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.
Claims 1-5, 10, 11, 13, 14, 16, and 20-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Mihira (US 2020/0125305) in view of Yu (US 2007/0019215).
Regarding claims 1, 21, and 22, Mihira discloses a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer-readable instructions executable by a processor of an image forming apparatus, a method implementable on a controller of an image forming apparatus, and an image forming apparatus comprising:
a network interface (see Fig. 4 and para 34, network I/F 418);
an operation panel (see Fig. 4 and para 33, operation panel 402), and
a controller configured to:
provide a mobile input function of the image forming apparatus to a mobile terminal via the network interface, the mobile input function enabling the image forming apparatus to accept input operations from the mobile terminal via the network interface (see paras 29 and 43-45, UI function unit 506 provides an operation screen in the form of a web page to mobile terminal 100, application 301, when installed and activated on mobile terminal 100 includes a function of displaying a web page received from image forming apparatus 110 and if a user operation is performed on the displayed web page application 301 transmits the details back to image forming apparatus 110);
start providing the mobile input function in response to receiving access from the mobile terminal using the access information via the network interface (see Fig. 6A and paras 43-45, UI function unit 506 provides an operation screen in the form of a web page to mobile terminal 100 via network function unit 505 and receives a user operation input by the mobile terminal 100, UI function unit 506 is analogous to a web server);
after starting to provide the mobile input function, send display data to the mobile terminal via the network interface, thereby causing the mobile terminal to display an operation screen for operating the image forming apparatus from the mobile terminal (see Fig. 6A and paras 43-45, UI function unit 506 provides an operation screen in the form of a web page to mobile terminal 100 via network function unit 505 and receives a user operation input by the mobile terminal 100); and
receive operation data from the mobile terminal via the network interface while the mobile input function is being provided, the operation data indicating what kind of operation has been performed on the operation screen displayed on the mobile terminal (see Fig. 6A and paras 43-45, UI function unit 506 provides an operation screen in the form of a web page to mobile terminal 100 via network function unit 505 and receives a user operation input by the mobile terminal 100); and
perform a corresponding process depending on what kind of operation is indicated by the received operation data (see Fig. 6A and paras 43-45, UI function unit 506 provides an operation screen in the form of a web page to mobile terminal 100 via network function unit 505 and receives a user operation input by the mobile terminal 100 and notifies another function unit of the received user operations instructions, such as print function unit 503).
Mihira does not disclose expressly a touch panel, cause the touch panel to display access information required to start providing the mobile input function and to access the image forming apparatus to which a request to start providing the mobile input function is to be sent in a state where the mobile input function is not provided, thereby enabling the mobile terminal to send the request to start providing the mobile input function by accessing the image forming apparatus with the access information.
Yu discloses an operation panel including a touch panel (see Fig. 4 and para 47, operation panel 104 includes a touch panel) and
cause the touch panel to display access information required to start providing the mobile input function and to access the image forming apparatus to which a request to start providing the mobile input function is to be sent in a state where the mobile input function is not provided, thereby enabling the mobile terminal to send the request to start providing the mobile input function by accessing the image forming apparatus with the access information (see Figs. 4 and 7 and paras 47, 53, 70-71, 75, 81, and 100, a QR code can be embedded with a URL to a remote control application that allows mobile terminal 2 to interact with image forming apparatus 1).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to combine the embedded a URL in a QR code that is displayed on an operation panel of an image forming device, as described by Yu, with the system of Mihira.
The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been to provide a means for remote control of an MFP thereby increasing user friendliness and reducing display errors.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine Yu with Mihira to obtain the invention as specified in claims 1, 21, and 22.
Regarding claim 2, Yu further discloses wherein the controller is further configured to:
display on the touch panel a code generated by encoding the access information, the mobile terminal obtaining the encoded access information by reading the code displayed on the touch panel (see Fig. 4 and paras 47, 59, 75, and 100, a QR code can be embedded with a URL to a remote control application that allows mobile terminal 2 to interact with image forming apparatus 1); and
in response to receiving the request to start providing the mobile input function from the mobile terminal using the encoded access information via the network interface, start providing the mobile input function (see paras 100-101, mobile terminal 2 transmits data to image forming apparatus 1 via a browser).
