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 .
Request for Interview
In view of the foregoing instant office action, it is respectfully submitted that if Applicant has any questions or concerns with said instant office action, the Examiner respectfully invites Applicant to contact the Examiner at the telephone number appearing below.
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 01/02/2026 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
The amendment filed on 01/02/2026 was entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 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. Notice that claims 1 and 8 are now combined to be rejected with Sugiyama et al. (US Pub. No. 2017/0122886 A1) in view of Heismann (US Pub. No. 2006/0124856 A1) and Koren et al. (US Pub. No. 2013/0221226 A1) and the rejection of claim 9 now is rejected with Sugiyama et al. (US Pub. No. 2018/0306931 A1), hereinbelow Sugiyama 931’ in view of Heismann (US Pub. No. 2006/0124856 A1), Koren et al. (US Pub. No. 2013/0221226 A1) and Sugiyama et al. (US Pub. No. 2017/0122886 A1). See the below rejections.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claim(s) 1 and 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sugiyama et al. (US Pub. No. 2017/0122886 A1) in view of Heismann (US Pub. No. 2006/0124856 A1) and Koren et al. (US Pub. No. 2013/0221226 A1).
With regards to claim 1, as shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 3, Sugiyama discloses a radiation image acquisition system 1 for acquiring a radiation image of an object. Sugiyama system includes a wavelength conversion plate 6 converting transmitted radiation to scintillation light emitted from incidence surface 6a [0036] [0039]. Front surface detector including condenser lens unit 3a condensing scintillator light emitted from surface 6a [0040]. Imaging unit 3b imaging condensed scintillation light [0040]. Field of view 23 defined by condenser lens [0040]. Field of view 23 defined by condenser lens [0040]. Image processing device 28 receiving image signals and executing processing [0043].
Sugiyama convers the scintillator, first and second lens-based sensor modules, image processing and field of view structure as claimed [0036] – [0043].
Sugiyama fails to expressly disclose two modules disposed on the same scintillator surface arranged in-plane, flexible electrical connection members and the overlap width adjustment achieved by flexing those connection members.
Heismann relates to a computed-tomography unit includes a holding system having an x-ray emitter 16 and a detector 1 that is formed from a number of detector bars 2, each of the detector bars 2 having a plurality of individual modules 5 that are arranged in the z-direction of a coordinate system illustrated in FIG. 1 [0004] [0010], [0027] - [0035].
The computed-tomography unit further has a computing device 19 for processing the detector output signals generated by the detector 1, and a display unit 20 for displaying a result image. A connecting cable 11, for example a flex cable, for making electric contact between the individual module 5 and the printed circuit board 4 is mounted on the rear side of the respective individual module 5 (i.e., first and second flex connection members electrically connected to at least first and second modules to the processing substrate) [0010], [0027] – [0035]. Electric contact is made by way of electric conductor tracks such that the individual modules can be displaced without hindrance [0004], [0010], [0035].
Heismann covers first and second flexible connections members connected to the processing substrates [0004] [0010] [0035].
Koren relates to medical imaging using multiple cameras (Abstract) [0002] – [0004]. Notice how the cameras will capture multiple independent images of the same object (e.g., a patient undergoing medical imaging) [0047].
Koren discloses adjacent camera FOV slightly overlapping [0039]. Overlap region used to register/match and align images for stitching [0041]. Overlap size depends on position [0042]. Cameras may be positioned closer so overlap can be “any desired extent” [0044].
As such, Koren covers visual fields partially overlap, width of overlapping region adjustable by adjusting positions [0039] – [0044].
Notice that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, it is not inventive to discover the optimum or workable ranges by routine experimentation.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify Sugiyama’s lens-based scintillation imager to include the teaching such as that taught by Heisman’s flexible interconnected displacement during alignment and Koren’s overlap stitching geometry in order to achieve predictable seam-free imaging with overlapping width adjustable by module spacing where flex cables accommodate displacement. The combination yields predictable results: controllable overlap region width for seam-free imaging- exactly the know purpose of overlap regions.
