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 .
Response to Amendment
This office action is in response to the communications filed on 12/16/2025, concerning Application No. 18/755,247. The amendments to the specification and the claims filed on 12/16/2025 are acknowledged. Presently, claims 1-20 are pending.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Claim Objections
Claims 6 and 11 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 6, line 7, the limitation “a first scan line among plurality of scan lines” should be changed to “a first scan line among the plurality of scan lines”; and
Claim 11, line 2, the limitation “a display” should be changed to “the display”.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to an abstract idea without significantly more.
Step 1: The claims are directed to a process and an apparatus, and therefore satisfy step 1 of the subject matter eligibility test.
Step 2A, Prong 1: The claims recite the following limitations that are directed to judicial exceptions (abstract ideas): “obtain a first sum signal by adding the first echo signal and the second echo signal, obtain a second sum signal by adding the third echo signal and the fourth echo signal, and a difference signal by subtracting the second sum signal from the first sum signal” in claim 1 and similarly claims 13 and 20; “assigning a weight…” in claim 4 and similarly in claim 16; “obtain the difference signal by summing the first echo signal, the second echo signal, the third echo signal, and the fourth echo signal to which the weights are assigned” in claim 4 and similarly in claim 16; “obtain a difference value corresponding to the difference signal…” in claim 6 and similarly in claim 17; “obtain the first difference value …, and obtain the second difference value” in claim 7; “the first difference value being greater than or equal to a threshold value, and … the second difference value being less than the threshold value” in claim 8 and similarly in claim 18; “calculate a depth corresponding to a first point of a difference value obtained for each scan line of the plurality of scan lines, and … the first point of the difference value corresponds to a maximum signal point of the difference value or a mean of the difference value” in claim 10 and similarly in claim 19; etc., which recite either mathematical concepts and/or mental processes that can be performed in the human mind or with the aid of pen and paper.
Step 2A, Prong 2: This judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application because the generically recited computer elements do not add a meaningful limitation to the abstract idea (i.e., the mental processes and/or mathematical concepts) as the generically recited computer elements only amount to simply implementing the abstract idea on the machine. Additional elements recited at a high-level of generality include the apparatus/probe/display/processor/memory/program/etc. that merely implement the abstract idea and that are further merely capable of performing the insignificant pre-extra solution activity of data gathering as claimed (i.e., “transmit, …, a first transmission signal, a second transmission signal …, a third transmission signal …, and a fourth transmission signal” in claim 1 and similarly claims 13 and 20; “receive a first echo signal …, a second echo signal …, a third echo signal …, and a fourth echo signal” in claim 1 and similarly claims 13 and 20; “wherein a frequency of each of the first transmission signal, the second transmission signal, the third transmission signal, and the fourth transmission signal is set to a first transmission frequency, and the first transmission frequency is greater than or equal to a center frequency of the ultrasound probe” in claim 2 and similarly in claim 14; “wherein the first transmission signal, the second transmission signal, the third transmission signal, and the fourth transmission signal are all set to have a first sound pressure state, and the first sound pressure state includes a sound pressure range in which a blood flow component is included in the difference signal” in claim 3 and similarly in claim 15; “transmitting, along the first scan line, a set of transmission signals including the first transmission signal, the second transmission signal, the third transmission signal, and the fourth transmission signal, and … transmitting another set of transmission signals along the second scan line” in claim 7; “continuously transmit, for the at least one scan line, a set of transmission signals including the first transmission signal, the second transmission signal, the third transmission signal, and the fourth transmission signal” in claim 9; “reset, based on the depth, beam focusing for a same scan line in a next image frame or a next scan line in a current image frame” in claim 10; “obtain, … an input for setting beam focusing on the blood flow region” in claim 11; “reset, based on the input, beam focusing for a same scan line in a next image frame or a next scan line in a current image frame” in claim 11; and “wherein the at least one scan line corresponds to a multi-line including k scan lines, and … to receive 4k echo signals (where k is a natural number) in response to four transmission signals transmitted along the at least one scan line” in claim 12), etc., and the outputting as claimed (i.e., “generate an ultrasound image based on the difference signal… and display the ultrasound image…” in claim 1 and similarly claims 13 and 20; “generate at least a portion of the ultrasound image based on the difference signal obtained via the at least one scan line” in claim 5; “generate a first portion of the ultrasound image …, and generate a second portion of the ultrasound image” in claim 6 and similarly in claim 17; “generate the first portion of the ultrasound image including a blood flow region, … and generate the second portion of the ultrasound image not including the blood flow region” in claim 8 and similarly in claim 18; and “display the ultrasound image including a blood flow region” in claim 11), etc., which are components recited at a high-level of generality that merely links the judicial exceptions to a particular technological environment and/or a computer as a tool to perform the abstract idea.
