DETAILED ACTION
This action is filed in response to the application filed on 3/27/2024.
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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
Acknowledgement is made of Applicant’s Information Disclosure Statements (IDS) form PTO-1149 filed on 3/27/2024, 2/06/2025, 8/01/2025, 10/09/2025, and 2/17/2026. These IDS have been considered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
Claims 13-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to non-statutory subject matter.
Claims 13-18 present "a computer readable medium". The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim drawn to a computer readable medium typically covers forms of non-transitory tangible media and transitory propagating signals per se in view of the ordinary and customary meaning of computer readable media, particularly when the specification is silent See MPEP 2111.01.
As currently claimed, the language a computer readable medium does not specify if the computer readable medium is "transitory" or "non-transitory" and therefore claims 13-18 are considered to be non-statutory under 35 U.S.C. 101 (See In re Nuijten, 500 F.3d 1346, 1356-57 (Fed. Cir. 2007) (transitory embodiments are not directed to statutory subject matter) and Interim Examination Instructions for Evaluating Subject Matter Eligibility Under 35 U.S.C. § 101, Aug. 24, 2009; p. 2).
In order to overcome this rejection, the following language is suggested: “A non-transitory computer readable medium having computer-executable components …,” and
“the non-transitory computer readable medium as in claim 13 wherein …”
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-2, 7-8, and 13-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wright (US5549111 A).
Regarding Claim 1, Wright teaches a method comprising: obtaining waveform return data including waveform return records for multiple sampling events associated with an observed area (e.g. see [Col 21 lines 23-27] “to perform waveform shaping for a PW transmission, the signal path begins with initial waveform samples at a rate R.sub.E below that of the DAC T121 sampling frequency F.sub.s. The initial waveform samples can have a frequency spectrum centered at 0 Hz, or can be offset from 0 Hz”);
generating image data based on a first subset of waveform return records (e.g. see [Col 46 lines 61-67] “In a preferred embodiment, the memory address and delay processor C-264 calculates an interpolated and/or extrapolated delay value for each output sample of each beam of its associated beamformer processor R-120, using zone boundary delay values and the interpolation and/or extrapolation coefficients (.alpha..sub.range) which are provided by the central control C-104 through a primary delay processor of a focus control C-132”); and
reducing imaging artifacts in a region of interest of the image data (e.g. see [Col 7 lines 11-16] “The imaging frequency is programmed to result in an imaging pulse transmitted into the body whose center frequency is highest in the central portion of the scan, and is reduced in a controlled fashion for mitigation of grating lobe artifact levels as the steering angle increases or as the beam origin approaches end-alignment”) using beam-domain local correction operations (e.g. see [Col 10 lines 3-8] “With the application of appropriate time delays, the receive beamformer (FIG. 1b) can dynamically focus receive beams along straight lines in space called receive scan lines commencing, for example, with the shallowest range (depth) of interest and evolving toward the deepest range of interest,” and [Col 6 line 66- Col 7 line 5] “This permits a combination of high imaging frequency operation, and therefore high resolution, in the central portion of the image, with a wide field of view that suppresses grating lobe artifacts in the outer lateral portions of the image. Lateral resolution is reduced near the scan edges in exchange for maintenance of sensitivity and immunity to grating lobes”).
Regarding Claim 2, Wright teaches the limitations of Claim 1. Wright further teaches wherein the beam-domain local correction operations comprise: determining beams based on the waveform return data (e.g. see [Col 7 lines 32-38] “in receive, the waveform signals received from the transducers are delayed and demodulated back to a common digital baseband centered at or near 0 Hz. The demodulation frequency for each beam is typically, but not necessarily, the same as the modulation frequency applied to transmit the beam. The resulting waveforms are then coherently summed with those from other channels”);
identifying a subset of the beams that pass through the region of interest (e.g. see [Col 10 lines 3-8] “With the application of appropriate time delays, the receive beamformer (FIG. 1b) can dynamically focus receive beams along straight lines in space called receive scan lines commencing, for example, with the shallowest range (depth) of interest and evolving toward the deepest range of interest,”); and
processing the subset of beams to reduce the imaging artifacts (e.g. see [Col 46 lines 61-67] “In a preferred embodiment, the memory address and delay processor C-264 calculates an interpolated and/or extrapolated delay value for each output sample of each beam of its associated beamformer processor R-120, using zone boundary delay values and the interpolation and/or extrapolation coefficients (.alpha..sub.range) which are provided by the central control C-104 through a primary delay processor of a focus control C-132”) and [Col 7 lines 11-16] “The imaging frequency is programmed to result in an imaging pulse transmitted into the body whose center frequency is highest in the central portion of the scan, and is reduced in a controlled fashion for mitigation of grating lobe artifact levels as the steering angle increases or as the beam origin approaches end-alignment”).
