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, see applicant arguments/remarks, filed 06/22/2026, with respect to the previous 112 rejections have been fully considered and are persuasive. The previous 112 rejections have been withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the previous 102 rejections have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Applicant's arguments filed 06/22/2026 regarding the previous 103 rejections have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues paragraph 31 of Xie merely discloses obtaining an optimal suppression effect on the blood flow signal by combining a range of parameter inversion angle and optimal value of number of pulses. Xie is completely silent with regard to acquiring blood flow MR signals at different spatial saturation band parameters, determining a signal strength of these blood flow MR signals, taking respective spatial saturation band parameter that corresponds to the lowest signal strength, and then utilize this as a reference.
The examiner respectfully disagrees. Xie discloses an optimization process that determines the optimal parameters for blood flow suppression. Therefore, Xie teaches a process of determining the optimal parameters that corresponds to the lowest signal strength of the blood flow signals (i.e. suppression of blood flow) [¶0031-0033]. Therefore, the examiner believes Xie does teach the argued limitations.
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.
Claims 1-3, 6-7, 10, 15-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Purdy (US 5,492,124).
Regarding claim 1, Purdy teaches a magnetic resonance scanning and imaging method, characterized in that the method comprises:
determining, according to a first correspondence between a blood linear velocity and a spatial saturation band parameter, a first spatial saturation band parameter corresponding to a respective blood linear velocity of a site to be examined [See Fig. 3, wherein when the blood flow velocity is in the shaded region, a distance D2 is used and when the velocity is outside the shaded region, a distance D1 is used. See also rest of reference.]; and
by using a scan sequence related to the first spatial saturation band parameter, scanning the site to be examined, to acquire a magnetic resonance image of the site to be examined, wherein the spatial saturation band parameter comprises the distance between a spatial saturation band and the site to be examined [See Fig. 3, wherein when the blood flow velocity is in the shaded region, a distance D2 is used and when the velocity is outside the shaded region, a distance D1 is used. See Figs. 4A-C. See also rest of reference.].
Regarding claim 2, Purdy further teaches further comprising: determining a second correspondence between a different examined site and a corresponding blood linear velocity; and determining, according to the second correspondence, the respective blood linear velocity of the site to be examined [See Fig. 3, wherein when the blood flow velocity is in the shaded region, a distance D2 is used and when the velocity is outside the shaded region, a distance D1 is used. See also rest of reference.].
Regarding claim 3, Purdy further teaches wherein the blood linear velocity comprises at least one among a venous blood linear velocity and an arterial blood linear velocity [See Fig. 3, see arterial blood velocity. See also rest of reference.].
Regarding claim 6, Purdy further teaches wherein the step of determining, according to the first correspondence between the blood linear velocity and the spatial saturation band parameter, the first spatial saturation band parameter corresponding to the respective blood linear velocity of the site to be examined [See Fig. 3, wherein when the blood flow velocity is in the shaded region, a distance D2 is used and when the velocity is outside the shaded region, a distance D1 is used. See Figs. 4A-C. See also rest of reference.] comprises:
determining at least one among a venous blood linear velocity and an arterial blood linear velocity corresponding to the site to be examined; and performing at least one of the following steps:
determining, according to the first correspondence, a venous first spatial saturation band parameter corresponding to the venous blood linear velocity; and
determining, according to the first correspondence, an arterial first spatial saturation band parameter corresponding to the arterial blood linear velocity [See Fig. 3, wherein when the blood flow velocity is in the shaded region, a distance D2 is used and when the velocity is outside the shaded region, a distance D1 is used. See Figs. 4A-C. See also rest of reference.].