Regarding claim 3, Yu further discloses wherein the controller is further configured to:
when one or more particular conditions are satisfied, generate the access information as first access information, and store the generated first access information in a memory (see paras 53, 81, and 96, the QR code can be embedded with setting information, authentication information, a public and secret key);
display on the touch panel the first access information stored in the memory (see Fig. 4 and paras 47 and 53, operation panel 402 of image forming apparatus 1 can display a QR code scannable by the mobile terminal 2 to gain access to control the operation of image forming apparatus 1); and
start providing the mobile input function when receiving the request to start providing the mobile input function using second access information that matches the first access information stored in the memory, whereas not start providing the mobile input function when receiving the request to start providing the mobile input function using the second access information that is different from the first access information stored in the memory (see Fig. 7 and paras 75-77, 81, and 93-101, authentication information, such a public and secret keys are used to authenticate a user and remote control is provided when the authentication information provided to the image forming apparatus 1 from the mobile terminal 2 matches).
Regarding claim 4, Yu further discloses wherein the controller is further configured to display latest access information generated as the first access information on the touch panel (see Fig. 7 and paras 93-101, operation panel 402 displays a QR code scannable by the mobile terminal 2 to gain access to control the operation of image forming apparatus 1, the QR code creation is initiated by a user request for access).
Regarding claim 5, Yu further discloses wherein the controller is further configured to start providing the mobile input function when receiving the request to start providing the mobile input function using the second access information that matches latest access information among the first access information stored in the memory, whereas not start providing the mobile input function when receiving the request to start providing the mobile input function using the second access information that is different from the latest access information stored in the memory (see paras 70-77, authentication information, such a public and secret keys are used to authenticate a user and remote control is provided when the authentication information provided to the image forming apparatus 1 from the mobile terminal 2 matches).
Regarding claims 10 and 14, Mihira further discloses wherein the controller is further configured to:
after starting to provide the mobile input function, send the display data to the mobile terminal via the network interface, thereby causing the mobile terminal to display the operation screen for operating the image forming apparatus from the mobile terminal, the operation screen virtually showing the operation panel (see Fig. 6A and paras 43-45, UI function unit 506 provides an operation screen in the form of a web page to mobile terminal 100 via network function unit 505 and receives a user operation input by the mobile terminal 100); and
in response to receiving, while the mobile input function is being provided, the operation data from the mobile terminal that has received the display data, via the network interface, send new display data to the mobile terminal via the network interface, the new display data causing the mobile terminal to display the operation screen that virtually shows the operation panel updated based on an operation indicated by the received operation data (see Fig. 6A and paras 43-45, UI function unit 506 provides an operation screen in the form of a web page to mobile terminal 100 via network function unit 505 and receives a user operation input by the mobile terminal 100).
Regarding claim 11, Mihira further discloses wherein the controller is further configured to: start providing the mobile input function in response to receiving, via the network interface, the request to start providing the mobile input function using the access information to the image forming apparatus from a browser incorporated in the mobile terminal; and after starting to provide the mobile input function, send, as the display data, data to the mobile terminal via the network interface, the data causing the browser incorporated in the mobile terminal to display a web page including the operation screen for operating the image forming apparatus from the mobile terminal (see Fig. 6A and paras 43-45, UI function unit 506 provides an operation screen in the form of a web page to mobile terminal 100 via network function unit 505 and receives a user operation input by the mobile terminal 100).
