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
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on January 28, 2025 was filed in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they include the following reference character(s) not mentioned in the description: elements 55 in figs. 5 and 8.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d), or amendment to the specification to add the reference character(s) in the description in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(b) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Line 21 of the claim recites, “A color-shift correction value to correct the color shift of each colors in the scanning direction (emphasis added).” It appears that the highlighted portion of the recitation contains a grammatical error. An example correction would read, “A color-shift correction value to correct the color shift of each color in the scanning direction.”
Further, line 28 of the claim recites, “A second light amount for emitting the light emitter (emphasis added).” The highlighted portion appears to contain a grammatical error. An example correction would read, “A second light amount for emitting from the light emitter.”
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 2 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Line 3 of the claim recites, “Control the light emitter to emit a constant light amount while the light emitter irradiating the light from one end to another end (emphasis added).” It appears that the highlighted portion of the recitation contains a grammatical error. An example correction would read, “Control the light emitter to emit a constant light amount while the light emitter irradiates the light from one end to another end.”
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding claim 1, line 31 of the claim recites, “add the detection-shift correction value to a color-shift correction value to adjust the write start timing (emphasis added).” Previously, in line 21, the claim recites “a color-shift correction value.” It is unclear if the latter recitation in line 31 is a separate correction value from the one recited in line 21, or if it is one of a plurality of correction values implied by the recitation in line 21. Therefore, the metes and bounds of the subject matter of the claim are rendered unclear.
For the purposes of compact examination, the recitation on line 31 is being interpreted to be the same color-shift correction value as recited in line 21.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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 1-3, 7-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Takahashi et al. (US 20120038731 A1), hereinafter Takahashi.
Regarding claim 1, Takahashi teaches A color image forming apparatus comprising:
a photoconductor on which an image is formed (figs. 1, 13; photosensitive drum 11a; ¶[0058]-[0059]);
an optical writing device to exposes the photoconductor with light,
the optical writing device including:
a light emitter to emit light (fig. 13; laser emitting unit 310; ¶[0058]-[0059]);
a deflector including a multifaceted reflector rotationally driven to deflect the light emitted from the light emitter to scan the photoconductor with the light in a scanning direction (fig. 13; polygon mirror 313; ¶[0058]-[0059]);
a synchronization detector to detect a write start timing of the light to be irradiated onto the photoconductor from the deflector (fig. 13; BD sensor 314; ¶[0058]-[0059]);
circuitry configured to:
control the light emitter to emit light (figs. 6-7; laser control unit 113; ¶[0066]-[0067]);
correct a detection shift of the synchronization detector generated by a fluctuation of a light amount of the light incident on the synchronization detector (fig. 17; S2010-S2030, S2081; ¶[0121]-[0125]); and
adjust the write start timing to correct a color shift (fig. 17; S2050-S2080, S2090-S2100; ¶[0124]-[0127]);
a memory (fig. 6; ROM 101b, RAM 101c; ¶[0060]-[0061]) to store:
an execution result including a first light amount of the light emitter to correct the color shift (figs. 15A-D, 17; S2060; ¶[0108]-[0112], [0124]-[0125]);
a color-shift correction value to correct the color shift of each colors in the scanning direction (fig. 17; S2090, S2100; ¶[0125]-[0126]); and
a detection-shift characteristic value indicating a characteristic of the detection shift (fig. 15A-D, 17; S2081; ¶[0108]-[0112], [0125]-[0126]);
wherein the circuitry is further configured to:
calculates a detection-shift correction value to correct the detection shift based on:
the first light amount (fig. 17; S2020; ¶[0121]-[0126]);
a second light amount for emitting the light emitter as a lighting condition (fig. 17; S2060; ¶[0124]-[0126]);
and the detection-shift characteristic value (fig. 17; S2081; ¶[0124]-[0126]);
add the detection-shift correction value to a color-shift correction value to adjust the write start timing (fig. 17; S2081; ¶[0124]-[0126]); and
update the detection-shift characteristic value stored in the memory (fig. 15A-D, 17; S2081, S2090, S2100; ¶[0108]-[0112], [0125]-[0126]).
Regarding claim 2, the color image forming apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the circuitry is further configured to: control the light emitter to emit a constant light amount while the light emitter irradiating the light from one end to another end of a surface of the deflector scanning in the scanning direction (figs. 12, 13; laser emitting unit 310, polygon mirror 313, laser light amount L2, S2070; ¶[0125]).
