Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. 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
2. The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 11/06/24 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement has been considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
3. 35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
4. Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to an Abstract idea without significantly more.
5. Regarding claim 1, the limitation of “applying, via a processing system comprising one or more processors, a Hadamard encoded radiofrequency (RF) excitation pulse sequence to adjacent slices within a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner to generate Hadamard encoded adjacent slices; multiplexing, via the processing system, the Hadamard encoded adjacent slices with secondary RF excitation pulses to generate a composite RF pulse” recites an abstract idea of using a mathematical function/algorithm and carrying out data processing which is part of software to be implemented.
This judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application because the limitation of “and generating, via the processing system, the MR image of the object using the composite RF pulse” is considered post-solution activity. Computer functions are recited here, generally linking the judicial exception to a particular technology (MR image).
The claim(s) does/do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception because generic computer elements are taught which are considered well-understood, routine and conventional in the field of art (see prior arts of record: Feinberg et al. (US 8,941,381), Figures 1-7; Feiweier (US 9,651,640), Figures 1-9; Gulani et al. (US 2018/0292486), Figures 1-4; Wu et al. (US 10,684,337), Figures 1-5).
6. Claims 2-14 are also rejected as they further limit claim 1.
7. Regarding claim 15, the limitation of “apply a Hadamard encoded radiofrequency (RF) excitation pulse sequence to adjacent slices within a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner to generate Hadamard encoded adjacent slices; multiplex the Hadamard encoded adjacent slices with secondary RF excitation pulses to generate a composite RF pulse” recites an abstract idea of using a mathematical function/algorithm and carrying out data processing which is part of software to be implemented.
This judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application because the limitation of “and generate the MR image of the object using the composite RF pulse” is considered post-solution activity. Computer functions are recited here, generally linking the judicial exception to a particular technology (MR image).
The claim(s) does/do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception because generic computer elements (processor, memory) are taught which are considered well-understood, routine and conventional in the field of art (see prior arts of record: Feinberg et al. (US 8,941,381), Figures 1-7; Feiweier (US 9,651,640), Figures 1-9; Gulani et al. (US 2018/0292486), Figures 1-4; Wu et al. (US 10,684,337), Figures 1-5).
8. Claims 16-19 are also rejected as they further limit claim 15.
9. Regarding claim 20, the limitation of “apply a Hadamard encoded radiofrequency (RF) excitation pulse sequence to adjacent slices within a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner to generate Hadamard encoded adjacent slices; multiplex the Hadamard encoded adjacent slices with secondary RF excitation pulses to generate a composite RF pulse” recites an abstract idea of using a mathematical function/algorithm and carrying out data processing which is part of software to be implemented.
This judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application because the limitation of “and generate a magnetic resonance (MR) image of an object using the composite RF pulse” is considered post-solution activity. Computer functions are recited here, generally linking the judicial exception to a particular technology (MR image).
The claim(s) does/do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception because generic computer elements (processor, memory) are taught which are considered well-understood, routine and conventional in the field of art (see prior arts of record: Feinberg et al. (US 8,941,381), Figures 1-7; Feiweier (US 9,651,640), Figures 1-9; Gulani et al. (US 2018/0292486), Figures 1-4; Wu et al. (US 10,684,337), Figures 1-5).
Note: no prior art rejection is made at the moment.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NEEL D SHAH whose telephone number is (571)270-3766. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 9AM-5:30PM.
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/NEEL D SHAH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2858
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