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 Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 5, and 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Li et al. (US 2023/0306706 A1, cited by Applicant).
With respect to independent claim 1, Li discloses: an intraoral image displaying method comprising: storing a plurality of optical images (CMYK or RGB images, par. [0038]) for the intraoral cavity including a teeth arrangement (capturing images with an intraoral camera and storing/processing them, par. [0015, 0037]); generating an optical panoramic image for the entire teeth arrangement by stitching the plurality of optical images along a teeth arrangement direction (as shown in Fig. 6A, par. [0077]); and displaying the optical panoramic image (par. [0109]).
With respect to independent claim 5, Li discloses: an intraoral imaging apparatus comprising: an optical image storage part in which a plurality of optical images (CMYK or RGB images, par. [0038]) for the intraoral cavity including a teeth arrangement is stored (capturing images with an intraoral camera and storing/processing them, par. [0015, 0037]); an image generation part configured to generate an optical panoramic image for the teeth arrangement by stitching the plurality of optical images along a teeth arrangement direction (as shown in Fig. 6A, par. [0077]); and a display part configured to display the optical panoramic image (par. [0109]).
With respect to independent claim 7, Li discloses: an intraoral imaging system comprising: an intraoral photographing apparatus (described in step 302, Fig. 3) configured to photograph a plurality of optical images (CMYK or RGB images, par. [0038]) for the intraoral cavity including a teeth arrangement (Fig. 6A); and an intraoral imaging apparatus configured to generate an optical panoramic image for the entire teeth arrangement by stitching the plurality of optical images for the intraoral cavity along a teeth arrangement direction (as shown in Fig. 6A, par. [0077]), the intraoral imaging apparatus being configured to display the optical panoramic image (par. [0109]).
With respect to claim 2, Li discloses the claimed configuration wherein, in the generating of the optical panoramic image, the optical panoramic image is generated on the basis of a sensor value acquired from an inertial sensor included in an intraoral imaging apparatus configured to acquire the plurality of optical images, the sensor value being acquired when the plurality of optical images is acquired (position data is determined, which includes data captured by a gyroscope, accelerator, magnetic sensor, or an inertial measurement unit, par. [0063]).
Claim(s) 1 and 3-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Elbaz et al. (US 2022/0202295 A1, cited by Applicant).
With respect to independent claim 1, Elbaz discloses: an intraoral image displaying method comprising: storing a plurality of optical images (3D scan data or 2D color images, par. [0050]) for the intraoral cavity including a teeth arrangement (the computing device executing the intraoral scan application may receive and store the intraoral scan data, par. [0049]); generating an optical panoramic image for the entire teeth arrangement by stitching the plurality of optical images along a teeth arrangement direction (model generation module may register and “stitch” together the intraoral scans generated from the intraoral scanning session, par. [0154]); and displaying the optical panoramic image (output visualization for review, 988; Fig. 9B).
With respect to independent claim 5, Elbaz discloses: an intraoral imaging apparatus comprising: an optical image storage part in which a plurality of optical images (3D scan data or 2D color images, par. [0050]) for the intraoral cavity including a teeth arrangement is stored (the computing device executing the intraoral scan application may receive and store the intraoral scan data, par. [0049]); an image generation part configured to generate an optical panoramic image for the teeth arrangement by stitching the plurality of optical images along a teeth arrangement direction (model generation module may register and “stitch” together the intraoral scans generated from the intraoral scanning session, par. [0154]); and a display part configured to display the optical panoramic image (output visualization for review, 988; Fig. 9B).
With respect to independent claim 7, Elbaz discloses: an intraoral imaging system comprising: an intraoral photographing apparatus (intraoral scanner, par. [0048]) configured to photograph a plurality of optical images (3D scan data or 2D color images, par. [0050]) for the intraoral cavity including a teeth arrangement (par. [0044]); and an intraoral imaging apparatus configured to generate an optical panoramic image for the entire teeth arrangement by stitching the plurality of optical images for the intraoral cavity along a teeth arrangement direction (model generation module may register and “stitch” together the intraoral scans generated from the intraoral scanning session, par. [0154]), the intraoral imaging apparatus being configured to display the optical panoramic image (output visualization for review, 988; Fig. 9B).
With respect to dependent claims 3, 6, and 8, Elbaz discloses displaying a panoramic image along with multiple other images from different imaging modalities, including x-rays, wherein the image generation part is configured to match and display at least one tooth included in the optical panoramic image and at least one tooth included in the x-ray panoramic image (par. [0110-0111], Fig. 2).
With respect to dependent claim 4, Elbaz discloses generation of a 3D model comprising the various tooth surfaces (par. [0088]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARK R GAWORECKI whose telephone number is (571)272-8540. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8 AM-6 PM.
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/MARK R GAWORECKI/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2884 28 September 2026
