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
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.
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.
Claim(s) 9–12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kim et al. (US Pub. # 20160209502), hereinafter referred to as Kim.
Regarding claim 9, Kim teaches, “A method of imaging a target object, the method comprising: providing a plurality of ultrasound transducer assemblies (Fig. 3; 11k (11e, 11f) & 11l (11g, 11h)), each ultrasound transducer assembly comprising a plurality of ultrasound transducer elements (abstract, first and second ultrasound elements); tiling the plurality of ultrasound transducer assemblies into a matrix or array configuration (see Fig. 3) that defines one or more gaps (g4, g5) between the plurality of transducer assemblies; processing receive signals (Fig. 1, ref. # 13) of each transducer element; synthesizing receive signals by defining one or more virtual elements for the one or more gaps between the transducer assemblies (abstract & claim 1; para. [0083–0103, 0233, 0234]); and acquiring an image of the target object using the tiled plurality of ultrasound transducer assemblies (abstract; para. [0102–0109, 0166]).”
Regarding claim 10, Kim teaches, “wherein the matrix or array configuration is a 1-dimensional array, a 2-dimensional matrix or array, a curved matrix array, a piece-wise curved matrix or array, or a flat matrix or array (Fig. 3; para. [0135]).”
Regarding claim 11, Kim teaches, “wherein each ultrasound transducer assembly further comprises an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) integrated thereon (para. [0150]).”
Regarding claim 12, Kim teaches, “wherein each ultrasound transducer assembly of the plurality is adjusted for relative tilt and offset with respect to a common coordinate system for the plurality of ultrasound transducer assemblies (see para. [0170, 0171]; steering description is an adjustment as claimed and implicit for this type of tiled array).”
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1–2, 4–8, 13–14, 16–18, and 20–22 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claims 1–2, and 4–8, the prior art does not teach or suggest the claimed, “(v) defining one or more virtual elements for one or more gaps between the ultrasound transducer assemblies and generating synthesized receive signals for the one or more virtual elements using the processed receive signals of one or more transducer elements of the plurality; and (vi) forming a dynamically focused receive beam based on the processed receive signals of the one or more transducer elements and synthesized receive signals of the one or more virtual elements.”
Regarding claims 13–14, 16–18, and 20–22, the prior art does not teach or suggest the claimed, “generate synthesized receive signals for the one or more virtual elements using the processed receive signals of one or more transducer elements, and form a focused receive beam based on the processed receive signals of the one or more transducer elements and the synthesized receive signals of the one or more virtual elements.”
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 9–12 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.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RYAN D WALSH whose telephone number is (571)272-2726. The examiner can normally be reached M-F, 8:30am-6:30pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Walter Lindsay can be reached at 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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/RYAN D WALSH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2852
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