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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the medical imaging apparatus claimed in claim 1 must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Objections
Claims 1-10 are objected to because of the following informalities:
(Proposed Amendments) A medical imaging apparatus [[for]] for a gamma-ray detection, comprising:
a detector including a plurality of detector modules, each detector module including a crystal array and a photosensor array coupled to the crystal array, the crystal array including a plurality of scintillation crystals that generate scintillation light in response to gamma-ray interactions occurring therein, the photosensor array including a plurality of photosensors that generate electrical signals upon detecting the scintillation light emitted from the crystal array, each detector module being divided into N light-sharing segments, each of the N light-sharing segments covering M photosensors of the photosensor array, where N and M are integers, N 2, and M [Symbol font/0xB3] 2; and
circuitry including (1) a plurality of sets of M first-level electronic units and (2) a second-level electronic unit, each set of the plurality of sets of M first-level electronic units being configured to read the electrical signals generated by the photosensor array of a corresponding one of the plurality of detector modules,
wherein for each detector module of the plurality of detector modules,
each first-level electronic unit of a corresponding set of M first-level electronic units reads [[the]] electrical signals (a lack of an antecedent basis) generated by N photosensors, in a multiplexing manner, to generate timing, energy, and position readout signals on a single set of readout channels,
the second-level electronic unit processes the timing, energy, and position readout signals output from M sets of readout channels of the set of M first-level electronic units,
with respect to each first-level electronic unit of the set of M first-level electronic units, each of the N photosensors read by the first-level electronic unit is situated in a corresponding different one of the N light-sharing segments, and
with respect to each light-sharing segment of the N light-sharing segments, each of the M photosensors of the photosensor array covered by the light-sharing segment is read by a corresponding different first- level electronic unit of the set of M first-level electronic units.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claims 2-9 are objected to because of the following informalities:
(Proposed Amendments) The medical imaging apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second-level electronic unit is further configured to:
upon the set of M first-level electronic units being triggered by a gamma-ray detection event, acquire the timing, energy, and position readout signals from the set of M first-level electronic units,
identify a particular light-sharing segment within which an energy was deposited by gamma-ray interactions occurring during the gamma-ray detection event, based on [[the]] an acquired energy and position readout signals (a lack of an antecedent basis), and
determine, based on the acquired timing, energy, and position readout signals, a set of timing, energy, and position readout signals with respect to the gamma-ray interactions occurring during the gamma-ray detection event.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 3 is objected to because of the following informalities:
3. (Proposed Amendments) The medical imaging apparatus of claim 2, wherein each light-sharing segment of the N light-sharing segments is configured to encode depth of interaction (DOI) information of gamma-ray interactions occurring therewithin,
the second-level electronic unit is further configured to determine a 3D position signal, as [[the]] the 3D position signal with respect to the gamma-ray interactions occurring during the gamma-ray detection event, and
the 3D position signal includes position information of the gamma-ray interactions occurring during the gamma-ray detection event, in a depth direction of the plurality of scintillation crystals (a previously recited limitation in claim 1).
Appropriate correction is required.