Step 2B: For similar reasons set forth above, the additional limitations also do not provide an inventive concept that would be substantially more than the judicial exception.
Conclusion: Claims 1-20 are not patent-eligible.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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, 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1-9, 12-18, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin et al. (NPL: Lin et al., “Double Pulse Inversion Imaging for Ultrasound Contrast Imaging”, IEEE International Ultrasonics Symposium Proceedings, 2012, pages 1307-1310; of record, cited in the Applicant’s IDS filed 12/24/2024 in which a copy of which was provided by the Applicant; hereinafter Lin) in view of Yoshiara et al. (US Patent No. 11,801,031 B2; of record, cited in the Applicant’s IDS filed 06/26/2024, hereinafter Yoshiara).
Regarding claims 1, 13, and 20, Lin discloses an ultrasound imaging apparatus (as well as a corresponding operation method of an ultrasound imaging apparatus and a corresponding computer-readable recording medium having recorded on a program for executing an operation method of an ultrasound imaging apparatus), the ultrasound imaging apparatus comprising: an ultrasound probe; a display; a memory storing one or more instructions; and at least one processor configured to execute the one or more instructions stored in the memory (see, e.g., Page 1309, Section “IV. Experiment”, lines 8-9, “the phased-array probe PA230… was used to transmit pulses”, and where a processor, a memory, and a display are implicit to an ultrasound system comprising disclosed phased-array probe) to:
transmit, via the ultrasound probe, for at least one scan line corresponding to a non-contrast injected object, a first transmission signal, a second transmission signal having a phase inverted with respect to the first transmission signal, a third transmission signal having a same phase as the first transmission signal, and a fourth transmission signal having a phase inverted with respect to the third transmission signal (see, e.g., Page 1308, Section “III. Simulation”, lines 7-25, “The blood vessel was simulated […] To simulate the presence and absence of UCA in the blood vessel […] Furthermore, the amplitude of each reflector (defining the amount of reflected signal) in the blood vessel was 10 times the amplitude set in the tissue region when UCA were concerned, and 0.8 times when no UCA were concerned in the blood vessel. First, the blood vessel was simulated without UCA. Pulses […] were transmitted. The received radio frequency (RF) signals were summed. Then the same procedure was conducted when the blood vessel was simulated as having UCA”, and Page 1309, Section “IV. Experiment”, lines 8-17, “the phased-array probe PA230… was used to transmit pulses. The probe has a 2.1 MHz central frequency. The transmitted pulses were 7-cycle and 1.7 MHz sine with a Hanning envelope. The imaging depth was 80 mm and the focal point was set at 30 mm. Before the presence of UCA, the pulses with the phase shift of 180 [degrees] were transmitted. […] Then after the arrival of UCA, PI was applied once again”),
receive, via the ultrasound probe, a first echo signal corresponding to the first transmission signal, a second echo signal corresponding to the second transmission signal, a third echo signal corresponding to the third transmission signal, and a fourth echo signal corresponding to the fourth transmission signal, wherein the first echo signal, the second echo signal, the third echo signal and the fourth echo signal are reflected from the object (see, e.g., Page 1308, Section “III. Simulation”, lines 7-25, “The blood vessel was simulated […] To simulate the presence and absence of UCA in the blood vessel […] Furthermore, the amplitude of each reflector (defining the amount of reflected signal) in the blood vessel was 10 times the amplitude set in the tissue region when UCA were concerned, and 0.8 times when no UCA were concerned in the blood vessel. First, the blood vessel was simulated without UCA. Pulses […] were transmitted. The received radio frequency (RF) signals were summed. Then the same procedure was conducted when the blood vessel was simulated as having UCA”, and Page 1309, Section “IV. Experiment”, lines 13-17, “Before the presence of UCA, the pulses with the phase shift of 180 [degrees] were transmitted. The received RF signals were summed and saved […] Then after the arrival of UCA, PI was applied once again and the summed signals are saved”),
