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 .
Priority
Examiner acknowledges the following data:
Parent data
18421000 filed 01/24/2024 claims foreign priority to 2023-015082, filed 02/03/2023.
Information Disclosure statements
The information disclosure statements (IDS) were submitted and filed on 01/24/2024. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
Claim Interpretation - 35 USC § 112(f)
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
Claim limitations “signal generation unit” (claims 1-3) and “a measurement unit" (claims 1-3) have been interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because it uses/they use a generic placeholder “configured to” coupled with functional language “generates” (claims 1-3) and “measures” (claims 1-3) without reciting sufficient structure to achieve the function. Furthermore, the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier.
Since the claim limitations invokes 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, claims 1-3 have been interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification that achieves the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
A review of the specification shows that the following appears to be the corresponding structure described in the specification, referenced by the PGPUB, for the 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph limitation:
• “signal generation unit”– Specification [35], line 1 – It appears that the corresponding structure is a control unit 5 is configured by a computer unit including a central processing unit (CPU).
• “a measurement unit"– Specification [35], line 1 – It appears that the corresponding structure is a control unit 5 is configured by a computer unit including a central processing unit (CPU).
If applicant wishes to provide further explanation or dispute the examiner’s interpretation of the corresponding structure, applicant must identify the corresponding structure with reference to the specification by page and line number, and to the drawing, if any, by reference characters in response to this Office action.
If applicant does not intend to have the claim limitation(s) treated under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112 , sixth paragraph, applicant may amend the claim(s) so that it/they will clearly not invoke 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, or present a sufficient showing that the claim recites/recite sufficient structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function to preclude application of 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph.
For more information, see MPEP § 2173 et seq. and Supplementary Examination Guidelines for Determining Compliance With 35 U.S.C. 112 and for Treatment of Related Issues in Patent Applications, 76 FR 7162, 7167 (Feb. 9, 2011).
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.
Claims 1-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Stilp et al (US 2005/0206566) in view of Kameishi et al (US 2016/0183917).
Regarding claim 1, Stilp et al discloses measurement apparatus (fig. 2A item 10-2, SCS receiver module, [0102], lines 1-2) that communicates with a radio communication device by synchronizing transmission and reception of radio signals by a common 1-PPS signal (GPS receiver differs from most traditional GPS receivers in that the receiver contains algorithms that remove some of the timing instability of the GPS signals, and guarantees that any two SCS's 10 (radio communication device) contained within a network can receive timing pulses (synchronizing transmission and reception of radio signals by a common 1-PPS) that are within approximately ten nanoseconds of each other, [0096], lines 3-6), measures the radio signal received from the radio communication device, and generates and transmits a measurement radio signal to the radio communication device (output of the receiver is input to a low phase noise, crystal oscillator-driven phase locked loop circuit that can now produce (generates) 10 MHz and one pulse per second (PPS) reference signals with less than 0.01 degrees RMS of phase noise (measurement radio signal), and with the pulse output (transmits) at any SCS 10 (radio communication device) in a Wireless Location System network within ten nanoseconds of any other pulse at another SCS 10 (radio communication device), [0096], lines 9-12), the apparatus comprising:
Stilp et al does not specifically disclose concept of 1-PPS signal generation unit that generates the 1-PPS signal and outputs the generated 1-PPS signal to an inside of the apparatus and the radio communication device.
However, Kameishi et al specifically teaches concept of 1-PPS signal generation unit that generates the 1-PPS signal and outputs the generated 1-PPS signal to an inside of the apparatus and the radio communication device (Each transducer 100 of the ultrasound probe 10 has a function that converts (generates) an electrical pulse applied from the apparatus main body 20 to an ultrasound pulse and transmits the ultrasound pulse into (inside) the subject (apparatus), and on the other hand, receives an ultrasound echo generated inside the subject and outputs the ultrasound echo as a reception signal (1-PPS) that is an electrical signal to the apparatus main body 20 (apparatus). The ultrasound probe 10 forms an ultrasound transmission beam by means of ultrasound pulses (1-PPS) that are transmitted from the respective transducers 100. The apparatus main body 20 may also be connected via a network to the other image diagnosis apparatus (modality) as well as an image server such as a DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine) (radio communication device) server or an image processing apparatus. The delay control circuitry 220 delays a reference pulse based on a delay time (1-PPS) for converging transmission ultrasound at a predetermined depth for obtaining a narrow beam width during transmission, and a delay time for emitting transmission ultrasound (1-PPS) in a predetermined direction, and supplies the reference pulse (1-PPS) to the driving pulse generating circuitry 240, [0027], lines 4-9, [0029], lines 4-7 and [0037], lines 1-4).
