CTNF 18/959,637 CTNF 92122 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. Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114 07-42-04 AIA A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 05/18/2026 has been entered. Response to Amendment The amendment of 05/18/2026 has been entered and fully considered by the examiner. Claims 1, and 12-14 have been amended. Claims 2, and 11 are canceled. Claims 1, 3-10, and 12-14 are pending in the application with claims 1, 13, and 14 being independent. 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. 07-23-aia AIA The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows: 1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art. 2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue. 3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art. 4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness. 07-20-02-aia AIA This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention. 07-21-aia AIA Claim s 1, 3-7, and 12-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ebata (U.S. Publication No. 2018/0214005) hereinafter “Ebata” in view of Shimamura (Publication No. 2020/0034964) hereinafter “Shimamura” and Cohen et al. (U.S. Publication No. 2015/0282890) hereinafter “Cohen” . Regarding claim 1 , Ebata discloses an endoscope system comprising a processor [see abstract of Ebata] , wherein the processor [processor device 16; see FIG. 1 and [0053]] is configured to: executing image acquisition processing of acquiring an endoscopic image obtained by imaging [see [0063] of Ebata disclosing acquiring images from endoscope 12] an observation target at a time interval set in advance by a user [see [0069] and FIG. 4 of Ebata] ; executing calculation processing of calculating [see [0070]-[0071]; the calculation unit 83 calculates a blood vessel index value based on the images] an oxygen saturation [see [0012]; the blood index value includes oxygen saturation] for each image acquired in the image acquisition processing; [see [0093] of Ebata] generate a graph [see FIG. 15] showing temporal changes in the oxygen saturation [ see [0148]; all of the blood index values can be depicted in a graph showing their temporal changes; [0012] discloses that the blood index value includes oxygen saturation] and blood volume [see [0012]; one of the parameters being calculated as blood index is blood flow rate; a person of ordinary skill level in the art would be able to integrate the blood flow rate in time and arrive at the blood volume and then graph its change in time according to [0148]] for each image acquired in the calculation processing; and [see [0067], [0073] and [0148] display, on a display, at least one of the image showing the change amount of the blood volume or the graph showing the temporal changes of the blood volume and the oxygen saturation. [see FIG. 14-15 of Ebata] Ebata does not disclose and that the processor generates an image showing a change amount of the blood volume for each image acquired in the calculation processing with reference to a blood volume at a time point set by the user; wherein the image showing the change amount of blood volume is generated by superimposing the change amount of blood volume to the endoscope image ; and perform reference point imaging by setting a reference observation target as a region of interest in the image acquisition processing, perform pattern matching based on a blood vessel shape of the observation target in the reference point imaging, and perform registration based on the blood vessel shape of the observation target in a case where an endoscope or the observation target move ; Shimamura, directed towards dynamic image analysis of medical images [see abstract of Shimamura] further discloses that the processor generates an image showing a change amount of the blood volume for each image [see [0266] and [0302]-[0305] of Shimamura] acquired in the calculation processing with reference to a blood volume at a time point set by the user; [see [0091] and [0108] of Shimamura] wherein the image showing the change amount of blood volume is generated by superimposing the change amount of blood volume to the endoscope image [see FIG. 16A-B and [0303]-[0304]; the change is shown by superimposing the color representing the changed amount of blood volume on the image] Cohen, directed towards imaging in view of device to vessel relative motion [see abstract of Cohen] further discloses that the processor is configured to perform reference point imaging by setting a reference observation target as a region of interest in the image acquisition processing ,[see [0874]-[0875]; the visual characteristics of a reference point (ROI) is used] perform pattern matching based on a blood vessel shape of the observation target in the reference point imaging, and perform registration based on the blood vessel shape of the observation target in a case where an endoscope or the observation target move ;[see [01074]-[1078]; registration is done based on the road map using pattern matching] It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the invention to modify the design of Ebata such that the processor generates an image showing a change amount of the blood volume for each image acquired in the calculation processing with reference to a blood volume at a time point set by the user wherein the image showing the change amount of blood volume is generated by superimposing the change amount of blood