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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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) 1-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yasu et al (U.S. Pub. 2015/0056423) in view of Roy Biswas et al (U.S. Pub. 2024/0098210) and Numata (U.S. Pub. 2021/0053370)
Regarding claim 1, an image forming apparatus comprising: a conveyor to convey a medium in a conveyance direction (Figure 1; Paragraph 0031)
A pretreatment liquid applier (20) to apply a pretreatment liquid onto the medium conveyed by the conveyor (Figure 1; Paragraphs 0031, 0037)
An image former (40) downstream from the pretreatment liquid applier in the conveyance direction, the image former to form a specific image on the medium on which the pretreatment liquid has been applied (Figure 1; Paragraph 0031)
A dryer (30) between the pretreatment liquid applier and the image former in the conveyance direction, the dryer to dry the pretreatment liquid applied onto the medium before the image former forms the specific image on the medium (Figure 1; Paragraph 0031)
Roy Biswas discloses an image reader downstream from the image former (the test charts will be scanned and read after the printing of a plurality of test charts, therefore the image reader will be downstream) in the conveyance direction, the image reader to read specific image on the medium to acquire a read image (Figure 2; Paragraph 0067)
Circuitry configured to determine an amount of the pretreatment liquid of the pretreatment liquid applier based on the read image acquired by the image reader (plurality of test charts will be scanned and used to determine a function between a color parameter and a treatment fluid; Figure 2)
Control the pretreatment liquid applier to apply the pretreatment liquid onto the medium for the amount of the pretreatment liquid determined based on the read image (plurality of color profiles for different levels of treatment fluid will be generated; Figure 2; Abstract; Paragraphs 0056-0067)
Numata discloses controlling the dryer to dry the pretreatment liquid on the medium according to the drying condition determined based on the read image (Figure 17; Paragraphs 0109-0113, 0124)
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching of Roy Biswas and Numata into the device of Yasu, for the purpose of improving print quality by preventing bleeding and coalescing of the print agent
Regarding claim 2, Roy Biswas discloses the circuitry is further configured to control the pretreatment liquid applier to adjust the amount of the pretreatment liquid determined based on the read image (plurality of test charts will be scanned and used to determine a function between a color parameter and a treatment fluid; Figure 2; Paragraph 0067)
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching of Roy Biswas and Numata into the device of Yasu, for the purpose of improving print quality by preventing bleeding and coalescing of the print agent
Regarding claim 3, Numata discloses wherein circuitry is configured to control the dryer to adjust the drying condition determined based on the read image (Figure 17; Paragraphs 0109-0113, 0124)
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching of Roy Biswas and Numata into the device of Yasu, for the purpose of improving print quality by preventing bleeding and coalescing of the print agent
Regarding claim 4, Roy Biswas discloses the image includes solid images filled with different colors; and arranged adjacent to each other (Figure 3; Paragraph 0063)
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching of Roy Biswas and Numata into the device of Yasu, for the purpose of improving print quality by preventing bleeding and coalescing of the print agent
Regarding claim 5, Roy Biswas discloses the solid image filled with different colors; having different densities; and arranged adjacent to each other (Figure 3; Paragraphs 0063, 0078)
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching of Roy Biswas and Numata into the device of Yasu, for the purpose of improving print quality by preventing bleeding and coalescing of the print agent
Regarding claim 6, Roy Biswas discloses the solid image filled with solid colors; having different densities; and arranged according to a magnitude of density (Figure 3; Paragraph 0063)
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching of Roy Biswas and Numata into the device of Yasu, for the purpose of improving print quality by preventing bleeding and coalescing of the print agent
Regarding claim 7, Roy Biswas discloses circuitry is further configured to determine a degree of color bleeding in a part of the specific image in which images filled with solid colors of different colors are arranged adjacent to each other (Paragraphs 0054, 0063)
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching of Roy Biswas and Numata into the device of Yasu, for the purpose of improving print quality by preventing bleeding and coalescing of the print agent
Regarding claim 8, Roy Biswas discloses wherein the circuitry is configured to determine the degree of color bleeding based on a change amount of luminance values (measures a reflection or transmission property to measure color; Paragraph 0065) in the part of the specific image (Figure 2; Abstract; Paragraphs 0056-0067)
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching of Roy Biswas and Numata into the device of Yasu, for the purpose of improving print quality by preventing bleeding and coalescing of the print agent
Regarding claim 9, Roy Biswas discloses circuitry is configured to determine the degree of color bleeding based on a width of an illuminance-changing area in which an luminance value of the part of the specific image changes (Figure 2; Abstract; Paragraphs 0056-0067)
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching of Roy Biswas and Numata into the device of Yasu, for the purpose of improving print quality by preventing bleeding and coalescing of the print agent
Regarding claim 10, an image forming apparatus comprising: a pretreatment liquid applier (20) to apply a pretreatment liquid to a medium (Figure 1; Paragraphs 0031, 0037)
A dryer (30) to dry the pretreatment liquid applied to the medium (Figure 1; Paragraph 0031)
An image former (40) to form a specific image on the medium on which the pretreatment liquid has been dried (Figure 1; Paragraph 0031)
Convey the medium to the pretreatment liquid applier, the dryer, and the image former in this order (Figure 1; Paragraph 0031)
Convey the medium on which an image has been formed downstream in a conveyance direction (Figure 1; Paragraph 0031)
Roy Biswas discloses circuitry configured to control an amount of the pretreatment liquid; wherein the circuitry is configured determine a control condition of the pretreatment liquid applier in accordance with a determination result based on luminance values (measures a reflection or transmission property to measure color; Paragraph 0065) of read images; and control operations of the pretreatment liquid applier in accordance with the control condition (plurality of color profiles for different levels of treatment fluid will be generated; Figure 2; Abstract; Paragraphs 0056-0067)
Numata discloses controlling the dryer to dry the pretreatment liquid on the medium according to the drying condition determined based on the read image (Figure 17; Paragraphs 0109-0113, 0124)
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching of Roy Biswas and Numata into the device of Yasu, for the purpose of improving print quality by preventing bleeding and coalescing of the print agent
Regarding claim 11, an image forming method comprising: applying a pretreatment liquid to a medium (Figure 1; Paragraphs 0031, 0037)
Drying the pretreatment liquid applied to the medium (Figure 1; Paragraph 0031)
Forming a specific image on the medium on which the pretreatment liquid has been dried, in this order while conveying the medium (Figure 1; Paragraph 0031)
Roy Biswas discloses reading an image including the specific image formed on the medium after the specific image is formed; and determining a control condition of the applying the pretreatment liquid in accordance with a determination result of color bleeding based on a luminance value (reflectance or transmission property to measure color) of the read image (plurality of color profiles for different levels of treatment fluid will be generated; Figure 2; Abstract; Paragraphs 0054, 0056-0067)
Numata discloses controlling the dryer to dry the pretreatment liquid on the medium according to the drying condition determined based on the read image (Figure 17; Paragraphs 0109-0113, 0124)
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching of Roy Biswas and Numata into the device of Yasu, for the purpose of improving print quality by preventing bleeding and coalescing of the print agent
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JASON S UHLENHAKE whose telephone number is (571)272-5916. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Douglas X. Rodriguez can be reached at (571) 431-0716. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/JASON S UHLENHAKE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2853 September 3, 2026
Prosecution Insights