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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because they fail to label the element boxes in Figures 3A, 3C, 3D, 4 and 5. Without some indication as to the content of the boxes (or preferably symbols of the actual elements) it is not clear as to what the elements are and they are not explanatory to a reader as a quick method of determining the general background of the invention. See MPEP 608.02 and 37 CFR 1.84 (o) -- Legends --
Suitable descriptive legends may be used, or may be required by the Examiner, where necessary for understanding of the drawing, subject to approval by the Office. They should contain as few words as possible.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
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 1-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Brock-Fisher et al. (US 2005/0148874 A1).
With respect to claim 1, Brock-Fisher discloses an electronic system comprising (see ultrasonic system in Figure 17 including the electronic components): an electronic array of a plurality of sensing and/or actuating elements (see transducer array #10’ as the sensing and actuating element in Figure 17); a control unit, which is coupled to the electronic array, for controlling the electronic array (see controller #23 connected to the transmit beamformer #20 coupled to the elements #10’ to control said elements #10’; see paragraph 0090); and a data processing unit for receiving data from the electronic array and processing the received data (see image processor #42; paragraph 0091); wherein the electronic system further comprises at least one beam former module (see transmit beamformer #20 and receive beamformer #25; see paragraphs 0089-0092); wherein the at least one beamformer module is configured for addressing the plurality of sensing and/or actuating elements for forming a beam (see transmit beamformer #20, paragraph 0089).
With respect to claim 2, Brock-Fisher discloses the at least one beam former module is configured to apply a time delay to at least one of the plurality of sensing and/or actuating elements (see paragraph 0089 disclosing a time delay on the transmitting and/or receiving data through the transmitting and receiving beamformers considered as the sensing or actuating elements).
With respect to claim 3, Brock-Fisher discloses a sub-array definition module, which is configured to define at least one sub-array of sensing and/or actuating elements (see paragraphs 0081, 0098-0099).
With respect to claim 4, Brock-Fisher discloses the electronic system is configured such that signals can be handed over between different beam former modules (see transmit beamformer #20 and receive beamformer #25; see paragraphs 0089-0092), and further configured such that the sub-array definition module is configured such that the at least one sub-array can be positioned at any arbitrary location in a larger electronic array of the electronic system (see paragraphs 0020, 0039-0040, 0043, 0081, 0098-0099; see Figure 6 showing patch/subarray #202 from array #200).
With respect to claim 5, Brock-Fisher discloses at least two beam former modules are provided and the electronic system (see transmit beamformer #20 and receive beamformer #25) is further configured such that a partial beam-forming is done in separate beam former modules before combining the signals in a second stage beam-former (see paragraph 0043 and 0105-0107; see Figure 19 showing separate beamforming and combination of the signals).
With respect to claim 6, Brock-Fisher discloses the electronic system comprises an envelope detection module, wherein the envelope detection module is configured to reduce a data rate towards digital parts of the electronic system, especially wherein the envelope detection module is implemented in hardware and hardware-based (see paragraph 0094; see Figure 18).
With respect to claim 7, Brock-Fisher discloses an apodization module, wherein the apodization module is configured such that a hardware based apodization is performed before passing the signals into the beam-former (see paragraph 0095).
With respect to claim 8, Brock-Fisher discloses the sub-array definition module is configured to control the at least one sub-array as a functional unit for sending at least one actuation signal and/or receiving at least one sensing signal (see paragraphs 0081, 0098-0099).
With respect to claim 9, Brock-Fisher discloses the sub-array definition module is configured to define the plurality of at least one sub-array such that there is no overlap between the sensing and/or actuating elements of separate sub-arrays (see Figures 6 and 19 showing transducer elements #202 and #10” respectively in a flat arrangement or a non-overlapping array).
With respect to claim 10, Brock-Fisher discloses the electronic system comprises at least two sensing and/or actuating arrays, forming a least one sensing and/or actuating array set (see transducers #10’ in Figure 17); and the control unit is configured to control the sensing and/or actuating array set as one single sensing and/or actuating array (see controller #23 coupled to the elements #10’ to control said elements #10’ during transmission/actuation; see paragraph 0090).
With respect to claim 11, Brock-Fisher discloses the electronic system is configured such that the sensing and/or actuating array is controlled according to a row/column-based architecture (see paragraphs 0011-0017).
With respect to claim 12, Brock-Fisher discloses the electronic system is configured such that a sub-array size is provided; sub-arrays of the sub-array size are defined; and the sensing and/or actuating array is controlled based on individual sub-arrays (see paragraphs 0081, 0098-0099).
With respect to claim 13, Brock-Fisher discloses sensing and/or actuating elements of each sub-array are configured to provide an analog sensor signal; and sensor signals of the sensing and/or actuating elements of each sub-array are provided to one common analog-digital converter (see paragraph 0009, 0013 and 0015; see Figure 4C showing A/D converter #110).
With respect to claim 14, Brock-Fisher discloses a beamforming architecture is implemented by a hardware beamforming module (see paragraphs 0011-0017).
With respect to claim 15, Brock-Fisher discloses a method for operating an electronic system, according to claim 12, comprising the following: defining a plurality of sub-arrays within an electronic array of a plurality of sensing and/or actuating elements (see paragraphs 0081, 0098-0099); and controlling the individual sub-arrays as functional units for sending signals and/or receiving signals (see paragraphs 0081, 0098-0099).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The additional prior art cited in the PTO 892 not relied upon discloses the same limitations as presented by Brock-Fisher of a ultrasound system with beam forming device and a controller.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DIXOMARA VARGAS whose telephone number is (571)272-2252. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8am-5pm.
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/DIXOMARA VARGAS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3798