Regarding claim 13, Mihira further discloses connectable with a memory configured to store setting information indicating that the mobile input function is enabled (see paras 29 and 43-45, UI function unit 506 provides an operation screen in the form of a web page to mobile terminal 100, application 301, when installed and activated on mobile terminal 100 includes a function of displaying a web page received from image forming apparatus 110 and if a user operation is performed on the displayed web page application 301 transmits the details back to image forming apparatus 110);
when the setting information is not stored in the memory, perform:
displaying a local operation screen on the touch panel (see para 33, image forming apparatus 1 can be controlled using operation panel 402);
in response to accepting, on the local operation screen, an operation related to setting of a parameter for image formation, setting the parameter according to the accepted operation (see paras 31, 33, and 37-40, image forming apparatus 1 can be used by a user interacting with operation panel 402 to perform copy and print operations); and
in response to accepting, on the local operation screen, an operation related to execution of image formation, performing image formation according to the accepted operation (see paras 31, 33, and 37-40, image forming apparatus 1 can be used by a user interacting with operation panel 402 to perform copy and print operations), and
Yu further discloses when the setting information is stored in the memory, perform:
displaying the access information on the touch panel in the state where the mobile input function is not provided (see Figs. 4 and 7 and paras 47, 53, 70-71, 75, 81, and 100, a QR code can be embedded with a URL to a remote control application that allows mobile terminal 2 to interact with image forming apparatus 1); and
starting to provide the mobile input function in response to receiving the request to start providing the mobile input function using the access information from the mobile terminal via the network interface (see Figs. 4 and 7 and paras 47, 53, 70-71, 75, 81, and 100, a QR code can be embedded with a URL to a remote control application that allows mobile terminal 2 to interact with image forming apparatus 1).
Regarding claim 16, Yu further discloses an external interface, wherein the controller is further configured to store the setting information in the memory after obtaining the setting information via the external interface (see para 49, storage unit 106 stores setting information).
Regarding claim 20, Mihira further discloses wherein the controller comprises:
a processor (see para 32, CPU 411); and
a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the controller to:
start providing the mobile input function in response to receiving access from the mobile terminal using the access information via the network interface (see Fig. 6A and paras 43-45, UI function unit 506 provides an operation screen in the form of a web page to mobile terminal 100 via network function unit 505 and receives a user operation input by the mobile terminal 100);
after starting to provide the mobile input function, send the display data to the mobile terminal via the network interface (see Fig. 6A and paras 43-45, UI function unit 506 provides an operation screen in the form of a web page to mobile terminal 100 via network function unit 505 and receives a user operation input by the mobile terminal 100);
receive the operation data from the mobile terminal via the network interface while the mobile input function is being provided (see Fig. 6A and paras 43-45, UI function unit 506 provides an operation screen in the form of a web page to mobile terminal 100 via network function unit 505 and receives a user operation input by the mobile terminal 100); and
perform the corresponding process depending on what kind of operation is indicated by the received operation data (see Fig. 6A and paras 43-45, UI function unit 506 provides an operation screen in the form of a web page to mobile terminal 100 via network function unit 505 and receives a user operation input by the mobile terminal 100 and notifies another function unit of the received user operations instructions, such as print function unit 503), and
Yu further discloses cause the touch panel to display the access information required to start providing the mobile input function and to access the image forming apparatus to which the request to start providing the mobile input function is to be sent in the state where the mobile input function is not provided and start providing the mobile input function in response to receiving the request to start providing the mobile input function from the mobile terminal using the access information to the image forming apparatus via the network interface (see Figs. 4 and 7 and paras 47, 53, 70-71, 75, 81, and 100, a QR code can be embedded with a URL to a remote control application that allows mobile terminal 2 to interact with image forming apparatus 1).
Claims 6, 12, and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Mihira and Yu as applied to claims 1, 5, and 13 above, and further in view of Takenaka (US 2019/0306336).
Regarding claim 6, Mihira and Yu do not disclose expressly wherein the controller is further configured to, when receiving the request to start providing the mobile input function using the second access information that is different from the latest access information stored in the memory, provide a notification to prompt re-inputting of the access information displayed on the touch panel, without starting to provide the mobile input function.
Takenaka discloses wherein the controller is further configured to, when receiving the request to start providing the mobile input function using the second access information that is different from the latest access information stored in the memory, provide a notification to prompt re-inputting of the access information displayed on the touch panel, without starting to provide the mobile input function (see Fig. 9B and paras 88-89, mobile terminal 103 scans a QR code displayed on image forming apparatus 101 to initiate a reactivation process).
Regarding claim 12, Mihira and Yu do not disclose expressly wherein the controller is further configured to: in response to receiving the request to start providing the mobile input function using the access information from the mobile terminal via the network interface, send reception display data to the mobile terminal via the network interface, the reception display data causing the mobile terminal to display a screen for receiving a start instruction to start providing the mobile input function; and start providing the mobile input function in response to receiving start instruction data indicating that the start instruction has been received, from the mobile terminal that has received the reception display data, via the network interface.
