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(s) Status
Claims 1-11 are currently pending.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
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.
Claim(s) 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to non-statutory subject matter. The claim(s) does/do not fall within at least one of the four categories of patent eligible subject matter because it claims a computer program which corresponds to software per se, and therefore does fall into at least one of the four categories of patent eligible subject matter (i.e., any useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof). Applicant can address the issue by amending the claim to include a non-transitory computer readable medium/memory.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: the elementary signal associated with a pair (angle of incidence, receiver element of the transducer)”. However, it should recite “the elementary signal associated with a pair (emitter element, receiver element of the transducer). As the specification, in ¶59 clearly defines the pair to be an emitter-receiver pair. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Objections
Claim(s) 6 is objected to because of the following informalities: In particular, claims 6 recites “a pair (angle of incidence, receiver element of the transducer), however it should recite a pair (emitter element, receiver element of the transducer). As the specification, in ¶59 clearly defines the pair to be an emitter-receiver pair. Examiner notes that ¶16 defines the limitation however that portion of the specification is being objected, see specification objection above. Appropriate correction is required.
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(s) 1-11 are 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.
In particular, claim 1: 1) recites “determining on the basis of said elementary signal, for each point P of said area, a calibration coefficient to be applied to the signals received by an ultrasound transducer in order to image said area, or to an ultrasound image obtained on the basis of said received signals”, however it is unclear because as claimed only one point of the area of interest has been clearly defined to have emission transmitted toward it, therefore it is not clear how a plurality of points (i.e., each point of said area) are associated with the point that has been defined to have emission transmitted to determine the elementary signal that is used to determine a calibration coefficient. It is also unclear, if the multi-element ultrasound transducer in the preamble corresponds to the ultrasound transducer introduced in the above limitation. Furthermore, the underline portion has insufficient antecedent basis for the limitation because even though the preamble defines that the method involves calibration of ultrasound signals acquired by a multi-element ultrasound transducer, the body of the claim only defines the estimation transmission of one ultrasound field and one acquired ultrasonic filed and does not further define a connection between the acquired ultrasound signals. Thus is does not provide any connection between the ultrasound field and the acquired ultrasound signals introduced in the preamble. Claims 2-11 have the same issue due to dependency. In particular, claim 3 recite “the projection of the estimated ultrasound field”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for the limitation. In particular, claim 4 recites “the pixel”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for the limitation. In particular, claim 5 recites “the transducer”, however it is unclear if the transducer corresponds to the multi-element ultrasound transducer or the transducer of the last clause/paragraph in claim 1. Claims 6 and 8-9 have the same issue due to dependency.
In particular, claim 2 recites “said signal” however it is unclear what signals corresponds to said signals.
In particular, claim 4 recites “the pixel” in line 11. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation. In particular, claim 6 recites “the pixel” in line 11. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation.
In particular, claim 7 recites “the elements of the transducer taken at the times of flight corresponding to a point P of the area to be imaged. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitations.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 20240369515 A1, system using transducer emission to determined correction factor to image ultrasound/acoustic echo signals of point of interest during ultrasonic inspections.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHICO A FOXX whose telephone number is (571)272-5530. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00 - 6:00 M-F.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Quan-Zhen Wang can be reached at 571-272-3114. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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CHICO A. FOXX
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2685
/CHICO A FOXX/Examiner, Art Unit 2685
Prosecution Insights