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 .
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.
Claim(s) 1-27 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by WO 2020/150505 (JANARDHANAN).
Regarding claim 1, JANARDHANAN disclose a radiotherapy apparatus comprising:
a radiation source coupled to a rotatable gantry (Fig. 5, [0076]);
a movable subject support surface [0020]; and
a controller [0086] configured to:
obtain a first anatomical location of a patient and a second anatomical location of the patient (Fig. 1B, [0037]);
determine a vector using the first anatomical location and the second anatomical location, a directional component of the vector being an angular deviation from a rotational axis of the rotatable gantry (Fig. 1B, [0038]);
apply radiation from the radiation source to the first anatomical location at a first time (Fig. 1B, [0052]);
move the movable subject support surface relative to the rotatable gantry based on the angular deviation (Fig. 1B, [0053]); and
apply radiation from the radiation source to the second anatomical location at a second time (Fig. 1B, [0053]).
Regarding claim 2, JANARDHANAN disclose the radiotherapy apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to: obtain the first anatomical location and the second anatomical location by receiving image data and identifying the first anatomical location and the second anatomical location using the received image data ([0037]-[0038]).
Regarding claim 3, JANARDHANAN disclose the radiotherapy apparatus of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to: determine the vector by registering the image data with reference image data, wherein the angular deviation is determined based on a difference in alignment between the image data and the reference image data ([0037]-[0038]).
Regarding claim 4, JANARDHANAN disclose the radiotherapy apparatus of claim 2, comprising: an imaging system configured to generate image data, and wherein receiving the image data comprises receiving the image data from the imaging system ([0037]-[0038]).
Regarding claim 5, JANARDHANAN disclose the radiotherapy apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to: apply radiation to a target region between the first anatomical location and the second anatomical location as the movable subject support surface is moved [0054].
Regarding claim 6, JANARDHANAN disclose the radiotherapy apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to: apply radiation according to a treatment plan [0055].
Regarding claim 7, JANARDHANAN disclose the radiotherapy apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to: apply radiation according to a helical treatment in which radiation is applied during movement of the movable subject support surface and during rotation of the rotatable gantry ([0054]-[0055]).
Regarding claim 8, JANARDHANAN disclose the radiotherapy apparatus of claim 7, wherein the helical treatment is applied from the first anatomical location to the second anatomical location ([0054]-[0055]).
Regarding claim 9, JANARDHANAN disclose the radiotherapy apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first anatomical location and the second anatomical location are locations on a single target [0058].
Regarding claim 10, JANARDHANAN disclose the radiotherapy apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first anatomical location corresponds to a position on a first target, and wherein the second anatomical location corresponds to a position on a second target, distinct from the first target [0070].
Regarding claim 11, JANARDHANAN disclose the radiotherapy apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to: obtain a third anatomical location of the patient [0055]; determine a second vector using the second anatomical location and the third anatomical location, wherein a directional component of the second vector is a second angular deviation from the rotational axis of the rotatable gantry [0055]; move the movable subject support surface relative to the rotatable gantry based on the second angular deviation [0055]; and apply radiation from the radiation source to the third anatomical location at a third time [0055].
Regarding claim 12, JANARDHANAN disclose the radiotherapy apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a beam shaping apparatus configured to shape a beam of radiation [0077], wherein radiation from the radiation source is applied as a beam shaped by the beam shaping apparatus, and wherein the controller is configured to control the beam shaping apparatus to shape the beam in accordance with a treatment plan and/or an alignment of the beam and a target to which radiation is being applied [0077].
Regarding claim 13, JANARDHANAN disclose the radiotherapy apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to move the movable subject support surface by translating the movable subject support surface in at least two spatial dimensions (claim 5).
Regarding claim 14, JANARDHANAN disclose the radiotherapy apparatus of claim 1, wherein the angular deviation comprises at least one angular error value in at least one dimension (claim 15).
Regarding claim 15, JANARDHANAN disclose a method for controlling a radiotherapy apparatus comprising a radiation source coupled to a rotatable gantry and movable subject support surface, the method comprising:
obtaining a first anatomical location of a patient and a second anatomical location of the patient (Fig. 1B, [0037]);
determining a vector using the first anatomical location of the patient and the second anatomical location of the patient, a directional component of the vector being an angular deviation from a rotational axis of the rotatable gantry (Fig. 1B, [0038]); and
outputting control instructions configured to control the radiotherapy apparatus to:
apply radiation from the radiation source to the first anatomical location at a first time (Fig. 1B, [0052]);
move the movable subject support surface relative to the rotatable gantry based on the angular deviation (Fig. 1B, [0053]); and
apply radiation from the radiation source to the second anatomical location at a second time (Fig. 1B, [0053]).
