CTNF 19/185,663 CTNF 90688 DETAILED ACTION 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. 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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. Specification 06-11 AIA TITLE - 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. 06-31 AIA “JUMBO CASE” - The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification. Claim Objections 07-36 AIA The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(d): (d) REFERENCE IN DEPENDENT FORMS.—Subject to subsection (e), a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers. The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, fourth paragraph: Subject to the following paragraph [i.e., the fifth paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112], a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers. 06-18 AIA A series of singular dependent claims is permissible in which a dependent claim refers to a preceding claim which, in turn, refers to another preceding claim. A claim which depends from a dependent claim should not be separated by any claim which does not also depend from said dependent claim. It should be kept in mind that a dependent claim may refer to any preceding independent claim. In general, applicant's sequence will not be changed. See MPEP § 608.01(n). 07-29-01 AIA Claim s 1-13 are objected to because of the following informalities: in multiple instances, the claims present of the word “processers ”. Proper spelling is processors . 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 1-13 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. Claim 1 recites inter alia, “ acquire a power consumption value which indicates a power estimated to be consumed in forming an image in units of an operation of forming one image on the sheet; and acquire power consumption values corresponding to the plurality of print modes respectively designated by the print job information”. It is unclear if the first power consumption value recited in the claim is included in or is distinct from the plurality corresponding to the print modes. Claim 2 recites inter alia, “by accumulating a plurality of acquired power consumption values”. It is unclear if the recited plurality of acquired power consumption values , refers to the ones corresponding to the plurality of print modes, if it also includes the one which indicates a power estimated to be consumed in forming an image in units of an operation of forming one image on the sheet, or a different plurality of acquired power consumption values altogether. 07-34-05 AIA Claim 6 recites the limitation " the time scaling factor " in the 3rd line . There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. 07-34-05 AIA Claim 6 recites the limitation " the power consumption value " in the last line . There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 12 recites inter alia, “acquire a power consumption value for the fixing module independently of the power consumption value ” (emphasis added). There is insufficient antecedent basis for emphasized limitation in the claim. It is unclear to which ‘ power consumption value’ , of the many introduced in claim 1, this emphasized limitation attempts to refer to. Claim 13 recites the limitation "the fixing module” in the 2 nd line and the limitation “the accumulated power consumption amount” in the 15 th line. It is unclear if claim 13 was intended to depend on claim 12, which properly introduces a fixing module and an accumulated power consumption amount, or, as currently written , claim 13 is intended to depend on claim 1, in which case “the fixing module” and “the accumulated power consumption amount” have insufficient antecedent basis. For the purpose of examination over prior art, claim 13 is treated as being dependent on claim 1. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-08-aia AIA (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. 07-15-aia AIA Claim(s) 1-3, 6 & 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by US 2010/0316405 to Saeki . Saeki teaches: (claim 1) An image forming apparatus (Fig.1) comprising: one or more processors ( 101 , Fig.2) configured to accept print job information for forming an image on a sheet [0077]; and an image forming unit ( 600 ) configured to form an image on a sheet according to a print mode designated by the print job information among a plurality of print modes [0061], wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: acquire a power consumption value which indicates a power estimated to be consumed in forming an image in units of an operation of forming one image on the sheet (e.g. normal mode consumption, Abstract); and acquire power consumption values corresponding to the plurality of print modes respectively designated by the print job information [0066], based on a reference value which indicates a power estimated to be consumed in forming the image in a reference print mode which is selected from the plurality of print modes as a reference and a scaling factor corresponding to the print job information (Figs.4A, 4B, [0079][0128-0130). (claim 2) The image forming apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to acquire an accumulated power consumption amount by accumulating a plurality of acquired power consumption values (see 301, Figs.3 & 8). (claim 3) The image forming apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein the scaling factor includes a power scaling factor, and wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: determine the power scaling factor according to the print job information; and acquire the power consumption value by multiplying the reference value by the power scaling factor [0079]. (claim 6) The image forming apparatus according to Claim 2, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: determine a time scaling factor in accordance with the print job information; and acquire the accumulated power consumption amount by multiplying the power consumption value by the time scaling factor [0071]. (claim 14) The image forming apparatus according to Claim 2, further comprising: a display (400) configured to display an accumulated power consumption amount of the entire of the image forming apparatus (Fig.14) . 