obtain a first sum signal by adding the first echo signal and the second echo signal (see, e.g., Page 1309, Section “IV. Experiment”, lines 13-16, “Before the presence of UCA, the pulses with the phase shift of 180 [degrees] were transmitted. The received RF signals were summed and saved, that is, the remaining tissue-harmonic signals were saved”, where the claimed first sum signal corresponds to the disclosed “received RF signals”/“remaining tissue-harmonic signals [that] were saved” before the presence of UCA), obtain a second sum signal by adding the third echo signal and the fourth echo signal (see, e.g., Page 1309, Section “IV. Experiment”, lines 16-18, “Then after the arrival of UCA, PI was applied once again and the summed signals are saved, that is, both tissues and UCA harmonics were saved”, where the claimed second sum signal corresponds to the disclosed “received RF signals”/“both tissues and UCA harmonics [that] were saved” after the arrival of UCA), and a difference signal by subtracting the second sum signal from the first sum signal (see, e.g., Page 1309, Section “IV. Experiment”, lines 18-20, “At last, the resulting PI signals obtained before and after the presence of UCA were subtracted”; also see, e.g., Page 1307, Section “I. Introduction”, lines 27-35; and Page 1308, Section “III. Simulation”, lines 20-27), and
generate an ultrasound image based on the difference signal for each of the at least one scan line (see, e.g., Page 1309, Section “IV. Experiment”, lines 21-25, “Fig. 2 presents the PI image and DPI image. […] Fig. 2 also shows that the DPI image has a better contrast than the PI image”, and Fig. 2(b), which shows the generated Double Pulse Inversion (DPI) ultrasound image based on the differences/subtractions as calculated using the DPI method when four transmission signals (i.e., two transmission signals having a phase shift of 180 degrees for before the presence of UCA and two transmission signals having a phase shift of 180 degrees for after the presence of UCA) are transmitted for each scan line).
Lin does not specifically disclose [1] displaying the ultrasound image on the display; and [2] wherein sound pressure of a transmission signal comprises a sound pressure range in which contrast agent is disrupted.
However, in the same field of endeavor of ultrasound contrast imaging, Yoshiara discloses displaying the ultrasound image on the display (see, e.g., Col. 3, lines 46-51, “FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary configuration of an ultrasound diagnosis apparatus 1 according to a first embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the ultrasound diagnosis apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment includes an apparatus main body 100, an ultrasound probe 101, an input device 102, and a display 103”, and Col. 4, lines 53-58, “the display 103 is configured to display a Graphical User Interface (GUI) used by the operator of the ultrasound diagnosis apparatus 1 for inputting the various types of setting requests through the input device 102 and to display an ultrasound image represented by ultrasound image data generated by the apparatus main body 100”, and Col. 25, lines 57-62, “as illustrated in FIG. 12, the controlling circuitry 180 may cause the display 103 to display a maximum brightness image 56, the superimposed image 53, and the tissue image 54 that are arranged along the left-and-right direction. In this situation, the maximum brightness image 56 is generated by the image generating circuitry 150”, and Col. 26, lines 7-12, “In this situation, according to the MFI method, the transmission and reception circuitry 110 sweeps away air bubbles (bubbles) by transmitting an ultrasound wave having high sound pressure (which may be called a flash), so that the image generating circuitry 150 renders a reperfusion in a picture”); and
wherein sound pressure of a transmission signal comprises a sound pressure range in which contrast agent is disrupted (see, e.g., Col. 26, lines 7-14, “In this situation, according to the MFI method, the transmission and reception circuitry 110 sweeps away air bubbles (bubbles) by transmitting an ultrasound wave having high sound pressure (which may be called a flash), so that the image generating circuitry 150 renders a reperfusion in a picture. In this situation, the operator selects whether or not the ultrasound wave having the high sound pressure is to be transmitted”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the ultrasound imaging apparatus and the operation method of Lin by including [1] displaying the ultrasound image on the display; and [2] wherein sound pressure of a transmission signal comprises a sound pressure range in which contrast agent is disrupted, as disclosed by Yoshiara. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to desirably provide structures of small blood flows that can clearly be rendered in a picture/image and in order to desirably sweep away air bubbles within the structure(s) so that a reperfusion (i.e., blood circulation restoration) is rendered in the picture/image, as recognized by Yoshiara (see, e.g., Col. 25, line 57 to Col. 26, line 14).
