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 .
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.
Claim(s) 1-9 and 12-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over McCorkle et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 20180295300) in view of Nowak et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 20100150305).
Regarding claim 1, McCorkle discloses:
A device for generating an image, wherein the device comprises processing circuitry (under control of a processor, par. 35) configured to:
obtain, from a sensor comprising a plurality of sensor pixels spatially offset by a first distance in a scanning direction, a first set of pixel frame data corresponding to a first readout time instance and a second set of pixel frame data corresponding to a second readout time instance, wherein a time difference between the first readout time instance and second readout time instance is such that a projection on the sensor of a point of an imaged object has had time to move a second distance in the scanning direction of the sensor greater than the first distance (using a TDI (time delay and integrate) imager system 100, where TDI image sensors are comprised of 2D pixel arrays and the pixel signals delivered by the pixels of the same column are delayed and added synchronously with the optical scanning, when imager system 100 is operating in shift mode controller 108 may shift the storage location for the Co-Added data digital values by one or more storage location positions prior to adding, and add the read the digital value to a shifted storage location, where the location that the Co-Add data is stored in may be shifted along rows and/or columns of sensor 102 by a whole number of pixels that is less than the m×n array size (second distance), and where the number of pixel positions to shift the storage locations 120 in shift mode may be determined based on the rate at which an observed scene object is moving within the FOV of the array sensor 102, and where for example, when the shift is equal to one pixel in the horizontal direction, the controller 108 may add the value based on the stored charge from unit cell 106a,a to the existing value in storage location 120a,b after shifting existing stored Co-Add data from storage location 120a,a to storage location 120a,b, and so on, and where relative position of the scene changes a fractional portion or an integral number of PDFOVs along an in-scan direction of the one or more rows of the detectors between each successive readout-clock time, and where the pixels are in an array (with a first distance between adjacent pixels, par. 1, 4, 11, 37, 38, 42, 44-51, and Figs. 2 and 3);
combine a first data element of the first set of pixel frame data with a second data element of the second set of pixel frame data, wherein the first data element and the second data element are associated with different sensor pixels (when operating in shift mode, controller 108 may shift the storage location for the Co-Added data digital values by one or more storage location positions prior to adding, and add the read the digital value to a shifted storage location, where for example, when the shift is equal to one pixel in the horizontal direction, the controller 108 may add the value based on the stored charge from unit cell 106a,a to the existing value in storage location 120a,b after shifting existing stored Co-Add data from storage location 120a,a to storage location 120a,b, and so on, par. 37, 42); and
generate at least part of an image of the object based on the combination of the first data element and the second data element (a data output 130 may be loaded from storage location 120m,a that corresponds to unit cell 106m,a and which contains Co-Add data that has been shifted over by one or more corresponding pixels/detector areas in detector array 102, where during each integration period, the projected detector is moving relative to scene 112, so a PDFOV of the scene 112 greater than the area of the projected detector is integrated to form a single pixel of image 128 of the scene 112, par. 37, 42, 52).
McCorkle is silent with regards to the image being an X-ray image. Nowak discloses using an X-ray imaging device driven using TDI to create an image in par. 28. As can be seen in par. 28 this is advantageous in that reducing blurring caused by movement with digitally recorded images can occur. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the image being an X-ray image.
Regarding claim 2, McCorkle further discloses:
first data element and the second data element are each associated with one or more adjacent sensor pixels, wherein the one or more adjacent sensor pixels of the first data element are each spatially offset from one or more adjacent sensor pixels of the second data element by the second distance in the scanning direction of the sensor (the location that the Co-Add data is stored in may be shifted along rows and/or columns of sensor 102 by a whole number of pixels that is less than the m×n array size (second distance), where controller 108 may shift the storage location for the Co-Added data digital values by one or more storage location positions prior to adding, where the location that the Co-Add data is stored in may be shifted along rows and/or columns of sensor 102 by a whole number of pixels that is less than the m×n array size, and add the read the digital value to a shifted storage location, which means that the pixels being co-added are spatially offset from each other by a whole number of pixels between 1 and less than the m×n array size, and where relative position of the scene changes a fractional portion or an integral number of PDFOVs along an in-scan direction of the one or more rows of the detectors between each successive readout-clock time, par. 11, 37, and 42).
Regarding claim 3, McCorkle further discloses:
each data element is formed from readout of a first integer number of adjacent sensor pixels of the plurality of sensor pixels, wherein the first integer number is equal to or larger than two (the Co-Add digital data moves from an initial storage location 120a,a to a readout storage location 120a,n, where the number of summations on a high-resolution image grid is considered to be a first integer, par. 41-43 and Figs. 2 and 3).
McCorkle is silent with regards to spatial binning of adjacent sensor pixels. Official Notice is taken that it was well known before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include spatial binning of adjacent pixels before subsequent readout and processing. This is advantageous in that an image can be obtained in low light conditions. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include spatial binning of adjacent sensor pixels.
Regarding claim 4, McCorkle further discloses:
second distance equals a second integer number times the first distance, wherein the second integer number is equal to or larger than two (pixels being co-added are spatially offset from each other by a whole number of pixels between 1 and less than the m×n array size, which means that the distance between co-added pixels is a multiple integer number of the distance between pixels of the array, par. 11, 37, and 42).
Regarding claim 5, McCorkle further discloses:
first integer number equals the second integer number (the number of summations explained in the rejection of claim 3 is equal to the multiple integer number of the distance between co-added pixel explained in the rejection of claim 4, see the rejection of claims 3 and 4 and par. 11, 37, 41-43, and Figs. 2 and 3).