Claims 4-8 are objected to because of the following informalities:
(Proposed Amendments) The medical imaging apparatus of claim 2, wherein the particular light-sharing segment includes up to three involved light-sharing segments within which an energy is deposited by the gamma-ray interactions occurring during the gamma-ray detection event, and the second-level electronic unit is further configured to:
for each first-level electronic unit of the set of M first-level electronic units, calculate a pair of measured positions based on the acquired energy and position readout signals,
use the calculated [[pairs]] pair of measured positions to identify the up to three involved light- sharing segments, based on a particular look-up table from a pre-prepared set of look-up tables, each look-up table corresponding to a probable segment-combination of up to three light-sharing segments within which an energy is deposited by gamma-ray interactions occurring during a gamma-ray detection event,
determine a signal level at each photosensor within the identified up to three involved light-sharing segments, based on the calculated [[pairs]] pair of measured positions, peak positions in the particular look-up table that represent positions of corresponding single-light-sharing-segment gamma-ray detection events, and the acquired energy readout signals, and
determine the set of timing, energy, and position readout signals, based on the determined signal levels at each photosensor within the identified up to three involved light-sharing segments and the acquired energy and timing readout signals.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claims 11-19 are objected to because of the following informalities:
11. (Proposed Amendments) A method for reading and processing electric signals in a medical imaging apparatus [[for]] for a gamma-ray detection, the medical imaging apparatus including a detector and circuitry, the detector including a plurality of detector modules, each detector module including a crystal array and a photosensor array coupled to the crystal array, the crystal array including a plurality of scintillation crystals that generate scintillation light in response to gamma-ray interactions occurring therein, the photosensor array including a plurality of photosensors that generate electrical signals upon detecting the scintillation light emitted from the crystal array, each detector module being divided into N light-sharing segments, each of the N light-sharing segments covering M photosensors of the photosensor array, where N and M are integers, N [Symbol font/0xB3] 2, and M [Symbol font/0xB3] 2, the circuitry including (1) a plurality of sets of M first-level electronics and (2) a second-level electronic unit, each set of the plurality of sets of M first-level electronic units being configured to read the electrical signals generated by the photosensor array of a corresponding one of the plurality of detector modules,
the method comprising, for each detector module of the plurality of detector modules:
reading via each first-level electronic unit of a corresponding set of M first-level electronic units, [[the]] electrical signals (a lack of an antecedent basis) generated by N photosensors in a multiplexing manner to generate timing, energy, and position readout signals on a single set of readout channels; and
processing via the second-level electronic unit, the timing, energy, and position readout signals output from M sets of readout channels of the set of M first-level electronic units, wherein
with respect to each first-level electronic unit of the set of M first-level electronic units, each of the N photosensors read by the first-level electronic unit tis situated in a corresponding different one of the N light-sharing segments, and
with respect to each light-sharing segment of the N light-sharing segments, each of the M photosensors of the photosensor array covered by the light-sharing segment is read by a corresponding different first-level electronic unit of the set of M first-level electronic units.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claims 12-19 are objected to because of the following informalities:
12. (Proposed Amendments) The method of claim 11, wherein the processing step further comprises:
upon the set of M first-level electronic units being triggered by a gamma-ray detection event, acquiring the timing, energy, and position readout signals from the set of M first-level electronic units,
identifying a particular light-sharing segment within which an energy was deposited by gamma-ray interactions occurring during the gamma-ray detection event, based on [[the]] an acquired energy and position readout signals (a lack of an antecedent basis), and
determining, based on the acquired timing, energy, and position readout signals, a set of timing, energy, and position readout signals with respect to the gamma-ray interactions occurring during the gamma-ray detection event.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 13 is objected to because of the following informalities:
13. (Proposed Amendments) The method of claim 12, wherein each light-sharing segment of the N light-sharing segments is configured to encode depth of interaction (DOI) information of gamma-ray interactions occurring therewithin,
the determining step further comprises determining a 3D position signal, as [[the]] the 3D position signal with respect to the gamma-ray interactions occurring during the gamma-ray detection event, and
the 3D position signal includes position information of the gamma-ray interactions occurring during the gamma-ray detection event, in a depth direction of the plurality of scintillation crystals (a previously recited limitation in claim 11).
Appropriate correction is required.