At the time the invention was filed, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified system of Stilp et al with concept of 1-PPS signal generation unit that generates the 1-PPS signal and outputs the generated 1-PPS signal to an inside of the apparatus and the radio communication device of Kameishi et al. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to improve ultrasound diagnostic apparatuses, (Kameishi et al, [0003], line 1).
Regarding claim 2, Stilp et al discloses measurement apparatus (fig. 2A item 10-2, SCS receiver module, [0102], lines 1-2), further comprising:
a measurement unit that measures the radio signal received from the radio communication device (receiver module 10-2 also contains circuits to generate test frequencies and calibration signals, as well as test ports where measurements can be made by technicians during installation or troubleshooting, [0102], lines 1-2); and
a signal generation unit that generates the measurement radio signal (Several different timing generation systems have been described in previous disclosures, however the most presently preferred embodiment is based upon an enhanced GPS receiver 10-6. The enhanced GPS receiver differs from most traditional GPS receivers in that the receiver contains algorithms that remove some of the timing instability of the GPS signals, and guarantees that any two SCS's 10 contained within a network can receive timing pulses that are within approximately ten nanoseconds of each other. These enhanced GPS receivers are now commercially available, and further reduce some of the time reference related errors that were observed in previous implementations of wireless location systems. While this enhanced GPS receiver can produce a very accurate time reference, the output of the receiver may still have an unacceptable phase noise, [0096], lines 1-9),
wherein the 1-PPS signal generation unit separately outputs the 1-PPS signal to the measurement unit and the signal generation unit (output of the receiver is input to a low phase noise, crystal oscillator-driven phase locked loop circuit that can now produce (generates) 10 MHz and one pulse per second (PPS) reference signals with less than 0.01 degrees RMS of phase noise (measurement radio signal), and with the pulse output (transmits) at any SCS 10 (radio communication device) in a Wireless Location System network within ten nanoseconds of any other pulse at another SCS 10 (radio communication device), [0096], lines 1-14).
Regarding claim 3, Stilp et al discloses measurement apparatus (fig. 2A item 10-2, SCS receiver module, [0102], lines 1-2),
Stilp et al does not specifically disclose concept of wherein the 1-PPS signal generation unit is configured to include a plurality of delay elements connected in series and a selector that selects and outputs one of outputs of the plurality of delay elements so as to be able to separately adjust a delay time of the 1-PPS signal output to each of the measurement unit, the signal generation unit, and the radio communication device.
However, Kameishi et al specifically teaches concept of wherein the 1-PPS signal generation unit is configured to include a plurality of delay elements connected in series and a selector that selects and outputs one of outputs of the plurality of delay elements so as to be able to separately adjust a delay time of the 1-PPS signal output to each of the measurement unit, the signal generation unit, and the radio communication device (Each transducer 100 of the ultrasound probe 10 has a function that converts (generates) an electrical pulse applied from the apparatus main body 20 to an ultrasound pulse and transmits the ultrasound pulse into (inside) the subject (apparatus), and on the other hand, receives an ultrasound echo generated inside the subject and outputs the ultrasound echo as a reception signal (1-PPS) that is an electrical signal to the apparatus main body 20 (apparatus). The ultrasound probe 10 forms an ultrasound transmission beam by means of ultrasound pulses (1-PPS) that are transmitted from the respective transducers 100. The apparatus main body 20 may also be connected via a network to the other image diagnosis apparatus (modality) as well as an image server such as a DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine) (radio communication device) server or an image processing apparatus. The delay control circuitry 220 delays a reference pulse based on a delay time (1-PPS) for converging transmission ultrasound at a predetermined depth for obtaining a narrow beam width during transmission, and a delay time for emitting transmission ultrasound (1-PPS) in a predetermined direction, and supplies the reference pulse (1-PPS) to the driving pulse generating circuitry 240, [0027], lines 4-9, [0029], lines 4-7 and [0037], lines 1-4).
At the time the invention was filed, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified system of Stilp et al with concept of wherein the 1-PPS signal generation unit is configured to include a plurality of delay elements connected in series and a selector that selects and outputs one of outputs of the plurality of delay elements so as to be able to separately adjust a delay time of the 1-PPS signal output to each of the measurement unit, the signal generation unit, and the radio communication device of Kameishi et al. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to improve ultrasound diagnostic apparatuses, (Kameishi et al, [0003], line 1).
Conclusion
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/FRANTZ BATAILLE/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2681