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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of claims 1-9 in the reply filed on 1/19/2026 is acknowledged. Claims 7-9 are withdrawn.
Claim Objections
Claim 5 is objected to because of the following informalities:
In claim 5, "to 5DoF Inverse model" should be changed to "to a 5Dof model" for grammar.
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.
Claims 1-7 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.
Regarding claim 1, in line 16, the limitation "an AC magnetic field" has unclear antecedent basis. It is unclear how this AC magnetic field relates to the AC magnetic field previously set forth. For examination purposes, this limitation will be interpreted as reciting "the AC magnetic field".
Regarding claim 1, in line 17, the limitation "an AC current" has unclear antecedent basis. It is unclear how this AC current relates to the AC current previously set forth. For examination purposes, this limitation will be interpreted as reciting "the AC current".
Regarding claim 2, the limitations "a first electromagnet", "a second electromagnet", and "a third electromagnet" have unclear antecedent basis. It is unclear how these electromagnets relates to the first, second, and third electromagnets previously set forth. For examination purposes, these limitations will be interpreted as referring to the previously set forth first, second, and third electromagnets.
Regarding claim 5, the limitation "an X-ray image" has unclear antecedent basis. It is unclear how this an X-ray image relates to the X-ray image previously set forth. For examination purposes, this limitation will be interpreted as reciting "the X-ray image".
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-7 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
The prior art does not disclose the limitations set forth in independent claim 1. Specifically, although individual pieces of prior art disclose the limitations related to using x-ray to generate an image, selection a target, generating a path, and using AC electromagnetic tracking, having three electromagnetic coils for tracking using AC current, and using DC current to steer an in-vivo surgical device, the prior art does not additional disclose the limitations related to the extraction, integration, and conversion operations of AC tracking in combination with these other aspects.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US20190365486 – discloses the limitations relating to using x-ray to generate an image, selection a target, generating a path, and using AC electromagnetic tracking but not the limitations related to DC magnetic steering and not the additional details about the extraction, integration, and conversion operations of AC tracking
US20210341279 – discloses the limitations related to having three electromagnetic coils for tracking using AC current
US20120149981 – discloses using DC current to steer an in-vivo surgical device
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/JOHN D LI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3798