Regarding claim 7, Purdy further teaches wherein determining, according to the first correspondence between the blood linear velocity and the spatial saturation band parameter, the first spatial saturation band parameter corresponding to the respective blood linear velocity of the site to be examined comprises:
determining, according to the first correspondence between the blood linear velocity, a scan parameter and the spatial saturation band parameter, the first spatial saturation band parameter corresponding to the respective blood linear velocity linear velocity of the site to be examined and a set scan parameter [See Fig. 3, wherein when the blood flow velocity is in the shaded region, a distance D2 is used and when the velocity is outside the shaded region, a distance D1 is used. See Figs. 4A-C, wherein the scan parameter is the slice of interest 104 position. See also rest of reference.].
Regarding claim 10, Purdy further teaches wherein the step of determining, according to the first correspondence between the blood linear velocity, the scan parameter and the spatial saturation band parameter, the first spatial saturation band parameter corresponding to the respective blood linear velocity of the site to be examined and the set scan parameter [See Fig. 3, wherein when the blood flow velocity is in the shaded region, a distance D2 is used and when the velocity is outside the shaded region, a distance D1 is used. See Figs. 4A-C, wherein the scan parameter is the slice of interest 104 position. See also rest of reference.] comprises:
determining at least one among a venous blood linear velocity and an arterial blood linear velocity corresponding to the site to be examined [See Fig. 3, which discloses arterial blood flow velocity.]; and performing at least one of the following steps:
determining, according to the first correspondence, a venous first spatial saturation band parameter corresponding to the set scan parameter and the venous blood linear velocity; and
determining, according to the first correspondence, an arterial first spatial saturation band parameter corresponding to the set scan parameter and the arterial blood linear velocity [See Fig. 3, wherein when the blood flow velocity is in the shaded region, a distance D2 is used and when the velocity is outside the shaded region, a distance D1 is used. See Figs. 4A-C, wherein the scan parameter is the slice of interest 104 position. See also rest of reference.].
Regarding claim 15, the same reasons for rejection as claim 1 apply to claim 15. Claim 15 is merely the apparatus version of method claim 1.
Regarding claim 16, Purdy further teaches wherein the controller is further used to determine, according to the first correspondence between the blood linear velocity, a scan parameter and the spatial saturation band parameter, the first spatial saturation band parameter corresponding to the blood linear velocity of the site to be examined and a set scan parameter [See Fig. 3, wherein when the blood flow velocity is in the shaded region, a distance D2 is used and when the velocity is outside the shaded region, a distance D1 is used. See Figs. 4A-C, wherein the scan parameter is the slice of interest 104 position. See also rest of reference.].
Regarding claim 17, Purdy further teaches wherein the controller determines, according to a second correspondence between a different examination site and a corresponding blood[See Fig. 3, wherein when the blood flow velocity is in the shaded region, a distance D2 is used and when the velocity is outside the shaded region, a distance D1 is used. See also rest of reference.].
Regarding claim 18, Purdy further teaches wherein the controller determines at least one among a venous blood linear velocity and an arterial blood linear velocity corresponding to the site to be examined; and performs at least one of the following steps: determining, according to the first correspondence, a venous first spatial saturation band parameter corresponding to the venous blood linear velocity; and determining, according to the first correspondence, an arterial first spatial saturation band parameter corresponding to the arterial blood linear velocity [See Fig. 3, wherein when the blood flow velocity is in the shaded region, a distance D2 is used and when the velocity is outside the shaded region, a distance D1 is used. See Figs. 4A-C. See also rest of reference.].
Regarding claim 19, Purdy further teaches wherein the controller determines at least one among a venous blood linear velocity and an arterial blood linear velocity corresponding to the site to be examined; and performs at least one of the following steps: determining, according to the first correspondence, a venous first spatial saturation band parameter corresponding to the set scan parameter and the venous blood linear velocity; and determining, according to the first correspondence, an arterial first spatial saturation band parameter corresponding to the set scan parameter and the arterial blood linear velocity [See Fig. 3, wherein when the blood flow velocity is in the shaded region, a distance D2 is used and when the velocity is outside the shaded region, a distance D1 is used. See Figs. 4A-C, wherein the scan parameter is the slice of interest 104 position. See also rest of reference.].
