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`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and TrademarkOffice
`Address; COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS
`P.O. Box 1450
`Alexandria, Virginia 22313-1450
`
`16/925,692
`
`07/10/2020
`
`Mitsuo ABE
`
`SHIN.7PUSO1
`
`6068
`
`MARKD. SARALINO (PAN)
`RENNER, OTTO, BOISSELLE & SKLAR, LLP
`1621 EUCLID AVENUE
`ISTH FLOOR
`
`CLEVELAND, OH 44115
`
`CHOWDHURY, NIGAR
`
`2484
`
`02/09/2022
`
`ELECTRONIC
`
`Please find below and/or attached an Office communication concerning this application or proceeding.
`
`The time period for reply, if any, is set in the attached communication.
`
`Notice of the Office communication was sent electronically on above-indicated "Notification Date" to the
`following e-mail address(es):
`
`ipdocket @rennerotto.com
`
`PTOL-90A (Rev. 04/07)
`
`

`

`
`
`Disposition of Claims*
`1-9 is/are pending in the application.
`)
`Claim(s)
`5a) Of the above claim(s) ___ is/are withdrawn from consideration.
`C} Claim(s)
`is/are allowed.
`Claim(s) 1-9 is/are rejected.
`S)
`) © Claim(s)____is/are objected to.
`Cj) Claim(s
`are subjectto restriction and/or election requirement
`)
`S)
`* If any claims have been determined allowable, you maybeeligible to benefit from the Patent Prosecution Highway program at a
`participating intellectual property office for the corresponding application. For more information, please see
`http://www.uspto.gov/patents/init_events/pph/index.jsp or send an inquiry to PPHfeedback@uspto.gov.
`
`) )
`
`Application Papers
`10)(] The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
`11) The drawing(s) filed on 7/10/2020 is/are: a)(¥) accepted or b)() objected to by the Examiner.
`Applicant may not request that any objection to the drawing(s) be held in abeyance. See 37 CFR 1.85(a).
`Replacement drawing sheet(s) including the correction is required if the drawing(s) is objected to. See 37 CFR 1.121 (d).
`
`Priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119
`12) Acknowledgment is made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d)or (f).
`Certified copies:
`_—_c)L) None ofthe:
`b)L) Some**
`a)¥) All
`1.4) Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
`2.2) Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No.
`3.2.) Copies of the certified copies of the priority documents have been receivedin this National Stage
`application from the International Bureau (PCT Rule 17.2(a)).
`* See the attached detailed Office action for a list of the certified copies not received.
`
`Attachment(s)
`
`1)
`
`Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
`
`Information Disclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/08a and/or PTO/SB/08b)
`2)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date 7/10/2020.
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
`
`3) (J Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date
`(Qj Other:
`
`4)
`
`PTOL-326 (Rev. 11-13)
`
`Office Action Summary
`
`Part of Paper No./Mail Date 20220203
`
`Application No.
`Applicant(s)
`16/925,692
`ABE, Mitsuo
`
`Office Action Summary Art Unit|AIA (FITF) StatusExaminer
`NIGAR CHOWDHURY
`2484
`Yes
`
`
`
`-- The MAILING DATEofthis communication appears on the cover sheet with the correspondence address --
`Period for Reply
`
`A SHORTENED STATUTORY PERIOD FOR REPLYIS SET TO EXPIRE 3 MONTHS FROM THE MAILING
`DATE OF THIS COMMUNICATION.
`Extensions of time may be available underthe provisions of 37 CFR 1.136(a). In no event, however, may a reply betimely filed after SIX (6) MONTHSfrom the mailing
`date of this communication.
`If NO period for reply is specified above, the maximum statutory period will apply and will expire SIX (6) MONTHSfrom the mailing date of this communication.
`-
`- Failure to reply within the set or extended period for reply will, by statute, cause the application to become ABANDONED (35 U.S.C. § 133}.
`Any reply received by the Office later than three months after the mailing date of this communication, evenif timely filed, may reduce any earned patent term
`adjustment. See 37 CFR 1.704(b).
`
`Status
`
`1) Responsive to communication(s) filed on 7/10/2020.
`C} A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/werefiled on
`
`2a)L) This action is FINAL. 2b)¥)This action is non-final.
`3)02 An election was madeby the applicant in responseto a restriction requirement set forth during the interview
`on
`; the restriction requirement and election have been incorporated into this action.
`4\0) Since this application is in condition for allowance except for formal matters, prosecution as to the merits is
`closed in accordance with the practice under Exparte Quayle, 1935 C.D. 11, 453 O.G. 213.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/925,692
`Art Unit: 2484
`
`Page 2
`
`DETAILED ACTION
`
`Notice of Pre-AlA 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.
`
`1.
`
`The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
`
`Claim Interpretation
`
`(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. — An elementin a claim for a combination may be
`expressed as a meansor step for performing a specified function without the recital of
`structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the
`corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents
`thereof.
