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 .
Detailed Action
Response to Amendment
This Office Action is in response to the correspondence on 04/07/2026. Applicant’s argument, filed on 04/07/2026 has been entered and carefully considered. Claims 1-20 are pending.
Double Patenting rejection against Co-pending Application 18/756,839 is deferred based on the arguments submitted on 04/07/2026.
The 35 USC § 101 rejection for “Computer readable storage device” is withdrawn based on the claim amendments submitted on 04/07/2026.
The application filed on 06/28/2024 claiming priority to 63/511,430 filed on 06/30/2023.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments in the 04/07/2026 Remarks have been fully considered but they are not persuasive because of the following:
Regarding claim, on page 7-10 argues “determining, by the processor, a measurement time period …. Laser pulse characteristic”. While the applicant’s argument points are understood, the examiner respectfully disagrees it is because Sheldon in view of Talbert teaches (MPEP 2141.I, “When a work is available in one field of endeavor, design incentives and other market forces can prompt variations of it, either in the same field or a different one. If a person of ordinary skill can implement a predictable variation, §103 likely bars its patentability”, Sheldon teaches, Fig. 17A-F, [0183]-[0191], specially, [0184], strobing for greater energy and lighter energy, also, [0186], fusing with repeated pattern, so, the claim limitations are disclosed by the prior arts, the rejection is maintained).
Therefore, the rejection is maintained.
Examiner’s Note
Claims 1-11 refer to "A method for an endoscope system”, Claims 12-17 refer to "An endoscope system”, Claims 18-20 refer to "A computer readable storage device”. Claims 12-20 are similarly rejected in light of rejection of claims 1-11, any obvious combination of the rejection of claims 1-11, or the differences are obvious to the ordinary skill in the art. It is requested to keep the scope of all the independent claims similar for advancing the prosecution.
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, 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.
Claims 1-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sheldon et al. (US 20220104908 A1), hereinafter Sheldon, in view of Talbert et al. (US 20200404146 A1), hereinafter Talbert.
Regarding claim 1, Sheldon discloses a method for an endoscope system, comprising (Abstract): receiving, at a processor of an endoscope console (Fig. 14), an indication of a pulse start control signal and one or more laser pulse characteristics (Fig. 17E), the pulse start control signal to lasing by the lasing console and the one or more laser pulse characteristics to define the lasing ([0135]-[0136]); determining, by the processor, a measurement time period for a sensor of the endoscope system based on the pulse start control signal and the one or more laser pulse characteristics (Fig. 17E); and receiving by the processor or generating by the processor, sensor measurements based on the measurement time period (Fig. 17A-F).
Sheldon discloses all the elements of claim 1 but Sheldon does not appear to explicitly disclose in the cited section everything define an initiation of lasing.
However, Talbert from the same or similar endeavor teaches define an initiation of lasing (Fig. 3A-D, [0109], [0180]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Sheldon to incorporate the teachings of Talbert to provide valuable information about the body cavity (Talbert, [0009]). Similar reasoning/motivation of modification can be applied/extended to the other related/dependent claims.
Regarding claim 2, Sheldon in view of Talbert discloses the method of claim 1, wherein receiving by the processor sensor measurements based on the measurement time period comprising: generating a control signal, the control signal to cause the sensor to measure a physical characteristic of an environment in which the endoscope is disposed based on the measurement time period; and receiving, at the processor from the sensor, an information element comprising indications of the physical characteristic measured based on the measurement time period (Sheldon, [0103]).
Regarding claim 3, Sheldon in view of Talbert discloses the method of claim 2, wherein the control signal comprises an indication of the measurement time period and an indication to measure the physical characteristic outside the measurement time period (Sheldon, Fig. 17A-17F).
Regarding claim 4, Sheldon in view of Talbert discloses the method of claim 2, wherein the control signal comprises an indication to power gate the sensor during the measurement time period (Sheldon, Fig. 17A-17F).
Regarding claim 5, Sheldon in view of Talbert discloses the method of claim 1, wherein generating by the processor sensor measurements based on the measurement time period comprising: receiving, at the processor from the sensor, an information element comprising indications of physical characteristic of an environment measured by the sensor; and generating, by the processor, the sensor measurements based on the physical characteristics and the measurement time period (Sheldon, Fig. 17A-17F, Fig. 18).
Regarding claim 6, Sheldon in view of Talbert discloses the method of claim 5, wherein generating, by the processor, the sensor measurements based on the physical characteristics and the measurement time period comprising removing measurements captured during the measurement time period (Talbert, [0245]-[0248]).
Regarding claim 7, Sheldon in view of Talbert discloses the method of claim 5, wherein generating, by the processor, the sensor measurements based on the physical characteristics and the measurement time period comprising normalizing measurements captured during the measurement time period based on measurements captured outside the measurement time period (Sheldon, Fig. 17A-17F, Fig. 18, Talbert, [0268]-[0269]).
Regarding claim 8, Sheldon in view of Talbert discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the one or more laser pulse characteristics define a frequency of pulses to be generated by the lasing console (Sheldon, Fig. 17A-17F, Fig. 18).
Regarding claim 9, Sheldon in view of Talbert discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the one or more laser pulse characteristics define a pulse width of the pulses (Sheldon, Fig. 17A-17F, Fig. 18).
Regarding claim 10, Sheldon in view of Talbert discloses the method of claim 1, wherein determining the measurement time period comprising: determining an initiation of one or more laser pulses based on the pulse start control signal; determining a pulse width of the one or more laser pulses based on the one or more laser pulse characteristics; determining a conclusion of the one or more laser pulses based on the pulse width; and determining the measurement time period based on the initiation and conclusion of the one or more laser pulses (Sheldon, Fig. 17A-17F, Fig. 18).
Regarding claim 11, Sheldon in view of Talbert discloses the method of claim 1, wherein determining the measurement time period comprising: determining a first instance where an intensity of one or more laser pulses exceeds a threshold value; determining a second instance subsequent to the first instance where an intensity of the one or more laser pulses does not exceed the threshold value; and determining the measurement time period based on the first instance and the second instance (Sheldon, Fig. 17A-17F, Fig. 18).
Regarding claim 12-20, See Examiner’s Note.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 MOHAMMAD J RAHMAN whose telephone number is (571)270-7190. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9AM-5PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, David Czekaj can be reached at (571) 272-7327. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Mohammad J Rahman/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2487
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