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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 9/17/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In response to applicant's argument that the references fail to show certain features of the invention, it is noted that the features upon which applicant relies (i.e., “the user selects at least two body positions at one time”) are not recited in the rejected claim(s). Although the claims are interpreted in light of the specification, limitations from the specification are not read into the claims. See In re Van Geuns, 988 F.2d 1181, 26 USPQ2d 1057 (Fed. Cir. 1993). While that particular language is not claimed, the details are still described in the Okusu et al. reference. As shown in Paragraph 11, Okusu et al. states “It is preferable to display the radiation image in a large size on a touchscreen display unit, for example, in a full-screen size, for enabling viewing the radiation image even from a distant location because of the use of the portable console device at the distant location from the veterinarian or operator. The radiation image must be displayed for checking typically in consecutive imaging for plural images, because positioning or the like is checked after each event of imaging before creating another image.” Further, Paragraph 95 states “A case ID is assigned to the set of the plural radiation images of the one imaging event, to manage the radiation images together. In the diagnostic data, the radiation images are managed per the date and time of the diagnostic imaging. Also, attribute information is assigned to each of the radiation images. Data in the attribute information include animal type information and imaging information determined upon registering the user menu option.” As this shows, the veterinarian would take multiple images, or “at least two body positions at one time”.
Furthermore, it is noted that the Okusu et al. states “The imaging information includes information of body parts such as a thorax, abdomen and head, and information of imaging directions such as front, lateral and diagonal directions. The animal type information and imaging information is transmitted to the radiation image detector 30, and utilized for condition setting of the signal processing described above.” A veterinarian would need to know the body parts and directions required for imaging based upon the feedback provided by the animal’s owner. Therefore the practitioner would know the body positions as well as body parts needed to image.
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) 15, 17-22, and 24--31 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Okusu et al. (US 2016/0081642).
With respect to claim 15, Okusu et al. teaches a veterinary digital X-ray photography system, comprising:
a display (Figures 1-16);
an X-ray emission module 16 configured to generate an X-ray to penetrate an animal to be tested (Paragraphs 71-85);
an X-ray receiving module 17 configured to receive the X-ray generated by the X-ray emission module, to convert received the X-ray into electric signals (Paragraphs 71-85);
an imaging module 31 configured to obtain a medical image based on the electric signals converted by the X-ray receiving module;
a memory configured to store a plurality of pieces of guidance information, wherein each piece of guidance information is used for assisting a user to capture a medical image of the animal to be tested in a body position to be tested (Paragraph 94); and
a processor configured to obtain at least two body positions (Figures 1-16) to be tested that are selected by the user for the animal to be tested, determine a current body position from the at least two body positions to be tested, and control the display to display guidance information for the current body position (Paragraphs 79-85);
wherein after receiving an exposure start instruction input by the user, the processor is further configured to (a) control the X-ray emission module to emit the X-ray to the animal to be tested for the purpose of obtaining a medical image for the body position, (b) control the imaging module to obtain the medical image for the current body position based on the electric signal converted by the X-ray receiving module (Paragraphs 79-85), (c) prompt, after detecting an exposure completion instruction triggered based on completion of obtaining the medical image for the current body position, a next body position to be twested as a new current body position according to a specified order, and (d) control the display to display guidance information for the new current body position (Paragraphs 11, 95, 71-85).
With respect to claim 17, Okusu et al. teaches the digital X-ray photography system wherein the using, prompting, after detecting an exposure completion instruction triggered based on completion of obtaining the medical image for the current body position, a next body position to be tested as a new current body position according to a specified order (Paragraphs 11, 95, 71-85) comprises:
starting timing when the exposure completion instruction is detected, and when a timing duration reaches a preset duration, using the next body position to be tested as the new current body position according to the specified order (Paragraph 131).
With respect to claim 18, Okusu et al. teaches the digital X-ray photography system wherein the prompting, after detecting an exposure completion instruction triggered based on completion of obtaining the medical image for the current body position, a next body position to be tested as a new current body position according to a specified order (Paragraphs 11, 95, 71-85)
starting timing and monitoring whether the user operation is received when the exposure completion instruction is detected, and when a timing duration reaches a preset duration and no user operation is received, using the next body position to be tested as the new current body position according to the specified order (Paragraph 131).
With respect to claim 19, Okusu et al. teaches the digital X-ray photography system wherein in a process of displaying, by the display, the guidance information for the current body position, the processor is further configured to:
control, after detecting a display stop instruction input by the user, the display to stop displaying the guidance information for the current body position (Paragraphs 79-85);
or control, after receiving an exposure start instruction input by the user, the display to stop displaying the guidance information for the current body position (Paragraph 131).
