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
The amendment filed on 25 August 2026 has been accepted and entered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention. Claim 9 is dependent upon a canceled claim and its scope cannot be determined.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-6, 11-12, and 16 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Rhiger et al. (US 2015/0316662, A1, previously cited by Applicant) discloses a radiation detector and associated method of operation comprising: a direct conversion layer having first and second opposing sides (CZT, Fig. 1, top and bottom sides); a first readout sensor located on the first side of the direct conversion layer, and comprising first readout sensor pixel electrodes electrically connected to the direct conversion layer (cathode, top layer, par. [0046]); a second readout sensor located on the second side of the direct conversion layer and comprising second readout sensor pixel electrodes electrically connected to the direct conversion layer (anode, bottom layer, par. [0046]); and a biasing arrangement for providing a voltage bias across the direct conversion layer using the first and second pixel electrodes, the biasing arrangement being configured to control the voltage bias at the first and second pixel electrodes during readout of the first and second readout sensor (controller controls the application of the electric field to the semiconductor material through the anode and cathode, par. [0036]).
With respect to claims 1, 11, and 16, Rhiger does not appear to disclose the claimed interconnection grid to enable the first and/or second readout sensor pixel electrodes to be connected to a reference voltage, as claimed.
Claims 2-6 and 12 are allowable for reasons of dependency.
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 MARK R GAWORECKI whose telephone number is (571)272-8540. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8 AM-6 PM.
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/MARK R GAWORECKI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2884 15 September 2026
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