Regarding claims 2 and 14, Lin modified by Yoshiara discloses the ultrasound imaging apparatus of claim 1 and the operation method of claim 13, respectively, as set forth above. Lin further discloses wherein a frequency of each of the first transmission signal, the second transmission signal, the third transmission signal, and the fourth transmission signal is set to a first transmission frequency (see, e.g., Page 1308, Section “III. Simulation”, lines 20-25, “First, the blood vessel was simulated without UCA. Pulses at a frequency of 3 MHz, the initial pressure of 200 kPa and the phase shift of 180 [degrees] were transmitted. […] Then the same procedure was conducted when the blood vessel was simulated as having UCA”), and wherein the first transmission frequency is greater than or equal to a center frequency of the ultrasound probe (see, e.g., Page 1308, Section “III. Simulation”, lines 20-25, “First, the blood vessel was simulated without UCA. Pulses at a frequency of 3 MHz, the initial pressure of 200 kPa and the phase shift of 180 [degrees] were transmitted. […] Then the same procedure was conducted when the blood vessel was simulated as having UCA” (underlined emphasis herein added), and Page 1309, Section “IV. Experiment”, lines 8-17, “the phased-array probe PA230… was used to transmit pulses. The probe has a 2.1 MHz central frequency. […] Before the presence of UCA, the pulses with the phase shift of 180 [degrees] were transmitted. […] Then after the arrival of UCA, PI was applied once again” (underlined emphasis herein added)).
Regarding claims 3 and 15, Lin modified by Yoshiara discloses the ultrasound imaging apparatus of claim 1 and the operation method of claim 13, respectively, as set forth above. Lin further discloses wherein the first transmission signal, the second transmission signal, the third transmission signal, and the fourth transmission signal are all set to have a first sound pressure state (see, e.g., Page 1308, Section “III. Simulation”, lines 20-25, “First, the blood vessel was simulated without UCA. Pulses at a frequency of 3 MHz, the initial pressure of 200 kPa and the phase shift of 180 [degrees] were transmitted. […] Then the same procedure was conducted when the blood vessel was simulated as having UCA”), and wherein the first sound pressure state includes a sound pressure range in which a blood flow component is included in the difference signal (see, e.g., Page 1309, Section “IV. Experiment”, lines 21-25, “Fig. 2 presents the PI image and DPI image. […] Fig. 2 also shows that the DPI image has a better contrast than the PI image”, and Fig. 2(b), which shows the generated Double Pulse Inversion (DPI) ultrasound image, which is imaging of fluid and is inherently mimicking the blood flow, and therefore, the sound pressure state that the transmission signals are each set to is within the sound pressure range in which a blood flow component would be included in the signal data).
Regarding claims 4 and 16, Lin modified by Yoshiara discloses the ultrasound imaging apparatus of claim 1 and the operation method of claim 13, respectively, as set forth above. Lin further discloses wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the one or more instructions to: perform at least one of assigning a weight of +1 to the first echo signal and the second echo signal and assigning a weight of -1 to the third echo signal and the fourth echo signal, or assigning the weight of -1 to the first echo signal and the second echo signal and assigning the weight of +1 to the third echo signal and the fourth echo signal, and obtain the difference signal by summing the first echo signal, the second echo signal, the third echo signal, and the fourth echo signal to which the weights are assigned (see, e.g., Page 1309, Section “IV. Experiment”, lines 13-20, “Before the presence of UCA, the pulses with the phase shift of 180 [degrees] were transmitted. The received RF signals were summed and saved, that is, the remaining tissue-harmonic signals were saved. Then after the arrival of UCA, PI was applied once again and the summed signals are saved, that is, both tissues and UCA harmonics were saved. At last, the resulting PI signals obtained before and after the presence of UCA were subtracted”, where transmitting pulses with the phase shift of 180 degrees is inherently assigning weights of +1 and -1 to the respective signals; also see, e.g., Page 1307, Section “I. Introduction”, lines 27-35; and Page 1308, Section “III. Simulation”, lines 20-27).
Regarding claim 5, Lin modified by Yoshiara discloses the ultrasound imaging apparatus of claim 1, as set forth above. Lin further discloses wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the one or more instructions to generate at least a portion of the ultrasound image based on the difference signal obtained via the at least one scan line (see, e.g., Page 1309, Section “IV. Experiment”, lines 21-25, “Fig. 2 presents the PI image and DPI image. […] Fig. 2 also shows that the DPI image has a better contrast than the PI image”, and Fig. 2(b), which shows the generated Double Pulse Inversion (DPI) ultrasound image based on the differences/subtractions as calculated using the DPI method when four transmission signals (i.e., two transmission signals having a phase shift of 180 degrees for before the presence of UCA and two transmission signals having a phase shift of 180 degrees for after the presence of UCA) are transmitted for each scan line).