Claims 14-18 are objected to because of the following informalities:
14. (Proposed Amendments) The method of claim 12, wherein the particular light-sharing segment includes up to three involved light-sharing segments within which an energy is deposited by the gamma-ray interactions occurring during the gamma-ray detection event, and the [[steps]] step of identifying and the step of determining further comprise:
for each first-level electronic unit of the set of M first-level electronic units, calculating a pair of measured positions based on the acquired energy and position readout signals,
using the calculated [[pairs]] pair of measured positions to identify the up to three involved light- sharing segments, based on a particular look-up table from a pre-prepared set of look-up tables, each look-up table corresponding to a probable segment-combination of up to three light-sharing segments within which an energy is deposited by gamma-ray interactions occurring during a gamma-ray detection event,
determining a signal level at each photosensor within the identified up to three involved light-sharing segments, based on the calculated [[pairs]] pair of measured positions, peak positions in the particular look-up table that represent positions of corresponding single-light-sharing-segment gamma-ray detection events, and the acquired energy readout signals, and
determining the set of timing, energy, and position readout timing signals, based on the determined signal levels at each photosensor within the identified up to three involved light-sharing segments and the acquired energy and timing readout signals.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 20 is objected to because of the following informalities:
20. (Proposed Amendments) A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored therein that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform a method for reading and processing electric signals in a medical imaging apparatus [[for]] for a gamma-ray detection, the medical imaging apparatus including a detector and circuitry, the detector including a plurality of detector modules, each detector module including a crystal array and a photosensor array coupled to the crystal array, the crystal array including a plurality of scintillation crystals that generate scintillation light in response to gamma-ray interactions occurring therein, the photosensor array including a plurality of photosensors that generate electrical signals upon detecting the scintillation light emitted from the crystal array, each detector module being divided into N light-sharing segments, each of the N light-sharing segments covering M photosensors of the photosensor array, where N and M are integers, N [Symbol font/0xB3] 2, and M [Symbol font/0xB3] 2, the circuitry including (1) a plurality of sets of M first-level electronic units and (2) a second-level electronic unit, each set of the plurality of sets of M first-level electronic units being configured to read the electrical signals generated by the photosensor array of a corresponding one of the plurality of detector modules,
the method comprising, for each detector module of the plurality of detector modules:
reading via each first-level electronic unit of a corresponding set of M first-level electronic units, [[the]] electrical signals (a lack of an antecedent basis) generated by N photosensors in a multiplexing manner to generate timing, energy, and position readout signals on a single set of readout channels; and
processing via the second-level electronic unit, the timing, energy, and position readout signals output from M sets of readout channels of the set of M first-level electronic units, wherein
with respect to each first-level electronic unit of the set of M first-level electronic units, each of the N photosensors read by the first-level electronic unit is situated in a corresponding different one of the N light-sharing segments, and
with respect to each light-sharing segment of the N light-sharing segments, each of the M photosensors of the photosensor array covered by the light-sharing segment is read by a corresponding different first-level electronic unit of the set of M first-level electronic units.
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 pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, 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 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, 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.
Claim 1 recites a limitation “the first-level electronic unit” in line 21, which renders the claim indefinite. There is insufficient antecedent basis for the limitation in the claim.
Claim 1 recites a limitation “the light-sharing segment” in line 24, which renders the claim indefinite. There is insufficient antecedent basis for the limitation in the claim.
Claim 2 recites a limitation “the acquired energy and position readout signals” in lines 7-8, which renders the claim indefinite. There is insufficient antecedent basis for the limitation in the claim.
Claim 4 recites a limitation “the acquired energy and position readout signals” in line 6, which renders the claim indefinite. There is insufficient antecedent basis for the limitation in the claim.
Claim 4 recites a limitation “the acquired energy readout signals” in line 15, which renders the claim indefinite. There is insufficient antecedent basis for the limitation in the claim.
Claim 4 recites a limitation “the acquired energy and timing readout signals” in lines 17-18, which renders the claim indefinite. There is insufficient antecedent basis for the limitation in the claim.
Claim 11 recites a limitation “the first-level electronic unit” in line 22, which renders the claim indefinite. There is insufficient antecedent basis for the limitation in the claim.
Claim 11 recites a limitation “the light-sharing segment” in line 25, which renders the claim indefinite. There is insufficient antecedent basis for the limitation in the claim.
Claim 12 recites a limitation “the acquired energy and position readout signals” in lines 6-7, which renders the claim indefinite. There is insufficient antecedent basis for the limitation in the claim.
Claim 14 recites a limitation “the acquired energy and position readout signals” in line 6, which renders the claim indefinite. There is insufficient antecedent basis for the limitation in the claim.
