CTNF 19/073,375 CTNF 66713 Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. Specification 06-11 AIA The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed. 07-29 AIA The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: in the specification, par. 74, line 1, “incorporation” should be changed to -- reflection --. Appropriate correction is required. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112 07-30-02 AIA The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b): (b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA), second paragraph: The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention. 07-34-01 Claims 1-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention. In claim 1, lines 8-9, the phrase “to be performed” is awkward because a developing bias does not “perform”. It is recommended applicant change “performed” to -- supplied -- or -- applied --. In claim 1, lines 10-11, the applicant claims a correction value for replenishment condition “set in the image-quality adjustment” however on lines 8-9, the image-quality adjustment changes the developing bias in accordance with the image sensor not a replenishment condition. In claim 1, line 14, the applicant claims correcting a correction value used until the next image-quality adjustment however it is unclear how the correction value is “used until” the next image quality adjustment. In other words, is the applicant using the corrected correction value in the current image-quality adjustment or the next image-quality adjustment. In claim 1, lines 15-16, the applicant claims an “adjustment bias” is “calculated” at the time of image quality adjustment however the “image-quality adjustment” (lines 8-9) changes the developing bias based on the image sensor and does not include calculating an “adjustment bias”. Allowable Subject Matter 07-43-01 AIA Claim s 1-7 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action. The concept of correcting a correction value used in the subsequent image forming processes based on a bias difference and a last correction value; the correction value being a value related to the replenishment time is believed to be not taught, suggested or rendered obvious over the prior art of record. However, since there seems to be unclarity with respect to what exactly is being claimed in claim 1, the allowability of the claims might be changed depending on how claim 1 is amended. Conclusion 07-96 AIA The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Karasawa teach an image forming apparatus which forms a toner patch, an image sensor which detects the density of the image patch, a controller which changes the developing bias according to the detected density, the developing bias being modified according to temperature/humidity, the developing bias being modified according to accumulated drive time of the developing roller or accumulated consumption amount. Gomi teach an image forming apparatus which forms a toner patch and an image forming condition is corrected after a predetermined amount of image forming operations. Ochi et al. teach an image forming apparatus which adjusts a developing bias in accordance with humidity. Shigehiro teach an image forming apparatus which detects temperature/humidity and corrects a replenishment amount of developer accordingly. Matsushita teach an image forming apparatus which detects temperature/humidity, patch density, and cumulative developer roller rotations and computes an developing bias accordingly. Nakayama et al. teach an image forming apparatus which detects a density of a toner patch and adjusts a developing bias and toner replenishment accordingly. Iriyama et al. teach correcting a developing bias in accordance with a density of a plurality of toner patches. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ROBERT B BEATTY whose telephone number is (571) 272-2130. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F from 7 to 3. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor, Stephanie Bloss, can be reached on (571) 272-3555. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is (571) 273-2130. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). /ROBERT B BEATTY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2852 Application/Control Number: 19/073,375 Page 2 Art Unit: 2852 Application/Control Number: 19/073,375 Page 3 Art Unit: 2852 Application/Control Number: 19/073,375 Page 4 Art Unit: 2852 Application/Control Number: 19/073,375 Page 5 Art Unit: 2852
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