CTNF 18/949,108 CTNF 87923 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia 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 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim( s) 1, 6 i s/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over S ugiura (JP-2009153965-A) in view of Takahara (JP-2017179321-A). R egarding claim 1 Sugiura discloses A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus (¶ 2 above Claims) comprising: a top plate ((¶ 2 above Claims, Ref 4a) on which a reception coil for receiving a magnetic resonance signal is disposed (¶ 2 above Claims); Sugiura does not disclose “a top plate communication unit disposed in an interior of the top plate and configured to be movable inside the top plate; and a frame communication unit disposed in a position at one end of a frame having a bore where the top plate is inserted, wherein communication is executed between the top plate communication unit and the frame communication unit”. Takahara, however, discloses a top plate communication unit (¶ 5 under DESCRIPTION-OF-EMBODIMENTS) disposed in an interior of the top plate and configured to be movable inside the top plate (¶ 5 under DESCRIPTION-OF-EMBODIMENTS); and a frame communication unit disposed in a position at one end of a frame having a bore where the top plate is inserted (¶ 6 under DESCRIPTION-OF-EMBODIMENTS), wherein communication is executed between the top plate communication unit and the frame communication unit (¶ 6—9 under DESCRIPTION-OF-EMBODIMENTS). 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 “frame communication unit where top plate is inserted” as taught by Takahara in the apparatus of Sugiura. The justification for this modification would be to create a wireless means of power transmission. Regarding claim 6 Sugiura in view of Takahara teach the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to Claim 1, Takahara, applied to claim 6, further teaches wherein the communication between the top plate communication unit and the frame communication unit is executed wirelessly (¶ 3 above REFERENCE-SIGNS-LIST) . 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 2 – 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sugiura (JP-2009153965-A) in view of Takahara (JP-2017179321-A) in view of Ishizaki (JP-2019202088-A) . Regarding claim 2 The magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to Claim 1, Sugiura in view of Takahara teach the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to Claim 1, Sugiura in view of Takahara do not teach “further comprising: a top plate control unit configured to insert the top plate into the bore, wherein the top plate communication unit is moved together with the top plate until the top plate communication unit is positioned in a communication position where communication between the top plate communication unit and the frame communication unit is possible, and after the top plate communication unit is positioned in the communication position, the top plate communication unit is stopped at the communication position regardless of an insertion position of the top plate”. Ishizaki, however, teaches a top plate control unit configured to insert the top plate into the bore (Diagram 9, Ref 51) wherein the top plate communication unit is moved together with the top plate until the top plate communication unit is positioned in a communication position where communication between the top plate communication unit and the frame communication unit is possible (¶ 8 under ( Fifth embodiment )), and after the top plate communication unit is positioned in the communication position, the top plate communication unit is stopped at the communication position regardless of an insertion position of the top plate (¶ 9 (Third embodiment). 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 “top plate and communication module synchronous motion” as taught by Ishizaki in the apparatus of Sugiura in view of Takahara. The justification for this modification would be to have an efficient way of stowing the communication unit. Regarding claim 3 Sugiura in view of Takahara in view of Ishizaki teach the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to Claim 2, Ishizaki, applied to claim 3, further teaches further comprising a communication position control unit configured to control a position of the top plate communication unit inside the top plate to cause the top plate communication unit to move until the top plate communication unit is positioned in the communication position, and to cause, after the top plate communication unit is positioned in the communication position, the top plate communication unit to stop at the communication position regardless of an insertion position of the top plate (¶ 9 (Third embodiment). Regarding claim 4 Sugiura in view of Takahara in view of Ishizaki teach the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to Claim 2, Ishizaki, applied to claim 4, further teaches further comprising: a first coupling mechanism disposed on the top plate communication unit; and a second coupling mechanism disposed on the frame communication unit, wherein the first coupling mechanism and the second coupling mechanism causes the top plate communication unit to stop at the communication position regardless of an insertion position of the top plate by coupling with each other when the top plate communication unit is moved to the communication position (¶ 8 under ( Fifth embodiment ) . 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sugiura (JP-2009153965-A) in view of Takahara (JP-2017179321-A) in view of Redder (JP-2019528963-A) . Regarding claim 5 Sugiura in view of Takahara teach the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to Claim 1, Takahar, applied to claim 5, further teaches wherein the communication between the top plate communication unit and the frame communication unit includes at least any one of transmission of magnetic resonance data, and transmission of electric power to be supplied to the reception coil (ABSTRACT & ¶ 3 under DESCRIPTION-OF-EMBODIMENTS). Sugiura in view of Takahara do not teach “data which has been obtained through digitization of the magnetic resonance signal received by the reception coil”, Redder, however, teaches data which has been obtained through digitization of the magnetic resonance signal received by the reception coil ([0003] & [0061]). 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 “digitization of the MRI signal” as taught by Redder in the apparatus of Sugiura in view of Takahara. The justification for this modification would be to use digital signal technology since it is more resistant to noise . 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sugiura (JP-2009153965-A) in view of Takahara (JP-2017179321-A) in view of Redder (JP-2019528963-A) in view of Hamamura et al. (US-11112470-B1) . Regarding claim 7 Sugiura in view of Takahara in view of Redder teach the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to Claim 5, Sugiura in view of Takahara in view of Redder do not teach “wherein the transmission of the magnetic resonance data is executed via an optical fiber”. Hamamura, however, discloses wherein the transmission of the magnetic resonance data is executed via an optical fiber (Claim 13). 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 “fiber optic data transmission” as taught by Hamamura in the apparatus of Sugiura in view of Takahara in view of Redder. The justification for this modification would be to transmit the data in a secure way that is resistant to interference as well as jamming. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FREDERICK WENDEROTH whose telephone 07-100 number is (571)270-1945. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7 a.m. - 4 p.m. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Walter Lindsay can be reached at 571-272-1674. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /WALTER L LINDSAY JR/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2852 /Frederick Wenderoth/ Examiner, Art Unit 2852 Application/Control Number: 18/949,108 Page 2 Art Unit: 2852
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