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.
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.
(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.
Claim(s) 1-4 and 13-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Aoki et al. (JP 2013015468 A), hereinafter as Aoki. The original and a machine translation of Aoki are provided by the examiner.
Regarding claim 1, Aoki teaches A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing an information processing program that causes a computer to execute display processing of displaying (Aoki paragraph [0016-0017] “The information processing device 50 is comprised of a personal computer, such as a notebook computer, which includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) (not shown) and a storage device consisting of semiconductor memory or a hard disk drive……A processing function block refers to a function block that is realized by a CPU (not shown) executing a program that has been pre-stored in a memory device.”), on a display part (Aoki paragraph [0029] “The sound pressure map display unit 56 displays an external image of the object to be diagnosed 70, which has been captured by the imaging device 20 and stored in the image storage unit 67, on a display device 59 such as a liquid crystal display attached to the information processing device 50”), an image of visual structural information allowing visual grasp of a structure of a diagnosis target apparatus and a mark superimposed on the visual structural information to allow recognition of a location in the visual structural information corresponding to a component or a region of the diagnosis target apparatus (Aoki teaches displaying the external image of the object being diagnosed as showing the visual structure of the diagnosis target apparatus, further teaches abnormal sound pressure region 85 superimposing on the image, the paragraph [0038] “the example shown in Figure 4, the abnormal sound pressure region 86 is displayed superimposed on the external image of the object being diagnosed 70 on the four virtual screens 80 (#1) to (#4), so the operator can easily identify the source of the abnormal sound”, paragraph [0033] “such abnormal sound pressure regions 85 are highlighted to make them more conspicuous. In the example shown in Figure 3(c), the abnormal sound pressure region 85 is highlighted with a speech bubble message indicating "abnormal sound pressure." However, the way this highlighting is displayed could also be done by, for example, making the abnormal sound pressure region 85 blink, displaying only the abnormal sound pressure region 85 in a more conspicuous color (for example, red), or surrounding the abnormal sound pressure region 85 with a thick, conspicuous rectangular border.”) in which an abnormality may have been generated the component or the region being obtained by analyzing sound data on a sound generated in the diagnosis target apparatus (Aoki paragraph [0038] “The difference lies in the method used to extract the abnormal sound pressure region 86 in the preceding stage. In other words, the example in Figure 3 extracts the sound pressure anomaly region 85 of an absolute sound pressure anomaly, whereas the example in Figure 4, as shown in Figure 4(c), extracts the sound pressure anomaly region 86 of a relative sound pressure anomaly.”, paragraph [0023] “when the sound pressure level calculation unit 53 performs beamforming processing, it applies frequency analysis and filtering to select an arbitrary frequency band to the raw sound pressure signal collected from the sound collection device 10 (i.e., the sound pressure signal stored in the sound pressure signal storage unit 61).”).
Regarding claim 2, Aoki teaches The recording medium according to claim 1, and further teach wherein the information processing program further causes the computer to execute collection processing of collecting the sound generated in the diagnosis target apparatus by a sound collector (Aoki paragraph [0018] “The sound pressure signal acquisition unit 51 acquires the acoustic signals (hereinafter referred to as sound pressure signals) that are collected by each microphone 11 provided in the sound collection device 10, amplified by the amplification circuit device 30, and digitized by the A/D converter device 40, and stores the acquired sound pressure signals in the sound pressure signal storage unit 61, corresponding to the microphone 11 that collected the sound.”).
Regarding claim 3, Aoki teaches The recording medium according to claim 1, and further teach wherein the information processing program further causes the computer to execute acquisition processing of acquiring information about the component or the region of the diagnosis target apparatus in which the abnormality may have been generated, the information being obtained by analyzing the sound data on the sound generated in the diagnosis target apparatus, and image formation processing of creating the image based on the information acquired in the acquisition processing (Aoki Page 2, First paragraph, “The information processing device 50 then performs the following processes: setting up a plurality of virtual screens 80 in the space from the front of the sound collection device 10 to the rear of the object to be diagnosed 70, …… calculating the sound pressure level at each point on each virtual screen 80 and generating a sound pressure map;
extracting sound pressure abnormality regions and overlaying the sound pressure map and sound pressure abnormality regions onto the external image of the object to be diagnosed 70 captured by the imaging device 20.”).
