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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted 03/14/2024 has been fully considered by examiner and made of record.
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 and 4-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by RANGANATHAN K., et al., ("Direct sampled 1/Q beamforming for compact and very low-cost ultrasound imaging"IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ULTRASONICS, FERROELECTRICS, AND FREQUENCY CONTROL, IEEE, USA, Vol. 51, No. 9, 01 September 2004 (2004-09-01), pages 1082-1094; DOI: 10.l109/TUFFC.2004.1334841; ISSN: 0885-3010, XP011368720.., citations to NPL provided with IDS)
Regarding Claim 1, Ranganathan teaches a method for processing signals, comprising the following steps:
providing an analytically complex, bandwidth-limited signal (pg. 1083, Fig. 1(b), systems combine digital time delays with complex phase rotation, as depicted in Fig. 1(b)),
specifying a reference frequency within a bandwidth of the signal (pg. 1083, left column, Fig. 1(b) center frequency),
detecting data point values y.sub.k of the signal (pg. 1082, right column, Fig. 1, digitized data on each channel that needs to be either sampled at a very high sampling rate or interpolated),
wherein a distance between successive data point values is given by a constant reference phase advance predetermined by the reference frequency (pg. 1083, Fig. 1(b), coarse focusing is implemented by delaying the digitized data on each channel. Fine focusing is accomplished by phase rotation of data that has undergone complex demodulation at the center frequency),
generating at least one interpolation value y(x) at a predetermined point between k successive reference point values y.sub.k according to the general formula:
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pg. 1083, Fig. 1, left column, In systems using time delays, received data on each channel gave to be sampled at high-sampling rates and/or interpolated, pg. 1083, right column, Fig. 2, DSIQ beamformer is depicted in Fig. 2. Received data on each channel are band pass filtered and diverted to two S/H circuits, one each for the I and Q channels. The clock signals driving the two S/Hs are of the same frequency; however, the Q channel S/H clock is offset with respect to the I channel S/H clock by a quarter period at the assumed center frequency of the received signal. The outputs of the two S/Hs are digitized, forming I and Q channel data, pg. 1084, right column, Geometric time delays are calculated and converted to phase delays at the assumed center frequency. Complex weights that implement apodization and focus with the calculated phase delays then are applied to the I/Q data:
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where bf(nT)is the focused, apodized, and summed beam former output, N is the number of elements
with
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as a unit rotator and was a weighting factor, wherein τ is a sampling step size (pg.1084, left column, received ultrasound echo can be considered to be the real part of an amplitude and phase-modulated com plex exponential signal, or analytic signal. Mathematically, we express the modulating signal as A(t)ejφ(t) with instantaneous amplitude A(t) and phase φ(t). This is superimposedonacarriersignale−jω0t,whereω0 =2πf0 and f0 is the frequency of the signal, pg. 1084, right column, Wi is the apodization applied to the ith element, and θi = −ω0ti represents the phase rotation applied to the ith element for focusing, ti being the propagation time from the ith element to the focus).
Regarding Claim 4, Ranganathan teaches the method according to claim 1, wherein the interpolation using the formula:
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takes place as a cubic interpolation, wherein
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are used as weighting factors (pg. 1086, right column, DSIQ beamforming. In DSIQ beamforming, received data are diverted to two S/H circuits that are driven by clocks offset by a quarter period at the center frequency of the signal. However, the data we acquired from the Philips SONOS 5500 were already sampled and digitized. Therefore, we used the acquired data as the I channel data and synthesized Q channel data using cubic spline interpolation. Data received on each channel were first filtered to 55%fractional −6 dB bandwidth by a band pass filter with a passband centered at 5.5 MHz and used as the I channel data. We then interpolated the data at a time lag of a quarter period at the assumed center frequency to generate the Q channel data. Dynamic apodization and phase rotation for dynamic focusing were implemented as shown in (11)).
Regarding Claim 5, Ranganathan teaches the method according to claim 1, wherein the distance between successive data point values is a constant unit distance (pg. 1085, left column, We then generated analytic representations of the data received on each channel by fitting a cubic spline between successive samples, taking care to maintain continuity between these representations. Therefore, if we acquired N samples of data from a channel, our analytic representation comprised N-1 cubic splines that fit the intersample intervals).
