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.
(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, 10-11 and 14-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US Patent No. 9,526,416 by Fujimura et al. (hereinafter ‘Fuji’).
In regards to claim 1, Fuji teaches an optical coherence tomography image generation apparatus comprising: at least one memory that is configured to store instructions; and at least one first processor that is configured to execute the instructions to: (See Fuji Col. 8, line 63 to Col. 9, line 3, Fuji teaches an OCT imaging apparatus.)
acquire a stereoscopic 3D image of a target; (See Fuji Col. 21, lines 60-66, Fuji teaches generating a 3D stereoscopic image.)
determine a plurality of scan areas on the target, on the basis of the stereoscopic 3D image; and relatively move an irradiation position of light for capturing an optical coherence tomography image of the target with respect to the target, and control scanning by the light of each of the plurality of scan areas. (See Fuji Col. 29, lines 21-48Col. 30, lines 18-55, Fuji teaches aligning and moving the optical imaging system based on the 3D of the eye.).
In regards to claim 2, Fuji teaches wherein the at least one first processor is configured to execute the instructions to determine an imaging area on the target on the basis of the stereoscopic 3D image, and divide the imaging area to determine the plurality of scan areas. (See Fuji Col. 29, lines 21-48Col. 30, lines 18-55).
In regards to claim 3, Fuji teaches wherein the at least one first processor is configured to execute the instructions to measure curvatures of the plurality of scan areas, on the basis of the stereoscopic 3D image, and change a velocity of relatively moving the irradiation position of the light on the basis of the curvatures. (See Fuji Col. 29, lines 21-48Col. 30, lines 18-55).
In regards to claim 11, Fuji teaches wherein the at least one first processor is configured to execute the instructions to have a degree of freedom of at least one of translation and rotation, and control at least one of the irradiation position and an irradiation angle of the light with respect to the target. (See Fuji Col. 29, lines 21-48Col. 30, lines 18-55).
In regards to claim 12, Fuji teaches superimpose and display information indicating the plurality of scan areas on the stereoscopic 3D image, and further superimpose and display an optical coherence tomography image captured, on area corresponding to the plurality of scan areas in the stereoscopic 3D image. (See Fuji Col. 22, lines 10-36).
Claims 14-15 recite limitations that are similar to that of claim 1. Therefore, claims 14-15 are rejected similarly as claim 1.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-10 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
In regards to claims 4-10, the applied art does not specifically teach hand or finger as a target image.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to UTPAL D SHAH whose telephone number is (571)272-5729. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 7:30-5:30.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Vu Le can be reached at (571) 272-7332. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/UTPAL D SHAH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2668
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