Takenaka discloses wherein the controller is further configured to: in response to receiving the request to start providing the mobile input function using the access information from the mobile terminal via the network interface, send reception display data to the mobile terminal via the network interface, the reception display data causing the mobile terminal to display a screen for receiving a start instruction to start providing the mobile input function; and start providing the mobile input function in response to receiving start instruction data indicating that the start instruction has been received, from the mobile terminal that has received the reception display data, via the network interface (see Fig. 9B and para 89, an “OK” button is used to start the reactivation process into a special operation mode, thus a start instruction is given by a user to start providing a mobile input function).
Regarding claim 15, Yu discloses wherein the controller is further configured to: when the setting information is stored in the memory, perform: displaying the access information on the touch panel in the state where the mobile input function is not provided; starting to provide the mobile input function in response to receiving the request to start providing the mobile input function using the access information from the mobile terminal via the network interface (see Figs. 4 and 7 and paras 47, 53, 70-71, 75, 81, and 100, a QR code can be embedded with a URL to a remote control application that allows mobile terminal 2 to interact with image forming apparatus 1); and
Mihira and Yu do not disclose expressly while the mobile input function is being provided, display a provision-in- progress screen on the touch panel without displaying the local operation screen, the provision-in- progress screen indicating that the mobile input function is being provided.
Takenaka discloses while the mobile input function is being provided, display a provision-in- progress screen on the touch panel without displaying the local operation screen, the provision-in- progress screen indicating that the mobile input function is being provided (see paras 75-78, 80-82, and 88-90, mode changing screens are displayed to a user).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to combine reactivation or re-inputting of access information, as described by Takenaka, with the system of Mihira and Yu.
The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been to ensure accurate control of the MFP thereby increasing user friendliness and reducing display errors.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine Takenaka with Mihira and Yu to obtain the invention as specified in claims 6, 12, and 15.
Claims 7-9 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Mihira and Yu as applied to claims 1 and 3 above, and further in view of Watanabe (US 2016/0112422).
Regarding claim 7, Mihira and Yu do not disclose expressly wherein the one or more particular conditions include that provision of the mobile input function has been terminated, and wherein the controller is further configured to start providing the mobile input function when receiving the request to start providing the mobile input function using the second access information generated after a provision termination time at which provision of the mobile input function has been terminated, whereas not start providing the mobile input function when receiving the request to start providing the mobile input function using the second access information generated before the provision termination time.
Watanabe discloses wherein the one or more particular conditions include that provision of the mobile input function has been terminated, and wherein the controller is further configured to start providing the mobile input function when receiving the request to start providing the mobile input function using the second access information generated after a provision termination time at which provision of the mobile input function has been terminated, whereas not start providing the mobile input function when receiving the request to start providing the mobile input function using the second access information generated before the provision termination time (see paras 114 and 119, the one-time password is deleted after it is used or after a predetermined amount of time passes without it be used).
Regarding claim 8, Mihira and Yu do not disclose expressly wherein the controller is further configured to: start providing the mobile input function when receiving, while the mobile input function is not being provided, the request to start providing the mobile input function using the second access information that matches the first access information stored in the memory; and not start providing the mobile input function, when receiving the request to start providing the mobile input function using the second access information that is different from the first access information stored in the memory, or while the mobile input function is being provided.
Watanabe discloses wherein the controller is further configured to: start providing the mobile input function when receiving, while the mobile input function is not being provided, the request to start providing the mobile input function using the second access information that matches the first access information stored in the memory; and not start providing the mobile input function, when receiving the request to start providing the mobile input function using the second access information that is different from the first access information stored in the memory, or while the mobile input function is being provided (see Figs. 11 and 14 and paras 121-129, MFP 14 generates a one-time password and encodes the password and device ID in the QR code, the MFP 14 also sends this information to an information storage server 10 that will be used later to authenticate the user of the smartphone and provide access to control the MFP 14 by the smartphone 11); and
not start providing the mobile input function, when receiving access using the second access information that is different from the first access information stored in the memory, or while the mobile input function is being provided (see paras 131-141, if the one-time password does not match or a term of validity expires then no access would be granted to smartphone 11).