Regarding claims 6 and 17, Lin modified by Yoshiara discloses the ultrasound imaging apparatus of claim 1 and the operation method of claim 13, respectively, as set forth above. Lin further discloses wherein the at least one scan line includes a plurality of scan lines, and the at least one processor is further configured to execute the one or more instructions to: obtain a difference value corresponding to the difference signal for each scan line of the plurality of scan lines (see, e.g., Page 1309, Section “IV. Experiment”, lines 13-20, “Before the presence of UCA, the pulses with the phase shift of 180 [degrees] were transmitted. The received RF signals were summed and saved, that is, the remaining tissue-harmonic signals were saved. Then after the arrival of UCA, PI was applied once again and the summed signals are saved, that is, both tissues and UCA harmonics were saved. At last, the resulting PI signals obtained before and after the presence of UCA were subtracted”; also see, e.g., Page 1307, Section “I. Introduction”, lines 27-35; and Page 1308, Section “III. Simulation”, lines 20-27), generate a first portion of the ultrasound image based on a first difference value corresponding to a first scan line among the plurality of scan lines, and generate a second portion of the ultrasound image based on a second difference value corresponding to a second scan line among the plurality of scan lines (see, e.g., Page 1309, Section “IV. Experiment”, lines 21-25, “Fig. 2 presents the PI image and DPI image. […] Fig. 2 also shows that the DPI image has a better contrast than the PI image”, and Fig. 2(b), which shows the generated Double Pulse Inversion (DPI) ultrasound image based on the differences/subtractions as calculated using the DPI method when four transmission signals (i.e., two transmission signals having a phase shift of 180 degrees for before the presence of UCA and two transmission signals having a phase shift of 180 degrees for after the presence of UCA) are transmitted for each scan line).
Regarding claim 7, Lin modified by Yoshiara discloses the ultrasound imaging apparatus of claim 6, as set forth above. Lin further discloses wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the one or more instructions to: obtain the first difference value by transmitting, along the first scan line, a set of transmission signals including the first transmission signal, the second transmission signal, the third transmission signal, and the fourth transmission signal, and obtain the second difference value by transmitting another set of transmission signals along the second scan line (see, e.g., Page 1309, Section “IV. Experiment”, lines 13-20, “Before the presence of UCA, the pulses with the phase shift of 180 [degrees] were transmitted. The received RF signals were summed and saved, that is, the remaining tissue-harmonic signals were saved. Then after the arrival of UCA, PI was applied once again and the summed signals are saved, that is, both tissues and UCA harmonics were saved. At last, the resulting PI signals obtained before and after the presence of UCA were subtracted”; also see, e.g., Page 1307, Section “I. Introduction”, lines 27-35; and Page 1308, Section “III. Simulation”, lines 20-27).
Regarding claims 8 and 18, Lin modified by Yoshiara discloses the ultrasound imaging apparatus of claim 6 and the operation method of claim 17, respectively, as set forth above. Lin further discloses wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the one or more instructions stored in the memory to: generate the first portion of the ultrasound image including a blood flow region, based on the first difference value being greater than or equal to a threshold value, and generate the second portion of the ultrasound image not including the blood flow region, based on the second difference value being less than the threshold value (see, e.g., Page 1309, Section “IV. Experiment”, lines 13-25, “Before the presence of UCA, the pulses with the phase shift of 180 [degrees] were transmitted. The received RF signals were summed and saved, that is, the remaining tissue-harmonic signals were saved. Then after the arrival of UCA, PI was applied once again and the summed signals are saved, that is, both tissues and UCA harmonics were saved. At last, the resulting PI signals obtained before and after the presence of UCA were subtracted. Fig. 2 presents the PI image and DPI image. […] Fig. 2 also shows that the DPI image has a better contrast than the PI image”, and Fig. 2(b), which shows the generated Double Pulse Inversion (DPI) ultrasound image based on the differences/subtractions as calculated using the DPI method when four transmission signals (i.e., two transmission signals having a phase shift of 180 degrees for before the presence of UCA and two transmission signals having a phase shift of 180 degrees for after the presence of UCA) are transmitted for each scan line; also see, e.g., Page 1307, Section “I. Introduction”, lines 27-35; and Page 1308, Section “III. Simulation”, lines 20-27).
Regarding claim 9, Lin modified by Yoshiara discloses the ultrasound imaging apparatus of claim 1, as set forth above. Lin further discloses wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the one or more instructions to continuously transmit, for the at least one scan line, a set of transmission signals including the first transmission signal, the second transmission signal, the third transmission signal, and the fourth transmission signal (see, e.g., Page 1307, Section “I. Introduction”, lines 27-30, “In this paper, a new strategy, called double pulse inversion (DPI) by applying the PI technique twice, is proposed. Inverted pulses are continuously transmitted to the region-of-interest (ROI)”).