Regarding Claim 6, Ranganathan teaches the method according to claim 1, wherein the analytically complex, band-limited signal used for interpolation is processed by suppression of negative frequency components before the interpolation, comprising complex Hilbert filtering (pg. 1085, right column, We then evaluated our ana lytic representations of the signals received on each channel at the relevant time point indicated in the time vector and summed across channels to yield the RF sample at the specified range. Dynamic apodization with a Hann window [19] was applied. We envelope detected the RF data using the Hilbert transform, and decimated the image by a factor of 4 in range, The real component of the result yielded the baseband de modulated I channel data, and the imaginary component yielded the baseband demodulated Q channel data. The data were decimated by a factor of 4 in range. We computed the focal delays required to focus at each point in the final image and converted these time delays to phase delays).
Regarding Claim 7, Ranganathan teaches the method according to claim 1, wherein the analytically complex signal is calculated from a real-valued input signal (pg. 1083, right column, The DSIQ beamformer is depicted in Fig. 2. Received data on each channel are band pass filtered and diverted to two S/H circuits, one each for the I and Q channels. The clock signals driving the two S/Hs are of the same frequency; however, the Q channel S/H clock is offset with respect to the I channel S/H clock by a quarter period at the assumed center frequency of the received signal. The outputs of the two S/Hs are digitized, forming I and Q channel data, pg. 1084, top left column, The received ultrasound can be considered to be the real part of an amplitude and phase-modulated complex exponential signal).
Regarding Claim 8, Ranganathan teaches the method according to claim 1, wherein the interpolation values comprise linear combinations of a real part and an imaginary part (pg. 1084, left column, We are able only to acquire the RF echo, which is equivalent to the real part of S(t). However, we also require the imaginary component of S(t), shown in equation 4, to perform beamforming. We approximate the imaginary component of S(t) or Q(t) by estimating it to be the output of the Q channel S/H).
Regarding Claim 9, Ranganathan teaches the method according to claim 8, wherein only the real part of the complex interpolation values obtained is further processed (pg.1084, left column, received ultrasound echo can be considered to be the real part of an amplitude and phase-modulated complex exponential signal, or analytic signal).
Regarding Claim 10, Ranganathan teaches a signal processing system, with a signal supply device which is configured to output an analytically complex, bandwidth-limited signal (pg. 1083, Fig. 1(b), systems combine digital time delays with complex phase rotation, as depicted in Fig. 1(b)), and
with a signal processing device which comprises a frequency setting device and an interpolation device, wherein the frequency setting device is configured to specify a reference frequency lying within a bandwidth of the analytical signal (pg. 1083, left column, Fig. 1(b) center frequency),
which reference frequency determines a constant reference phase advance per unit distance of successive sample values, comprising data point values (pg. 1082, right column, Fig. 1, digitized data on each channel that needs to be either sampled at a very high sampling rate or interpolated), of the analytical signal (pg. 1083, Fig. 1(b), coarse focusing is implemented by delaying the digitized data on each channel. Fine focusing is accomplished by phase rotation of data that has undergone complex demodulation at the center frequency), and
the interpolation device using the general formula:
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is configured to generate at least one value that interpolates the data point values at a predetermined location pg. 1083, Fig. 1, left column, In systems using time delays, received data on each channel gave to be sampled at high-sampling rates and/or interpolated, pg. 1083, right column, Fig. 2, DSIQ beamformer is depicted in Fig. 2. Received data on each channel are band pass filtered and diverted to two S/H circuits, one each for the I and Q channels. The clock signals driving the two S/Hs are of the same frequency; however, the Q channel S/H clock is offset with respect to the I channel S/H clock by a quarter period at the assumed center frequency of the received signal. The outputs of the two S/Hs are digitized, forming I and Q channel data, pg. 1084, right column, Geometric time delays are calculated and converted to phase delays at the assumed center frequency. Complex weights that implement apodization and focus with the calculated phase delays then are applied to the I/Q data:
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where bf(nT)is the focused, apodized, and summed beam former output, N is the number of elements,
wherein
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denotes a standard rotator, w denotes a weighting factor, and τ denotes a sampling step size (pg.1084, left column, received ultrasound echo can be considered to be the real part of an amplitude and phase-modulated com plex exponential signal, or analytic signal. Mathematically, we express the modulating signal as A(t)ejφ(t) with instantaneous amplitude A(t) and phase φ(t). This is superim posed on a carrier signal e−jω0t, where ω0 =2πf0 and f0 is the frequency of the signal, pg. 1084, right column, Wi is the apodization applied to the ith element, and θi = −ω0ti represents the phase rotation applied to the ith element for focusing, ti being the propagation time from the ith element to the focus).