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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 4, 8, 13-14, and 22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over previously cited Purdy, in view Xie (CN 108143417. See English translation provided by Espacenet and attached previous office action).
Regarding claim 4, Purdy teaches the limitations of claim 1, which this claim depends from.
Purdy further teaches a first relational function between blood linear velocity and the spatial saturation band parameter that determines the first correspondence [See Fig. 3, wherein when the blood flow velocity is in the shaded region, a distance D2 is used and when the velocity is outside the shaded region, a distance D1 is used. See Figs. 4A-C. See also rest of reference.]. Purdy further teaches a preset blood linear velocity [See Fig. 3, wherein when the blood flow velocity is in the shaded region, a distance D2 is used and when the velocity is outside the shaded region, a distance D1 is used. See Figs. 4A-C. See also rest of reference.].
However, Purdy is silent in teaching wherein the method further comprises: determining the first correspondence, comprising: acquiring, at a preset blood linear velocity, a plurality of blood flow magnetic resonance signals corresponding to different spatial saturation band parameters; determining a blood flow magnetic resonance signal having the lowest signal strength among the plurality of blood flow magnetic resonance signals; taking a respective spatial saturation band parameter corresponding to the blood flow magnetic resonance signal having the lowest signal strength as a reference spatial saturation band parameter; and determining, according to the preset blood linear velocity and the reference spatial saturation band parameter.
Xie, which is also in the field of MRI, teaches wherein the method further comprises: determining the first correspondence, comprising: acquiring, at a preset blood linear velocity, a plurality of blood flow magnetic resonance signals corresponding to different spatial saturation band parameters [¶0031, see adjusting one or more parameters. See also rest of reference.]; determining a blood flow magnetic resonance signal having the lowest signal strength among the plurality of blood flow magnetic resonance signals [¶0031, see optimal suppression. See also rest of reference.]; taking a respective spatial saturation band parameter corresponding to the blood flow magnetic resonance signal having the lowest signal strength as a reference spatial saturation band parameter [¶0031, see optimal suppression. See also rest of reference.]; and determining, according to the preset blood flow rate and the reference spatial saturation band parameter, a first relational function between blood flow and a spatial saturation band parameter that determines the first correspondence [¶0031-0033. See also rest of reference.].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Purdy and Xie because both references are in the field of suppression blood flow and because Xie teaches it is known in the art to adjust parameters until an optimal blood flow suppression is achieved [Xie - ¶0031].
Regarding claim 8, Purdy teaches the limitations of claim 7, which this claim depends from.
Purdy further teaches a second relational function between the blood linear velocity, the scan parameter, and the spatial saturation band parameter that determines the first correspondence [See Fig. 3, wherein when the blood flow velocity is in the shaded region, a distance D2 is used and when the velocity is outside the shaded region, a distance D1 is used. See Figs. 4A-C, wherein the scan parameter is the slice of interest 104 position. See also rest of reference.]. Purdy further teaches a preset blood linear velocity [See Fig. 3, wherein when the blood flow velocity is in the shaded region, a distance D2 is used and when the velocity is outside the shaded region, a distance D1 is used. See Figs. 4A-C, wherein the scan parameter is the slice of interest 104 position. See also rest of reference.].
However, Purdy is silent in teaching wherein the method further comprises: determining the first correspondence, comprising: acquiring, at a preset blood linear velocity and given a preset scan parameter, a plurality of blood flow magnetic resonance signals corresponding to different spatial saturation band parameters; determining a blood flow magnetic resonance signal having the lowest signal strength among the plurality of blood flow magnetic resonance signals; taking a respective spatial saturation band parameter corresponding to the blood flow magnetic resonance signal having the lowest signal strength as a reference spatial saturation band parameter; and determining, according to the preset blood linear velocity, the preset scan parameter and the reference spatial saturation band parameter.