Regarding claim 4, Aoki teaches The recording medium according to claim 3, and further teach wherein the acquisition processing includes causing a sound collector to collect the sound generated in the diagnosis target apparatus,
and analyzing the sound data on the collected sound to extract the component or the region in which the abnormality may have been generated (Aoki Page 2, First paragraph, “The information processing device 50 then performs the following processes: setting up a plurality of virtual screens 80 in the space from the front of the sound collection device 10 to the rear of the object to be diagnosed 70, …… calculating the sound pressure level at each point on each virtual screen 80 and generating a sound pressure map; extracting sound pressure abnormality regions and overlaying the sound pressure map and sound pressure abnormality regions onto the external image of the object to be diagnosed 70 captured by the imaging device 20.”).
Regarding claim 13, Aoki teaches An information processing device (Figure 1, abnormal sound diagnostic device 100) comprising: a display part that displays information (Aoki paragraph [0029] “The sound pressure map display unit 56 displays an external image of the object to be diagnosed 70, which has been captured by the imaging device 20 and stored in the image storage unit 67, on a display device 59 such as a liquid crystal display attached to the information processing device 50”); and a display processor (Aoki Figure 2, a sound pressure abnormality region extraction unit 55, a sound pressure map display unit 56) that causes the display part to display an image in which a mark allowing recognition of a location corresponding to a component or a region of a diagnosis target apparatus in which an abnormality may have been generated is superimposed on visual structural information allowing visual grasp of a structure of the diagnosis target apparatus (Aoki teaches displaying the external image of the object being diagnosed as showing the visual structure of the diagnosis target apparatus, further teaches abnormal sound pressure region 85 superimposing on the image, the paragraph [0038] “the example shown in Figure 4, the abnormal sound pressure region 86 is displayed superimposed on the external image of the object being diagnosed 70 on the four virtual screens 80 (#1) to (#4), so the operator can easily identify the source of the abnormal sound”, paragraph [0033] “such abnormal sound pressure regions 85 are highlighted to make them more conspicuous. In the example shown in Figure 3(c), the abnormal sound pressure region 85 is highlighted with a speech bubble message indicating "abnormal sound pressure." However, the way this highlighting is displayed could also be done by, for example, making the abnormal sound pressure region 85 blink, displaying only the abnormal sound pressure region 85 in a more conspicuous color (for example, red), or surrounding the abnormal sound pressure region 85 with a thick, conspicuous rectangular border.”), the component or the region being obtained by analyzing sound data on a sound generated in the diagnosis target apparatus (Aoki paragraph [0038] “The difference lies in the method used to extract the abnormal sound pressure region 86 in the preceding stage. In other words, the example in Figure 3 extracts the sound pressure anomaly region 85 of an absolute sound pressure anomaly, whereas the example in Figure 4, as shown in Figure 4(c), extracts the sound pressure anomaly region 86 of a relative sound pressure anomaly.”, paragraph [0023] “when the sound pressure level calculation unit 53 performs beamforming processing, it applies frequency analysis and filtering to select an arbitrary frequency band to the raw sound pressure signal collected from the sound collection device 10 (i.e., the sound pressure signal stored in the sound pressure signal storage unit 61).”).
Regarding claim 14, Aoki teaches The information processing device according to claim 13, and further teach further comprising a sound collector that collects the sound (Aoki paragraph [0018] “The sound pressure signal acquisition unit 51 acquires the acoustic signals (hereinafter referred to as sound pressure signals) that are collected by each microphone 11 provided in the sound collection device 10, amplified by the amplification circuit device 30, and digitized by the A/D converter device 40, and stores the acquired sound pressure signals in the sound pressure signal storage unit 61, corresponding to the microphone 11 that collected the sound.”).
Regarding claim 15, Aoki teaches The information processing device according to claim 13, and further teach further comprising: an acquirer that acquires information about the component or the region in which the abnormality of the diagnosis target apparatus may have been generated, the information being obtained by analyzing the sound data on the sound generated in the diagnosis target apparatus; and an image former that creates the image based on the information acquired by the acquirer (Aoki Page 2, First paragraph, “The information processing device 50 then performs the following processes: setting up a plurality of virtual screens 80 in the space from the front of the sound collection device 10 to the rear of the object to be diagnosed 70, …… calculating the sound pressure level at each point on each virtual screen 80 and generating a sound pressure map; extracting sound pressure abnormality regions and overlaying the sound pressure map and sound pressure abnormality regions onto the external image of the object to be diagnosed 70 captured by the imaging device 20.”).