Claim 14 recites a limitation “the acquired energy readout signals” in line 15, which renders the claim indefinite. There is insufficient antecedent basis for the limitation in the claim.
Claim 14 recites a limitation “the acquired energy and timing readout signals” in lines 17-18, which renders the claim indefinite. There is insufficient antecedent basis for the limitation in the claim.
Claim 20 recites a limitation “the first-level electronic unit” in line 24, which renders the claim indefinite. There is insufficient antecedent basis for the limitation in the claim.
Claim 20 recites a limitation “the light-sharing segment” in line 27, which renders the claim indefinite. There is insufficient antecedent basis for the limitation in the claim.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-20 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Dolinsky (U. S. Patent No. 12,669,624 B2) disclosed systems and methods for time-of-flight positron emission tomography.
Teshigawara (U. S. Patent No. 12,569,208 B2) disclosed a PET apparatus, an image-processing method, and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium.
Braeuninger-Weimer et al. (U. S. Patent No. 12,449,554 B2) disclosed scintillator detectors and methods for position emission tomography.
Labella et al. (U. S. Patent No. 12,360,262 B2) disclosed a system and a method for power-efficient multiplexing with modules with inter-crystal light sharing for high-resolution time-of-flight positron emission tomography.
Seaver et al. (U. S. Patent No. 12,013,503 B2) disclosed readouts of a lateral crystal photodiode and switched diode networks for processing nuclear events.
Cottrell et al. (U. S. Patent No. 11,445,995 B2) disclosed a gradient index scintillator for an improved resolution.
Chen et al. (U. S. Patent No. 11,307,313 B2) disclosed systems comprising a detector module and methods for PET imaging.
Burr et al. (U. S. Patent No. 11,255,985 B2) disclosed an apparatus and a method for using a broad-spectrum energy source to correct a nonlinear energy response of a gamma-ray detector.
Chen (U. S. Patent No. 10,799,195 B2) disclosed a system and a method for positron emission tomography.
Qiang et al. (U. S. Patent No. 10,782,429 B2) disclosed an apparatus and a method for using a single energy source to determine an energy correction for a gamma detector.
Qiang et al. (U. S. Patent No. 10,768,318 B2) disclosed an apparatus and a method to determine an energy correction arising from a multi-channel detection in a gamma detector exhibiting a non-linear energy measurement or cross-talk among channels.
Cho et al. (U. S. Patent No. 10,527,741 B2) disclosed a setup of SiPM-based PET detector with LSO background radiation.
Li et al. (U. S. Patent No. 10,502,847 B2) disclosed devices, systems, and methods for determining a depth of interaction in detectors in positron emission tomography.
Solf (U. S. Patent No. 10,078,141 B2) disclosed timestamping detected radiation quanta.
Miyaoka et al. (U. S. Patent No. 8,716,669 B2) disclosed an estimation of a line of response (LOR) for a high-resolution PET detector.
Cook et al. (U. S. Patent No. 8,530,846 B2) disclosed an apparatus and methods for a scatter recovery in detectors in nuclear medicine imaging systems.
Woldemichael (U. S. Patent No. 8,481,947 B2) disclosed a system and a method for nuclear imaging with a multi-zone detector architecture.
Burr (U. S. Patent No. 8,294,110 B2) disclosed a method for an improved correction of a SiPM non-linearity in multiplexed radiation detectors.
Weinberg et al. (U. S. Patent No. 7,800,070 B2) disclosed quantum detectors and related methods.
Petrillo et al. (U. S. Patent No. 6,160,259 A) disclosed a channel-specific control of a pulse integration in a gamma camera system in response to a pulse pile-up.
Nelleman et al. (U. S. Patent No. 5,760,401 A) disclosed a resolution enhancement apparatus and a method for a dual-head gamma camera system capable of coincidence imaging.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Allen C. Ho, whose telephone number is (571) 272-2491. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 10AM - 6PM.
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Allen C. Ho, Ph.D.
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2884
/Allen C. Ho/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2884 Allen.Ho@uspto.gov
Prosecution Insights