Regarding claim 9, Mihira and Yu do not disclose expressly wherein each access information includes an address of the image forming apparatus and a key, and
wherein the controller is further configured to: generate a different key in each key generation and incorporate the generated key in the first access information, thereby dynamically generating the first access information; receive the request to start providing the mobile input function from the mobile terminal to the address included in the second access information; and start providing the mobile input function when a second key included in the second access information used for the request to start providing the mobile input function from the mobile terminal matches a first key included in the first access information stored in the memory, whereas not start providing the mobile input function when the second key is different from the first key.
Watanabe discloses wherein each access information includes an address of the image forming apparatus and a key (see Fig. 9 and para 106, the QR code includes a one-time password and device ID information), and
wherein the controller is further configured to:
generate a different key in each key generation and incorporate the generated key in the first access information, thereby dynamically generating the first access information (see paras 152-153, the QR code creation is initiated by a user request for access and is thereby generated and different for each request);
receive the request to start providing the mobile input function from the mobile terminal to the address included in the second access information (see paras 162-167, smartphone 11 scans a QR code displayed on MFP 14 and the QR code information is analyzed and authenticated by information storage server 10 to provide access and control of the MFP 14 by the smartphone 11); and
start providing the mobile input function when a second key included in the second access information used for the request to start providing the mobile input function from the mobile terminal matches a first key included in the first access information stored in the memory, whereas not start providing the mobile input function when the second key is different from the first key (see paras 162-167, MFP 14 generates a one-time password and encodes the password and device ID in the QR code, the MFP 14 also sends this information to an information storage server 10 that will be used later to authenticate the user of the smartphone and provide access to control the MFP 14 by the smartphone 11).
Regarding claim 17, Mihira and Yu do not disclose expressly wherein the controller is further configured to not start providing the mobile input function to another mobile terminal even when there is the request to start providing the mobile input function using the access information from said another mobile terminal to the image forming apparatus via the network interface while the mobile input function is being provided.
Watanabe discloses wherein the controller is further configured to not start providing the mobile input function to another mobile terminal even when there is the request to start providing the mobile input function using the access information from said another mobile terminal to the image forming apparatus via the network interface while the mobile input function is being provided (see paras 114-119 and 137, a one-time password is deleted after it is used, and if the one-time password does not match or a term of validity expires then no access would be granted to smartphone 11).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to combine the QR code including a one-time password that acts as a key, as described by Watanabe, with the system of Mihira and Yu.
The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been to ensure accurate control of the MFP thereby increasing user friendliness and reducing display errors.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine Watanabe with Mihira and Yu to obtain the invention as specified in claims 7-9 and 17.
Claims 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Mihira, Yu, and Watanabe as applied to claim 17 above, and further in view of Takenaka.
Regarding claim 18, Mihira, Yu, and Watanabe do not disclose expressly wherein the controller is further configured to, while the mobile input function is being provided, display a provision-in-progress screen on the touch panel without displaying the access information, the provision-in-progress screen indicating that the mobile input function is being provided.
Takenaka discloses wherein the controller is further configured to, while the mobile input function is being provided, display a provision-in-progress screen on the touch panel without displaying the access information, the provision-in-progress screen indicating that the mobile input function is being provided (see paras 75-78, 80-82, and 88-90, when shifting to an acquisition mode to allow a mobile terminal 103 to access image forming apparatus 101 a progress pop-up screen is displayed on the touch panel of the image forming apparatus 101).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to combine displaying an in progress screen, as described by Takenaka, with the system of Mihira, Yu, and Watanabe.
The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been to ensure accurate control of the MFP thereby increasing user friendliness and reducing display errors.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine Takenaka with Watanabe, Miyazaki, and Uchida to obtain the invention as specified in claim 18.
Regarding claim 19, Watanabe further discloses wherein the controller is further configured to display the access information on the touch panel after provision of the mobile input function is terminated (see para 114, a one-time password is deleted after it is used).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. To further show the state of the art please refer to the attached Notice of References Cited.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARK R MILIA whose telephone number is (571) 272-7408. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Akwasi Sarpong can be reached at 571-270-3438. The fax number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MARK R MILIA/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2681
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