DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Priority
Applicant’s claim for the benefit of a prior-filed application under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) or under 35 U.S.C. 120, 121, or 365(c) is acknowledged.
Oath/Declaration
Oath/Declaration as filed on September 13, 2024 is noted by the Examiner.
Claim Objections
Claim 11 is objected to because of the following informalities:
The claim recites limitation term “a respective thermal sensing element” in eighth line of the claims, but it not exactly clear whether the limitation term is referring to a same one of the plurality of thermal sensing elements recited in fourth line of the clam, or to a different thermal sensing element. Therefore, Examiner suggests the limitation term should be amended, without adding new matter, in a manner that clarifies exactly what the limitation term is referring to. In addition, any claim(s) dependent on claim 11 are objected to based on same above reasoning.
Claim 16 is objected to because of the following informalities:
The claim recites limitation term “tumor treating fields” in eighth line of the claim, but it not exactly clear whether the limitation term is referring to same tumor treating fields recited in second line of the clam, or to different tumor treating fields. Therefore, Examiner suggests the limitation term should be amended, without adding new matter, in a manner that clarifies exactly what the limitation term is referring to. In addition, any claim(s) dependent on claim 16 are objected to based on same above reasoning.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
(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.
Claims 11-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Gueritee et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication 2017/0265533 A1 (hereinafter Gueritee).
Regarding claim 11, Gueritee teaches a garment for obtaining a spatial thermal mapping of a subject when worn by the subject, the garment comprising: a plurality of heating elements attached to the garment; a plurality of thermal sensing elements attached to the garment; a plurality of first wires to provide current to heat the plurality of heating elements (202, 206a-206s, 204a-204s FIGS. 1-3, and 10, paragraph[0145] of Gueritee teaches the temperature regulation system 200 comprises a plurality of heating elements 206a-206s; as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the temperature regulation system 200 comprises fifteen heating elements disposed on the wearable garment 202; each heating element is a flexible, planar heating pad; each heating pad 206a-206s is disposed on the wearable garment 202 and is in contact with the user's skin; each heating pad 206a-206s is positioned within a pocket 202a-202s of the wearable garment 202, such that the heating pad is not in direct contact with the user's skin; each heating pad 206a-206s is arranged in the pocket such that there is a layer of textile between the heating pad and the user's skin; and alternatively the heating pad 206a-206s is arranged on the wearable garment 202 and is in direct contact with the skin of the user, and See also at least ABSTRACT, paragraphs[0128], [0133]-[0144], [0146]-[0159], and [0224]-[0233] of Gueritee (i.e., Gueritee teaches a wearable garment having a plurality of heating elements and a controller that are disposed in an arrangement on the garment, wherein the controller includes a mapping of sensor locations in order to determine a corresponding location of a temperature measurement each temperature sensor that is are also disposed in the arrangement on the garment, and wherein power lines, through which current is capable of being provided to the heating elements, connect the heating elements to the controller)); and
a plurality of second wires to receive signals from the plurality of thermal sensing elements; wherein each heating element is co-located with a respective thermal sensing element, wherein each thermal sensing element is located to measure a skin temperature of the subject when the garment is worn by the subject (FIGS. 1-3, and 10, paragraph[0158] of Gueritee teaches the controller 208 is in electronic communication with each of the temperature sensors 204a-204s and each of the heating pads 206a-206s; the temperature sensors 204a-204s are connected to the controller 208 via data wires; the controller 208 receives temperature measurements from the temperature sensors 204a-204s; the data wires are attached to the wearable garment; the data wires can be adhered to or sown into the garment 202; the heating pads 206a-206s are connected to the controller 208 via power lines; the power lines provide a power signal or an activation signal to one or more of the heating pads 206a-206s, from the controller 208; and the controller 208 can make and break connections with the data wires and the power lines in a single action as the controller is removed and attached to the wearable article 202, and See also at least ABSTRACT, paragraphs[0128], [0133]-[0144]-[0157], [0159], and [0224]-[0233] of Gueritee (i.e., Gueritee teaches a wearable garment having a plurality of heating elements and a controller that are disposed in the arrangement on the garment, wherein the controller includes the mapping of sensor locations in order to determine the corresponding location of the temperature measurement of each corresponding temperature sensor that is also disposed in the arrangement on the garment, wherein the power lines, through which the current is capable of being provided to the heating elements, connect the heating elements to the controller, and wherein each corresponding temperature sensor is connected to the controller via at least a corresponding data wire through which temperature measurements (e.g., skin temperature) are received from the corresponding temperature sensor associated and attached to a corresponding heating element among the plurality of heating elements)).
