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 12/23/2025, with respect to the previous prior art rejection of independent claim 1 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The previous prior art rejection of independent claim 1 has been withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to new claim 17 have been considered but are moot because the 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.
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 17-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ulrici (DE 102015207681 A1. See English translation provided by Espacenet and attached to this office action).
Regarding claim 17, Ulrici teaches a local coil, comprising:
a mounting [See hard plastic shell 12] including an elastic element [See soft inner capsule 13. ¶0021, inner capsule, for example made of sound-absorbing foam, elastically deformable plastic or rubber material. See also rest of reference.] and adapted to position the local coil in a position relative to ahead of a patient [Fig. 2 and ¶0046, The inner capsule 13 can simultaneously serve as a housing 3 for the coil arrangement 2 or partially or completely enclose the coil arrangement 2 with its housing 3. See also rest of reference.], wherein, when the local coil is positioned for the application on the head of the patient, the elastic element is adapted to: be positioned between the mounting and the local coil [Fig. 2, wherein soft inner capsule is between the coil arrangement 2 and hard plastic shell 12. See also rest of reference.], and shape the local coil to the surface contour of the head of the patient and/or hold the local coil in the position appropriate for the application on the head of the patient [¶0021, The elastic and/or deformable material of the inner capsule allows it to adapt to the shape of the head and thus fit snugly. See also rest of reference.]:
at least one antenna adapted to receive radio-frequency (RF) signals in a frequency and power range of a magnetic resonance (MR) measurement [See coil arrangement 2.]; and
a flexible element adapted to enable the local coil to be shaped to a surface contour of the head of the patient [See soft inner capsule 13. ¶0021, The elastic and/or deformable material of the inner capsule allows it to adapt to the shape of the head and thus fit snugly. See also rest of reference.], wherein:
the local coil is adapted to at least partially enclose the head of the patient when positioned for application of the MR measurement [See Fig. 1-2, wherein the coil goes around the patients head. See also rest of reference.]; and
a section of the local coil with the at least one antenna is adapted to be positioned on a temporomandibular joint of the patient by the mounting [¶0008, ¶0012, ¶0016, ¶0029, ¶0035, ¶0045. See also rest of reference.]; and
the local coil is adapted to receive, using the at least one antenna, MR signals from the temporomandibular joint of the patient [¶0008, ¶0012, ¶0016, ¶0029, ¶0035, ¶0045. See also rest of reference.].
Regarding claim 18, Ulrici further teaches wherein the elastic element is configured to be positioned relative to the mounting and clamped in the mounting under elastic deformation [Fig. 2 and ¶0021, wherein the elastic material clamps into hard plastic shell 12 under elastic deformation. See also rest of reference.].
Regarding claim 19, Ulrici further teaches wherein the elastic element comprises foam or fibrous material [¶0029. See also rest of reference.].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1, 3-16 and 20 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding independent claim 1, the closest prior art is considered Sedlacik (“Optimized 1411 receive coil array and position system for 3D high-resolution MRI of dental and maxillomandibular structures”). However, Sedlacik does not teach a mounting adapted to: position the local coil in a position relative to a head of a patient, and hold the local coil in the relative position on a dorsal side of the head and/or a parietal bone of the patient.
Another relevant prior art is considered Taniguchi (US 2013/0076361). However, Taniguchi does not teach the local coil is used to acquire signals from the temporomandibular joint of the patient.
Lastly, Ulrici teaches the coil arrangement 2 is positioned near the ear canal or the temporomandibular joint of the patient. Therefore, Ulrici also does not teach a mounting adapted to: position the local coil in a position relative to a head of a patient, and hold the local coil in the relative position on a dorsal side of the head and/or a parietal bone of the patient.
Claim 1 is believed to overcome the relevant prior art. Claims 3-16 and 20 are rejected for depending on claim 1.
Conclusion
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..
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/RISHI R PATEL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2896