Regarding claim 16, JANARDHANAN disclose the method of claim 15, wherein obtaining the first anatomical location and the second anatomical location comprises receiving image data and identifying the first anatomical location and the second anatomical location using the received image data ([0037]-[0038]).
Regarding claim 17, JANARDHANAN disclose the method of claim 16, wherein determining the vector comprises registering the image data with reference image data, and determining the angular deviation based on a difference in alignment between the image data and the reference image data ([0037]-[0038]).
Regarding claim 18, JANARDHANAN disclose the method of claim 16, wherein receiving the image data comprises generating the image data using an imaging system of the radiotherapy apparatus and receiving the image data from the imaging system ([0037]-[0038]).
Regarding claim 19, JANARDHANAN disclose the method of claim 15, wherein outputting control instructions configured to control the radiotherapy apparatus to move the movable subject support surface comprises: outputting control instructions configured to control the radiotherapy apparatus to apply radiation to a target region between the first anatomical location and the second anatomical location as the movable subject support surface is moved [0054].
Regarding claim 20, JANARDHANAN disclose the method of claim 15, further comprising: outputting control instructions configured to control the radiotherapy apparatus to apply radiation according to a treatment plan [0055].
Regarding claim 21, JANARDHANAN disclose the method of claim 15, further comprising: outputting control instructions configured to control the radiotherapy apparatus to apply radiation according to a helical treatment in which radiation is applied during movement of the movable subject support surface and during rotation of the rotatable gantry ([0054]-[0055]).
Regarding claim 22, JANARDHANAN disclose the method of claim 21, wherein outputting control instructions configured to control the radiotherapy apparatus to apply radiation according to a helical treatment comprises: outputting control instructions configured to control the radiotherapy apparatus to apply radiation according to a helical treatment from the first anatomical location to the second anatomical location ([0054]-[0055]).
Regarding claim 23, JANARDHANAN disclose the method of claim 15, wherein the first anatomical location and the second anatomical location are locations on a single target [0058].
Regarding claim 24, JANARDHANAN disclose the method of claim 15, wherein the first anatomical location corresponds to a position on a first target, and wherein the second anatomical location corresponds to a position on a second target, distinct from the first target [0070].
Regarding claim 25, JANARDHANAN disclose the method of claim 15, further comprising: obtaining a third anatomical location of the patient; determining a second vector using the second anatomical location and the third anatomical location, wherein a directional component of the second vector is a second angular deviation from the rotational axis of the rotatable gantry [0055]; and outputting control instructions configured to control the radiotherapy apparatus to: move the movable subject support surface relative to the rotatable gantry based on the second angular deviation [0055]; and apply radiation from the radiation source to the third anatomical location at a third time [0055].
Regarding claim 26, JANARDHANAN disclose the method of claim 15, further comprising: outputting control instructions configured to control the radiotherapy apparatus to apply radiation as a beam shaped by a beam shaping apparatus [0077], and to shape the beam in accordance with at least one of a treatment plan or an alignment of the beam and a target to which the radiation is being applied [0077].
Regarding claim 27, JANARDHANAN disclose the method of claim 15, further comprising: outputting control instructions configured to control the radiotherapy apparatus to move the movable subject support surface by translating the movable subject support surface in at least two spatial dimensions (claim 5).
Regarding claim 28, JANARDHANAN disclose the method of claim 15, wherein the angular deviation comprises at least one angular error value in at least one dimension (claim 15).
Regarding claim 29, JANARDHANAN disclose a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions which, when performed by one or more processors of a computer device, cause the one or more processors to:
control a radiotherapy apparatus comprising a radiation source coupled to a rotatable gantry and a movable subject support surface (Fig. 5), wherein to control the radiotherapy apparatus, the computer-executable instructions cause the one or more processors to:
obtain a first anatomical location of a patient and a second anatomical location of the patient (Fig. 1B, [0037]);
determine a vector using the first anatomical location and the second anatomical location, a directional component of the vector being an angular deviation from a rotational axis of the rotatable gantry (Fig. 1B, [0038]);
apply radiation from the radiation source to the first anatomical location at a first time (Fig. 1B, [0052]);
move the movable subject support surface relative to the rotatable gantry based on the angular deviation (Fig. 1B, [0053]); and
apply radiation from the radiation source to the second anatomical location at a second time (Fig. 1B, [0053]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANI FOX whose telephone number is (571)272-3513. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 9-5.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, David Makiya can be reached at 571-272-2273. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DANI FOX/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2884