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 § 112
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.
Claims 1-15 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.
Regarding claim 1, it is unclear what is meant by “the shielding element and the at least one detector element are movable relative to one another”. The specification describes only the shieling element is movable relative to the detector element.
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.
Claim(s) 1-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Paolini (US 4644578).
Regarding claim 1, Paolinia teaches an arrangement of an X-ray detector and a shielding element shielding X-rays for providing detector data with a higher spatial resolution than the physical resolution of the X-ray detector, wherein
the X-ray detector 22 comprises at least one detector line with at least one detector element arranged along the detector line,
the shielding element 20 comprises at least one region opaque for X-rays and at least one region transparent for X-rays,
the shielding element is arranged in front of the receiving surface of the at least one detector element in the beam direction of the X-rays, and the shielding element and the at least one detector element are movable 25 relative to one another for a relative movement, so that the effective receiving surface for X-rays of the at least one detector element can be changed dynamically accordingly (figures 2a-b, col 2 lines 15+).
Regarding claim 2, Paolinia teaches the region of the shielding element which is transparent for X-rays is a recess (figures 2a-b, col 2 lines 15+).
Regarding claim 3, Paolinia teaches the region of the shielding element which is transparent for X-rays is made of a material with a low attenuation for X-rays; and/or the region of the shielding element which is opaque to X-rays is made of a material with a high attenuation for X-rays; wherein the transmittance for X-rays is higher in the transparent region than in the opaque region (col 2 lines 15+)
Regarding claim 4, Paolinia teaches the shielding element has the form of a comb, a disc, a belt, a wheel, or a tube comprising the detector line; and/or the shielding element is movable by rotation, translation or by a combination of rotation and translation for the relative movement to the detector elements (figures 2a-b, col 2 lines 15+).
Regarding claim 5, Paolinia teaches the shielding element is movable by an oscillating movement between a first position and a second position for the relative movement relative to the detector elements (figures 2a-b).
Regarding claim 6, Paolinia teaches the region transparent for X-rays has a stepped profile such that when the shielding element and the at least one detector element are moved relative to each other for relative movement, the effective X-ray receiving area of the at least one detector element is correspondingly variable in regular or irregular steps (figures 2a-b).
Regarding claim 7, Paolinia teaches the shielding element is coupled to a first actuator (oscillating mask) and/or the detector line is coupled to a second actuator, the first actuator and/or the second actuator being controllable for the relative movement between the shielding element and the at least one detector element (figure 2a-b).
Regarding claim 8, Paolinia teaches an X-ray inspection apparatus comprising an arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the X-ray inspection apparatus is configured for transporting 4 an inspection object in a transport direction through the inspection apparatus and the detector line of the X-ray detector is arranged in a line direction, which is directed orthogonal to the transport direction, and the X-ray inspection apparatus is configured to provide detected intensity values of the X-rays from a scanned area of the changed effective receiving area for the X-rays of the at least one detector element for different points in time (figure 1).
Regarding claim 9, Paolinia teaches a method for increasing the spatial resolution of an X-ray detector with at least one detector line with at least one detector element, wherein the at least one detector element and a shielding element arranged above the receiving surface for the X-rays of the at least one detector element are movable relative to one another for a relative movement, whereby the effective receiving surface for the X-rays (RX) of the at least one detector element is changed (figures 2a-b, col 2 lines 15+).
Regarding claim 10, Paolinia teaches a step S1 with first reading of the at least one detector element at a first point of time t, during which a first area of the at least one detector element is irradiated by the X-rays: a step S2 with second reading of the at least one detector element at a second point of time t+1, during which a second region of the at least one detector element is irradiated by the X-rays; and a step S3 with calculation of associated intensity values of the X-rays for the first region and the second region for the first point of time t and the second point of time t+1 (col 2 lines 24+).
Regarding claim 12, Paolinia teaches the second area of the at least one detector element irradiated by X-rays overlaps at least a partial area of said first area of said at least one detector element irradiated by X-rays (figures 2a-b, while movement of the shield 20, the overlapping area will be on the detector element 22).
Regarding claim 11, Paolinia teaches a step S4 comprising subtracting (S4) the intensity values calculated in step (S3): and a step S5 comprising determining (S5) a virtual intensity value of the X-ray radiation of a partial area of the at least one detector element based on the subtraction in step S3 (column 2 lines 15-63, column 1 lines 5-12).
Regarding claim 13, Paolinia teaches a change in the relative arrangement of the shielding element and the at least one detector element is synchronized with the respective irradiation of the X-ray detector with X-rays (column 2 lines 15-63, column 1 lines 5-12).
Regarding claim 14, Paolinia teaches a processing device for processing the intensity values of the X-rays provided by the X-ray inspection apparatus according to claim 8 (column 2 lines 15-63, column 1 lines 5-12).
Regarding claim 15, Paolinia teaches a system comprising an X-ray inspection apparatus according to claim 8 and a processing device, wherein the X-ray inspection apparatus is configured to provide the intensity values based on scanning an inspection object to the processing device and is connected to the processing device for data communication therefor (column 2 lines 15-63, column 1 lines 5-12).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HOON K SONG whose telephone number is (571)272-2494. The examiner can normally be reached M to Th 10am to 7pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, David Makiya can be reached at 571-272-2273. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/HOON K SONG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2884
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