Regarding claim 12, Gueritee teaches the garment of claim 11, wherein the co-located heating elements and thermal sensing elements are arranged in a grid pattern on the garment (FIGS. 1-3, and 10, paragraph[0158] of Gueritee teaches the controller 208 is in electronic communication with each of the temperature sensors 204a-204s and each of the heating pads 206a-206s; the temperature sensors 204a-204s are connected to the controller 208 via data wires; the controller 208 receives temperature measurements from the temperature sensors 204a-204s; the data wires are attached to the wearable garment; the data wires can be adhered to or sown into the garment 202; the heating pads 206a-206s are connected to the controller 208 via power lines; the power lines provide a power signal or an activation signal to one or more of the heating pads 206a-206s, from the controller 208; and the controller 208 can make and break connections with the data wires and the power lines in a single action as the controller is removed and attached to the wearable article 202, and See also at least ABSTRACT, paragraphs[0128], [0133]-[0144]-[0157], [0159], and [0224]-[0233] of Gueritee (i.e., Gueritee teaches a wearable garment having a plurality of heating elements and a controller that are disposed in the arrangement on the garment, wherein the controller includes the mapping of sensor locations in order to determine the corresponding location of the temperature measurement of each corresponding temperature sensor that is also disposed in the arrangement on the garment, wherein the power lines, through which the current is capable of being provided to the heating elements, connect the heating elements to the controller, and wherein each corresponding temperature sensor is connected to the controller via at least a corresponding data wire through which temperature measurements (e.g., skin temperature) are received from the corresponding temperature sensor associated and attached to a corresponding heating element among the plurality of heating elements)).
Regarding claim 13, Gueritee teaches the garment of claim 11, wherein the garment is a snug-fitting garment having a size and shape for wearing on at least one of a head, a torso, or a leg of the subject (FIGS. 1-3, 6-7, and 10, paragraph[0134] of Gueritee teaches the wearable garment 110 can be any suitable garment 110 that a user can wear on a portion of the user's body; and for example the garment 110 can be a long sleeve shirt, T-shirt, hat, socks, gloves, pants, tights, jacket, beanie or any other suitable wearable garment, and See also at least ABSTRACT, paragraphs[0128], [0133]-[0144]-[0159], [0186]-[0202], and [0224]-[0233] of Gueritee (i.e., Gueritee teaches a wearable garment, which can be a shirt or pants such as tights, having a plurality of heating elements and a controller that are disposed in the arrangement on the garment, wherein the controller includes the mapping of sensor locations in order to determine the corresponding location of the temperature measurement of each corresponding temperature sensor that is also disposed in the arrangement on the garment, wherein the power lines, through which the current is capable of being provided to the heating elements, connect the heating elements to the controller, and wherein each corresponding temperature sensor is connected to the controller via at least a corresponding data wire through which temperature measurements (e.g., skin temperature) are received from the corresponding temperature sensor associated and attached to a corresponding heating element among the plurality of heating elements)).
Regarding claim 14, Gueritee teaches the garment of claim 1, wherein the heating elements are resistors, and wherein the thermal sensing elements are thermistors (FIGS. 1-3, 6-7, and 10, paragraph[0143] of Gueritee teaches the temperature regulation system 200 comprises a plurality of temperature sensors referred to as 204a-204s that are disposed on the wearable garment 202; each temperature sensor, of the plurality of temperature sensors 204a-204s is configured to generate a temperature measurement; the temperature sensor 204a-204s can be any suitable temperature sensor that can determine a skin temperature measurement such as a thermistor, thermocouple or an infra-red temperature sensor; one example of a temperature sensor is a Smiths Medical skin temperature sensor STS400; the sensors 204a-204s are any suitable size that allow for a low size profile such that the sensor is not uncomfortable when the garment 202 is worn by the user; the sensors are preferably flat disk shaped sensors that are circular or square in shape; the sensors have a diameter of 1 cm or are 1 cm×1 cm in dimension; the sensors can be any other suitable shape; and the sensors 204a-204s are configured to measure the skin temperature of the user, and See also at least ABSTRACT, paragraphs[0004], [0034], [0128], [0133]-[0142], [0144]-[0159], [0186]-[0202], and [0224]-[0233] of Gueritee (i.e., Gueritee teaches a wearable garment, which can be a shirt or pants such as tights, having a plurality of heating elements and a controller that are disposed in the arrangement on the garment, wherein the controller includes the mapping of sensor locations in order to determine the corresponding location of the temperature measurement of each corresponding temperature sensor that is also disposed in the arrangement on the garment, wherein the power lines, through which the current is capable of being provided to the heating elements, connect the heating elements to the controller, wherein each corresponding temperature sensor is connected to the controller via at least a corresponding data wire through which temperature measurements (e.g., skin temperature) are received from the corresponding temperature sensor associated and attached to a corresponding heating element among the plurality of heating elements, wherein the corresponding heating element is a resistive heating element and the corresponding temperature sensor is a thermistor)).