Regarding claim 12, Lin modified by Yoshiara discloses the ultrasound imaging apparatus of claim 1, as set forth above. Lin further discloses wherein the at least one scan line corresponds to a multi-line including k scan lines, and wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the one or more instructions to receive 4k echo signals (where k is a natural number) in response to four transmission signals transmitted along the at least one scan line (see, e.g., Page 1309, Section “IV. Experiment”, lines 13-25, “Before the presence of UCA, the pulses with the phase shift of 180 [degrees] were transmitted. The received RF signals were summed and saved, that is, the remaining tissue-harmonic signals were saved. Then after the arrival of UCA, PI was applied once again and the summed signals are saved, that is, both tissues and UCA harmonics were saved. At last, the resulting PI signals obtained before and after the presence of UCA were subtracted. Fig. 2 presents the PI image and DPI image. […] Fig. 2 also shows that the DPI image has a better contrast than the PI image”, and Fig. 2(b), which shows the generated Double Pulse Inversion (DPI) ultrasound image based on the differences/subtractions as calculated using the DPI method when four transmission signals (i.e., two transmission signals having a phase shift of 180 degrees for before the presence of UCA and two transmission signals having a phase shift of 180 degrees for after the presence of UCA) are transmitted for each scan line; also see, e.g., Page 1307, Section “I. Introduction”, lines 27-35; and Page 1308, Section “III. Simulation”, lines 20-27).
Claims 10-11 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin (NPL: “Double Pulse Inversion Imaging for Ultrasound Contrast Imaging”) in view of Yoshiara (US Patent No. 11,801,031 B2), as applied to claims 1 and 13 above, and further in view of Averkiou et al. (US Patent No. 6,186,950 B1; of record, cited in the Applicant’s IDS filed 12/24/2024, hereinafter Averkiou).
Regarding claims 10 and 19, Lin modified by Yoshiara discloses the ultrasound imaging apparatus of claim 1 and the operation method of claim 13, respectively, as set forth above. Lin further discloses wherein the at least one scan line includes a plurality of scan lines (see, e.g., Page 1309, Section “IV. Experiment”, lines 13-20, “Before the presence of UCA, the pulses with the phase shift of 180 [degrees] were transmitted. The received RF signals were summed and saved, that is, the remaining tissue-harmonic signals were saved. Then after the arrival of UCA, PI was applied once again and the summed signals are saved, that is, both tissues and UCA harmonics were saved. At last, the resulting PI signals obtained before and after the presence of UCA were subtracted”; also see, e.g., Page 1307, Section “I. Introduction”, lines 27-35; and Page 1308, Section “III. Simulation”, lines 20-27)
Lin modified by Yoshiara does not specifically disclose wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the one or more instructions to: calculate a depth corresponding to a first point of a difference value obtained for each scan line of the plurality of scan lines, and reset, based on the depth, beam focusing for a same scan line in a next image frame or a next scan line in a current image frame, and wherein the first point of the difference value corresponds to a maximum signal point of the difference value or a mean of the difference value.
