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 statement(s) (IDS) submitted on 03/26/2025 and 04/26/2024 have been considered by the Examiner.
Drawings
A drawing submission is missing while a drawing of the invention is deemed necessary for the understanding of the subject matter sought to be patented. §MPEP 37 C.F.R. 1.81 Drawings required in patent application.
[Editor Note: Para. (a) below is only applicable to patent applications filed under 35 U.S.C. 111 on or after December 18, 2013.]
(a) The applicant for a patent is required to furnish a drawing of the invention where necessary for the understanding of the subject matter sought to be patented. Since corrections are the responsibility of the applicant, the original drawing(s) should be retained by the applicant for any necessary future correction.
(b) Drawings may include illustrations which facilitate an understanding of the invention (for example, flow sheets in cases of processes, and diagrammatic views).
(c) Whenever the nature of the subject matter sought to be patented admits of illustration by a drawing without its being necessary for the understanding of the subject matter and the applicant has not furnished such a drawing, the examiner will require its submission within a time period of not less than two months from the date of the sending of a notice thereof.
(d) Drawings submitted after the filing date of the application may not be used to overcome any insufficiency of the specification due to lack of an enabling disclosure or otherwise inadequate disclosure therein, or to supplement the original disclosure thereof for the purpose of interpretation of the scope of any claim.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with CFR 1.81, CFR 1.121 (d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either "Replacement Sheet" or "New Sheet" pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121 (d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Objections
Claim(s) 1, 6 and 11 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1 recites a phrase “radio frequency processing means, the radio frequency processing means being adapted to …” in line 21. Examiner suggests amending the phrase to recite “radio frequency processing means configured to …” to restore clarity.
Claim 1 recites a phrase “a radio frequency coil being characterized for an intrinsic bandwidth and an intrinsic resonant frequency” in line 7. Examiner suggests amending the phrase to recite “a radio frequency coil characterized by an intrinsic bandwidth and an intrinsic resonant frequency” to restore clarity (as per spec. para. 50).
Claim 1 recites a term “radio frequency signals” in lines 8-9. Examiner suggests amending the term to recite “the radio frequency signals” to restore antecedent clarity.
Claim 6 recites a phrase “a first branch and second branch connected in parallel” in line 2. Examiner suggests amending the phrase to recite “a first branch and a second branch connected in parallel” to restore clarity.
Claim 11 recites a term "the body" in line 4. Examiner suggests amending the term to recite “a body” to restore antecedent clarity.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 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.
(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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 7-8 and 10-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by CONNELL et al. (US 20190056468; hereinafter CONNELL).
Regarding claim 1, CONNELL discloses in figure(s) 1-3 a magnetic resonance imaging device including a radio frequency assembly configured to transmit and receive radio frequency signals (paras. 23-24 :- MRI system 100 … transmitting RF excitation pulses and receiving MR signals for imaging the subject), the radio frequency assembly comprising:
-a magnet defining a bore (solenoid magnet 105 with an inner bore 101; figs. 1);
-a radio frequency coil (106), arranged in the bore, the interior of the radio frequency coil forming an analysis zone (para. 26 – imaging areas of interest), wherein the magnet imposes a static magnetic field (RF transmission coils 106 being arranged in the magnet 105 field; figs. 1), the radio frequency coil being characterized for an intrinsic bandwidth (para. 26 - transmission band of the RF coil) and an intrinsic resonant frequency (para. 27 - the transmit RF coil 106 is a resonant structure), and configured to transmit and receive radio frequency signals (para. 24 - a head coil in a birdcage configuration is used for transmitting RF excitation pulses and receiving MR signals for imaging the subject);