07-15-aia AIA Claim(s) 1-3, 5-7, 9, and 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by US 20110064431 to Kohri et al . Kohri teaches: (claim 1) An image forming apparatus (Fig.1) comprising: one or more processors ( 130 , Fig.2) configured to accept print job information for forming an image on a sheet [0048-0049]; and an image forming unit ( 140 ) configured to form an image on a sheet according to a print mode designated by the print job information among a plurality of print modes [0050], wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: acquire a power consumption value which indicates a power estimated to be consumed in forming an image in units of an operation of forming one image on the sheet [0066]; and acquire power consumption values corresponding to the plurality of print modes respectively designated by the print job information, based on a reference value which indicates a power estimated to be consumed in forming the image in a reference print mode which is selected from the plurality of print modes as a reference and a scaling factor corresponding to the print job information (Fig.13, [0079, 0129, 0168-0171]). (claim 2) The image forming apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to acquire an accumulated power consumption amount by accumulating a plurality of acquired power consumption values [0054]. (claim 3) The image forming apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein the scaling factor includes a power scaling factor, and wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: determine the power scaling factor according to the print job information; and acquire the power consumption value by multiplying the reference value by the power scaling factor [0132]. (claim 5) The image forming apparatus according to Claim 3, wherein the power scaling factor is determined according to a conveyance speed of the sheet specified from the print job information (e.g. drum motor 155 operation time directly correlates to conveyance speed of the sheet, [0054]). (claim 6) The image forming apparatus according to Claim 2, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: determine a time scaling factor in accordance with the print job information; and acquire the accumulated power consumption amount by multiplying the power consumption value by the time scaling factor [0054]. (claim 7) The image forming apparatus according to Claim 6, wherein the time scaling factor is determined in accordance with a size of the sheet designated from the print job information (e.g. feed motor 153 operation time directly correlates to sheet size , [0054]). (claim 9) The image forming apparatus according to Claim 6, wherein the time scaling factor is determined according to a conveyance speed of the sheet specified from the print job information (e.g. drum motor 155 operation time directly correlates to conveyance speed of the sheet, [0054]). (claim 14) The image forming apparatus according to Claim 2, further comprising: a display ( 109 ) configured to display an accumulated power consumption amount of the entire of the image forming apparatus [0097, 0136] . 07-15-aia AIA Claim(s) 1 and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by US 2011/0026056 to Nakamura . Nakamura discloses: (claim 1) An image forming apparatus (Fig.1) comprising: one or more processors ( 40 , Fig.2) configured to accept print job information for forming an image on a sheet; and an image forming unit ( 2 ) configured to form an image on a sheet according to a print mode designated by the print job information among a plurality of print modes (e.g., color, monochrome, single-sided, double-sided, regular paper, thick paper, OHP [0055-0067]), wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: acquire a power consumption value which indicates a power estimated to be consumed in forming an image in units of an operation of forming one image on the sheet; and acquire power consumption values corresponding to the plurality of print modes respectively designated by the print job information, based on a reference value which indicates a power estimated to be consumed in forming the image in a reference print mode (e.g. color mode) which is selected from the plurality of print modes as a reference and a scaling factor corresponding to the print job information (Fig.10, [0092-0099]). (claim 11) The image forming apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein the image forming unit is further configured to perform a full color printing in accordance with the reference print mode and perform a monochrome printing in accordance with other print mode different from the reference print mode, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to correct the reference value by subtracting a correction value associated with the monochrome printing from the reference value in a case where the other print mode is designated by the print job information [0096] . Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-20-02-aia AIA This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention. 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 4 and 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2011/0064431 to Kohri et al . Regarding claim 4 Kohri teaches an image forming apparatus according to Claim 3, wherein the power scaling factor is determined according to accumulated usage or operation time [0054]. Since accumulated usage or operation an operation time (e.g. via print speed setting) of a part of the image forming apparatus during image formation depends on the type of sheet used, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to configure the apparatus of Kohri such that the power scaling factor is determined according to a basis weight designated by the print job information, for at least the purpose of accurately determining power consumption for different sheets used in the image forming apparatus . Regarding claim 8 Kohri teaches an image forming apparatus according to Claim 6, wherein the time scaling factor is determined according to operation time [0054]. Since operation time (e.g. via print speed setting) of a part of the image forming apparatus during image formation depends on the type of sheet used, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to configure the apparatus of Kohri such that the time scaling factor is determined in accordance with a basis weight designated by the print job information , for at least the purpose of accurately determining power consumption for different sheets used in the image forming apparatus 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20110064431 to Kohri et al., as applied to claim 1, and further in view of US 2022/0082982 to Kishi et al . Regarding claim 10 Kohri discloses an image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a first discharge path configured to discharge a sheet on which the image is formed in accordance with the reference print mode [0044] but appears silent about a second discharge path, as claimed. Kishi discloses an image forming system 1X comprising image forming apparatus 101 and a foil transfer device 102 ; a first discharge path 260 configured to discharge a sheet on which an image is formed in accordance with a normal print mode (image formation mode not including foil transfer), and a second discharge path 250 configured to discharge the sheet on which the image is formed in accordance with another print mode (including foil transfer) different from the reference print mode. A heater and conveyance path of the foil transfer unit can be turned on or off based on the description of the received image formation job for reduced power consumption [0082]. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to apply a method of monitoring power consumption as disclosed by Kohri to an apparatus comprising a first discharge path and a second discharge path such that in an image forming apparatus according to claim 1, the one or more processors are further configured to correct the reference value by adding a correction value associated with the second discharge path to the reference value in a case where the other print mode is designated by the print job information, for at least the purpose of accurately determining power consumption in a case where a conveyance path different from the one in the reference mode is used . 07-22-aia AIA Claim (s) 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20110064431 to Kohri et al ., as applied to claim 2 above, and further in view of JP 2011-085796 to Takiguchi . Regarding claim 12, Kohri discloses an image forming apparatus according to Claim 2, further comprising: a fixing module (including heater 125 ) configured to fix a toner image formed on the sheet by the image forming unit, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: acquire a power consumption value for the fixing module independently of the power consumption value (Abstract, [0053-0056, 0126, 0192, 0195]). Examiner assumes arguendo that Kohri does not particularly teach acquiring the accumulated power consumption amount of the fixing module by accumulating the power consumption values of the fixing module. Kohri discloses any part can monitored for electric power consumption, but does not offer details for the fixing module. Takiguchi discloses an image forming apparatus wherein a controller configured to: acquire a power consumption value for the fixing unit 2 independently of the power consumption value for a DC unit (means requiring power excluding the fixing heater 6 ); and acquire an accumulated power consumption amount of the fixing unit by integrating the power consumption values of the fixing unit (Abstract, Figs. 2 & 3, pg. 5, 3 rd par.). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to configure the apparatus of Kohri such that the one or more processors are further configured to: acquire a power consumption value for the fixing module independently of the power consumption value; and acquire an accumulated power consumption amount of the fixing module by accumulating the power consumption values of the fixing module , as suggested by Takiguchi, for at least the purpose of improved calculation of power consumption in the image forming apparatus . 07-22-aia AIA Claim (s) 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20110064431 to Kohri et al ., as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of JP 2011-085796 to Takiguchi . Regarding claim 13, Kohri teaches an image forming apparatus according to Claim 1, further comprising: a heating element ( 125 , Fig.2) provided in the fixing module and configured to heat the toner image; and a temperature sensor ( 150 ,Fig.2) configured to detect a temperature of the heating element, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: determine a control value for controlling the temperature detected by the temperature sensor to a target temperature [0050]; adjust an electric power supplied to the heating element according to the control value (e.g. to low-power operation, [0047, 0050]); and acquire a power consumption value for the fixing module [0122]. Examiner assumes arguendo that Kohri is silent about the basis for acquiring the power consumption value for the fixing module. Takiguchi discloses an image forming apparatus wherein a controller acquires a power consumption value for the fixing unit based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor, the control value, a current supplied to the heating element, or a voltage applied to the heating element; and acquires an integrated power consumption amount of the fixing unit by integrating the power consumption value of the fixing module over a time period during which the heating element is generating heat (Abstract, Figs. 2 & 3, pg. 5, 3 rd par.). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to configure the apparatus of Kohri such that the one or more processors are further configured to: acquire a power consumption value for the fixing module based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor, the control value, a current supplied to the heating element, or a voltage applied to the heating element; and acquire the accumulated power consumption amount by accumulating the power consumption value of the fixing module over a time period during which the heating element is generating heat, for at least the purpose of improved calculation of power consumption in the image forming apparatus. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ARLENE HEREDIA whose telephone number is (571)272-8393. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 9:30-5:30. 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If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /Arlene Heredia Ocasio/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2852 Application/Control Number: 19/185,663 Page 2 Art Unit: 2852 Application/Control Number: 19/185,663 Page 3 Art Unit: 2852 Application/Control Number: 19/185,663 Page 4 Art Unit: 2852 Application/Control Number: 19/185,663 Page 5 Art Unit: 2852 Application/Control Number: 19/185,663 Page 6 Art Unit: 2852 Application/Control Number: 19/185,663 Page 7 Art Unit: 2852 Application/Control Number: 19/185,663 Page 8 Art Unit: 2852 Application/Control Number: 19/185,663 Page 9 Art Unit: 2852 Application/Control Number: 19/185,663 Page 10 Art Unit: 2852 Application/Control Number: 19/185,663 Page 11 Art Unit: 2852 Application/Control Number: 19/185,663 Page 12 Art Unit: 2852 Application/Control Number: 19/185,663 Page 13 Art Unit: 2852
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