However, in the same field of endeavor of pulse inversion techniques for ultrasound imaging, Averkiou discloses wherein the at least one scan line includes a plurality of scan lines, and the at least one processor is further configured to execute the one or more instructions to: calculate a depth corresponding to a first point of a difference value obtained for each scan line of the plurality of scan lines, and reset, based on the depth, beam focusing for a same scan line in a next image frame or a next scan line in a current image frame, and wherein the first point of the difference value corresponds to a maximum signal point of the difference value or a mean of the difference value (see, e.g., Fig. 11, and Col. 7, lines 33-67 and Col. 8, lines 1-15, “FIG. 11 illustrates in block diagram form an ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system for performing pulse inversion harmonic separation in accordance with the principles of the present invention. A probe 10 which includes an array transducer 12 transmits ultrasonic energy into the body and receives echoes returned from tissue, cells and flowing substances in the body, including moving tissue and/or ultrasonic contrast agents. […] The transmit beamformer 16, under control of the beamformer controller, determines the time at which each element in the array is actuated to transmit a wave or pulse. This controlled timing of transmission enables the transmit beam 102 to be steered in a given direction, that is, along a predetermined scanline, and to be focused at the desired depth of focus. […] The echoes received by individual transducer elements are coupled to individual channels of the receive beamformer 18 by the transmit/receive switches 17. These input paths may also include preamplifiers to amplify the received echo signals and time gain compensation circuits to compensate for the effects of depth dependent attenuation. […] The channels of the beamformer continuously appropriately delay the echoes received by each transducer element from along the scanline so that the signals received from common points (sample volumes) along the scanline are brought into time coincidence. The continual delay variation effects dynamic focusing of the received echo signals along the scanline. The signals at the outputs of the channels are then combined to form a sequence (scanline) of coherent echo signals”, where multi-pulse inversion performs dynamic focusing via automatic delay variation, such that the delay variation determines/resets the beam focusing for the same scan line based on the delays of the signals received from common points/depths along the scanline, in which the signals at the outputs of the channels are then combined to form a sequence/scanline of coherent echo signals).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have further modified the ultrasound imaging apparatus and the operation method of Lin modified by Yoshiara by including wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the one or more instructions to: calculate a depth corresponding to a first point of a difference value obtained for each scan line of the plurality of scan lines, and reset, based on the depth, beam focusing for a same scan line in a next image frame or a next scan line in a current image frame, and wherein the first point of the difference value corresponds to a maximum signal point of the difference value or a mean of the difference value, as disclosed by Averkiou. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to desirably perform pulse inversion harmonic separation, as recognized by Averkiou (see, e.g., Col. 7, lines 33-67 and Col. 8, lines 1-15).
Regarding claim 11, Lin modified by Yoshiara discloses the ultrasound imaging apparatus of claim 1, as set forth above. Examiner notes that Yoshiara discloses displaying the ultrasound image on the display (see, e.g., Col. 3, lines 46-51, and Col. 4, lines 53-58, and Col. 25, lines 57-62, and Col. 26, lines 7-12), as set forth above in the rejection of claim 1.
Lin modified by Yoshiara does not specifically disclose the ultrasound imaging apparatus further comprising: an input interface, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the one or more instructions to: control the display to display the ultrasound image including a blood flow region, obtain, through the input interface, an input for setting beam focusing on the blood flow region, and reset, based on the input, beam focusing for a same scan line in a next image frame or a next scan line in a current image frame.
However, in the same field of endeavor of pulse inversion techniques for ultrasound imaging, Averkiou discloses the ultrasound imaging apparatus further comprising:
a display (see, e.g., Fig. 11, and Col. 8, lines 26-61, “the sequence of coherent echoes received along the scanline are pulse inversion processed, detected, scaled to a range of grayscale values, scan converted to the desired image format, and displayed, thus forming a B mode image. In the apparatus of FIG. 1, the coherent echoes produced by the beamformer 18 are coupled to a line store & combining circuit 24 which performs harmonic separation by the pulse inversion technique described above. […] The samples are then applied to a grayscale processor 60 by way of an echo data bus 32, where the echoes undergo detection, log compression and grayscale mapping. The grayscale signals are coupled to a scan converter 80 by way of an image data bus 82, where the R-.theta. scanline data is converted to the desired display format. The grayscale signals may be processed for 3D display by a 3D processor 70. The scan converted image is displayed on a display 90”); and
an input interface (see, e.g., Fig. 11, and Col. 7, lines 33-67 and Col. 8, lines 1-15, “FIG. 11 illustrates in block diagram form an ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system for performing pulse inversion harmonic separation in accordance with the principles of the present invention. A probe 10 which includes an array transducer 12 transmits ultrasonic energy into the body and receives echoes returned from tissue […] The timing of transmission and reception by the array transducer is synchronized by a beamformer controller 14 which is connected to a transmit beamformer 16 and a receive beamformer 18. The channels of each beamformer are connected to the individual elements of the array transducer so as to separately control the transmission and reception of signals from the individual elements. The transmit beamformer 16, under control of the beamformer controller, determines the time at which each element in the array is actuated to transmit a wave or pulse. This controlled timing of transmission enables the transmit beam 102 to be steered in