Regarding Claim 7, Wright teaches a system comprising: one or more memory devices storing instructions; and one or more processors (e.g. see [Col 30 lines 56-61] “The two processors in the processor pair T400 also share a common memory address and delay processor T416 and a common phase and frequency processor T418. The memory address and delay processor T416 receives the SOT signal, as well as the initial waveform sample start addresses (per beam and per transmit processor)”) configured to execute the instructions (e.g. see [Col 30 lines 41-43] “the apparatus of FIG. 6 also includes an I/O processor T402, which handles the reads and writes to all programmable resources in the apparatus”) to:
obtain waveform return data including waveform return records for multiple sampling events associated with an observed area (e.g. see [Col 21 lines 23-27] “to perform waveform shaping for a PW transmission, the signal path begins with initial waveform samples at a rate R.sub.E below that of the DAC T121 sampling frequency F.sub.s. The initial waveform samples can have a frequency spectrum centered at 0 Hz, or can be offset from 0 Hz”);
generate image data based on a first subset of waveform return records (e.g. see [Col 46 lines 61-67] “In a preferred embodiment, the memory address and delay processor C-264 calculates an interpolated and/or extrapolated delay value for each output sample of each beam of its associated beamformer processor R-120, using zone boundary delay values and the interpolation and/or extrapolation coefficients (.alpha..sub.range) which are provided by the central control C-104 through a primary delay processor of a focus control C-132”); and
reduce imaging artifacts in a region of interest of the image data (e.g. see [Col 7 lines 11-16] “The imaging frequency is programmed to result in an imaging pulse transmitted into the body whose center frequency is highest in the central portion of the scan, and is reduced in a controlled fashion for mitigation of grating lobe artifact levels as the steering angle increases or as the beam origin approaches end-alignment”) using beam-domain local correction operations (e.g. see [Col 10 lines 3-8] “With the application of appropriate time delays, the receive beamformer (FIG. 1b) can dynamically focus receive beams along straight lines in space called receive scan lines commencing, for example, with the shallowest range (depth) of interest and evolving toward the deepest range of interest,” and [Col 6 line 66- Col 7 line 5] “This permits a combination of high imaging frequency operation, and therefore high resolution, in the central portion of the image, with a wide field of view that suppresses grating lobe artifacts in the outer lateral portions of the image. Lateral resolution is reduced near the scan edges in exchange for maintenance of sensitivity and immunity to grating lobes”).
Regarding Claim 8, Wright teaches the limitations of Claim 7. Wright further teaches wherein to perform the beam-domain local correction operations the one or more processors are configured to execute the instructions (e.g. see [Col 30 lines 41-43] “the apparatus of FIG. 6 also includes an I/O processor T402, which handles the reads and writes to all programmable resources in the apparatus”) to: determine beams based on the waveform return data (e.g. see [Col 7 lines 32-38] “in receive, the waveform signals received from the transducers are delayed and demodulated back to a common digital baseband centered at or near 0 Hz. The demodulation frequency for each beam is typically, but not necessarily, the same as the modulation frequency applied to transmit the beam. The resulting waveforms are then coherently summed with those from other channels”);
identify a subset of the beams that pass through the region of interest (e.g. see [Col 10 lines 3-8] “With the application of appropriate time delays, the receive beamformer (FIG. 1b) can dynamically focus receive beams along straight lines in space called receive scan lines commencing, for example, with the shallowest range (depth) of interest and evolving toward the deepest range of interest,”); and
process the subset of beams to reduce the imaging artifacts (e.g. see [Col 46 lines 61-67] “In a preferred embodiment, the memory address and delay processor C-264 calculates an interpolated and/or extrapolated delay value for each output sample of each beam of its associated beamformer processor R-120, using zone boundary delay values and the interpolation and/or extrapolation coefficients (.alpha..sub.range) which are provided by the central control C-104 through a primary delay processor of a focus control C-132”) and [Col 7 lines 11-16] “The imaging frequency is programmed to result in an imaging pulse transmitted into the body whose center frequency is highest in the central portion of the scan, and is reduced in a controlled fashion for mitigation of grating lobe artifact levels as the steering angle increases or as the beam origin approaches end-alignment”).