-a tunable circuit (tuning circuit of figs. 3; paras. 18,30-36) associated with the radio frequency coil and configured to enable adjustment of an equivalent impedance of the radio frequency assembly within a given impedance range (para. 27 - The resonant frequency of the RF coil 106 is tuned to the Larmor frequency for the nuclei of interest and field strength of the MRI scanner 100. The input impedance of the tuned RF coil is then transformed at the coil input to match the amplifier characteristic impedance), the adjustment of the equivalent impedance causing adjustment of the resonant frequency from the intrinsic resonant frequency to an adjusted resonant frequency, within a working frequency range of the radio frequency assembly, an extent of the working frequency range being greater than an extent of the intrinsic bandwidth (para. 28 - Active tuning of the transmit RF coil assembly can be achieved when dynamic coil tuning is applied along with an impedance transformation circuit. This approach is capable of tuning the transmit RF coil assembly across the full transmitting bandwidth that can be used for slice-select acquisitions without increasing power requirements of the transmitting system while reducing tissue-independent contrast … the RF pulse frequency falls outside the efficient transmitting pass band of the RF coil assembly, thereby demanding more RF power to maintain the similar or comparable excitation profiles in the sample for slices far off the z-axis gradient coil isocenter);
-adjustment means (para. 2 - the control unit configured to: operate the gradient coils, the transmit coil assembly, and the receive coil assembly such that the at least one slice-selecting RF pulse is synchronously applied along with the perturbations to the volume of the magnet field and that the at least one response radio frequency (RF) pulse is subsequently received) configured to command the tunable circuit to dynamically adjust the equivalent impedance during an acquisition of an image by the imaging device (para. 28 - dynamic coil tuning is applied along with an impedance transformation circuit; Fig 38; paras. 33-36 :- a matching capacitor bank capable of transforming input impedance);
-radio frequency processing means (para. 25 - one or more processors), the radio frequency processing means being adapted to process a radio frequency signal capable of being received by the radio frequency coil (para. 24 - a phased array coil configuration is used for receiving MR signals in response - implies means for processing the received signals; figs. 3); and
-gradient coils (104; fig. 1B) configured to spatially encode positions of the analysis zone, the spatial encoding, in combination with the static magnetic field, associating each of the positions with a natural resonant frequency to spins of hydrogen nuclei positioned at the respective positions (para. 28 - Spatially encoding gradient waveforms).
Regarding claim 2, CONNELL discloses in figure(s) 1-3 the magnetic resonance imaging device according to of claim 1, wherein the adjustment means are configured to allow a radio frequency transmission at a given Larmor frequency, and a reception of radio frequency signals during which the adjusted frequency is dynamically tuned in the working frequency range (paras. 22, 28, 30-36 - active ‘hot switching’ method is disclosed that actively tunes the transmit RF coil assembly with a dynamic coil tuning method used in concert with an impedance transformation circuit; figs. 3).
Regarding claim 3, CONNELL discloses in figure(s) 1-3 the magnetic resonance imaging device of claim 1, wherein the radio frequency coil comprises main segmentation capacitors (202A-210A; fig. 2).
Regarding claim 7, CONNELL discloses in figure(s) 1-3 the magnetic resonance imaging device of claim 1, wherein the radio frequency assembly further comprises radio frequency pulse generating means, the radio frequency pulse generating means being adapted to impose, via the tunable circuit, the circulation of a current pulse in the radio frequency coil (para. 28 - slice-selecting RF pulse is tuned to a frequency where nuclei from the particular slide resonate; para. 27 - sinusoidal currents are applied to each rung that are sequentially phase shifted around the coil's periphery. If there are N rungs, the phase shift between the currents in neighboring elements is 360°/N).
Regarding claim 8, CONNELL discloses in figure(s) 1-3 the magnetic resonance imaging device of claim 1, wherein the magnet is a permanent magnet (105; para. 2 – magnet configured to generate a volume of magnet field suitable for MR imaging over a region located within the bore and covered by the volume of magnetic field).