Regarding claim 16, claim 16 has similar limitations as claim 4, therefore it is rejected under the same rationale as claim 4.
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) 5, 7, 12, 17, 20 and 25 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Aoki et al. (JP 2013015468 A), hereinafter as Aoki, in view of Ibaragi et al. ( US 20220238133 A1), hereinafter as Ibaragi. The original and a machine translation of Aoki are provided by the examiner.
Regarding claim 5, Aoki teaches The recording medium according to claim 3, but is not relied on for the below claim language wherein the information about the component or the region in which the abnormality of the diagnosis target apparatus may have been generated is obtained by analyzing the sound data on the sound generated in the diagnosis target apparatus by an external device, and the acquisition processing includes receiving the information. Ibaragi teaches wherein the information about the component or the region in which the abnormality of the diagnosis target apparatus may have been generated is obtained by analyzing the sound data on the sound generated in the diagnosis target apparatus by an external device, and the acquisition processing includes receiving the information (Ibaragi Figure 5A and 5B, paragraph [0062-0068] “In this connection, as shown in FIG. 5B, the CPU 52 of the analyzer 50 receives the transmitted image data and sound data (S 50 ). The CPU 52 then inputs the image data into mapping defined by mapping data 54 b stored in the storage device 54 shown in FIG. 1 to calculate a first probability a(j) regarding each of candidates j of the generation point of the abnormal sound (S 52 )…….The CPU 52 then operates the communication device 56 to transmit the result of specifying the generation point of the abnormal sound to a transmission source of the data received by the process of S 50 (S 58 ). Here, the CPU 52 transmits information about three candidates of the generation point higher in the comprehensive probability.”).
Aoki and Ibaragi are in the same field of endeavor, namely abnormal sound location visualization. Ibaragi teaches a method of deciding abnormal sound location based on an external device to reduce computation load and improve accuracy (Ibaragi paragraph [0075] “This makes it possible to correctly understand the abnormal sound and then specify the generation point thereof. As a result, it is possible to grasp the generation point of the abnormal sound with high accuracy.”, paragraph [0081] “The analyzer 50 executes the processes of S52 and S54. This makes it possible to reduce the computational load on the mobile terminal 20 as compared with the case where the processes of S52 and S54 are executed by the mobile terminal 20.”). Therefore, it would have been obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Ibaragi with the method of Aoki to reduce computation load and improve accuracy.
Regarding claim 7, Aoki teaches The recording medium according to claim 1, but is not relied on for the below claim language wherein the display processing includes displaying, on the display part, a list of the component or the region in which the abnormality may have been generated. Ibaragi teaches wherein the display processing includes displaying, on the display part, a list of the component or the region in which the abnormality may have been generated (Ibaragi Figure 7 and paragraph [0107] “the three candidates higher in probability of being an actual generation point are displayed. However, the number of the candidates to be displayed is not limited to three. For example, the top candidate may be displayed, or higher five candidates may be displayed.”).
Aoki and Ibaragi are in the same field of endeavor, namely abnormal sound location visualization. Ibaragi teaches a method of displaying abnormal sound location in a list of probability to improve accuracy (Ibaragi paragraph [0075] “This makes it possible to correctly understand the abnormal sound and then specify the generation point thereof. As a result, it is possible to grasp the generation point of the abnormal sound with high accuracy.”). Therefore, it would have been obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Ibaragi with the method of Aoki to improve accuracy.
Regarding claim 12, Aoki in view of Ibaragi teach The recording medium according to claim 7, and further teach wherein the display processing includes displaying, based on information about a drive source of a component of the diagnosis target apparatus, information about the drive source that drives the component on the list of the component in which the abnormality may have been generated (Ibaragi teaches a list of parts A, B and C as the drive source of abnormality in Figure 7, paragraph [0070] “FIG. 7 shows a display example displayed on the display 26 of the mobile terminal 20. As shown in FIG. 7, parts A, B, C are listed in descending order of the comprehensive probability.”, paragraph [0107] “In the embodiment, only the candidates of the generation point are displayed. However, the probability of the candidates being an actual generation point may also be displayed at the same time.”).