volume to the endoscope image according to the teachings of Shimamura in order to provide a visual feedback to the operator regarding the pulmonary blood flow distribution changes in time [see [0343] of Shimamura] It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the invention to modify the design of Ebata such that the processor is configured to perform reference point imaging by setting a reference observation target as a region of interest in the image acquisition processing, perform pattern matching based on a blood vessel shape of the observation target in the reference point imaging, and perform registration based on the blood vessel shape of the observation target in a case where an endoscope or the observation target move according to the teachings of Cohen in order to form an image despite cyclic movement of the tool due to the movement of the body part [see [0031] of Cohen] Regarding claim 3 , Ebata as modified by Shimamura discloses all the limitations of claim 2 [see rejection of claim 2] Ebata further discloses that the processor is configured to calculate average values of the blood volume and the oxygen saturation based on pixels within the region of interest, and to set the calculated average values as reference values of the blood volume and the oxygen saturation. [see [0100] of Ebata disclosing calculating an average value of the parameters calculated] Regarding claim 4, Ebata as modified by Shimamura discloses all the limitations of claim 3 [see rejection of claim 3] Shimamura further discloses that the processor is configured to perform subtraction processing by subtracting the reference value of the blood volume from the blood volume calculated in the calculation processing. [see [0261] and [0266] of Shimamura] It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the invention to modify the design of Ebata as modified by Shimamura such that the processor is configured to perform subtraction processing by subtracting the reference value of the blood volume from the blood volume calculated in the calculation processing according to the teachings of Shimamura in order to provide more accurate results that are all adjusted to the same reference point allowing for subjective comparison of results. [see [0006] of Shimamura Regarding claim 5 , Ebata as modified by Shimamura discloses all the limitations of claim 4 [see rejection of claim 4] Shimamura further discloses that the processor is configured to assign a color map with varying shades according to the change amount based on the blood volume calculated in the subtraction processing [see [0295] and [0357] and Fig. 16A-B of Shimamura] , and generate an image in which the color map is superimposed on the image. [see FIG. 16A-B of Shimamura] It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the invention to modify the design of Ebata as modified by Shimamura such that the processor is configured to assign a color map with varying shades according to the change amount based on the blood volume calculated in the subtraction processing, and generate an image in which the color map is superimposed on the image according to the teachings of Shimamura in order to provide a user friendly feedback to the user depicting the values. Further, using a color map to show various parameter ranges is common practice in the art. Regarding claim 6 , Ebata as modified by Shimamura discloses all the limitations of claim 4 [see rejection of claim 4] Shimamura further discloses that the processor is configured to generate an image in which the change amount is superimposed on the image by representing a minus-side change and a plus-side change with different colors, based on the blood volume calculated in the subtraction processing. [see FIG. 16A-B and [0303] of Shimomura] It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the invention to modify the design of Ebata as modified by Shimamura such that the processor is configured to generate an image in which the change amount is superimposed on the image by representing a minus-side change and a plus-side change with different colors, based on the blood volume calculated in the subtraction processing according to the teachings of Shimamura in order to provide a user friendly feedback to the user depicting the values. Further, using a color map to show various parameter ranges is common practice in the art. Regarding claim 7, Ebata as modified by Shimamura discloses all the limitations of claim 4 [see rejection of claim 4] Ebata further discloses that the processor is configured to, for each image acquired in the image acquisition processing, perform the calculation processing based on pixels in the same region as the observation target set as the region of interest, [see [0084] and [0086]-[0088] of Ebata disclosing performing calculating processing on each pixel and calculating the parameters based on pixels of the image] and generate the graph in which the calculated blood volume and oxygen saturation are plotted, for displaying the graph. [see FIG. 14 and [0105] of Ebata] Regarding claim 12 , Ebata as modified by Shimamura discloses all the limitations of claim 2 [see rejection of claim 2] Shimamura further discloses that the processor is configured to perform notifying the user of operation guidance for resetting the region of interest in a case where the observation target affected by a disturbance is set as the region of interest in the reference point imaging. [see [0159]-[0160] of Shimamura] It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the invention to modify the design of Ebata as modified by Shimamura such that the processor is configured to perform notifying the user of operation guidance for resetting the region of interest in a case where the observation target affected by a disturbance is set as the region of interest in the reference point imaging according to the teachings of Shimamura in order to allow the user to objectively determine the degree of blood flow artifact [see [0160] of Shimamura] Regarding claim 13 , an operation method for an endoscope system [see abstract of Ebata] including a processor [processor device 16; see FIG. 1 and [0053]] , the method comprising: via the processor, executing image acquisition processing of acquiring an endoscopic image [see [0063] of Ebata disclosing acquiring images from endoscope 12] obtained by imaging an observation target at a time interval set in advance by a user; [see [0069] and FIG. 4 of Ebata] ; executing calculation processing of calculating [see [0071]; the calculation unit 83 calculates a blood vessel index value based on the images] an oxygen saturation [see [0012]; the blood index value includes oxygen saturation] for each image acquired in the image acquisition processing; [see [0093] of Ebata] generating a graph [see FIG. 15] showing temporal changes in the blood volume [see [0012]; one of the parameters being calculated as blood index is blood flow rate; a person of ordinary skill level in the art would be able to integrate the blood flow rate in time and arrive at the blood volume and then graph its change in time according to [0148]] and the oxygen saturation [ see [0148]; all of the blood index values can be depicted in a graph showing their temporal changes; [0012] discloses that the blood index value includes oxygen saturation for each image acquired in the calculation processing; [see [0067], [0073] and [0148] and displaying, on a display, at least one of the image showing the change amount of the blood volume or the graph showing the temporal changes of the blood volume and the oxygen saturation. [see FIG. 14-15 of Ebata] Ebata does not disclose that the processor generates an image showing a change amount of the blood volume for each image acquired in the calculation processing with reference to a blood volume at a time point set by the user ; and perform reference point imaging by setting a reference observation target as a region of interest in the image acquisition processing, perform pattern matching based on a blood vessel shape of the observation target in the reference point imaging, and perform registration based on the blood vessel shape of the observation target in a case where an endoscope or the observation target move ; Shimamura, directed towards dynamic image analysis of medical images [see abstract of Shimamura] further discloses that the processor generates an image showing a change amount of the blood volume for each image [see [0266] and [0302]-[0305] of Shimamura] acquired in the calculation processing with reference to a blood volume at a time point set by the user; [see [0091] and [0108] of Shimamura] wherein the image showing the change amount of blood volume is generated by superimposing the change amount of blood volume to the endoscope image [see FIG. 16A-B and [0303]-[0304]; the change is shown by superimposing the color representing the changed amount of blood volume on the image] Cohen, directed towards imaging in view of device to vessel relative motion [see abstract of Cohen] further discloses that the processor is configured to perform reference point imaging by setting a reference observation target as a region of interest in the image acquisition processing ,[see [0874]-[0875]; the visual characteristics of a reference point (ROI) is used] perform pattern matching based on a blood vessel shape of the observation target in the reference point imaging, and perform registration based on the blood vessel shape of the observation target in a case where an endoscope or the observation target move ;[see [01074]-[1078]; registration is done based on the road map using pattern matching] It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the invention to modify the design of Ebata such that the processor generates an image showing a change amount of the blood volume for each image acquired in the calculation processing with reference to a blood volume at a time point set by the user wherein the image showing the change amount of blood volume is generated by superimposing the change amount of blood volume to the endoscope image according to the teachings of Shimamura in order to provide a visual feedback to the operator regarding the pulmonary blood flow distribution changes in time [see [0343] of Shimamura] It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the invention to modify the design of Ebata such that the processor is configured to perform reference point imaging by setting a reference observation target as a region of interest in the image acquisition processing, perform pattern matching based on a blood vessel shape of the observation target in the reference point imaging, and perform registration based on the blood vessel shape of the observation target in a case where an endoscope or the observation target move according to the teachings of Cohen in order to form an image despite cyclic movement of the tool