Regarding claim 10, CONNELL discloses in figure(s) 1-3 the magnetic resonance imaging device of 1, wherein the adjusted frequency can cover, by adjusting the equivalent impedance, all of the natural frequencies of the hydrogen nuclei spins likely to be present on each of the positions of the analysis zone (para. 28 - tuning the transmit RF coil assembly across the full transmitting bandwidth that can be used for slice-select acquisitions without increasing power requirements of the transmitting system while reducing tissue-independent contrast).
Regarding claim 11, CONNELL discloses in figure(s) 1-3 a method for acquiring a magnetic resonance image (para. 9 - MRI system may further include: a display on which the MR image is presented), by an imaging device according to claim 1, the method comprising the following steps:
a) subjecting the body (103; figs. 1), disposed within the radio frequency coil, to the static magnetic field (RF transmission coils 106 being arranged in the magnet 105 field; figs. 1);
b) imposing on the body a spatial encoding by way of the gradient coils (104; fig. 1A), the gradient coils subjecting the body to a gradient field, which adds to the static magnetic field, to form a resultant field (para. 28 - Spatially encoding gradient waveforms applied in concert with the slice-selecting RF pulse may determine the resonant frequency of nuclei from the slice being selected), associate with each of the positions of the body a natural resonant frequency of the spins of the hydrogen nuclei, all of the natural resonant frequencies extending over the working range (para. 22 - slice-selecting RF pulse is generally applied in concert with the application of a gradient waveform through gradient coils that encodes the spatial positions of nuclei of the intended slice from the subject);
c) transmitting, by way of the radio frequency coil, a radio frequency signal so as to excite, over all positions of the body subjected to spatial encoding by the gradient coils, the hydrogen nuclei spins (para. 28 - tuning the transmit RF coil assembly across the full transmitting bandwidth that can be used for slice-select acquisitions without increasing power requirements of the transmitting system while reducing tissue-independent contrast); and
d) measuring echoes of hydrogen nuclei spins emitted by at least some of the positions of the body subjected to the spatial encoding by the gradient coils, the measurement comprising a dynamic adjustment of the equivalent impedance of the assembly formed by the tunable circuit and the radio frequency coil (paras. 22, 28, 30-36 - active ‘hot switching’ method is disclosed that actively tunes the transmit RF coil assembly with a dynamic coil tuning method used in concert with an impedance transformation circuit; figs. 3).
Regarding claim 12, CONNELL discloses in figure(s) 1-3 the method of claim 11, wherein the spatial encoding imposed by the gradient coils is reflected by a breakdown, in terms of the resultant field, into working slices, the working slices themselves being subdivided into mutually parallel working lines, along which the resultant field varies (clm. 1 - control unit configured to: operate the gradient coils, the transmit coil assembly, and the receive coil assembly such that the at least one slice-selecting RF pulse is synchronously applied along with the perturbations to the volume of the magnet field and that the at least one response radio frequency (RF) pulse is subsequently received).
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 of this title, 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.
Claim(s) 4-6 and 13-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CONNELL in view of Schillak et al. (US 20150338478).
Regarding claim 4, CONNELL teaches in figure(s) 1-3 the magnetic resonance imaging device of claim 1,
CONNELL does not teach explicitly wherein the tunable circuit comprises at least two components arranged in an L-shaped topology, and which combined together in the tunable circuit generate a reactance, one and/or the other of these two components being tunable so as to allow the adjustment of the equivalent impedance of the radio frequency assembly.
However, Schillak teaches in figure(s) 1-9 wherein the tunable circuit comprises at least two components arranged in an L-shaped topology (RLC and C of 140; fig. 1a), and which combined together in the tunable circuit generate a reactance, one and/or the other of these two components being tunable (automatic tunable 146; fig. 1a) so as to allow the adjustment of the equivalent impedance (matching impedance @ 146) of the radio frequency assembly.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of CONNELL by having wherein the tunable circuit comprises at least two components arranged in an L-shaped topology, and which combined together in the tunable circuit generate a reactance, one and/or the other of these two components being tunable so as to allow the adjustment of the equivalent impedance of the radio frequency assembly as taught by Schillak in order to provide well known and widely used in MRI tuning circuit/topology as evidenced by "transmit/receive (T/R) switches in the coil enclosure provides increased flexibility in circuit layout and coil-element positioning, and allows additional functionality (such as automatic tuning and impedance matching) to be provided for the transmit circuitry and the T/R switching circuitry." (para. 46).
