Prosecution Insights
Last updated: October 02, 2026
Application No. 18/817,886

Wireless Transmission Device and Magnetic Resonance Imaging Apparatus

Non-Final OA §102
Filed
Aug 28, 2024
Priority
Aug 31, 2023 — CN 202311128245.8
Examiner
ZAKARIA, AKM
Art Unit
2858
Tech Center
2800 — Semiconductors & Electrical Systems
Assignee
Siemens Healthineers AG
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
83%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
3m
Est. Remaining
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 83% — above average
83%
Career Allowance Rate
686 granted / 831 resolved
+14.6% vs TC avg
Strong +16% interview lift
Without
With
+16.1%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 4m
Avg Prosecution
40 currently pending
Career history
865
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
3.7%
-36.3% vs TC avg
§103
55.6%
+15.6% vs TC avg
§102
20.3%
-19.7% vs TC avg
§112
19.1%
-20.9% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 831 resolved cases

Office Action

§102
CTNF 18/817,886 CTNF 92069 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. Information Disclosure Statement The information disclosure statement(s) (IDS) submitted on 10/10/2024 have been considered by the Examiner. Claim Objections 07-29-01 AIA Claim (s) 7-8 are objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 7 recites claim elements “a magnetic resonance main body”, “a patient couch”, “a first local coil device”, “a first magnetic resonance signal”, “a subject”. Claim 7 is dependent on base claim(s) 4 and 1 and hence incorporates limitations thereof. The base claim(s) seem to have already introduced said claim elements. Examiner suggests use of appropriate prefix such as “the” for subsequent recitation of the same claim elements to restore clarity. Claim 8 recites claim elements “a second local coil device”, “a second magnetic resonance signal”. Claim 8 is dependent on base claim(s) 7, 4 and 1 and hence incorporates limitations thereof. The base claim(s) seem to have already introduced said claim elements. Examiner suggests use of appropriate prefix such as “the” for subsequent recitation of the same claim elements to restore clarity . Appropriate correction is required. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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 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. 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-08-aia AIA (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. 07-12-aia AIA (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. 07-15 AIA Claim (s) 1-2 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102( a)(1) and 102(a)(2 ) as being anticipated by MIYAKE et al. (US 20190086492; hereinafter MIYAKE) . Regarding claim 1, MIYAKE discloses in figure(s) 1-7 a wireless transmission device for a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus (1; fig. 1) , comprising: a transmitting coupler (30,105; fig. 1) comprising a transmitting coil array (105 fig. 1) , the transmitting coil array comprising one or more first transmitting coils (105) arranged in a first local coil device (105; fig. 2) and being configured to transmit a first intermediate frequency signal (para. 56 - intermediate frequency (IF) signal; fig. 2) , the first local coil device being located on a patient couch (bed 601/603) and below an examined portion of a subject (P) , wherein the first intermediate frequency signal is generated based on a first magnetic resonance signal received by the first local coil device from the subject (para. 57 - first multiplexed signal by adding the first MR signal and the second MR signal that includes an intermediate frequency) ; and a first receiving coupler (40,50) comprising a first receiving coil array (40) , the first receiving coil array comprising one or more first receiving coils (40) and being located below a trajectory of the patient couch sliding over (603/60) a magnetic resonance main body (1) , and the first receiving coil array being configured to receive the first intermediate frequency signal (@Mx; fig. 2) from the transmitting coil array in response to the transmitting coil array at least partially overlapping with the first receiving coil array (overlapping 40,105 in fig. 1) . Regarding claim 2, MIYAKE discloses in figure(s) 1-7 the wireless transmission device of claim 1, wherein the first receiving coil array (40) overlaps with a field of view of the magnetic resonance main body (para. 25 - imaging control circuitry 70 to insert the top plate 603 into the bore 107 … subject P and the RF coil apparatus 40 are mounted on the top plate 603) . Allowable Subject Matter 12-151-08 AIA 07-43 12-51-08 Claim (s) 3-10 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. 13-03-01 AIA The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The closest references are found based on the search for claim 3: a) MIYAKE et al. discloses that “RF coil apparatus includes coil elements … magnetic resonance signals received respectively by the coil elements, by using a local signal.” (see specification for more details). b) STACK et al. discloses that “the posterior RF coil array… signal generator 802, directional coupler 804, and power detection sensor and digitization module 810, are all separate components from the MRI system… output from the power detection sensor and digitization module 810 may be sent to the MRI system for display or other processing.” (see specification for more details). However, the combination or each of the cited references above does not disclose nor fairly suggest each and every claimed features of claims 3-4 such as wireless magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) local coil system with couplers including corresponding