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 for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Sugiyama US 2023/032555 A1 (Sugiyama).
Regarding claim 1, Sugiyama teaches an image forming apparatus, comprising:
a fixing component (60 configured to pressurize a sheet to fix an image onto the sheet (¶0026); and
a fixing controller (12) configured to perform, on the fixing component, a first control for pressurizing a first sheet not including a wireless tag with a first load (via first press roller 62) and a second control for pressurizing a second sheet including the wireless tag with a second load lower than the first load (via second press roller 63, ¶0026-¶0032).
Regarding claim 2, Sugiyama teaches the image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when an image density of the second sheet is equal to or lower than a predetermined value (because of the presence of the wireless tag), the fixing controller performs the second control (¶0026-¶0032).
Regarding claim 3, Sugiyama teaches the image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in double-sided printing (duplex) on the second sheet, the fixing controller performs the first control when a first side is printed and performs the second control when a second side is printed (in the case where the wireless tag is on the second side, ¶0026-¶0032).
Regarding claim 4, Sugiyama teaches the image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein in double-sided printing on the second sheet, the fixing controller performs the first control on a first side to be printed earlier and performs the second control on a second side to be printed later (in a case when the wireless tag is on the back).
Regarding claim 5, Sugiyama teaches the image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the sheet is pressurized, the fixing component pressurizes the sheet at a predetermined fixing temperature, and the fixing controller controls a fixing temperature in the second control to a temperature higher than a fixing temperature in the first control (¶0031-¶0032).
Regarding claim 6, Sugiyama teaches the image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the fixing component comprises an endless heating belt (611) that heats the sheet and a pressure roller configured to be pressed against the endless heating belt (¶0024).
Regarding claim 7, Sugiyama teaches the image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in the second control when a printing ratio of the second sheet is equal to or lower than a predetermined value, pressure is reduced (¶0031-¶0032).
Regarding claim 8, Sugiyama teaches the image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in the first control when a printing ratio of the second sheet exceeds a predetermined value, the second load of the fixing component is increased (¶0031-¶0032).
Regarding claim 9, Sugiyama teaches an image forming method (FIG. 5) executed by an image forming apparatus including a fixing component configured to pressurize a sheet to fix an image onto the sheet, the method comprising:
performing, on the fixing component, a first control for pressurizing a first sheet not including a wireless tag with a first load and a second control for pressurizing a second sheet including the wireless tag with a second load lower than the first load (¶0037-¶0046).
Regarding claim 10, Sugiyama teaches the image forming method according to claim 9, further comprising:
when an image density of the second sheet is equal to or lower than a predetermined value (because of the presence of the wireless tag), performing the second control (¶0026-¶0032).
Regarding claim 11, Sugiyama teaches the image forming method according to claim 9, further comprising:
in double-sided printing (duplex) on the second sheet, performing the first control when a first side is printed and performing the second control when a second side is printed (in the case where the wireless tag is on the second side, ¶0026-¶0032).
Regarding claim 12, Sugiyama teaches the image forming method according to claim 11, further comprising:
in double-sided printing (duplex) on the second sheet, performing the first control on a first side to be printed earlier and performing the second control on a second side to be printed later (in a case when the wireless tag is on the back).
Regarding claim 13, Sugiyama teaches the image forming method according to claim 9, further comprising:
when the sheet is pressurized, pressurizing the sheet at a predetermined fixing temperature, and controlling a fixing temperature in the second control to a temperature higher than a fixing temperature in the first control (¶0041).
Regarding claim 14, Sugiyama teaches the image forming method according to claim 9, further comprising:
in the second control when a printing ratio of the second sheet is equal to or lower than a predetermined value, reducing pressure (¶0031-¶0032).
Regarding claim 15, Sugiyama teaches the image forming method according to claim 9, further comprising:
in the first control when a printing ratio of the second sheet exceeds a predetermined value, increasing the second load of the fixing component (¶0031-¶0032).
Regarding claim 16, Sugiyama teaches a multifunction peripheral, comprising:
an image processing component (1);
an image forming component (5);
a fixing component (6) configured to pressurize a sheet to fix an image onto the sheet; and
a fixing controller configured to perform, on the fixing component, a first control for pressurizing a first sheet not including a wireless tag with a first load and a second control for pressurizing a second sheet including the wireless tag with a second load lower than the first load (¶0026-¶0032).
Regarding claim 17, Sugiyama teaches the multifunction peripheral according to claim 16, wherein when an image density of the second sheet is equal to or lower than a predetermined value (because of the presence of the wireless tag), the fixing controller performs the second control (¶0026-¶0032).
Regarding claim 18, Sugiyama teaches the multifunction peripheral according to claim 16, wherein in double-sided printing (duplex) on the second sheet, the fixing controller performs the first control when a first side is printed and performs the second control when a second side is printed (in the case where the wireless tag is on the second side, ¶0026-¶0032).
Regarding claim 19, Sugiyama teaches the multifunction peripheral according to claim 18, wherein in double-sided printing (duplex) on the second sheet, the fixing controller performs the first control on a first side to be printed earlier and performs the second control on a second side to be printed later (in a case when the wireless tag is on the back).
Regarding claim 20, Sugiyama teaches the multifunction peripheral according to claim 16, wherein when the sheet is pressurized, the fixing component pressurizes the sheet at a predetermined fixing temperature, and the fixing controller controls a fixing temperature in the second control to a temperature higher than a fixing temperature in the first control (¶0031-¶0032).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JESSICA L ELEY whose telephone number is (571)272-9793. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM CST.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Walter Jr. Lindsay can be reached on (571)272-1674. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JESSICA L ELEY/
Examiner, Art Unit 2852
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