Regarding claim 6, McCorkle further discloses:
processing circuitry is further configured to perform the spatial binning as part of obtaining the first set of pixel frame data and the second set of pixel frame data (see the rejection of claims 3 and 1 and note that spatial binning before subsequent readout and processing was shown, where in this the subsequent readout and processing is obtaining the first set of pixel frame data and the second set of pixel frame data, par. 41-43 and Figs. 2 and 3).
Regarding claim 7, McCorkle further discloses:
each of the first data element and the second data element is formed from readout of a single sensor pixel of the plurality of sensor pixels (the value based on the stored charge from unit cell 106a,a and the value based on the storage charge from unit cell 106a,b, par. 37, 42).
Regarding claim 8, McCorkle further discloses:
processing circuitry is further configured to:
obtain an indication of an estimated speed of movement of the projection on the sensor of the point of the imaged object (rate of motion of the scene 112 in relation to the PDFOV (which may be specified by controller 108), par. 50); and
adjust, by controlling repeated readouts of the sensor, the time difference between the first readout time instance and the second readout time instance based on the estimated speed of movement (Co-Add data stored in the corresponding storage location 120 (e.g., data register) is shifted by the number of rows based on the rate of motion of the scene 112 in relation to the PDFOV (which may be specified by controller 108), and repeated, par. 50).
Regarding claim 9, McCorkle further discloses:
processing circuitry is further configured to control a speed of movement of the projection on the sensor of the point of the imaged object based on a predefined time difference between the first and second readout time instances (Co-Add data stored in the corresponding storage location 120 (e.g., data register) is shifted by the number of rows based on the rate of motion of the scene 112 in relation to the PDFOV (which may be specified by controller 108), par. 50-52).
Regarding claims 12-14, Nowak further discloses:
an X-ray detector coupled to the processing circuitry, the X-ray detector comprising one or more multiline X-ray sensors (multitude of plane detector modules 61a to 61g each with a high-resolution semiconductor-X-ray detector, each module has individual pixels 16 disposed in a rectangular matrix, where evaluation of signals from the individual detector modules is effected with an evaluation unit 64, and projection image recordings are made from various directions with the aid of an X-ray source and the detector and X-ray source and detector are connected to each other along a rigid axis move along a circle around the object, par. 28, 29, 37, 42, and 43),
the X-ray detector comprises at least two multiline X-ray sensors (multitude of plane detector modules 61a to 61g each with a high-resolution semiconductor-X-ray detector, par. 28, 29, and 37); and
the processing circuitry is configured for processing data readout from each of the multiline X-ray sensors in parallel to create the X-ray image (movement 17 of the detector to the left relative to an object not shown here, which corresponds to a movement of the object to the right relative to the detector, is compensated electronically by a shift 18 of the pixel column 19 to the right, where the detector modules are lined up and detectors positions are added using TDI, par. 30, 36, and Fig. 6).
the X-ray detector comprises a photon-counting detector (intensity or count events in the detector pixels, par. 32).
As can be seen in par. 32, 34, and Fig. 4 this is advantageous in that the loss of a certain number of intensity or count events in the detector pixels can be prevented. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include an X-ray detector coupled to the processing circuitry, the X-ray detector comprising one or more multiline X-ray sensors, the X-ray detector comprises at least two multiline X-ray sensors, the processing circuitry is configured for processing data readout from each of the multiline X-ray sensors in parallel to create the X-ray image, and the X-ray detector comprises a photon-counting detector.
Regarding claim 15, see the rejection of claims 1 and 12-14, and note that the limitations of claim 15 were shown.
Regarding claim 16, see the rejection of claims 15 and 12-14 and note that Nowak was shown to disclose:
at least one X-ray source configured to radiate X-rays towards the multiline X-ray detector or the one or more multiline X-ray sensors (projection image recordings are made from various directions with the aid of an X-ray source and the detector and X-ray source and detector are connected to each other along a rigid axis move along a circle around the object, par. 28, 29, 37, 42, and 43).
Regarding claim 17, Nowak further discloses:
a motion apparatus for moving an object to be imaged relative to the multiline X-ray detector or the one or more multiline X-ray sensors, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to control a relative speed of movement between the object and the multiline X-ray detector or the one or more multiline X-ray sensors (movement 17 of the detector to the left relative to an object not shown here, which corresponds to a movement of the object to the right relative to the detector, where depending on the rotational speed an imaging rate appropriate is used, par. 30, 44).
As can be seen in par. 44 this is advantageous in that blurring on the detector can be reduced. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include a motion apparatus for moving an object to be imaged relative to the multiline X-ray detector or the one or more multiline X-ray sensors, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to control a relative speed of movement between the object and the multiline X-ray detector or the one or more multiline X-ray sensors.
Regarding claim 18, see the rejection of claim 1 and note that the limitations of claim 18 were shown.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 10 is 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.
Regarding claim 10, no prior art could be located that teaches or fairly suggests implement or access a first data structure configured to store one or more data elements; and process the data elements of the first set and second set of pixel frame data one by one, comprising adding, for each data element, a new data element to a beginning of the first data structure, by a combination of a data element not yet stored in the first data structure to a combination of one or more data elements previously added to the first data structure, wherein one or the other of the data element not yet stored in the first data structure and the combination of one or more data elements previously added to the first data structure are first passed through the at least one line delay element, in combination with the rest of the limitations of the claim and parent claim.
Claim 11 depends on claim 10 and therefore is objected to.
Conclusion
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/NICHOLAS G GILES/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2639
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