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 Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-8, 15, and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Bergner et al. (2023/0000458).
Regarding claim 1, Bergner discloses a method for transmitting data from a rotating portion of a medical imaging device to a stationary portion of the medical imaging device, the method comprising: transmitting the data via radio transmitters on the rotating portion (Bergner, [0079] transmitters TX) and radio receivers on the stationary portion (Bergner, [0079], receivers RX), wherein each of a plurality of separate transmission pairs is formed (Bergner, [0080]), each of the plurality of separate transmission pairs includes one of the radio transmitters and one of the radio receivers (id.), and radio signals are transmitted from the radio transmitter to the radio receiver in the transmission pairs and a main radiation direction of the radio transmitter relating to the radio signals is tracked to the direction of the radio receiver. (Bergner, [0104], [0105])
Regarding claim 2, Bergner further discloses at least one of: specifying the transmission pairs at a start of the transmitting; or updating the transmission pair during the transmitting in that the radio transmitter of the respective transmission pair is assigned the radio receiver which at least one of has a shortest distance to the radio transmitter or is connectable to the respective radio transmitter via a direct line of sight. (Bergner, [0091])
Regarding claim 3, Bergner further discloses ascertaining at least one of at least one quality parameter relating to a quality of the transmission of the radio signals in the respective transmission pair or at least one rotation parameter relating to a rotation of the rotating portion, wherein the updating is based on the at least one of the at least one quality parameter or the at least one rotation parameter. (Bergner, [0091])
Regarding claim 4, Bergner further discloses during a complete rotation of the rotating portion, each of the radio transmitters forms one of the transmission pairs with each of the radio receivers. (Bergner, [0091])
Regarding claim 5, Bergner discloses a method for transmitting data from a rotating portion of a medical imaging device to a stationary portion of the medical imaging device, the method comprising: transmitting the data via radio transmitters on the rotating portion and radio receivers on the stationary portion, wherein each of a plurality of separate transmission pairs is formed, each of the plurality of separate transmission pairs includes one of the radio transmitters and one of the radio receivers, and radio signals are transmitted from the radio transmitter to the radio receiver in the transmission pairs; for each transmission pair, ascertaining at least one item of assignment information for the radio signals received via the radio receiver, the at least one item of assignment information describing the radio transmitter generated the radio signals; and filtering out radio data received by the radio receiver and not generated by the radio transmitter of the transmission pair using the least one item of assignment information. (In addition to the subject matter discussed with respect to claim 1, see Bergner [0094] regarding signal processing)
Regarding claim 6, Bergner further discloses the at least one item of assignment information is distance information relating to a distance between the respective radio receiver and the radio transmitter via which the respective radio signal was generated, polarization information relating to the polarization of the respective radio signal, or frequency information relating to the frequency or a frequency band of the respective radio signal. (Bergner, [0094], [0097])
Regarding claim 7, Bergner further discloses the at least one item of assignment information is the frequency information, the method further comprising: assigning the radio transmitters to one of a plurality of radio transmitter groups, wherein the radio transmitters in one of the radio transmitter groups generate radio signals in the same frequency range, and radio transmitters in different radio transmitter groups generate radio signals in different frequency ranges. (Bergner, [0094])
Regarding claim 8, Bergner further discloses the radio transmitters have at least one main radiation direction of the radio signals which is fixed with respect to the rotating portion. (Bergner, [0103], [0105])
Regarding claim 15, Bergner discloses a medical imaging facility, comprising: a medical imaging device including a rotating portion and a stationary portion, a plurality of radio transmitters on the rotating portion and a plurality of radio receivers on the stationary portion, wherein the radio transmitters and the radio receivers enable data transmission from the rotating portion to the stationary portion; and one of a control facility configured to generate control signals to control the radio transmitters and the radio receivers such that a plurality of separate transmission pairs are formed, each transmission pair including one of the radio transmitters and one of the radio receivers, wherein radio signals are transmitted from the radio transmitter to the radio receiver in the transmission pairs and a main radiation direction of the radio transmitter relating to the radio signals is tracked to the direction of the radio receiver; a control facility configured to generate control signals to control the radio transmitters and the radio receivers in such that a plurality of separate transmission pairs are formed, each transmission pair including one of the radio transmitters and one of the radio receivers, wherein the control facility is configured to control the medical imaging facility such that radio signals are transmitted from the radio transmitter to the radio receiver in the transmission pairs, at least one item of assignment information is ascertained for the radio signals received via the radio receivers, the at least one item of assignment information describes the radio transmitter which has generated the radio signals, and filter out radio data received by the radio receiver and not generated by the radio transmitter of the transmission pair using the least one item of assignment information; or radio signals transmitted from the radio transmitters to the radio receivers can be coupled into at least one signal conductor leading to the radio receivers and consisting of a dielectric material, wherein the signal conductor has a permittivity that changes transversely to a direction of extension. (Bergner, [0091]-[0094])
Regarding claim 18, Bergner further discloses the medical imaging facility of claim 15, wherein the medical imaging device is a computed tomography device. (Bergner, [0069])
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
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.