Regarding claim 15, Gueritee teaches the method of claim 1, wherein each heating element is located immediately adjacent to or within 0.5 cm of the respective thermal sensing element (FIGS. 1-3, 6-7, and 10, paragraph[0143] of Gueritee teaches the temperature regulation system 200 comprises a plurality of temperature sensors referred to as 204a-204s that are disposed on the wearable garment 202; each temperature sensor, of the plurality of temperature sensors 204a-204s is configured to generate a temperature measurement; the temperature sensor 204a-204s can be any suitable temperature sensor that can determine a skin temperature measurement such as a thermistor, thermocouple or an infra-red temperature sensor; one example of a temperature sensor is a Smiths Medical skin temperature sensor STS400; the sensors 204a-204s are any suitable size that allow for a low size profile such that the sensor is not uncomfortable when the garment 202 is worn by the user; the sensors are preferably flat disk shaped sensors that are circular or square in shape; the sensors have a diameter of 1 cm or are 1 cm×1 cm in dimension; the sensors can be any other suitable shape; and the sensors 204a-204s are configured to measure the skin temperature of the user, and See also at least ABSTRACT, paragraphs[0004], [0034], [0128], [0133]-[0142], [0144]-[0159], [0186]-[0202], and [0224]-[0233] of Gueritee (i.e., Gueritee teaches a wearable garment, which can be a shirt or pants such as tights, having a plurality of heating elements and a controller that are disposed in the arrangement on the garment, wherein the controller includes the mapping of sensor locations in order to determine the corresponding location of the temperature measurement of each corresponding temperature sensor that is also disposed in the arrangement on the garment, wherein the power lines, through which the current is capable of being provided to the heating elements, connect the heating elements to the controller, wherein each corresponding temperature sensor is connected to the controller via at least a corresponding data wire through which temperature measurements (e.g., skin temperature) are received from the corresponding temperature sensor associated and attached to a corresponding heating element among the plurality of heating elements, wherein the corresponding heating element is a resistive heating element and the corresponding temperature sensor is a thermistor)).
Potentially Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 1 is allowable, because the prior art references of record do not teach the combination of all element limitations as presently claimed. Also, claim 16 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome applicable objection(s) indicated above, because for the claim 16 the prior art references of record do not teach the combination of all element limitations as presently claimed. For example, in regard to claim 1 the prior art of record at least does not expressly teach concept of ceasing the first signals; determining thermal-related values based on the second signals, the thermal-related values comprising at least one of: a temperature for each of the plurality of thermal sensing elements after a cool down time period based on the second signals; a time needed for each of the plurality of thermal sensing elements to cool down to a desired temperature based on the second signals; or a rate of temperature change for each of the plurality of thermal sensing elements to cool down based on the second signals; and generating the spatial thermal mapping of the subject based on at least one of the determined temperatures or the determined times. In addition, in regard to claim 16 the prior art of record at least does not expressly teach concept of generating a model of the subject based on at least one of the MRI medical images of the subject or the CT medical images of the subject; and generating a plurality of transducer layouts for application of tumor treating fields to the subject based on the model of the subject and the spatial thermal mapping for the subject. Still in addition, claims 2-10 are allowable because, at least in light of their dependency on independent claim 1, the prior art references of record do not teach the combination of all element limitations as presently claimed. Moreover, claims 17-20 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome applicable objection(s) indicated above, because, at least in light of their dependency on independent claim 16, the prior art references of record do not teach the combination of all element limitations as presently claimed.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ABDUL-SAMAD A ADEDIRAN whose telephone number is (571)272-3128. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday through Thursday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Amr Awad can be reached on 571-272-7764. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ABDUL-SAMAD A ADEDIRAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2621
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