Regarding Claim 13, Wright teaches a computer-readable storage device storing instructions that are executable by one or more processors to cause the one or more processors to: one or more memory devices storing instructions; and one or more processors (e.g. see [Col 30 lines 56-61] “The two processors in the processor pair T400 also share a common memory address and delay processor T416 and a common phase and frequency processor T418. The memory address and delay processor T416 receives the SOT signal, as well as the initial waveform sample start addresses (per beam and per transmit processor)”) configured to execute the instructions (e.g. see [Col 30 lines 41-43] “the apparatus of FIG. 6 also includes an I/O processor T402, which handles the reads and writes to all programmable resources in the apparatus”) to:
obtain waveform return data including waveform return records for multiple sampling events associated with an observed area (e.g. see [Col 21 lines 23-27] “to perform waveform shaping for a PW transmission, the signal path begins with initial waveform samples at a rate R.sub.E below that of the DAC T121 sampling frequency F.sub.s. The initial waveform samples can have a frequency spectrum centered at 0 Hz, or can be offset from 0 Hz”);
generate image data based on a first subset of waveform return records (e.g. see [Col 46 lines 61-67] “In a preferred embodiment, the memory address and delay processor C-264 calculates an interpolated and/or extrapolated delay value for each output sample of each beam of its associated beamformer processor R-120, using zone boundary delay values and the interpolation and/or extrapolation coefficients (.alpha..sub.range) which are provided by the central control C-104 through a primary delay processor of a focus control C-132”); and
reduce imaging artifacts in a region of interest of the image data (e.g. see [Col 7 lines 11-16] “The imaging frequency is programmed to result in an imaging pulse transmitted into the body whose center frequency is highest in the central portion of the scan, and is reduced in a controlled fashion for mitigation of grating lobe artifact levels as the steering angle increases or as the beam origin approaches end-alignment”) using beam-domain local correction operations (e.g. see [Col 10 lines 3-8] “With the application of appropriate time delays, the receive beamformer (FIG. 1b) can dynamically focus receive beams along straight lines in space called receive scan lines commencing, for example, with the shallowest range (depth) of interest and evolving toward the deepest range of interest,” and [Col 6 line 66- Col 7 line 5] “This permits a combination of high imaging frequency operation, and therefore high resolution, in the central portion of the image, with a wide field of view that suppresses grating lobe artifacts in the outer lateral portions of the image. Lateral resolution is reduced near the scan edges in exchange for maintenance of sensitivity and immunity to grating lobes”).
Regarding Claim 14, Wright teaches the limitations of Claim 13. Wright further teaches wherein to perform the beam-domain local correction operations, the instructions cause the one or more processors (e.g. see [Col 30 lines 41-43] “the apparatus of FIG. 6 also includes an I/O processor T402, which handles the reads and writes to all programmable resources in the apparatus”) to: determine beams based on the waveform return data (e.g. see [Col 7 lines 32-38] “in receive, the waveform signals received from the transducers are delayed and demodulated back to a common digital baseband centered at or near 0 Hz. The demodulation frequency for each beam is typically, but not necessarily, the same as the modulation frequency applied to transmit the beam. The resulting waveforms are then coherently summed with those from other channels”);
identify a subset of the beams that pass through the region of interest (e.g. see [Col 10 lines 3-8] “With the application of appropriate time delays, the receive beamformer (FIG. 1b) can dynamically focus receive beams along straight lines in space called receive scan lines commencing, for example, with the shallowest range (depth) of interest and evolving toward the deepest range of interest,”); and
process the subset of beams to reduce the imaging artifacts (e.g. see [Col 46 lines 61-67] “In a preferred embodiment, the memory address and delay processor C-264 calculates an interpolated and/or extrapolated delay value for each output sample of each beam of its associated beamformer processor R-120, using zone boundary delay values and the interpolation and/or extrapolation coefficients (.alpha..sub.range) which are provided by the central control C-104 through a primary delay processor of a focus control C-132”) and [Col 7 lines 11-16] “The imaging frequency is programmed to result in an imaging pulse transmitted into the body whose center frequency is highest in the central portion of the scan, and is reduced in a controlled fashion for mitigation of grating lobe artifact levels as the steering angle increases or as the beam origin approaches end-alignment”).
Allowable Subject Matter
There are no prior art rejections for Claims 15-18.
Claims 3-6 and 9-12 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:
Regarding Claims 3, 9, and 15 none of the prior art discloses or renders obvious the method, system, and storage device as claimed comprising, “determining a relevance score for the waveform return records of the waveform return data, the relevance score for a particular waveform return record based, at least partially, on estimated information gain associated with the particular waveform return record; and based on the relevance scores, selecting a first subset of waveform return records, wherein one or more waveform return records are excluded from the first subset of waveform return records.”
Claims 4-6 would be allowable based on their dependence on Claim 3.
Claims 10-12 would be allowable based on their dependence on Claim 9.
The subject matter of Claims 16-18 would be allowable based on their dependence on Claim 15.
Conclusion
Examiner notes there are no prior art rejections for Claims 15-18, but Examiner is unable to comment on the allowability of those claims until the 35 U.S.C. 101 Rejections are addressed.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Berlad (WO9823973 A1) teaches making local image corrections to a region of interest based on waveform data.
Gee (US5581517 A) teaches receiving waveform data and utilizing said data to perform image corrections.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NYLA GAVIA whose telephone number is (703)756-1592. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30-5:30pm.
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, Catherine Rastovski can be reached at 571-270-0349. 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.
/NYLA GAVIA/Examiner, Art Unit 2857
/Catherine T. Rastovski/Supervisory Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2857
Prosecution Insights