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 Objections
Claim 8 is objected to because of the following informalities: in line 4-5: “the motor operably connected to the pull wire” should be “the drive motor operably connected to the at least one pull wire”. 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 (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 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Komp et al (US 2021/0379332).
Regarding claim 1, Komp discloses:
A method comprising: receiving electromagnetic (EM) sensor data from a sensor (104; Fig. 1) on a distal portion of a catheter (102) (¶0025, 0030); detecting a location of the distal portion of the catheter (102) within a luminal network of a patient (¶0031); determining a shape of the catheter (102) within the luminal network of the patient (¶0032); modifying control parameters of a drive motor (314UD; Fig. 3A) operably coupled to the catheter (102) based on the detected location of the distal portion of the catheter (102) and the determined shape of the catheter within the luminal network of the patient (¶0036); and articulating the catheter (102) (¶0037).
Regarding claim 2, Komp discloses:
The method of claim 1, further comprising: comparing the determined shape of the catheter (102) to a pathway plan (¶0032); and modifying the determined shape of the catheter (102) based on the comparison (¶0023, 0032).
Regarding claim 3, Komp discloses:
The method of claim 1, wherein the drive motor (314UD) is operably connected to at least one pull wire (319a; Fig. 3B) and the modification of the control parameters adjusts one or more of a distance of pull of the at least one pull wire (319a), a speed at which the at least one pull wire is driven by the drive motor, or a force applied to the at least one pull wire (319a) by the drive motor (314UD) to articulate the catheter (102) (¶0038).
Regarding claim 4, Komp discloses:
The method of claim 1, wherein the drive motor (314UD) is located in a handle (300) connected to the catheter (102), the handle (300) including one or more input devices (122) for controlling the drive motor (314UD) (¶0042).
Regarding claim 5, Komp discloses:
The method of claim 1, wherein the drive motor (314UD) is operably connected to a robotic arm (¶0033) configured to advance the catheter (102) within the luminal network of the patient (¶0041).
Regarding claim 6, Komp discloses:
The method of claim 1, wherein determination of the shape of the catheter (102) determines a location and angularity of at least one bend of the catheter (¶0027 – both location and angles of the different portions of the catheter 102 are tracked).
Regarding claim 7, Komp discloses:
The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting a location of a distal portion of the catheter (102), determination of the shape of the catheter (102), and modifying control parameters of the drive motor (314UD) is repeated until the distal portion of the catheter (102) arrives proximate a target (¶0033, 0045).
Regarding claim 8, Komp discloses:
A navigation system (100; Fig. 1) comprising: a catheter (102) including a sensor (104) formed on a distal portion thereof (see Fig. 1); at least one pull wire (319a) integrated into and extending along a length of the catheter (102) (¶0038); a drive motor (314UD) formed on a proximal portion of the catheter (102), the motor (314UD) operably connected to the pull wire (319a) via a threaded shaft (322a); a memory (702; Fig. 7) storing thereon an application that when executed by a processor (704) performs steps of: receiving sensor data from the sensor (104) (¶0025, 0030); detecting a location of the distal portion of the catheter (102) within a luminal network of a patient (¶0031); determining a shape of the catheter (102) within the luminal network of the patient (¶0032); modifying control parameters of the drive motor (314UD) based on the detected location of the distal portion of the catheter (102) and the determined shape of the catheter (102) within the luminal network of the patient (¶0036); and driving the drive motor (314UD) to articulate the distal portion of the catheter (102) (¶0037).
Regarding claim 9, Komp discloses:
The system of claim 8, wherein the determined shape of the catheter is based on the received sensor data from the sensor (104) (¶0030).
Regarding claim 10, Komp discloses:
The system of claim 8, wherein the application when executed by the processor: compares the determined shape of the catheter (102) to a pathway plan of the luminal network (¶0032); and modifies the determined shape of the catheter (102) based on the comparison (¶0023, 0032).
Regarding claim 11, Komp discloses:
The system of claim 8, wherein modifying the control parameter adjusts one or more of a distance of pull of the at least one pull wire (319a), a speed at which the at least one pull-wire is driven by the drive motor, or a force applied to the at least one pull wire (319a) by the drive motor (314UD) to articulate the catheter (102) (¶0038).
Regarding claim 12, Komp discloses:
The system of claim 8, wherein the drive motor (314UD) is located in a handle (300) connected to the catheter (102), the handle (300) including one or more input devices (122) for controlling the drive motor (314UD) (¶0042).
Regarding claim 13, Komp discloses:
The system of claim 8, wherein the drive motor (314UD) is operably connected to a robotic arm (¶0033) configured to advance the catheter (102) within the luminal network of the patient (¶0041).
Regarding claim 14, Komp discloses:
The system of claim 8, wherein determining the shape of the catheter (102) determines a location and angularity of at least one bend of the catheter (¶0027 – both location and angles of the different portions of the catheter 102 are tracked).
Regarding claim 15, Komp discloses:
The system of claim 8, wherein the detecting a location of a distal portion of the catheter (102), determination of the shape of the catheter (102), and modifying control parameters of the drive motor (314UD) is repeated until a distal portion of the catheter (102) arrives proximate a target (¶0033, 0045).
Regarding claim 16, Komp discloses:
The system of claim 8, wherein the sensor is one or more of a fiber, an electromagnetic (EM) sensor (¶0033), an inertial measurement unit (IMU), or an ultrasonic sensor.
Regarding claim 17, Komp discloses:
The system of claim 8, further comprising a second pull wire (319b) integrated into and extending the length of the catheter (102), the second pull wire (319b) operably connected to the drive motor (314UD) and configured to articulate the catheter (102) in a direction opposite the at least one pull wire (319a) (¶0038).
Regarding claim 18, Komp discloses:
The system of claim 17, further comprising a second drive motor (314LR) operably connected to a second pair of pull wires (¶0036), wherein the second pair of pull wires are integrated into and extend the length of the catheter (102) and actuation of the second motor articulates the catheter in directions substantially orthogonal to a direction of articulation caused by the at least one pull wire (319a) and the second pull wire (319b) (¶0036 – the three motors control left-right movement, up-down movement (which are orthogonal), and rotation).
Regarding claim 19, Komp discloses:
The system of claim 18, further comprising a third drive motor (314R) operably connected to the catheter (102) and configured to rotate the catheter (102) about its longitudinal axis (¶0036).
Regarding claim 20, Komp discloses:
The system of claim 8, wherein the sensor (104) is an electromagnetic sensor (¶0033) configured to detect electromagnetic fields generated by a transmitter mat (120; ¶0026).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TASNIM M AHMED whose telephone number is (571)272-9536. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am-5pm Pacific time.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Bhisma Mehta can be reached at (571)272-3383. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TASNIM MEHJABIN AHMED/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3783
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