due to the movement of the body part [see [0031] of Cohen] Regarding claim 14 , a non-transitory computer readable medium for storing a computer-executable program for causing a computer to function as an endoscope system [see abstract of Ebata] , the computer-executable program causing a computer [processor device 16; see FIG. 1 and [0053]] to implement: a function of executing image acquisition processing of acquiring an endoscopic image [see [0063] of Ebata disclosing acquiring images from endoscope 12] obtained by imaging an observation target at a time interval set in advance by a user [see [0069] and FIG. 4 of Ebata] ; a function of executing calculation processing of [see [0071]; the calculation unit 83 calculates a blood vessel index value based on the images] an oxygen saturation [see [0012]; the blood index value includes oxygen saturation for each image acquired in the image acquisition processing; [see [0093] of Ebata] a function of generating graph [see FIG. 15] showing temporal changes in the blood volume [see [0012]; one of the parameters being calculated as blood index is blood flow rate; a person of ordinary skill level in the art would be able to integrate the blood flow rate in time and arrive at the blood volume and then graph its change in time according to [0148]] and the oxygen saturation [ see [0148]; all of the blood index values can be depicted in a graph showing their temporal changes; [0012] discloses that the blood index value includes oxygen saturation for each image acquired in the calculation processing; [see [0067], [0073] and [0148] a function of displaying, on a display, at least one of the image showing the change amount of the blood volume or the graph showing the temporal changes of the blood volume and the oxygen saturation. [see FIG. 14-15 of Ebata] Ebata does not disclose that the processor generates an image showing a change amount of the blood volume for each image acquired in the calculation processing with reference to a blood volume at a time point set by the user ; and perform reference point imaging by setting a reference observation target as a region of interest in the image acquisition processing, perform pattern matching based on a blood vessel shape of the observation target in the reference point imaging, and perform registration based on the blood vessel shape of the observation target in a case where an endoscope or the observation target move ; Shimamura, directed towards dynamic image analysis of medical images [see abstract of Shimamura] further discloses that the processor generates an image showing a change amount of the blood volume for each image [see [0266] and [0302]-[0305] of Shimamura] acquired in the calculation processing with reference to a blood volume at a time point set by the user; [see [0091] and [0108] of Shimamura] wherein the image showing the change amount of blood volume is generated by superimposing the change amount of blood volume to the endoscope image [see FIG. 16A-B and [0303]-[0304]; the change is shown by superimposing the color representing the changed amount of blood volume on the image] Cohen, directed towards imaging in view of device to vessel relative motion [see abstract of Cohen] further discloses that the processor is configured to perform reference point imaging by setting a reference observation target as a region of interest in the image acquisition processing ,[see [0874]-[0875]; the visual characteristics of a reference point (ROI) is used] perform pattern matching based on a blood vessel shape of the observation target in the reference point imaging, and perform registration based on the blood vessel shape of the observation target in a case where an endoscope or the observation target move ;[see [01074]-[1078]; registration is done based on the road map using pattern matching] It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the invention to modify the design of Ebata such that the processor generates an image showing a change amount of the blood volume for each image acquired in the calculation processing with reference to a blood volume at a time point set by the user wherein the image showing the change amount of blood volume is generated by superimposing the change amount of blood volume to the endoscope image according to the teachings of Shimamura in order to provide a visual feedback to the operator regarding the pulmonary blood flow distribution changes in time [see [0343] of Shimamura] It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the invention to modify the design of Ebata such that the processor is configured to perform reference point imaging by setting a reference observation target as a region of interest in the image acquisition processing, perform pattern matching based on a blood vessel shape of the observation target in the reference point imaging, and perform registration based on the blood vessel shape of the observation target in a case where an endoscope or the observation target move according to the teachings of Cohen in order to form an image despite cyclic movement of the tool due to the movement of the body part [see [0031] of Cohen] 07-22-aia AIA Claim s 8 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ebata (U.S. Publication No. 2018/0214005) hereinafter “Ebata” in view of Shimamura (Publication No. 2020/0034964) hereinafter “Shimamura” and Cohen et al. (U.S. Publication No. 2015/0282890) hereinafter “Cohen” as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Hirakawa et al. (U.S. Publication No.) hereinafter “Hirakawa” . Regarding claim 8 , Ebata as modified by Shimamura and Cohen discloses all the limitations of claim 1 [see rejection of claim 1 above] Ebata as modified by Shimamura and Cohen does not expressly disclose that the processor is configured to perform converting the images obtained by the image acquisition processing into thumbnail images and displaying the thumbnail images in parallel in time series on the display. Hirakawa, directed towards displaying the time lapse of images in time [see abstract of Hirakawa] further discloses that the processor is configured to perform converting the images obtained by the image acquisition processing into thumbnail images and displaying the thumbnail images in parallel in time series on the display. [see [0114] and FIGs. 6-7; thumbnails 28a are displayed in parallel in time series on the display] It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill level in the art at the time of the filing of the invention to modify the design of Ebata as modified by Shimamura and Cohen further such that the processor is configured to perform converting the images obtained by the image acquisition processing into thumbnail images and displaying the thumbnail images in parallel in time series on the display according to the teachings of Hirakawa in order to use the thumb nail images are a visual reference [see [0013] of Hirakawa] Regarding claim 9, Ebata as modified by Shimamura and Cohen discloses all the limitations of claim 8 [see rejection of claim 8 above] Ebata as modified by Shimamura and Cohen does not expressly disclose that the processor is configured to perform displaying a scroll bar for scrolling through the images displayed in parallel on the display. Hirakawa further discloses that the processor is configured to perform displaying a scroll bar for scrolling through the images displayed in parallel on the display. [scroll bar 28c; see [0119] and FIG. 6-7 of Hirakawa] It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill level in the art at the time of the filing of the invention to modify the design of Ebata as modified by Shimamura and Cohen further such that the processor is configured to perform displaying a scroll bar for scrolling through the images displayed in parallel on the display according to the teachings of Hirakawa in order to choose the thumbnails that need to be displayed on the screen as a result of the operation of the scroll bar [see [0119] of Hirakawa] 07-22-aia AIA Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ebata (U.S. Publication No. 2018/0214005) hereinafter “Ebata” in view of Shimamura (Publication No. 2020/0034964) hereinafter “Shimamura” and Cohen et al. (U.S. Publication No. 2015/0282890) hereinafter “Cohen” as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Irisawa et al. (U.S. Publication No. 2019/0000420) hereinafter “Irisawa” Regarding claim 10 , Ebata as modified by Shimamura and Cohen discloses all the limitations of claim 1 [see rejection of claim 1 above] Ebata as modified by Shimamura and Cohen does not expressly disclose that the processor is configured to perform enabling the user to change between display or non-display of the graph. Irisawa, directed towards display of ultrasound-based images of the body [see abstract of Irisawa ] further discloses that the processor is configured to perform enabling the user to change between display or non-display of the graph. [see [0170]-[0175] of Irisawa] It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill level in the art at the time of the filing of the invention to modify the design of Ebata as modified by Shimamura and Cohen further such that the processor is configured to perform enabling the user to change between display or non-display of the graph according to the teachings of Irisawa in order to display or hide the images based on operator’s need [see [0170] of Irisawa] Response to Arguments Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1, 13, and 14 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument. Conclusion No claim is allowed. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARJAN - SABOKTAKIN whose telephone number is (303)297-4278. 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If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /MARJAN SABOKTAKIN/Examiner, Art Unit 3797 /MICHAEL J CAREY/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3795 Application/Control Number: 18/959,637 Page 2 Art Unit: 3797 Application/Control Number: 18/959,637 Page 3 Art Unit: 3797 Application/Control Number: 18/959,637 Page 4 Art Unit: 3797 Application/Control Number: 18/959,637 Page 5 Art Unit: 3797 Application/Control Number: 18/959,637 Page 6 Art Unit: 3797 Application/Control Number: 18/959,637 Page 7 Art Unit: 3797 Application/Control Number: 18/959,637 Page 8 Art Unit: 3797 Application/Control Number: 18/959,637 Page 9 Art Unit: 3797 Application/Control Number: 18/959,637 Page 10 Art Unit: 3797 Application/Control Number: 18/959,637 Page 11 Art Unit: 3797 Application/Control Number: 18/959,637 Page 12 Art Unit: 3797 Application/Control Number: 18/959,637 Page 13 Art Unit: 3797 Application/Control Number: 18/959,637 Page 14 Art Unit: 3797 Application/Control Number: 18/959,637 Page 15 Art Unit: 3797 Application/Control Number: 18/959,637 Page 16 Art Unit: 3797
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