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 .
The indicated allowability of claims 1-8 is withdrawn in view of the newly discovered reference(s) to Kitamura et al. (JP 2017 104202 ). Rejections based on the newly cited reference(s) follow.
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.
Claims 1, 2, 3 and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Kitamura et al. (JP 20171040202 A)
Regarding claim 1, Kitamura et al. disclose (see figure 3) a phase contrast X-ray imaging system (x-ray Talbot imaging apparatus), comprising:
an X-ray source (11, x-ray generator) configured to emit an X-ray beam through an examination region towards a target area located within the examination region (the target area is located on a subject H, located within the examination region) [page 4, para. 2];
an X-ray detector (16, x-ray detector) positioned on an opposite side of the examination region from the X-ray source (see figure 3, the detector 16 and x-ray generator 11 are located on opposite sides of the examination region of subject H) [page 5, para. 1-2];
an X-ray beam shaper (12, G0 grating) configured to shape the X-ray beam to irradiate a radiation area on the target area (see figure 3, G0 grating 12 is provided downstream of the X-ray generator 11 in the x-ray irradiation direction) [page 4, para. 1-5];
a grating (14, G1 grating) positioned between the X-ray source and the detector (see figure 3, grating 14 is located between x-ray generator 11 and x-ray detector 16);
a light field projector (113, irradiation field lamp), configured to project a light field in the visible spectrum on the target area (an irradiation field lamp 113 irradiates the subject with visible light), wherein the projected light field corresponds to the radiation area (both areas are located on subject H) [page 4, para. 6]; and
a holder (17, support column), arranged to hold the light field projector and the grating (see figure 3, the support column holds, or supports, the irradiation field lamp 113 and the grating 14) [page 4, para. 3-5].
Regarding claim 2, Kitamura further teaches wherein the holder 17 contains a first part (12a) arranged to hold the light field projector (113) and a second part (18) arranged to hold the grating (14), wherein the first part and the second part are fixed to each other (fig. 3).
Regarding claim 3, Kitamura further teaches wherein the grating (14) is at least one of a phase grating, (page 4, line 1 of last paragraph) or a source grating, and a sample absorbing grating
Regarding claim 6, Kitamura further teaches wherein the light field projector (113) comprises a laser device or a projector (fig. 3).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4, 5, 7 and 8 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: Kitamura et al. does not teach the details of claims 4, 5, 7 and 8.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DON KITSUN WONG whose telephone number is (571)272-1834. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday – Friday 9:00am – 6:00pm.
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/DON K WONG/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2884 .
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