Regarding claim 5, CONNELL teaches in figure(s) 1-3 the magnetic resonance imaging device of claim 4, wherein the tunable circuit comprises two first inputs and two first outputs, the two first inputs including a first input and a second input configured to be powered by a generator of current pulses (para. 42 - alternating current (AC) radio-frequency signal; para. 87 - pulse sequence includes one or more excitation pulses in the transmit TX signal), the two first outputs including a first output and a second output each connected to one of the ends of the radio frequency coil (4-port transmission line network model of magnet bore in fig. 1A).
Regarding claim 6, CONNELL in view of Schillak teaches the magnetic resonance imaging device of claim 5,
Schillak additionally teaches in figure(s) 1-9 wherein the radio frequency assembly comprises two branches including a first branch (131; fig. 1A) and second branch (C) connected in parallel to the level respectively of the first input and of the second input, the first branch comprising, connected in series, the radio frequency coil (120) and one of the two components (131), the second branch comprising the other of the two components (C).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of CONNELL by having wherein the radio frequency assembly comprises two branches including a first branch and second branch connected in parallel to the level respectively of the first input and of the second input as taught by Schillak in order to provide well known and widely used in MRI tuning circuit/topology as evidenced by "transmit/receive (T/R) switches in the coil enclosure provides increased flexibility in circuit layout and coil-element positioning, and allows additional functionality (such as automatic tuning and impedance matching) to be provided for the transmit circuitry and the T/R switching circuitry." (para. 46).
Regarding claim 13, CONNELL teaches in figure(s) 1-3 the method of claim 12,
CONNELL does not teach explicitly wherein the measurement of the spin echoes is carried out one working line at a time.
However, Schillak teaches in figure(s) 1-9 wherein the measurement of the spin echoes is carried out one working line at a time (para. 87 - a pulse sequence useful for obtaining spin-echo response signals).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of CONNELL by having wherein the measurement of the spin echoes is carried out one working line at a time as taught by Schillak in order to provide "TX coil 131 transmits an MRI excitation pulse sequence and RX coil 132 receives the spin signal from patient 90" (para. 97).
Regarding claim 14, CONNELL in view of Schillak teaches the method of claim 13,
Schillak additionally teaches in figure(s) 1-9 wherein the spin echoes likely to be measured along a working line cover a frequency range whose extent is greater than the bandwidth of the radio frequency coil (para. 87 - obtain a pulse sequence useful for obtaining, for example, spin-echo response signals; para. 119 - narrow-bandwidth bandpass filter function), the measurement along a working line is executed by dynamically adjusting the equivalent impedance of the assembly formed by the tunable circuit and the radio frequency coil so as to collect all the spin echoes associated with the working line (para. 96 - dynamic tuning control of the resonance frequency and impedance of the TX-RX coils 130 is done by automatic tuning and matching circuit 146 under the control of controller 145).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of CONNELL by having wherein the spin echoes likely to be measured along a working line cover a frequency range whose extent is greater than the bandwidth of the radio frequency coil, the measurement along a working line is executed by dynamically adjusting the equivalent impedance of the assembly formed by the tunable circuit and the radio frequency coil so as to collect all the spin echoes associated with the working line as taught by Schillak in order to provide "reducing bandwidth requirements, and facilitating even wireless control of the RF transmit signals… Apparatus and method that are more efficient and flexible" (para. 54, abs.).