Regarding claim 3, the color image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: multiple light emitters including the light emitter; and multiple photoconductors including the photoconductor, wherein the multiple light emitters respectively irradiate the multiple photoconductors, and the optical writing device irradiates the synchronization detector with light emitted from the multiple light emitters (fig. 1, 13; photoconductors 11a-d, optical systems 13a-d, laser emitting unit 310, polygon mirror 313, beam detect sensor 314; ¶[0041]-[0044]).
Regarding claim 7, the color image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry is further configured to, while changing the light amount, repeatedly perform: setting a light amount of the light emitter (fig. 17; S2060; ¶[0124]); forming a pattern to detect the detection shift (fig. 17; S2080; ¶[0125]); and detecting the pattern to: calculate the detection-shift characteristic value based on the pattern detected (fig. 17; S2090; ¶[0125]-[0126]); and update the detection-shift characteristic value stored in the memory (fig. 17; S2100; ¶[0126]).
Regarding claim 8, the color image forming apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising a sensor to detect a pattern to correct the color shift, wherein the circuitry is further configured to detect the pattern to detect the detection shift by the sensor (figs. 3, 5, 7A-B; light receiving circuit 330a; ¶[0070]).
Regarding claim 9, the color image forming apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the circuitry forms patterns for calculating the detection-shift characteristic value, the patterns are common in: an angle; a length; a width; and a formation interval, as compared with the pattern formed to correct the color shift (figs. 9, 17; S2080, S2081, S2090, S2100, registration correction pattern (see fig. 9); ¶[0087]-[0088], [0124]-[0126]).
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 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takahashi (US 20120038731 A1) in view of Naito (US 20100097664 A1).
Regarding claim 4, Takahashi teaches the color image forming apparatus according to claim 1, however Takahashi fails to teach or fairly suggest wherein the synchronization detector includes a slit to limit a light path of the light incident from the light emitter.
Naito teaches a color image forming apparatus comprising a synchronization detector wherein the synchronization detector includes a slit to limit a light path of the light incident from the light emitter (figs. 1-3; slit 11BK; ¶[0062]-[0064]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the slit of Naito into the image forming apparatus of Takahashi in order to correct for sensitivity unevenness of the synchronization sensor (see ¶[0064] of Naito).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-6, 10-17 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include 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:
Regarding claim 5, the prior art of record fails to teach or fairly suggest the color image forming apparatus of the claim, particularly including and in combination with, the circuitry is further configured to disable the calculating the detection-shift correction value in response to a receipt of a request to correct the color shift.
Regarding claim 6, the prior art of record fails to teach or fairly suggest the color image forming apparatus of the claim, particularly including and in combination with, wherein the circuitry updates the color-shift correction value and the first light amount stored in the memory at a same timing.
Regarding claim 10, the prior art of record fails to teach or fairly suggest the color image forming apparatus of the claim, particularly including and in combination with, a replacement detector to detect a replacement of the optical writing device, wherein the circuitry is further configured to: update the detection-shift characteristic value stored in the memory, when a power supply of the color image forming apparatus is turned on; and when the replacement detector detects the replacement of the optical writing device.
Regarding claim 12, the prior art of record fails to teach or fairly suggest the color image forming apparatus of the claim, particularly including and in combination with, circuitry further configured to: calculate two detection-shift characteristic values by: referring to the detection-shift characteristic value closest to the first light amount and the second light amount from the tabular array; or performing interpolation processing; and calculate the detection-shift correction value based on a difference between the two detection-shift characteristic values.
Regarding claim 15, the prior art of record fails to teach or fairly suggest the color image forming apparatus of the claim, particularly including and in combination with, circuitry further configured to: store the detection-shift characteristic value in the memory as coefficients of an N-th order polynomial; calculate the detection-shift characteristic value corresponding to each of the first light amount and the second light amount using the coefficients of the N-th order polynomial; and calculate the detection-shift correction value from a difference between the detection- shift characteristic value corresponding to the first light amount and the detection-shift characteristic value corresponding to the second light amount.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Ohkawara et al. (US 20060055902 A1) teaches an electrophotographic system comprising a measuring unit to measure time differences between optical beam detection. Yoshida (US 20060176354 A1) teaches an image forming apparatus and method to reduce color registration errors. (JP 2009202604 A) teaches an image forming apparatus capable of adjusting a print timing to correct for timing shifts caused by a change in light amount.
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/TRK/Examiner, Art Unit 2853
/STEPHEN D MEIER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2853
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