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 .
Status of Claims
Claims 1-10 (group I) have been elected in the reply filed 01/09/26. Claims 11-20 are withdrawn from consideration. Claims 1-20 remain currently pending.
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.
Claims 1-2 and 5-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by SPAHN (DE 102012202500 A1).
Regarding claim 1, SPAHN teaches a detector system (FIGURE 9) comprising:
a first detector having a plurality of first pixelated detector cells including first interior detector cells and first edge detector cells on a first edge of the first detector (first detector module 24 having first interior pixels 12 and first reduced edge pixels 12.1; [0029]); and
a second detector having a plurality of second pixelated detector cells including second interior detector cells and second edge detector cells on a second edge of the second detector (second detector module 24 having second interior pixels 12 and second reduced edge pixels 12.1; [0029]);
wherein the first detector is tiled with the second detector such that the second detector is positioned adjacent to the first detector where the first edge is by the second edge (FIG 9; [0029]);
wherein the first edge detector cells have a first lesser area than the first interior detector cells, the second edge detector cells have a second lesser area than the second interior detector cells (first and second reduced pixels 12.1 each are lesser than the interior pixels; [0029]); and
wherein the first and second lesser areas are sized such that pairs of the first and second edge detector cells form combination cells so that a pitch of the first and second pixelated detectors cells across the first and second detectors is constant (detector modules 24 are arranged and the gap is formed such that the pixel pitch is maintained and the reduced pixels 12.1 are arranged at the location of a normally large pixel; [0029]).
Regarding claim 2, SPAHN discloses the first and second interior detector cells and the combination cells are square, the first and second edge detector cells being rectangular (FIG 9).
Regarding claim 5, SPAHN discloses first and second less areas as substantially equal (FIG 9; [0029-0030]).
Regarding claim 6, SPAHN discloses first and second lesser areas are about half of the first and second interior detector cells respectively (at least 20% smaller; [0029]; FIG 9).
Regarding claim 7, SPAHN discloses a gap less than the pitch between the first and second detectors, wherein the first and second lesser areas are less than ½ of areas of the first and second interior detector cells such that pitch is constant (reduced pixels 12.1 are at least 20% smaller in their sensor area than the interior pixels 12, and modules are formed such that the pixel pitch is maintained and reduced pixels 12.1 are arranged at the location of a normally large pixel; [0029]; FIG 9).
Regarding claim 8, SPAHN discloses first and second detectors comprise room temperature semiconductor detectors (semiconductor detectors including CdTe, CZT, HgI, etc., which are room temperature detectors; [0003]).
Regarding claim 9, SPAHN discloses first and second detectors have the same shape, and wherein respective interior cells have the same shape (FIG 9).
Regarding claim 10, SPAHN discloses first and second pixelated detectors include corner edge cells being ½ or less of the first and second lesser areas (the respective corner pixel is still smaller since it is adjacent two first detector modules; [0029]; FIG 9).
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 3, 4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over SPAHN (DE 102012202500 A1).
Regarding claim 3, SPAHN discloses wherein for the regular matrix structure, the detector modules are square, rectangular or different shape which ensures a regular matrix structure (e.g. hexagonal). A triangular shape pixels is a known regular matrix structure (see for example, WANG et al., WO Pub # 2019/201544), and would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to combine with the teachings of SPAHN.
Regarding claim 4, SPAHN discloses first and second interior detector cells and the combination cells hexagonal pixels ([0021]), but does not specify wherein some of the edge pixels are triangular and some are trapezoidal. Depending on the edge location of a hexagonal pixel in a hexagonal detector module, the shape of the edge pixels would be either trapezoidal (i.e. dividing a hexagon in half) or triangular to form a regular matrix structure, and thus obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CASEY BRYANT whose telephone number is (571)270-7329. The examiner can normally be reached M-F // 7-3P EST.
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CASEY BRYANT
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2884
/CASEY BRYANT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2884