`
`The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
`
`An elementin a claim for a combination may be expressed as a meansor step for performing
`a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and
`suchclaim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts
`described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
`
`2.
`
`This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word
`
`“means,” but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AlA 35
`
`U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because the claim limitation(s) uses a generic placeholder
`
`that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform
`
`the recited function and the generic placeholder is not precededby a structural modifier.
`
`Suchclaim limitation(s) is/are: “an imaging unit’ in claims 1, and 9, fig. 1, paragraph
`
`0028; “a medium connection unit’ in claims 1 and 9, fig. 1, paragraph 0038; “a display
`
`unit” in claims 1, and 9, fig. 1, paragraph 0035 of the instant specification.
`
`Becausethis/these claim limitation(s) is/are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C.
`
`112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are being interpreted to
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/925,692
`Art Unit: 2484
`
`Page 3
`
`cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the
`
`claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
`
`If applicant does not intend to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35
`
`U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may:
`
`(1) amend the
`
`claim limitation(s) to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AlA
`
`35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the
`
`claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s)
`
`sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid it/them being
`
`interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph.
`
`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 madein 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 effectivefiling date of the claimed
`invention.
`
`3.
`
`Claim(s) 1-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by
`
`US 2014/0354851 by Yasuoka.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/925,692
`Art Unit: 2484
`
`Page 4
`
`4.
`
`Regarding claim 1, an imaging device (fig. 1) comprising:
`
`an imaging unit configured to capture an image of a subject to generate
`
`image data (fig. 1-2, paragraph 0019 teaches capturing an image);
`
`a medium connection unit connectable to multiple recording media for
`
`recording the image data (in addition to discussion above, fig. 1,
`
`paragraph 0017, 0021-0023 teaches multiple recording media);
`
`a display unit configured to display an image based on the image data (in
`
`addition to discussion above, fig. 1 (50) showsdisplay unit);
`
`a controller configured to execute at least one of copying and transferring
`
`of the image data between the multiple recording media (in addition to
`
`discussion above, fig. 1-2, paragraph 0021, 0032 teaches data
`
`management device for controlling copy and transfer of image data); and
`
`a memory(in addition to discussion above, fig. 1 (20)),
`
`wherein the controller (fig. 1-2) is configured to:
`
`store target medium information in the memory, the target medium
`
`information indicating, among the multiple recording media, a recording
`
`medium in which the image data is recorded last or a recording medium
`
`from which the image data is read last (in addition to discussion above,
`
`paragraph 0017, 0021, 0027, 0029 teaches memoryfor storing target
`
`medium information); and
`
`set a copy direction based on the target medium information, the copy
`
`direction indicating, among the multiple recording media, a copy source
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/925,692
`Art Unit: 2484
`
`Page 5
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`recording medium and a copy destination recording medium for copying
`
`the image data (in addition to discussion above, fig. 3-7, paragraph 0051
`
`teaches based on the target medium information, image copy/moveto
`
`destination), or
`
`e
`
`seta transfer direction based on the target medium information, the
`
`transfer direction indicating, among the multiple recording media, a
`
`transfer source recording medium and a transfer destination recording
`
`medium for transferring the image data (in addition to discussion above,
`
`fig. 3-7, paragraph 0051 teaches based on the target medium information,
`
`image copy/moveto destination).
`
`5.
`
`Regarding claim 2, the imaging device wherein the controller causes the display
`
`unit to output information indicating the set copy direction or the set transfer direction (in
`
`addition to discussion above, fig. 3-7, paragraph 0051 teaches based on the target
`
`medium information, image copy/moveto destination).
`
`6.
`
`Regarding claim 3, the imaging device wherein the multiple recording media
`
`includeafirst recording medium and a second recording medium, and
`
`e
`
`e
`
`the controller (fig. 1-2) is configured to:
`
`set the copy direction or the transfer direction to be from the first recording
`
`medium to the second recording medium when the target medium
`
`information indicates the first recording medium (in addition to discussion
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/925,692
`Art Unit: 2484
`
`Page 6
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`above, fig. 3-7, paragraph 0041, 0051 teaches based on the target
`
`medium information, image copy/moveto destination); and
`
`set the copy direction or the transfer direction to be from the second
`
`recording medium to the first recording medium when the target medium
`
`information indicates the second recording medium (in addition to
`
`discussion above, fig. 3-7, paragraph 0041, 0051 teaches based on the
`
`target medium information, image copy/moveto destination).
`
`7.
`
`Regarding claim 4, the imaging device wherein
`
`the multiple recording media includeafirst recording medium and a
`
`second recording medium (in addition to discussion above, fig. 3-7,
`
`paragraph 0051 teaches based on the target medium information, image
`
`copy/moveto destination),
`
`the controller is configured to determine whether the image data are
`
`recordedin the first recording medium and the second recording medium
`
`(in addition to discussion above, fig. 3-7, paragraph 0027, 0051 teaches
`
`based on the target medium information, image copy/moveto destination),
`
`and
`
`when no image data is recordedin one ofthe first and second recording
`
`media, the controller is configured to set the copy direction or the transfer
`
`direction to be from the other of the first and second recording media to
`
`the one ofthe first and second recording media (in addition to discussion
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/925,692
`Art Unit: 2484
`
`Page 7
`
`above, fig. 4-5, paragraph 0046-0048 teaches copy/move image data to a
`
`recording media where no image data is recorded).
