DETAILED CORRESPONDENCE 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. Status of Claims Claims 1-20 are pending . Claim Interpretation The claim elements do not invoke 35 U.S.C. § 112(f). References D2: JP2004097588 KOBAYASHI KAZUHIRO 4-2-2024 D3: US20190337014 CHATAIN 11-7-2019 D4: CN119921874 JIANG et al. 5-2-2025 D5 : KR20170115921 KO JONG SUN 10-18-2017 Claim Rejections - 35 U.S.C. § 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 1-3, 5, 6, 9, 13-15, 18, and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by D2 . With regards to claim 1 , the D2 reference discloses the utilization of an apparatus comprising: a transducer module of an ultrasound system (FIG. 2), the transducer module comprising: a transducer element configured to: be coupled to a transmitter (38) and a receiver (40) of the ultrasound system; transmit an ultrasound transmit signal during a first time interval; and receive an ultrasound receive signal during a second time interval that differs from the first time interval; and an impedance matching circuit (30: 34 & 36) coupled to the transducer element, the transducer module having an architecture configured to: propagate a version of the ultrasound transmit signal provided by the transmitter in a manner that passes through the impedance matching circuit (30: 34) to the transducer element during the first time interval; and propagate a version of the ultrasound receive signal from the transducer element to the receiver (40) via (30: 36) in a manner that bypasses (32) at least a portion of the impedance matching circuit (30: 34) during the second time interval. With regards to claim 2 , the D2 reference discloses the impedance matching circuit comprises at least one series component (inductor 26); and the architecture of the transducer module is configured to: cause the ultrasound transmit signal to pass through the at least one series component (inductor 26 of 34) during the first time interval; and cause the ultrasound receive signal to bypass (32) at least the portion of the at least one series component (inductor 26 of 34) during the second time interval . With regards to claim 3 , the D2 reference discloses the at least one series component comprises an inductor (inductor 26 of 34) . With regards to claim 5 , the D2 reference discloses the transducer module is configured to: cause the ultrasound transmit signal to pass through the inductor ( inductor 26 of 34) during the first time interval; and cause the ultrasound receive signal to bypass (32) the inductor (inductor 26 of 34) during the second time interva l. With regards to claim 6 , the D2 reference discloses the at least one series component comprises multiple series components (inductor 26 of 34); and the architecture of the transducer module is configured to cause the ultrasound receive signal to bypass a first set (inductors 26 of 34) of the multiple series components and pass through a second set (inductors 26 of 36) of the multiple series components . With regards to claim 9 , the D2 reference discloses the ultrasound receive signal from the transducer (12) element to the receiver (40) in a manner that bypasses an entirety of the impedance matching circuit (34) . With regards to claim 13 , the D2 reference discloses the transducer module comprises a transducer array (10) module configured to be connected to at least one connector (14) of the ultrasound system; and the transducer array module comprises the transducer element (12), the impedance matching circuit (30), at least a portion of the transmitter (38), and at least a portion of the receiver (40) . With regards to claim 1 4 , the D2 reference discloses the transducer module comprises: a transducer array (10) module comprising the transducer element (12); an interface circuit (14) comprising the impedance matching circuit (30); and at least one connector (14) configured to couple the transducer array (10) module to the interface circuit (32). With regards to claim 1 5 , the D2 reference discloses a method for enhancing sensitivity of an ultrasound system, the method comprising: propagating a version of an ultrasound transmit signal provided by a transmitter (38) of the ultrasound system through an impedance matching circuit (34) of a transducer module of the ultrasound system to a transducer element (12) of the transducer module, the impedance matching circuit (34) comprising at least one series (inductor 26) component; transmitting the ultrasound transmit signal using the transducer element (12); receiving an ultrasound receive signal using the transducer (12)element; and propagating a version of the ultrasound receive signal from the transducer (12) element to a receiver (40) of the ultrasound system in a manner that bypasses (32) at least a portion of the at least one series (26) component of the impedance matching (34) circuit . With regards to claim 1 8 , the D2 reference discloses the at least one series (26) component of the impedance matching (30) circuit comprises a first series (inductor 26 of circuit 34) component and a second series (inductor 26 of circuit 36) component; and the propagating of the version of the ultrasound receive signal comprises propagating the version of the ultrasound receive signal from the transducer element (12) to the receiver (40) in a manner that bypasses (32) the