Regarding Claim 11, Ranganathan teaches the signal processing system according to claim 10, wherein the interpolation device is configured to apply the weighting formula
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. (pg. 1084, right column, Complex weights that implement apodization and focus with the calculated phase delays then are applied to the I/Q data where bf(nT)is the focused, apodized, and summed beam former output, N is the number of elements, Wi is the apodization applied to the ith element, and θi = −ω0ti represents the phase rotation applied to the ith element for focusing, ti being the propagation time from the ith element to the focus)
Regarding Claim 12, Ranganathan teaches the signal processing system according to claim 10, wherein the interpolation device is part of a beamforming apparatus which is configured to time shift individual signal channels before summation (pg. 1083 Fig. 1(b) Fig. 1. Conventional beamforming algorithms that use (a) time de lays, and (b) time delays in conjunction with phase rotation. In systems using time delays, received data on each channel have to be sampled at high-sampling rates and/or interpolated).
Regarding Claim 13, Ranganathan teaches the signal processing system according to claim 10, wherein the signal supply device is configured as a signal receiving device for receiving measurement signals.
Regarding Claim 14, Ranganathan teaches the signal processing system according to claim 10, wherein the signal supply device is configured for transmission beamforming (pg. 1083 Fig. 1(b) Fig. 1. Conventional beamforming algorithms that use (a) time de lays, and (b) time delays in conjunction with phase rotation. In systems using time delays, received data on each channel have to be sampled at high-sampling rates and/or interpolated).
Regarding Claim 15, Ranganathan teaches the signal processing system according to claim 10, wherein the signal supply device is configured as a signal receiving device for receiving echo signals.
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 2-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over RANGANATHAN K., et al., ("Direct sampled 1/Q beamforming for compact and very low-cost ultrasound imaging"IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ULTRASONICS, FERROELECTRICS, AND FREQUENCY CONTROL, IEEE, USA, Vol. 51, No. 9, 01 September 2004 (2004-09-01), pages 1082-1094; DOI: 10.l109/TUFFC.2004.1334841; ISSN: 0885-3010, XP011368720.., citations to NPL provided with IDS), in view of Wang (US 2023/0141421).
Regarding Claim 2, Ranganathan teaches the method according to claim 1, except the following, which in the same field of endeavor, Wang teaches wherein the interpolation using the formula:
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takes place as a linear interpolation ([0053], linear interpolation may be any one of nearest neighbor interpolation, bilinear interpolation, or bicubic interpolation. Take bilinear interpolation as an example. It is known that bilinear interpolation is the generalization of linear interpolation performed for a total of three times in two directions. A hyperbolic paraboloid is defined to fit four known points. An exemplary operation is to perform linear interpolation calculation twice in the direction X, and then perform interpolation calculation once in the direction Y [0055-0056], linear interpolation performed in X and Y direction, [0058] If a coordinate system is selected and it is assumed that as for f(x), known coordinates of the four points are (0, 0), (0, 1), (1, 0), and (1, 1), and therefore, a unit square is determined, and the four points are separately four vertices of the square).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to calculate linear or bilinear interpolation, as taught in Wang, in addition to or in place of the cubic interpolation taught in Ranganathan, to yield predictable results.
Regarding Claim 3, Ranganathan teaches the method according to claim 1, except the following, which in the same field of endeavor, Wang teaches wherein the interpolation using the formula:
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takes place as a quadratic interpolation ([0053], linear interpolation may be any one of nearest neighbor interpolation, bilinear interpolation, or bicubic interpolation. Take bilinear interpolation as an example. It is known that bilinear interpolation is the generalization of linear interpolation performed for a total of three times in two directions. A hyperbolic paraboloid is defined to fit four known points. An exemplary operation is to perform linear interpolation calculation twice in the direction X, and then perform interpolation calculation once in the direction Y [0055-0056], linear interpolation performed in X and Y direction, [0058] If a coordinate system is selected and it is assumed that as for f(x), known coordinates of the four points are (0, 0), (0, 1), (1, 0), and (1, 1), and therefore, a unit square is determined, and the four points are separately four vertices of the square).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to calculate linear or bilinear interpolation, as taught in Wang, in addition to or in place of the cubic interpolation taught in Ranganathan, to yield predictable results.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: Cho et al (US 2020/0342047) discloses method of processing a band-limited S-parameter for a transient analysis in a passive network according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: removing a propagation delay time of the band-limited S-parameter signal; generating an interpolation function for a real part of the band-limited S-parameter signal; generating an extrapolation function for the real part of the band-limited S-parameter signal; and generating an extended S-parameter signal with the interpolation function and the extrapolation function ([0009]).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARGARET G WEBB whose telephone number is (571)270-7803. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00-6:00 PM.
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/MARGARET G WEBB/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2641