`
`8.
`
`Regarding claim 5, the imaging device further comprising an operation unit
`
`configured to receive a first input for requiring the copying or transferring of the image
`
`data by a user operation (in addition to discussion above, fig. 3-7, paragraph 0047,
`
`0051 teaches receiving input for image copying/moving to destination),
`
`wherein the controller is configured to set information indicating the copy
`
`direction or the transfer direction according to the first input, the controller configured to
`
`execute the copying or transferring of the image data according to the copydirection or
`
`the transfer direction (in addition to discussion above, fig. 3-7, paragraph 0047, 0051
`
`teaches receiving input for image copying/moving to destination).
`
`9.
`
`Regarding claim 6, the imaging device wherein the operation unit is configured
`
`to receive a second input for requiring a change of the copydirection or the transfer
`
`direction by a user operation (in addition to discussion above, fig. 3-7, paragraph 0047,
`
`0051 teaches receiving input for image copying/moving to destination), and
`
`the controller is configured to change the copydirection or the transfer direction
`
`in response to the second input, the controller configured to execute the copying or
`
`transferring of the image data according to the changed copydirection or the changed
`
`transfer direction (in addition to discussion above, fig. 3-7, paragraph 0047, 0051
`
`teaches receiving input for image copying/moving to destination).
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/925,692
`Art Unit: 2484
`
`Page 8
`
`10.
`
`Regarding claim 7, the imaging device wherein the multiple recording media
`
`include a first memory device and a second memorydevice (fig. 2),
`
`the medium connection unit includes a first medium connection unit to which the
`
`first memory device can be connected and a second medium connection unit to which
`
`the second memory device can be connected(in addition to discussion above, fig. 1-2,
`
`10, paragraph 0022-0024, 0033, 0056 teachesfirst medium connectedto first memory
`
`and second medium connected to second memory).
`
`11.
`
`Regarding claim 8, the imaging device further comprising an operation unit
`
`configured to receiveafirst input for requiring the copying or transferring of the image
`
`data by a user operation (in addition to discussion above, fig. 7),
`
`wherein the controller is configured not to copy or transfer the image data
`
`regardlessof the first input received, when either one of the first memory device or the
`
`second memory device is not connected(in addition to discussion above, fig. 1-2, 10,
`
`paragraph 0022-0024, 0033, 0056 teaches based on the network image data
`
`copy/move).
`
`12.
`
`Regarding claim 9, the imaging device (fig. 1) comprising:
`
`e
`
`animaging unit configured to capture an image of a subject to generate
`
`image data (fig. 1-2, paragraph 0019 teaches capturing an image);
`
`e
`
`amedium connection unit connectable to multiple recording media for
`
`recording the image data (in addition to discussion above, fig. 1,
`
`paragraph 0017, 0021-0023 teaches multiple recording media);
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/925,692
`Art Unit: 2484
`
`Page 9
`
`e
`
`adisplay unit configured to display an image based on the image data (in
`
`addition to discussion above, fig. 1 (50) showsdisplayunit);
`
`e
`
`aconitroller configured to execute at least one of copying and transferring
`
`image data between the multiple recording media (in addition to
`
`discussion above, fig. 1-2, paragraph 0021, 0032 teaches data
`
`management device for controlling copy and transfer of image data); and
`
`e
`
`amemory(in addition to discussion above, fig. 1 (20)),
`
`e wherein the controller (fig. 1-2) is configured to:
`
`e
`
`store target medium information in the memory, the target medium
`
`information indicating, among the multiple recording media, a recording
`
`medium in which the image data is recorded last or a recording medium
`
`from which the image datais read last (in addition to discussion above,
`
`paragraph 0017, 0021, 0027, 0029 teaches memoryfor storing target
`
`medium information); and
`
`e
`
`setarecording medium for editing the image data based on the target
`
`medium information, from among the multiple recording media (in addition
`
`to discussion above, fig. 6, paragraph 0051 teaches based on the target
`
`medium information, image can delete, copy/move, rename), or
`
`e
`
`seta recording medium for deleting the image data based on the target
`
`medium information, from among the multiple recording media (in addition
`
`to discussion above, fig. 6, paragraph 0051 teaches based on the target
`
`medium information, image can delete, copy/move, rename).
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/925,692
`Art Unit: 2484
`
`Page 10
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`Conclusion
`
`13.=Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
`
`examiner should be directed to NIGAR CHOWDHURYwhosetelephone number is
`
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`
`supervisor, Thai Tran can be reached on 571-272-7382. The fax phone number for the
`
`organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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`
`/NIGAR CHOWDHURY/
`Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2484
`
`