With respect to claim 20, Okusu et al. teaches the digital X-ray photography system wherein a display interface of the display comprises thumbnail areas respectively corresponding to the at least two body positions to be tested, wherein before obtaining a medical image for one body position to be tested, the thumbnail area corresponding to the body position to be tested is used for displaying a positioning schematic diagram representing the body position to be tested (Figures 11-16); and
the processor is further configured to:
every time a latest medical image for the current body position is obtained, adjust a size of the latest medical image to adapt to a size of a thumbnail area corresponding to the current body position, and control the display to display the resized latest medical image in the thumbnail area, such that the latest medical image is overlaid on a positioning schematic diagram of the current body position (Figures 11-16).
With respect to claim 21, Okusu et al. teaches the digital X-ray photography system wherein after obtaining at least two resized medical images for the current body position, the processor is further configured to:
control, when the display is controlled to display the latest medical image in the thumbnail area, of the display to display all obtained resized medical images in a preset arrangement mode (Figures 11-16).
With respect to claim 22, Okusu et al. teaches the digital X-ray photography system wherein each piece of the guidance information comprises a plurality of guidance image frames, each of the guidance image frames comprises an illustration and/or description of at least one capturing key point used when capturing a medical image, and the controlling the display to display guidance information for the current body position comprises:
controlling the display to display the plurality of guidance image frames for the current body position according to an order of the capturing key point (Figures 11-16).
With respect to claim 24, Okusu et al. teaches a method for capturing images in a veterinary digital X-ray photography system, the method comprising:
obtaining at least two body positions to be tested that are selected by a user for an animal to be tested, wherein each of the body positions to be tested has a piece of preset guidance information, and each piece of guidance information is used for assisting the user to capture a medical image for a body position to be tested (Paragraphs 11, 95, 71-85, 131);
determining a current body position from the at least two body positions to be tested (Paragraph 95-98; Figures 11-16);
displaying guidance information for the current body position (Paragraph 95-98; Figures 11-16); and
obtaining a medical image for the current body position after receiving an exposure start instruction input by the user (Paragraphs 79-85).
With respect to claim 25, Okusu et al. teaches the method, wherein the method further comprises:
prompting, after detecting an exposure completion instruction triggered based on completion of obtaining the medical image for the current body position, a next body position to be tested as a new current body position according to a specified order (Paragraph 131); and
displaying guidance information for the new current body position (Paragraph 131)
With respect to claim 26, Okusu et al. teaches the method, wherein the prompting, after detecting an exposure completion instruction triggered based on completion of obtaining the medical image for the current body position, a next body position to be tested as a new current body position according to a specified order comprises (Paragraph 131):
starting timing when the exposure completion instruction is detected, and when a timing duration reaches a preset duration, using the next body position to be tested as the new current body position according to the specified order (Paragraph 131).
With respect to claim 27, Okusu et al. teaches the method, wherein the prompting, after detecting an exposure completion instruction triggered based on completion of obtaining the medical image for the current body position, a next body position to be tested as a new current body position according to a specified order comprises (Paragraph 131):
starting timing and monitoring whether a user operation is received when the exposure completion instruction is detected, and when a timing duration reaches a preset duration and no user operation is received, using the next body position to be tested as the new current body position according to the specified order (Paragraph 131).
With respect to claim 28, Okusu et al. teaches the method wherein the step of displaying guidance information for the current body position further comprises:
stopping displaying the guidance information for the current body position after detecting a display stop instruction input by the user (Paragraphs 71-85);
or
stopping displaying the guidance information for the current body position after receiving an exposure start instruction input by the user (Paragraphs 79-85).
With respect to claim 29, Okusu et al. teaches the method further comprising:
providing a display interface, wherein the display interface comprises thumbnail areas respectively corresponding to the at least two body positions to be tested, and before obtaining a medical image for one body position to be tested, the thumbnail area corresponding to the body position to be tested is used for displaying a positioning schematic diagram representing the body position to be tested (Paragraph 131); and
every time a latest medical image for the current body position is obtained, adjusting a size of the latest medical image to adapt to a size of a thumbnail area corresponding to the current body position, and displaying the resized latest medical image in the thumbnail area, such that the latest medical image is overlaid on a positioning schematic diagram of the current body position (Figures 11-16; Paragraph 131).
With respect to claim 30, Okusu et al. teaches the method wherein after obtaining at least two resized medical images for the current body position, the method further comprises: displaying all obtained resized medical images in a preset arrangement mode when displaying the latest medical image in the thumbnail area (Figures 11-16).
With respect to claim 31, Okusu et al. teaches the method wherein the guidance information comprises a plurality of guidance image frames, each of the guidance image frames comprises an illustration and/or description of at least one capturing key point used when capturing a medical image, and the displaying guidance information for the current body position comprises: displaying the plurality of guidance image frames for the current body position according to an order of the capturing key point (Figures 11-16).
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 David J Makiya whose telephone number is (571)272-2273. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 6:30-2:30ET.
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DAVID J. MAKIYA
Supervisory Patent Examiner
Art Unit 2884
/DAVID J MAKIYA/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2884
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