first series (inductor 26 of 34) component and passes through the second series (inductor 26 of 36) component . With regards to claim 1 9 , the D2 reference discloses the propagating of the version of the ultrasound receive signal comprises propagating the version of the ultrasound receive signal from the transducer (12) element to the receiver (40) through a node (14) that is between the transducer (12) element and the impedance matching circuit (34) to bypass (32) an entirety of the impedance matching circuit (34) . Claim Rejections - 35 U.S.C. § 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. Claims 10-12 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over D2 as applied to claims 1-3, 5, 6, 9, 13-15, 18, and 19 above, and further in combination with D3 . With regards to claim 1 0 , the D2 reference discloses a switching (32) circuit, the switching circuit comprising: a first terminal coupled to a node (14) that is between the impedance matching (34) circuit and the transducer element (12); and a second terminal configured to be coupled to the receiver (40 through circuit 36 of FIG. 2) The difference between the D2 reference and claim 10 is that the claim recites the utilization of an amplifier . The D3 reference teaches that it was well known in the art to utilize an amplifier (¶ 0038) . It would have been obvious to modify the D2 reference to utilize an amplifier as motivated by the D3 reference to enable the D2 system to compensate for attenuation since, as time elapses, the distance traveled by the signal increases and the reflected signal is attenuated (¶ 0038 ). With regards to claim s 11 and 12 , the D3 reference discloses the utilization of the amplifier during the receiving mode (¶ 0038 ). With regards to claim 20 , the D3 reference discloses the utilization of a LNA (¶ 0038 ). Also in view of 550 U.S. 398, 401 (2007), the aforementioned combination of familiar elements according to known methods as shown above is likely to be obvious when it does no more than yield predictable results. Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over D2 as applied to claims 1-3, 5, 6, 9, 13-15, 18, and 19 above, and further in combination with D 4 . With regards to claim 1 6 , the D2 reference discloses a switching (32) circuit, the switching circuit comprising: a first terminal coupled to a node (14) that is between the impedance matching (34) circuit and the transducer element (12); and a second terminal configured to be coupled to the receiver (40 through circuit 36 of FIG. 2) The difference between the D2 reference and claim 1 6 is that the claim recites the utilization of a second impedance being less than the first impedance . The D 4 reference teaches that it was well known in the art to utilize inductors with different inductances (¶ 0038) . It would have been obvious to modify the D2 reference to utilize an amplifier as motivated by the D 4 reference to enable the D2 system to match impedances . Also in view of 550 U.S. 398, 401 (2007), the aforementioned combination of familiar elements according to known methods as shown above is likely to be obvious when it does no more than yield predictable results. Claim s 4 , 7, 8, and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over D2 as applied to claims 1-3, 5, 6, 9, 13-15, 18, and 19 above, and further in combination with D5 . With regards to claims 4, 7, and 17 t he D5 reference teaches that it was well known in the art to select one of the different elements 421-424 and bypassing the others and to select one of the different elements 426-429 and bypassing the others . It would have been obvious to modify the D2 reference to utilize different configuration (FIG. 4) as motivated by the D5 reference to en hance the D2 system ’s impedance matching ability . With regards to claim 8 the D5 reference teaches that it was well known in the art to select one of the different elements 421-424 and bypassing the others and to select elements one of the different elements 426-429 and bypassing the others using control device 431. Also in view of 550 U.S. 398, 401 (2007), the aforementioned combination of familiar elements according to known methods as shown above is likely to be obvious when it does no more than yield predictable results. Examiner Note Examiner has pointed out particular references contained in the prior art of record in the body of this action for the convenience of the Applicant. However, any citation to specific, pages, columns, lines, or figures in the prior art references and any interpretation of the references should not be considered to be limiting in any way. A reference is relevant for all it contains and may be relied upon for all that it would have reasonably suggested to one having ordinary skill in the art. In re Heck, 699 F.2d 1331, 1332-33, 216 USPQ 1038, 1039 (Fed. Cir. 1983) (quoting In re Lemelson , 397 F.2d 1006, 1009, 158 USPQ 275, 277 (CCPA 1968)). Applicant, in preparing the response, should consider fully the entire reference as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the Examiner. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Dan Pihulic whose telephone number is 571-272-6977. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor, Helal Algahaim, can be reached on 571-270-5227. /Dan iel Pihulic / Primary Examiner Art Unit 3645