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 § 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.
Claim(s) 1, 25-27, and 32-33 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by SABER (US 6,173,128 B1).
Regarding claim 1, SABER teaches an information processing apparatus that communicates an image forming apparatus (figure 1), the information processing apparatus comprising: a memory (EEPROM) configured to store data indicating a relationship between a combination of errors [300 “A” list of catastrophic failure, lists “B-D” also exist] that occurred in the image forming apparatus and at least one unit to be replaced; and a processor (EEPROM) configured to determine at least one unit to be replaced from the data based on log information of one or more errors that occurred in the image forming appa3ratus (figures 1 and 3, 300-306 determines if part is replaced).
Regarding claim 25, the information processing apparatus further comprising a display configured to display a determination result of the at least one unit to be replaced (32, figure 1 shows display; column 5, line 62 – column 6, line 3).
Regarding claim 26, the information processing apparatus (shown in figure 1) further comprising an operation unit (figure 3) used for indicating a start of determining the at least one unit to be replaced [300; part replacement determination].
SABER teaches regarding claim 27, a method of determining at least one unit to be replaced in an image forming apparatus configured to form an image on a sheet, the method comprising: storing data (EEPROM, storage part) indicating a relationship between a combination of errors (From list A-B, & D) that occurred in the image forming apparatus and at least one unit to be replaced; and determining at least one unit to be replaced from the data based on log information of one or more errors that occurred in the image forming apparatus (figures 1 and 3, “[replace part”]).
Regarding claim 32, the method further comprising displaying a determination result of the at least one unit to be replaced on a display (32).
Regarding claim 33, the method further comprising receiving an instruction indicating a start of determining the at least one unit to be replaced (column 6, lines 4-21; figure 3).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 21-24 and 28-31 are 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.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the claim(s) have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to QUANA GRAINGER whose telephone number is (571)272-2135. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday - Friday, 9-5.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Walter 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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/QUANA GRAINGER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2852 QG
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