receiving and transmitting auxiliary coils which communicate power, tuning and local oscillator signals or wireless magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) local coil system that facilitates signal transmission from a local coil (placed on the patient) to the main scanner receiver through inductive coupling, eliminating the need for hardwired cable connections to the scanner bed. Regarding claim 3, the prior arts of record do not fairly teach or suggest “ wherein the first receiving coupler further comprises a first receiving auxiliary coil, wherein the first receiving coil array is arranged in the first receiving auxiliary coil, and the first receiving auxiliary coil is configured to transmit at least one of a first power signal, a first tuning control signal, and a first local oscillator signal, and the transmitting coupler further comprises a transmitting auxiliary coil, wherein the transmitting coil array is arranged in the transmitting auxiliary coil, and the transmitting coupler is configured to perform: the transmitting auxiliary coil receiving at least one of the first power signal and the first tuning control signal from the first receiving auxiliary coil in response to the transmitting auxiliary coil at least partially overlapping with the first receiving auxiliary coil; or a component of the transmitting coupler that is configured to transmit the first local oscillator signal receiving the first local oscillator signal from the first receiving auxiliary coil in response to the component of the transmitting coupler that is configured to transmit the first local oscillator signal at least partially overlapping with the first receiving auxiliary coil, wherein the component of the transmitting coupler that is configured to transmit the first local oscillator signal is the transmitting coil array or the transmitting auxiliary coil ” including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. Regarding claim 4, the prior arts of record do not fairly teach or suggest “further comprising: a local coupler comprising a local coupling coil array, the local coupling coil array comprising one or more local coupling coils and being configured to: be electrically connected to a second local coil device located above the examined portion of the subject to receive a second intermediate frequency signal from the second local coil device, wherein the second intermediate frequency signal is generated based on a second magnetic resonance signal received by the second local coil device from the subject; and transmit the second intermediate frequency signal; and a second receiving coupler comprising a second receiving coil array, the second receiving coil array comprising one or more second receiving coils and being located below the trajectory of the patient couch sliding over the magnetic resonance main body, and the second receiving coil array being configured to: receive the second intermediate frequency signal from the local coupling coil array in response to the local coupling coil array at least partially overlapping with the second receiving coil array” including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. Claim(s) 5-10 are objected for dependent upon the objected base claim(s). Prior Art 07-96 AIA The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Popescu et al. (US 20190377043) discloses "sensor and magnetic resonance tomography unit with wireless near field transmission of energy and data". Stack et al. (US 20190154773) discloses "a radio frequency (RF) coil array for a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, including: a flexible shell including an inner layer; and a plurality of flexible RF coils embedded within the inner layer". STACK et al. (US 20190154775) discloses "flexible radio frequency coil array with detachable straps for mr imaging”. Bulumulla et al. (US 20140091791) discloses "A system for inductively communicating signals in a magnetic resonance imaging system”. Adachi et al. (US 20060214662) discloses "A magnetic resonance imaging includes: a first converter that converts some of the magnetic resonance signals, to be processed, corresponding to a plurality of channels into signals corresponding to a plurality of effective channels set within a first frequency band and converts magnetic resonance signals corresponding to other channels into signals corresponding to channels set within a second frequency band different from the first frequency band” . Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AKM ZAKARIA whose telephone number is (571)270-0664. The examiner can normally be reached on 8-5 PM (PST). If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Judy Nguyen can be reached on (571) 272-2258. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /AKM ZAKARIA/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2858 Application/Control Number: 18/817,886 Page 2 Art Unit: 2858 Application/Control Number: 18/817,886 Page 3 Art Unit: 2858 Application/Control Number: 18/817,886 Page 4 Art Unit: 2858 Application/Control Number: 18/817,886 Page 5 Art Unit: 2858 Application/Control Number: 18/817,886 Page 6 Art Unit: 2858 Application/Control Number: 18/817,886 Page 7 Art Unit: 2858 Application/Control Number: 18/817,886 Page 8 Art Unit: 2858
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Prosecution Timeline

Aug 28, 2024
Application Filed
May 07, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102 (current)

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
83%
Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+16.1%)
2y 4m (~3m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 831 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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