a given direction, that is, along a predetermined scanline, and to be focused at the desired depth of focus. The beamformer controller 14 is also responsive to a Power Level control signal set by the user which sets the power level of the transmit energy, and is responsive to a Transmit Phase control signal which controls the relative phase or polarity of the transmit pulses. The channels of the two beamformers are coupled to elements of the array by transmit/receive switches 17 which protect the receive beamformer channel inputs from high transmit voltages. […] The channels of the beamformer continuously appropriately delay the echoes received by each transducer element from along the scanline so that the signals received from common points (sample volumes) along the scanline are brought into time coincidence. The continual delay variation effects dynamic focusing of the received echo signals along the scanline. The signals at the outputs of the channels are then combined to form a sequence (scanline) of coherent echo signals”, where the claimed input interface includes the disclosed transmit beamformer 16 and receive beamformer 18 which provide input of signal delays),
wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the one or more instructions to: control the display to display the ultrasound image including a blood flow region (see, e.g., Fig. 11, and Col. 8, lines 26-61, “the sequence of coherent echoes received along the scanline are pulse inversion processed, detected, scaled to a range of grayscale values, scan converted to the desired image format, and displayed, thus forming a B mode image. In the apparatus of FIG. 1, the coherent echoes produced by the beamformer 18 are coupled to a line store & combining circuit 24 which performs harmonic separation by the pulse inversion technique described above. […] The samples are then applied to a grayscale processor 60 by way of an echo data bus 32, where the echoes undergo detection, log compression and grayscale mapping. The grayscale signals are coupled to a scan converter 80 by way of an image data bus 82, where the R-.theta. scanline data is converted to the desired display format. The grayscale signals may be processed for 3D display by a 3D processor 70. The scan converted image is displayed on a display 90”), and
obtain, through the input interface, an input for setting beam focusing on the blood flow region, and reset, based on the input, beam focusing for a same scan line in a next image frame or a next scan line in a current image frame (see, e.g., Fig. 11, and Col. 7, lines 33-67 and Col. 8, lines 1-15, “FIG. 11 illustrates in block diagram form an ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system for performing pulse inversion harmonic separation in accordance with the principles of the present invention. A probe 10 which includes an array transducer 12 transmits ultrasonic energy into the body and receives echoes returned from tissue, cells and flowing substances in the body, including moving tissue and/or ultrasonic contrast agents. […] The transmit beamformer 16, under control of the beamformer controller, determines the time at which each element in the array is actuated to transmit a wave or pulse. This controlled timing of transmission enables the transmit beam 102 to be steered in a given direction, that is, along a predetermined scanline, and to be focused at the desired depth of focus. […] The echoes received by individual transducer elements are coupled to individual channels of the receive beamformer 18 by the transmit/receive switches 17. These input paths may also include preamplifiers to amplify the received echo signals and time gain compensation circuits to compensate for the effects of depth dependent attenuation. […] The channels of the beamformer continuously appropriately delay the echoes received by each transducer element from along the scanline so that the signals received from common points (sample volumes) along the scanline are brought into time coincidence. The continual delay variation effects dynamic focusing of the received echo signals along the scanline. The signals at the outputs of the channels are then combined to form a sequence (scanline) of coherent echo signals”, where multi-pulse inversion performs dynamic focusing via automatic delay variation, such that the delay variation determines/resets the beam focusing for the same scan line based on the delays (i.e., inputs) of the signals received from common points/depths along the scanline, in which the signals at the outputs of the channels are then combined to form a sequence/scanline of coherent echo signals).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have further modified the ultrasound imaging apparatus of Lin modified by Yoshiara by including the ultrasound imaging apparatus further comprising: a display; and an input interface, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the one or more instructions to: control the display to display the ultrasound image including a blood flow region, obtain, through the input interface, an input for setting beam focusing on the blood flow region, and reset, based on the input, beam focusing for a same scan line in a next image frame or a next scan line in a current image frame, as disclosed by Averkiou. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to desirably perform pulse inversion harmonic separation, as recognized by Averkiou (see, e.g., Col. 7, lines 33-67 and Col. 8, lines 1-15).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see Remarks filed on 12/16/2025, with respect to the claim rejections under 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103, have been considered but are moot because the new 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.
Examiner notes that Claims 1-9, 12-18, and 20 are now rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin et al. (NPL: Lin et al., “Double Pulse Inversion Imaging for Ultrasound Contrast Imaging”, IEEE International Ultrasonics Symposium Proceedings, 2012, pages 1307-1310; of record, cited in the Applicant’s IDS filed 12/24/2024 in which a copy of which was provided by the Applicant) in view of Yoshiara et al. (US Patent No. 11,801,031 B2; of record, cited in the Applicant’s IDS filed 06/26/2024), as set forth above.
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 TAYLOR DEUTSCH whose telephone number is (571)272-0157. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9am-5pm EST.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, PASCAL BUI-PHO can be reached at (571)272-2714. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/T.D./Examiner, Art Unit 3798
/PASCAL M BUI PHO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3798
Prosecution Insights