Claim(s) 11-13 and 16-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bergner in view of Mahe et al. (WO 2010119207 A1)
Regarding claim 11, Bergner teaches a method for transmitting data from a rotating portion of a medical imaging device to a stationary portion of the medical imaging device, the method comprising: transmitting the data via radio transmitters on the rotating portion and radio receivers on the stationary portion,
Bergner lacks explicit teaching of wherein radio signals transmitted from the radio transmitters to the radio receivers are coupled into at least one signal conductor leading to the radio receivers and consisting of a dielectric material, and the signal conductor has a permittivity that changes transversely to a direction of extension.
Mahe teaches radio signals transmitted from the radio transmitters to the radio receivers are coupled into at least one signal conductor leading to the radio receivers and consisting of a dielectric material, and the signal conductor has a permittivity that changes transversely to a direction of extension.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to use the antenna of Mahe in the gantry data transmission system of Bergner in order to reduce the size of the antenna.
Regarding claim 12, the combination of Bergner and Mahe further teaches the signal conductor includes a plastic. (Mahe, laminated polyimide)
Regarding claim 13, the combination of Bergner and Mahe further teaches the signal conductor has a changing geometric structure, and the changing permittivity is realized via the changing geometric structure. (Mahe, throughout)
Regarding claim 16, while the combination of Bergner and Mahe does not explicitly disclose the plastic is at least one of polystyrene, polyethylene, polypropylene, or polytetrafluorethylene, (Mahe suggest polyimide), nevertheless the selection of a known material based on its suitability for a given purpose is obvious absent unexpected results, see MPEP 2144.07.
Regarding claim 17, the combination of Bergner and Mahe does not explicitly disclose the signal conductor the changing geometric structure is a honeycomb-shaped structure. However, a mere change in shape, in this case from serpentine to honeycomb, that does not significantly change the operational principle of the device would be obvious as a matter of design choice.
Claims 9, 10, and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bergner in view of Murray (9,968,328).
Regarding claim 9, Bergner lacks explicit teaching of the main radiation direction of at least one of the radio transmitters and a main receiving direction of at least one of the radio receivers relating to a spatial direction that is sensitive with respect to the reception of the radio signals point at least one of along or against a direction of rotation relating to the rotation of the rotating portion.
Murray teaches the main radiation direction of at least one of the radio transmitters and a main receiving direction of at least one of the radio receivers relating to a spatial direction that is sensitive with respect to the reception of the radio signals point at least one of along or against a direction of rotation relating to the rotation of the rotating portion. (Murray, Fig. 1, partially echoic chamber and therefore direction of radio wave travel is circumferential with respect to rotation of gantry)
It would have been obvious to incorporate the compact tx/rx positioning of Murray into the information transmission system of Bergner in order to further render the device more compact.
Regarding claim 10, the combination of Bergner and Murray further teaches assigning the radio transmitters to a forward-directed radio transmitter set or a backward-directed radio transmitter set, wherein the radio transmitters with the forward-directed radio transmitter set have main radiation directions pointing along the direction of rotation,the radio transmitters with the backward-directed radio transmitter set have main radiation directions that point against the direction of rotation; and assigning the radio receivers to a forward-directed radio receiver set or a backward-directed radio receiver set, wherein the radio receivers in the forward-directed radio receiver set have main receiving directions that point along the direction of rotation, and the radio receivers in the backward-directed radio receiver set have main receiving directions that point against the direction of rotation. (Murray, Fig. 3)
Regarding claim 14, the combination of Bergner and Murray further teaches the stationary portion has a cylindrical receiving region in which the rotating portion is arranged, the radio transmitters are arranged along a circumference of the rotating portion, the radio receivers are arranged along a circumference of the receiving region. (Murray, Fig. 1)
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EDWIN C GUNBERG whose telephone number is (571)270-3107. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8:30AM-5:00PM.
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/EDWIN C GUNBERG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2884
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