Regarding claim 15, CONNELL in view of Schillak teaches the method of claim 14,
Schillak additionally teaches in figure(s) 1-9 wherein the frequency range associated with the spin echoes of one line is of an extent at least 5 times greater than the intrinsic bandwidth of the radio frequency coil (para. 136 - acceleration factors of five to six times or more are obtained for given image or given quality from this parallel imaging).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of CONNELL by having wherein the frequency range associated with the spin echoes of one line is of an extent at least 5 times greater than the intrinsic bandwidth of the radio frequency coil as taught by Schillak in order to provide "reducing bandwidth requirements, and facilitating even wireless control of the RF transmit signals… Apparatus and method that are more efficient and flexible" (para. 54, abs.).
Regarding claim 16, CONNELL in view of Schillak teaches the method of claim 15,
Schillak additionally teaches in figure(s) 1-9 wherein the frequency range associated with the spin echoes of one line is of an extent at least 10 times greater than the intrinsic bandwidth of the radio frequency coil (para. 136 - acceleration factors of five to six times or more are obtained for given image or given quality from this parallel imaging – implies arbitrary frequency range).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of CONNELL by having wherein the frequency range associated with the spin echoes of one line is of an extent at least 10 times greater than the intrinsic bandwidth of the radio frequency coil as taught by Schillak in order to provide suitable frequency range as evidenced by "reducing bandwidth requirements, and facilitating even wireless control of the RF transmit signals… Apparatus and method that are more efficient and flexible" (para. 54, abs.).
Regarding claim 17, CONNELL in view of Schillak teaches the magnetic resonance imaging device of claim 4,
Schillak additionally teaches in figure(s) 1-9 wherein the two components comprise two capacitors, or two inductors, or a capacitor and an inductor (figs. 1A).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of CONNELL by having wherein the two components comprise two capacitors, or two inductors, or a capacitor and an inductor as taught by Schillak in order to provide "electrical component has a variable inductance, capacitance, and/or resistance." (para. 7).
Claim(s) 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CONNELL in view of Tsuda et al. (US 20040113620).
Regarding claim 18, CONNELL teaches in figure(s) 1-3 the magnetic resonance imaging device of claim 8,
CONNELL does not teach explicitly wherein the permanent magnet is capable of generating a static magnetic field less than 100 mT.
However, Tsuda teaches in figure(s) 1-9 wherein the permanent magnet is capable of generating a static magnetic field less than 100 mT (para. 75 - space of magnetic field leakage distribution is usually defined by the positions of 0.5-millitesla magnetic flux density).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of CONNELL by having wherein the permanent magnet is capable of generating a static magnetic field less than 100 mT as taught by Tsuda in order to provide suitable low-field MRI strength as evidenced by "an MRI apparatus including a static magnetic field generating device having a relatively low magnetic field strength" (para. 5 of Tsuda) and "lower field operation, for example, below 1 Telsa" (para. 5 of CONNELL).
Regarding claim 19, CONNELL in view of Tsuda teaches the magnetic resonance imaging device of claim 18,
CONNELL does not teach explicitly wherein the permanent magnet is capable of generating a static magnetic field less than 50 mT.
However, Tsuda teaches in figure(s) 1-9 wherein the permanent magnet is capable of generating a static magnetic field less than 50 mT para. 75 - space of magnetic field leakage distribution is usually defined by the positions of 0.5-millitesla magnetic flux density).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of CONNELL by having wherein the permanent magnet is capable of generating a static magnetic field less than 50 mT as taught by Tsuda in order to provide suitable low-field MRI strength as evidenced by "an MRI apparatus including a static magnetic field generating device having a relatively low magnetic field strength" (para. 5 of Tsuda) and "lower field operation, for example, below 1 Telsa" (para. 5 of CONNELL).
Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
See the List of References cited in the US PT0-892.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AKM ZAKARIA whose telephone number is (571)270-0664. The examiner can normally be reached on 8-5 PM (PST).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Judy Nguyen can be reached on (571) 272-2258. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/AKM ZAKARIA/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2858