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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 01/30/2025 and 07/24/2024 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding claims 1, 9 and 10, the limitations that “the processor is configured to set a first control amount that is an amount with which the irradiation field in a case where a required irradiation region which is an irradiation region of the radiation required in capturing a radiation image is a maximum region detectable by the radiation detector is extended outside the required irradiation region, to be smaller than a second control amount that is an amount with which the irradiation field in a case where the required irradiation region is inside the maximum region is extended outside the required irradiation region” renders the claims indefinite because it is unclear what is really claimed. Claims also appear to be incomplete for omitting essential elements and or omitting essential steps, such omission amounting to a gap between elements or the steps. See MPEP § 2172.01. The omitted steps are clear definition of “a required irradiation region”; a maximum region”, “a first control amount” and “a second control amount”. In addition, clarification is requested what is a processor is actually configured to do in the control device, a control method and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium.
Appropriate corrections are required and respectfully requested.
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)(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 1-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Jans et al. (US PAP 2019/0231283 A1).
With respect to claims 1, 9 and 10 Janes et al. teaches a control device (50), a control method and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium (54) storing a control program for causing a processor (52) of the control device (50) including at least one processor (52) and controlling an irradiation field of radiation with which a radiation detector (30) is irradiated comprising (see abstract; Figs. 1-5; paragraphs 0028-0043 and 0049-0067):
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at least one processor (52), the control device controlling an irradiation field (32) of radiation with which a radiation detector (30) is irradiated. Janes et al. teaches that an imaging system (10) comprises a beam source (20), a detector unit (30), a beam limiting unit (40), and the control unit (50) (see abstract; Figs. 1-5; paragraphs 0028-0043 and 0049-0067). The beam source (20) generates a beam (22) and projects it onto the detector unit (30), thus generating a radiated field (32) being limited by the beam limiting unit (40). The detector unit (30) provides image data as a result of the beam (22). The control unit (50) is configured to provide image data of a desired region of an object (60) by selecting a predetermined image field (34) of the detector unit (see abstract; Figs. 1-5; paragraphs 0028-0043 and 0049-0067).
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The control unit (50) is configured to determine a correction factor for a relative position and/or a relative orientation of the image field (34) with respect to the radiated field based on an orientation of the imaging system and to control the beam limiting unit, wherein the processor (52) is configured to set a first control amount that is an amount with which the irradiation field in a case where a required irradiation region (34) which is an irradiation region of the radiation required in capturing a radiation image is a maximum region detectable by the radiation detector (30)
is extended outside the required irradiation region (34) (see abstract; Figs. 1-5; paragraphs 0028-0043 and 0049-0067), to be smaller than a second control amount that is an amount with which the irradiation field in a case where the required irradiation region is inside the maximum region is extended outside the required irradiation region if needed (see Fig. 2; paragraphs 0028-0043 and 0049-0067). Further, as can be derived from FIG. 2 and expressed in geometrical terms, the ratio of the size of the image field (32) with respect to the size of the radiated field (34) is increased and the overhead, i.e., the width of the margins of the radiated field not required for capturing the image, is reduced and emission of radiation which is not required for capturing the image is reduced (see paragraph 0043). It should be noted that the size of the radiated field (32) may also be adapted by moving one or more beam shutters of the beam limiting device. The beam limiting device may comprise four shutters for limiting one of the edges (32A, 32B, 32C, 32D), respectively. As to reduce the margins of the radiated field going beyond the image field, the respective shutters may be moved. For example, in the scenario shown in FIG. 2, the shutter assigned to the right edge (32D) and the shutter assigned to the lower edge (32B) may be moved towards the center of the radiated field as to, thereby, reduce the width of the overhead at these edges (see paragraph 0044).
With respect to claim 2, Janes et al. teaches the control device according to claim 1 (see abstract; Figs. 1-5; paragraphs 0028-0043 and 0049-0067), wherein the processor (52) is configured to set the first control amount and the second control amount to the same amount in a case where a difference between the maximum region and the required irradiation region is less than an amount by which the irradiation field is extended outside the required irradiation region using the first control amount (see abstract; Figs. 1-5; paragraphs 0028-0043 and 0049-0067).
With respect to claim 3, Janes et al. teaches the control device according to claim 1 (see abstract’ Figs. 1-5; paragraphs 0028-0043 and 0049-0067), wherein an area of the irradiation field extended in accordance with the second control amount is less than or equal to an area of the irradiation field extended using the first control amount (see abstract; Figs. 1-5; paragraphs 0028-0043 and 0049-0067).
With respect to claim 4, Janes et al. teaches the control device according to claim 1 (see abstract; Figs. 1-5; paragraphs 0028-0043 and 0049-0067), wherein a detection surface of the radiation detector (30) for the radiation has a rectangular shape, and the first control amount and the second control amount are set in accordance with each side of the detection surface (see abstract; Figs. 1-5; paragraphs 0028-0043 and 0049-0067).
With respect to claim 5, Janes et al. teaches the control device according to claim 1 (see abstract; Figs. 1-5; paragraphs 0028-0043 and 0049-0067), wherein the processor (52) is configured to set a target region of image analysis in controlling a dose of the radiation to be inside a radiation image obtained in accordance with the first control amount or the second control amount by a predetermined amount (see abstract; Figs. 1-5; paragraphs 0028-0043 and 0049-0067).
With respect to claim 6, Janes et al. teaches the control device according to claim 5 (see abstract; Figs. 1-5; paragraphs 0028-0043 and 0049-0067), wherein the radiation image has a rectangular shape, and the predetermined amount is set in accordance with each side of the radiation image (see Fig.2).
With respect to claim 7, Janes et al. teaches the control device according to claim 5 (see abstract; Figs. 1-5; paragraphs 0028-0043 and 0049-0067), wherein the processor is configured to set the predetermined amount of the radiation image obtained in accordance with the first control amount to be smaller than the predetermined amount of the radiation image obtained in accordance with the second control amount (see abstract; Figs. 1-5; paragraphs 0028-0043 and 0049-0067).
With respect to claim 8 Janes et al. teaches the control device according to claim 1 (see abstract; Figs. 1-5; paragraphs 0028-0043 and 0049-0067), wherein the processor (52) is configured to: in a case where the required irradiation region is inside the maximum region, perform image processing of filling a portion outside the required irradiation region in a radiation image obtained in accordance with the second control amount with a color set in advance; and perform a control of displaying the radiation image after passing through the image processing on a display (see abstract; Figs. 1-5; paragraphs 0028-0043 and 0049-0067).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Heath et al. (US PAP 2016/0270745 A1; see abstract; Fig.1); Toth et al. (US Patent 6,370,218 B1; see abstract; Figs. 3-5) and Polkus et al. (US PAP 2002/0122534 A1; see abstract; Figs. 4-10) teach the variety of X-ray imaging systems and methos for controlling irradiation field of radiation.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to IRAKLI KIKNADZE whose telephone number is (571)272-6494. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM.
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Irakli Kiknadze
/IRAKLI KIKNADZE/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2884
/I.K./ December 8, 2025