Aoki and Ibaragi are in the same field of endeavor, namely abnormal sound location visualization. Ibaragi teaches a method of displaying abnormal sound location as the driving source to improve accuracy (Ibaragi paragraph [0075] “This makes it possible to correctly understand the abnormal sound and then specify the generation point thereof. As a result, it is possible to grasp the generation point of the abnormal sound with high accuracy.”). Therefore, it would have been obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Ibaragi with the method of Aoki to improve accuracy.
Regarding claim 17, claim 17 has similar limitations as claim 5, therefore it is rejected under the same rationale as claim 5.
Regarding claim 20, claim 20 has similar limitations as claim 7, therefore it is rejected under the same rationale as claim 7.
Regarding claim 25, Aoki in view of Ibaragi teach The information processing device according to claim 20, and further teach further comprising an apparatus information storage section that stores information about a drive source of a component of the diagnosis target apparatus (Ibaragi paragraph [0007] “The sound data recorded by the recording device that is arranged in proximity to each of a plurality of regions that are obtained by dividing a target object is stored in association with a part of the image data related to the target object that is in proximity to the recording device.”), wherein the display processor displays, on the list, the drive source that drives the component in which the abnormality may have been generated based on the information about the drive source (Ibaragi teaches a list of parts A, B and C as the drive source of abnormality in Figure 7, paragraph [0070] “FIG. 7 shows a display example displayed on the display 26 of the mobile terminal 20. As shown in FIG. 7, parts A, B, C are listed in descending order of the comprehensive probability.”, paragraph [0107] “In the embodiment, only the candidates of the generation point are displayed. However, the probability of the candidates being an actual generation point may also be displayed at the same time.”).
Aoki and Ibaragi are in the same field of endeavor, namely abnormal sound location visualization. Ibaragi teaches a method of displaying abnormal sound location as the driving source to improve accuracy (Ibaragi paragraph [0075] “This makes it possible to correctly understand the abnormal sound and then specify the generation point thereof. As a result, it is possible to grasp the generation point of the abnormal sound with high accuracy.”). Therefore, it would have been obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Ibaragi with the method of Aoki to improve accuracy.
Claim(s) 6 and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Aoki et al. (JP 2013015468 A), hereinafter as Aoki, in view of Matsui et al. ( WO 2021156957 A1), hereinafter as Matsui. The original and machine translations of Aoki and Matsui are provided by the examiner.
Regarding claim 6, Aoki teaches The recording medium according to claim 1, but are not relied on for the below claim language wherein the component or the region includes a plurality of components or regions in which the abnormality may have been generated, the mark includes a plurality of marks, and the display processing includes displaying, on the display part, the image in which the plurality of marks is superimposed on the visual structural information at corresponding locations of the respective plurality of components or regions. Matsui teaches wherein the component or the region includes a plurality of components or regions in which the abnormality may have been generated, the mark includes a plurality of marks, and the display processing includes displaying, on the display part, the image in which the plurality of marks is superimposed on the visual structural information at corresponding locations of the respective plurality of components or regions (Matsui teaches two abnormality mark 62 in Figure 7, paragraph [0036] “the monitoring image data 50 shown in Figures 7 to 11 displays information 62 indicating an abnormality in the device 6 being diagnosed, as a result of the diagnosis by the abnormality diagnosis unit 38. The information indicating an abnormality 62 may also be a mark that includes a shape or color that makes it recognizable as indicating an abnormality in the equipment.”, paragraph [0029] “the data generation unit 44 acquires device configuration visual data 52, 54, 56 (see Figures 6 to 11) that visually show the configuration of multiple devices 4 in the monitored area 2, and overlays the diagnostic results from the anomaly diagnosis unit 38 onto the device configuration acoustic map, which is created by superimposing acoustic map information 60 (see Figures 6 to 11) corresponding to the position of each of the multiple devices 4 onto the device configuration visual data, in order to generate monitoring image data 50.”).
