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 2/13/25 and 12/3/25 have been considered.
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 1-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ogata et al. (US 2023/0408960, Applicant’s cited prior art).
Regarding claim 1, Ogata discloses a sheet characteristic detection apparatus 90 (fig. 3), comprising: a first characteristic detector 71 that is arranged on a conveyance path 551, 52, 53 (par. 0079, fig. 5) of a sheet S (fig. 5) and detects first characteristic information corresponding to a first characteristic of the sheet (par. 0053); and a second characteristic detector 72 that is arranged on the conveyance path 52 (fig. 5) and detects second characteristic information corresponding to a second characteristic of the sheet (par. 0053), wherein, on a basis of a detection result of any one of the first characteristic detector S107 (fig. 4) and the second characteristic detector, the other characteristic detector is controlled (i.e. when outcome S107 is yes then S112 for second detector to detect, fig. 4).
Regarding claim 2, Ogata discloses wherein the sheet characteristic detection apparatus is arranged on an upstream side or a downstream side of an image former that forms an image on the sheet (detectors 71 and 72 are upstream of image former 240, fig. 5).
Regarding claim 3, Ogata discloses wherein the sheet characteristic detection apparatus is arranged on the upstream side of the image former (detectors 71 and 72 are upstream of image former 240, fig. 5), and image forming conditions in the image former are determined on a basis of at least any one of the first characteristic information and the second characteristic information (par. 0102).
Regarding claim 4, Ogata discloses wherein the second characteristic detector is arranged on a downstream side of the first characteristic detector (detector 72 is downstream of detector 71, fig. 5), and the second characteristic detector is controlled according to a detection result of the first characteristic detector (see S108, fig. 4).
Regarding claim 5, Ogata discloses wherein detection conditions in the second characteristic detector are changed according to a detection result of the first characteristic detector (see S108, fig. 4).
Regarding claim 6, Ogata discloses wherein the second characteristic detector is controlled not to perform detection according to a detection result of the first characteristic detector (see S108, fig. 4).
Regarding claim 7, Ogata discloses wherein in a case where the second characteristic detector does not perform the detection, the sheet is ejected without causing the second characteristic detector to perform an operation of stopping the sheet (see No outcome for S112, fig. 4).
Regarding claim 8, Ogata discloses wherein the first characteristic and the second characteristic are different from each other (par. 0056, 0058).
Regarding claim 9, Ogata discloses wherein the first characteristic information is information corresponding to a moisture amount of the sheet (par. 0053), and the second characteristic information is information corresponding to an electric resistance of the sheet (par. 0059).
Regarding claim 10, Ogata discloses wherein a voltage to be applied to the sheet when the second characteristic detector detects the information corresponding to the electric resistance is decreased as the moisture amount is increased (par. 0059).
Regarding claim 11, Ogata discloses wherein the number of times of detection of the information corresponding to the electric resistance with the second characteristic detector is decreased as the moisture amount is increased (par. 0059).
Regarding claim 12, Ogata discloses wherein the second characteristic detector is arranged on a downstream side of the first characteristic detector (detector 72 is downstream of detector 71, fig. 5), the first characteristic information is information corresponding to a moisture amount of the sheet (par. (par. 0053), and the second characteristic information is information corresponding to stiffness of the sheet (par. 0053).
Regarding claim 13, Ogata discloses wherein a detection operation performed when the information corresponding to the stiffness is detected by the second characteristic detector is changed according to the moisture amount (par. 0059).
Regarding claim 14, Ogata discloses wherein the second characteristic detector is arranged on a downstream side of the first characteristic detector (detector 72 is downstream of detector 71, fig. 5), the first characteristic information is information corresponding to a sheet thickness of the sheet (par. 0053), and the second characteristic information is information corresponding to a moisture amount of the sheet (par. 0053).
Regarding claim 15, Ogata discloses wherein detection conditions when the second characteristic detector detects the information corresponding to the moisture amount are changed according to the sheet thickness (par. 0053).
Regarding claim 16, Ogata discloses a hardware processor 90 that controls, on a basis of a detection result of any one of the first characteristic detector and the second characteristic detector, the other characteristic detector (fig. 3, fig. 4).
Regarding claim 17, Ogata discloses an image former 240 that forms an image on the sheet (fig. 1).
Regarding claim 18, Ogata discloses a computer readable program for a computer of a sheet characteristic detection apparatus comprising: a first characteristic detector that is arranged on a conveyance path of a sheet and detects first characteristic information corresponding to a first characteristic of the sheet; and3 a second characteristic detector that is arranged on the conveyance path and detects second characteristic information corresponding to a second characteristic of the sheet, the program causing a computer to perform: controlling, on a basis of a detection result of any one of the first characteristic detector and the second characteristic detector, the other characteristic detector (par. 0080-0083, par. 0053, fig. 4).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Hoang Ngo whose telephone number is (571)272-2138. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30 am - 4:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Stephanie Bloss can be reached at 571-272-3555. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/HOANG X NGO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2852
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