Xie, which is also in the field of MRI, teaches wherein the method further comprises: determining the first correspondence, comprising: acquiring, at a preset blood linear velocity and given a preset scan parameter, a plurality of blood flow magnetic resonance signals corresponding to different spatial saturation band parameters [¶0031, see adjusting one or more parameters. See also rest of reference.]; determining a blood flow magnetic resonance signal having the lowest signal strength among the plurality of blood flow magnetic resonance signals [¶0031, see optimal suppression. See also rest of reference.]; taking a respective spatial saturation band parameter corresponding to the blood flow magnetic resonance signal having the lowest signal strength as a reference spatial saturation band parameter [¶0031, see optimal suppression. See also rest of reference.]; and determining, according to the preset blood linear velocity, the preset scan parameter and the reference spatial saturation band parameter, a second relational function between the blood flow, the scan parameter, and the spatial saturation band parameter that determines the first correspondence [¶0031-0033. See also rest of reference.].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Purdy and Xie because both references are in the field of suppression blood flow and because Xie teaches it is known in the art to adjust parameters until an optimal blood flow suppression is achieved [Xie - ¶0031].
Regarding claim 13, Purdy teaches the limitations of claim 1, which this claim depends from.
Purdy further teaches wherein the scan sequence comprises a first pulse sequence [Col. 4, lines 40-52. See also rest of reference.].
Purdy is silent in teaching at least one among a gradient size and a center frequency of pulses in the first pulse sequence being related to the first spatial saturation band parameter.
Xie further teaches at least one among a gradient size and a center frequency of pulses in the first pulse sequence being related to the first spatial saturation band parameter [¶0031, wherein RF pulse sequence parameters include gradient pulses with certain width and amplitude and changing those parameters for suppressing blood flow. See also rest of reference.].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Purdy and Xie because both references are in the field of suppression blood flow and because Xie teaches it is known in the art to adjust parameters until an optimal blood flow suppression is achieved [Xie - ¶0031].
Regarding claim 14, Purdy and Xie teach the limitations of claim 13, which this claim depends from.
Purdy and Xie teach wherein the scan sequence further comprises a second pulse sequence related to a set scan parameter [Purdy – Figs. 3-4 and Col. 4, lines 40-52, wherein pulse sequences are performed for each slice that is set. Xie - ¶0031-0033. See also rest of references.].
Regarding claim 22, the same reasons for rejection as claim 13 apply to claim 22. Claim 22 is merely the apparatus version of method claim 13.
Claims 12 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over previously cited Purdy, in view Kumai (US 2010/0226556).
Regarding claim 12, Purdy teaches the limitations of claim 7, which this claim depends from.
Purdy further teaches wherein the scan parameter comprises a scanning layer position [See wherein the scan parameter is the slice of interest 104 position].
However, Purdy is silent in teaching wherein the scan parameter comprises at least one among repetition time, flip angle, the number of scanning layers, and scanning layer thickness.
Kumai further teaches wherein the scan parameter comprises at least one among repetition time, flip angle, the number of scanning layers, and scanning layer thickness [¶0044-0049, see thickness. See also rest of reference.].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Purdy and Kumai because both references are in the field of suppression blood flow and because slice thickness would also affect the distance (D1 or D2) in Purdy. Therefore, it would have been obvious to try considering the thickness of the slab when determining the distances in Purdy.
Regarding claim 21, the same reasons for rejection as claim 12 apply to claim 21. Claim 21 is merely the apparatus version of method claim 12.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 5,315,248 also teaches a correspondence between a correspondence between the distance between the saturation plane and the speed of blood [Col. 1. Lines 43-57].
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 RISHI R PATEL whose telephone number is (571)272-4385. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thurs 7 a.m. - 5 p.m..
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Eman Alkafawi can be reached at 571-272-4448. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/RISHI R PATEL/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2858
Prosecution Insights