Aoki and Matsui are in the same field of endeavor, namely abnormal sound location visualization. Matsui teaches a method of superimposing multiple abnormal sound area marks on the visual display of target device to improve user interaction (Matsui paragraph [0040] “by using monitoring image data 50 based on equipment configuration visual data 54 including graphic data, the sound status and diagnostic results of multiple devices 4 within the monitoring area 2 can be easily visualized, thereby enabling efficient monitoring of equipment including multiple devices 4.”). Therefore, it would have been obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Matsui with the method of Aoki to improve user interaction.
Regarding claim 19, claim 19 has similar limitations as claim 6, therefore it is rejected under the same rationale as claim 6.
Claim(s) 9, 18 and 22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Aoki et al. (JP 2013015468 A), hereinafter as Aoki, in view of Nakamura et al. (JP 2019020914 A), hereinafter as Nakamura. The original and machine translations of Aoki and Nakamura are provided by the examiner.
Regarding claim 9, Aoki teaches The recording medium according to claim 1, but are not relied on for the below claim language wherein the display processing includes changing, based on size information of a component mounted on the diagnosis target apparatus, a size of the mark superimposed on the visual structural information. Nakamura teaches wherein the display processing includes changing, based on size information of a component mounted on the diagnosis target apparatus, a size of the mark superimposed on the visual structural information (Nakamura paragraph [0039] “Therefore, in order to superimpose the part image onto the corresponding position of the work vehicle in the captured image, it is necessary to change the absolute value of the part position information and the display size of the part image to a size that corresponds to the size of the work vehicle in the captured image.”).
Aoki and Nakamura are in the same field of endeavor, namely abnormal location visualization. Nakamura teaches a method of superimposing part image for malfunction onto the target device to improve user interaction (Nakamura paragraph [0057] “the part image corresponding to the replacement part code included in the individual information can be superimposed and displayed at the corresponding position of the image captured by the mobile terminal 3. This allows the user of the mobile terminal 3 (a service technician in the example of the above embodiment) to visually identify the faulty part.”). Therefore, it would have been obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Nakamura with the method of Aoki to improve user interaction.
Regarding claim 18, Aoki teaches The information processing device according to claim 13, but are not relied on for the below claim language further comprising an apparatus information storage section that stores mounting location information for specifying a location of a component mounted on the diagnosis target apparatus and the visual structural information allowing the visual grasp of the structure of the diagnosis target apparatus, wherein the display processor displays the visual structural information stored in the apparatus information storage section on the display part, and superimposes, based on the mounting location information, the mark on the visual structural information displayed on the display part at the location corresponding to the component or the region in which the abnormality may have been generated.
Nakamura teaches further comprising an apparatus information storage section that stores mounting location information for specifying a location of a component mounted on the diagnosis target apparatus and the visual structural information allowing the visual grasp of the structure of the diagnosis target apparatus, wherein the display processor displays the visual structural information stored in the apparatus information storage section on the display part, and superimposes, based on the mounting location information, the mark on the visual structural information displayed on the display part at the location corresponding to the component or the region in which the abnormality may have been generated (Nakamura teaches storing model information and replacement part information in a table, further teaches superimposing the part image on the work vehicle based on position and size, paragraph [0019] “When the remote monitoring server 4 receives identification information, location information, operational information, error detection information, etc. from the work vehicle 2, it stores this information in association with the identification information, model information, and serial number of the work vehicle 2.”, paragraph [0039] “Therefore, in order to superimpose the part image onto the corresponding position of the work vehicle in the captured image, it is necessary to change the absolute value of the part position information and the display size of the part image to a size that corresponds to the size of the work vehicle in the captured image.”, paragraph [0051] “the terminal-side identification control unit 61 obtains part position information and part image corresponding to the replacement part code from the part image table corresponding to the model, based on the model and replacement part code …… terminal-side identification control unit 61 adjusts the absolute value of the part position information and the display size of the part image based on the size of the type information 9 extracted from the captured image”).
Aoki and Nakamura are in the same field of endeavor, namely abnormal location visualization. Nakamura teaches a method of superimposing part image for malfunction onto the target device to improve user interaction (Nakamura paragraph [0057] “the part image corresponding to the replacement part code included in the individual information can be superimposed and displayed at the corresponding position of the image captured by the mobile terminal 3. This allows the user of the mobile terminal 3 (a service technician in the example of the above embodiment) to visually identify the faulty part.”). Therefore, it would have been obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Nakamura with the method of Aoki to improve user interaction.