As such, the claim would have been obvious because the technique for improving a particular class of devices was part of the ordinary capabilities of a person of ordinary skill in the art, in view of the teaching of the technique for improvement in other situations.
With regards to claim 8, Sugiyama modified discloses the claimed invention according to claim 1, and further an optical axis alignment normal to incidence surface [0057], along with optical path length equality consideration [0060], thereby establishing recognition of geometric alignment importance. Sugiyama teaches equal optical path lengths and image size matching [0060]
Sugiyama fails to expressly disclose wherein the first sensor module and the second sensor module are disposed apart from the scintillator on one side in the in-plane direction of the first surface and the second surface, an interval between the first lens of the first sensor module and the scintillator in the facing direction is equal to an interval between the second lens of the second sensor module and the scintillator in the facing direction, and positions of the first lens and the second lens in the in-plane direction with respect to the scintillator coincide with each other.
Koren relates to medical imaging using multiple cameras (Abstract) [0002] – [0004]. Notice how the cameras will capture multiple independent images of the same object (e.g., a patient undergoing medical imaging) [0047].
Koren teaches overlap-region stitching dependent on precise geometric alignment [0039] – [0041].
Heismann relates to a computed-tomography unit includes a holding system having an x-ray emitter 16 and a detector 1 that is formed from a number of detector bars 2, each of the detector bars 2 having a plurality of individual modules 5 that are arranged in the z-direction of a coordinate system illustrated in FIG. 1 [0004] [0010], [0027] - [0035].
Heismann teaches accurate position during module installation [0017] - [0021]; [0037] – [0039].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify Sugiyama to include the teaching such as that taught by Heisman and Koren in order to reduce distortion and simplify overlap stitching.
Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sugiyama et al. (US Pub. No. 2018/0306931 A1), hereinbelow Sugiyama 931’ in view of Heismann (US Pub. No. 2006/0124856 A1), Koren et al. (US Pub. No. 2013/0221226 A1) and Sugiyama et al. (US Pub. No. 2017/0122886 A1).
With regards to claim 9, Sugiyama 931’ discloses radiation source emitting radiation [0037], scintillator generating scintillation light from transmitted radiation [0042] - [0043], camera 3 with lens 3a imaging scintillation light from input surface 6a [0049] – [0051], computer generation g radiation image [0055] and conveyance apparatus 20 including belt conveyor 21 [0066].
Sugiyama 931’ fails to expressly disclose overlap-width adjustment by flexing connection members.
Heismann relates to a computed-tomography unit includes a holding system having an x-ray emitter 16 and a detector 1 that is formed from a number of detector bars 2, each of the detector bars 2 having a plurality of individual modules 5 that are arranged in the z-direction of a coordinate system illustrated in FIG. 1 [0004] [0010], [0027] - [0035].
Heismann supplies flexible displacement architecture [0004] [0010], [0027] - [0035].
Koren relates to medical imaging using multiple cameras (Abstract) [0002] – [0004]. Notice how the cameras will capture multiple independent images of the same object (e.g., a patient undergoing medical imaging) [0047].
Koren supplies overlap stitching geometry [0039] – [0041].
Sugiyama discloses a radiation image acquisition system 1 for acquiring a radiation image of an object. Sugiyama convers the scintillator, first and second lens-based sensor modules, image processing and field of view structure as claimed [0036] – [0043].
Sugiyama supplies condenser lens module structure [0036] – [0043]; [0050], [0051]. Sugiyama expressly discloses a lens 3a condenses scintillation light in a visual field 13 [0036] – [0043]; [0050], [0051].
It would have been obvious to implement the overlap-adjustable detector architecture within the known conveyor-based x-ray system of Sugiyama 931’ with the teachings such as that taught by Heismann, Koren and Sugiyama to achieve seam-free imaging across conveyed objects.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DJURA MALEVIC whose telephone number is (571)272-5975. The examiner can normally be reached M-F (9-5).
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/DJURA MALEVIC/Examiner, Art Unit 2884
/UZMA ALAM/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2884