Appeal No. 1999-2069
Application 08/397,639
at several locations. Kano teaches that a small template ROI is
selected in one image; thus, Kano teaches step i) of setting
template regions on a single radiation image. Kano discloses
using a local matching technique to determine the subregion in a
search ROI which produces the "best" match with a corresponding
template ROI (e.g., col. 6, lines 1-11; col. 7, lines 22-28);
thus, Kano teaches step ii) of carrying out template matching in
the other image. Kano teaches that by applying a local matching
technique to the template ROI and the search ROI, the Cartesian
coordinate location of the center of the "best" match subregion
can be found, which is indicated by (x',y') (e.g., col. 6,
lines 20-22; col. 9, lines 14-18) and this is done for a number
of pairs of templates (col. 9, lines 21-26), which is many more
than three corresponding points as shown in Fig. 6 and Fig. 9
(each intersection point is transformed); thus, Kano teaches
step iii) of obtaining at least three corresponding points in the
two radiation images. Kano teaches that points in one image are
reference corresponding points (Fig. 9; col. 12, lines 8-16) as
recited in step iv).
The Examiner finds that the difference between the subject
matter of claim 1 and Kano is that "Kano uses a nonlinear warping
transform before subtraction rather than an affine
transformation" (EA4). We agree that Kano does not disclose
step v) of calculating factors of affine transformation or
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