Regarding claim 22, Aoki in view of Nakamura teach The information processing device according to claim 18, and further teach wherein the apparatus information storage section further stores size information of the component mounted on the diagnosis target apparatus, and the display processor changes, based on the size information, a size of the mark on the component in which the abnormality may have been generated (Nakamura paragraph [0019] “When the remote monitoring server 4 receives identification information, location information, operational information, error detection information, etc. from the work vehicle 2, it stores this information in association with the identification information, model information, and serial number of the work vehicle 2.”, paragraph [0039] “Therefore, in order to superimpose the part image onto the corresponding position of the work vehicle in the captured image, it is necessary to change the absolute value of the part position information and the display size of the part image to a size that corresponds to the size of the work vehicle in the captured image.”, paragraph [0051] “terminal-side identification control unit 61 adjusts the absolute value of the part position information and the display size of the part image based on the size of the type information 9 extracted from the captured image”).
Aoki and Nakamura are in the same field of endeavor, namely abnormal location visualization. Nakamura teaches a method of superimposing part image for malfunction onto the target device to improve user interaction (Nakamura paragraph [0057] “the part image corresponding to the replacement part code included in the individual information can be superimposed and displayed at the corresponding position of the image captured by the mobile terminal 3. This allows the user of the mobile terminal 3 (a service technician in the example of the above embodiment) to visually identify the faulty part.”). Therefore, it would have been obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Nakamura with the method of Aoki to improve user interaction.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8, 10-11, 21, 23 and 24 objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including 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 claims 8 and 21, the closest prior art of Ibaragi teaches displaying a list of candidates as the generation point for abnormal sound. However, Ibaragi fails to teach the combined limitation below as a whole, “wherein the display processing includes arranging the list so that a display order of the component or the region in which the abnormality may have been generated corresponds to a display order of the mark superimposed on the visual structural information”. Furthermore, no prior art of record either alone or in combination teaches the above limitation as a whole. Therefore, claims 8 and 21 are considered to be allowable.
Claim 10 contain allowable subject matter because they depend on claim 8 that contains allowable subject matter.
Regarding claim 11, the closest prior art of Miyazaki et al. (US 20230254429 A1), hereinafter as Miyazaki, teaches a method allowing user to select from a list of malfunctioning part candidate (Miyazaki paragraph [0064] “When a selection operation (e.g., click, tap, or the like) is performed on the image PM1, the control unit 300 causes the display 110 to display a list of the plurality of pieces of malfunctioning part candidate information associated with the image PM1. The user may select, from the list displayed on the display 110, the malfunctioning part candidate information indicating a location where the user infers that a malfunction has occurred in the image processing apparatus 100. When one of the plurality of pieces of malfunctioning part candidate information are selected by the user, the control unit 300 causes the image PM1 to display the selected piece of malfunctioning part candidate information.”). However, Miyazaki fails to teach the combined limitation below as a whole, “wherein the display processing includes displaying a tool for selecting the component or region, displayed on the list, in which the abnormality may have been generated, and in response to the component or region in which the abnormality may have been generated being selected, displaying the mark superimposed on the visual structural information at the corresponding location of the selected component or region in an explicitly identifiable manner”. Furthermore, no prior art of record either alone or in combination teaches the above limitation as a whole. Therefore, claims 11 is considered to be allowable.
Claim 23 contain allowable subject matter because they depend on claim 21 that contains allowable subject matter.
Regarding claim 24, the closest prior art of Miyazaki teaches a method allowing user to select from a list of malfunctioning part candidate. However, Miyazaki fails to teach the combined limitation below as a whole, “wherein the display processor displays a selection tool for selecting, from the list, the component or region in which the abnormality may have been generated, and displays the mark superimposed on the visual structural information of the component or region selected by the selection tool in an explicitly identifiable manner”. Furthermore, no prior art of record either alone or in combination teaches the above limitation as a whole. Therefore, claim 24 is considered to be allowable.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Okamoto et al. (US 20170201824 A1) teaches a method to support service engineer for specifying cause of the abnormal sound for image forming apparatus.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to XIAOMING WEI whose telephone number is (571)272-3831. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00-5:00.
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/XIAOMING WEI/Examiner, Art Unit 2611
/KEE M TUNG/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2611
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