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 .
DETAILED ACTION
1. The office acknowledges the receipt of the following and placed of record in the file: Application dated 2/19/2025 claimed priority of date 3/1/2024.
2. Claims 1-16 are presented for examination.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
3. Claim(s) 1-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lee et al. (“Lee”), US 2022/0083117.
Regarding Claims 1, 15 and 16, Lee teaches an information processing apparatus which is configurable in a first power state (device 201 in active state) in which the information processing apparatus is supplied with power, and a second power state (device 201 in power-off state) in which power consumption is lower than that of the first power state [Para: 0060], wherein the information processing apparatus, to which a USB device (device 240) is attachably and detachably connected [Fig-2], comprises:
a power control unit (processor 220 or 620) configured to switch between the first power state and the second power state [Para: 0058(“processor 220 may transmit … first control signal including the power-off state” from active state) and 0134(“processor 620 may control the second power …”);
an operation section configured to perform a selection operation that selects enabling the use of the USB device by the information processing apparatus or disabling the use of the USB device by the information processing apparatus [Para: 0079(“an electronic device 301 (e.g., the electronic device 101 of FIG. 1 and/or the “electronic device 201 of FIG. 2) may switch the charging function setting state of the electronic device into the charging enabled (e.g., on) state … electronic device 301 may switch the charging function setting state of the electronic device into a charging disabled (e.g., off) state”)]; and
a determining unit configured to determine whether the information processing apparatus is in a connected state in which the USB device is connected to the information processing apparatus, or in an unconnected state in which the USB device is not connected to the information processing apparatus [Para: 0132(“the processor 620 may receive … connection information for an external electronic device 640 from the charging connection monitoring circuit 670”) and 0133 (“receiving … including disconnection information for the external electronic device 640 from the charging connection monitoring circuit 670”)], and
wherein the determining unit is configured, in a case where the USB device is connected to the information processing apparatus and the use of the USB device by the information processing apparatus is possible and disabling the use of the USB device has been selected by the operation section, to determine that the information processing apparatus is in the unconnected state [Para: 0070(“supply the charging power to the external electronic device 240 connected to the connection circuit 250 … cutting off supply of the second power (e.g., 5.0V) for the charging power port (e.g., VBUS) of the connection circuit 250, in response to the second control signal including the charging disabled state information for the electronic device received from the processor 220)], and
the power control unit is configured, in a case where the determining unit determines that the information processing apparatus is in the unconnected state, to switch to the second power state [Para: 0070(“cutting off supply of the second power (e.g., 5.0V) for the charging power port (e.g., VBUS) of the connection circuit 250, in response to the second control signal including the charging disabled state information for the electronic device received from the processor 220”)].
Regarding Claim 2, Lee teaches wherein the determining unit is configured, in a case where the USB device is not currently connected to the information processing apparatus, to determine that the information processing apparatus is in the unconnected state [Para: 0133(based on “receiving … including disconnection information for the external electronic device 640 from the charging connection monitoring circuit 670”)].
Regarding Claim 3, Lee teaches wherein the power control unit is configured, after a predetermined period of time has elapsed since it is determined by the determining unit that the information processing apparatus is in the unconnected state, to switch to the second power state [Para: 0133(a period of time is required in order to “receiving … including disconnection information for the external electronic device 640 from the charging connection monitoring circuit 670”)].
Regarding Claim 4, Lee teaches wherein the determining unit is configured, in a case where the USB device is connected to the information processing apparatus so that the use of the USB device by the information processing apparatus is possible and enabling use of the USB device has been selected by the operation section, to determine that the information processing apparatus is in the connected state [Para: 0132(“the processor 620 may receive … connection information for an external electronic device 640 from the charging connection monitoring circuit 670”).
Regarding Claim 5, Lee teaches wherein the power control unit is configured, in a case where the determining unit determines that the information processing apparatus is in the connected state, to switch to the first power state [Table-1 charging enabled (on) in active state, also see Para: 0060 (“When the electronic device 201 recognizes connection of the external electronic device 240, and the power state of the electronic device 201 is the active state”)].
Regarding Claim 6, Lee teaches wherein when determining whether the information processing apparatus is in the connected state or in the unconnected state, prior to the determination, the determining unit is configured to wait for a predetermined period of time [Para: 0132(“the processor 620 may receive … connection information for an external electronic device 640 from the charging connection monitoring circuit 670”) and 0133 (“receiving … including disconnection information for the external electronic device 640 from the charging connection monitoring circuit 670” where receiving requires a time period or required time)].
Regarding Claim 7, Lee teaches wherein the determining unit is configured, after the predetermined period of time has elapsed, to determine whether the information processing apparatus is in the connected state or in the unconnected state [Para: 0132(“the processor 620 may receive … connection information for an external electronic device 640 from the charging connection monitoring circuit 670”) and 0133 (“receiving … including disconnection information for the external electronic device 640 from the charging connection monitoring circuit 670” , receiving requires a time period or required time)]..
Regarding Claim 8, Lee teaches wherein the determining unit is capable of determining the presence or absence of power being supplied to the USB device [Para: 0132(as determining by “the processor 620 may receive … connection information for an external electronic device 640 from the charging connection monitoring circuit 670”) and 0133 (“receiving … including disconnection information for the external electronic device 640 from the charging connection monitoring circuit 670”)].
Regarding Claim 9, Lee teaches wherein the determining unit(item 650 with 670) is configured, in a case where disabling the use of the USB device has been selected by the operation section, to omit the determination of the presence or absence of power being supplied to the USB device, and determine that the information processing apparatus is in the unconnected state [Para: 0135(“Upon receiving the fourth control signal including the disconnection information for the external electronic device 640 from the charging connection monitoring circuit 670, the processor 620 may switch the charging function setting state of the electronic device from the charging enabled (on) state to the charging disabled (off) state and … thereby controlling to cut off the second power (e.g., 5.0V) for the charging power port (e.g., VBUS) of the connection circuit 650”)].
Regarding Claim 10, Lee teaches wherein the determining unit is configured, in a case where enabling the use of the USB device has been selected by the operation section and it is determined that no power is supplied to the USB device, to determine that the information processing apparatus is in the unconnected state.
Regarding Claim 11, Lee teaches the information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:
an information generating unit configured to, in a case where enabling use of the USB device has been selected by the operation section, generate information indicating that use of the USB device by the information processing apparatus is possible (electronic device into charging enabled state as USB device connected to the electronic device), and
wherein the determining unit is configured, based on the information generated by the information generating unit, to determine that use of the USB device by the information processing apparatus is possible [Para: 0079(supplying charging power based on determination of the connection)].
Regarding Claim 12, Lee teaches the information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:
a display unit configured to display a screen (display 160), and
wherein the operation section is displayed on the display unit as an operation screen on which the selection operation is performed [Para: 0054(“electronic device 201 is determined as a display (e.g., the display 160 of FIG. 1) off, power saving state in the power-on state,”)].
Regarding Claim 13, Lee teaches the information processing apparatus according to wherein the second power state is a shutdown state [Para: 0054(Power-off state also see in Table-1, 2)].
Regarding Claim 14, Lee teaches the information processing apparatus according to wherein the information processing apparatus is an image forming apparatus [Para: 0026(electronic device 201 comprising a camera module 180)].
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MOHAMMED H REHMAN whose telephone number is (571)272-1412. The examiner can normally be reached 8.00 - 5.00.
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/MOHAMMED H REHMAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2176
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