing request to the storage from the user [figs. 5-7; pars. 0076, 0074-0083, 0119, 0126-0138 – “The share user information 18 indicates users (share users) who are permitted to access a shared folder, and it is extracted from access authority information set for the shared folder, received together with a job via the network 6, by the image processing apparatus 2. For example, if a user using the client 4 is permitted to access base data stored in the client 5 via the network 6, the share user information 18 includes user information of the client 4.” … “Meanwhile, when the image processing apparatus 2 receives the job via the network 6, the communication interface 29 activates its functions, generating the receipt date and time information 15. Then, it is judged whether or not it is a FAX receipt job to receive image data from a FAX apparatus, not a PC-FAX transmission job. If it is judged that it is not a FAX receipt job, but user information and access information of a shared folder are received together with the job, the user authenticator 31 activates its function, judging whether or not the user is permitted to register jobs, based on the user authentication information 20.” … “In Step S201, when the image processing apparatus 2 receives a job via the network 6, the receipt date and time information 15 is generated. Then it is judged in Step S202, whether or not it is a FAX receipt job from a facsimile apparatus. If it is a FAX receipt job from a facsimile apparatus (YES in Step S202), a FAX receipt job receiving process is executed in Step S209. If it is not a FAX receipt job from a facsimile apparatus (NO in Step S202), then it is judged in Step S203, whether or not it is an authenticated, based on user information received together with the job.”],
the controller being configured to cause the storage and the image processing apparatus to upload and download data between each other, via the communication device [figs. 4, 7; pars. 0076, 0074-0083, 0097, 0119, 0126-0138 – bidirectional communication between image processing apparatus and clients. Users have authenticated access to base data stored in hard disk 3.],
the image processing apparatus including:
a reception device that receives log-in information necessary for logging in to the information processing apparatus, from the user [fig. 4; par. 0084, 93, 96 – “The communication interface 29 functions as a communicator to exchange data with information processing apparatuses such as the clients 4 and 6 via the network 6, or perform FAX communications with external devices via a telephone circuit. For example, a NIC (Network Interface Card), a modem, a TA (Terminal Adapter), a wireless interface or etc. is employed as the communication interface 29.” … “Meanwhile, the client 4 includes a communication interface 41, a CPU 42 and a display 43 as well as an operation portion 44. The communication interface 41 serves to exchange data with the client 5 and the image processing apparatus 2 via the network 6.”]; and
a data transmission/reception device that transmits the log-in information received by the reception device, to the information processing apparatus [figs. 4-6; par. 0079 – “The user information 16 is received together with a job via the network 6, by the image processing apparatus 2, and it indicates the user who issued the job. In this embodiment, the user information 16 includes login information (user ID and password) to log in the client 5, for example.”],
the controller of the information processing apparatus being configured to cause the storage and the image processing apparatus to upload and download data between each other, upon permitting log-in to the information processing apparatus on a basis of the log-in information, after receiving the log-in information from the image processing apparatus, via the communication device [figs. 3-7; pars. 0077-0083 – The CPU of the information processing apparatus permits login from the image processing apparatus with the credentials received from a user. (“The user information 16 is received together with a job via the network 6, by the image processing apparatus 2, and it indicates the user who issued the job. In this embodiment, the user information 16 includes login information (user ID and password) to log in the client 5, for example.”)].
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ohba (Pub. No. US 2010/0195135) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Bruner (Pub. No. US 2006/0053437).
Claim 7 (as applied to claim 1 above):
Ohba discloses all the limitations above but does not specifically disclose,
wherein, when a download request of data stored in the storage as object to be printed, from the image processing apparatus via the communication device, the controller acquires the data to be printed from the storage, using the access-right information, converts the acquired data to print data of a format that can be printed by the image processing apparatus, and transmits the print data to the image processing apparatus, via the communication device.
In the same field of endeavor, Bruner discloses,
wherein, when a download request of data stored in the storage as object to be printed, from the image processing apparatus via the communication device, the controller acquires the data to be printed from the storage, using the access-right information, converts the acquired data to print data of a format that can be printed by the image processing apparatus, and transmits the print data to the image processing apparatus, via the communication device [par. 0041 – “In one scenario, data electronically sent to the Remote User is sent using an encrypted format. The executable program residing on the Remote User's client system may then receive the print data provided by the Program Manager and by the Issuing Station from the Issuing Station's server system. The executable program may then decrypt the print data and use available calibration data, whether resident from the Remote User's client system or provided by the Program Manager's server system, to format the print data for printing on a printer accessible to the Remote User's client system. The executable program may then send the prepared information to the accessible printer, where it may be printed within the coupon shells pre-printed on a sheet traceable, printable medium.”].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Ohba to include encryption, as taught by Bruner, in order to increase security.
Claim(s) 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ohba (Pub. No. US 2010/0195135) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Yang et al. (Pub. No. US 2002/0080410).
Claim 8 (as applied to claim 1 above):
Ohba discloses all the limitations above but does not specifically disclose,
wherein, when image data to be uploaded to the storage, and an upload request of the image data are received from the image processing apparatus via the communication device, the controller performs character recognition with respect to the image data, and transmits the image data subjected to the character recognition to the storage using the access-right information, via the communication device, thereby storing the image data in the storage [Ohba discloses scanning but does not appear to specifically disclose storing the resulting file in the storage of the client.].
In the same field of endeavor, Yang et al. disclose,
wherein, when image data to be uploaded to the storage, and an upload request of the image data are received from the image processing apparatus via the communication device, the controller performs character recognition with respect to the image data, and transmits the image data subjected to the character recognition to the storage using the access-right information, via the communication device, thereby storing the image data in the storage [par. 0012 – “The local user computer is coupled with the scanner and the remote computer, wherein the local user computer contains an application for assigning a storage address located in the remote computer, and a driver that instructs the scanner to perform certain operations including scanning and uploading images to the assigned storage location, The remote computer wraps received data, the image files from the scanner, into a data package and saves it as a file to the assigned storage location therein. Besides assigning storage locations for saving image files, the application on the local user computer also provides the scanner with information regarding the location of the remote computer, such as internet addresses, web sites, or network locations. The driver loaded on the local user computer instructs the scanner to perform the operations mentioned above.”].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Ohba to include storing scanned data, as taught by Yang et al., in order to increase flexibility by allowing the storage location to be selected.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-6 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: The prior art does not disclose the limitations of the listed claims in conjunction with the limitations of the base claim and intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LARRY T MACKALL whose telephone number is (571)270-1172. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 9am-5pm.
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LARRY T. MACKALL
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2131
17 April 2026
/LARRY T MACKALL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2139