Appeal No. 2007-0204
Application 10/938,966
image in the invention means "switching off" the slice-encoding and rewinder
gradients. Lastly, the only other places the term "disabled" is mentioned in
the Specification are at two places describing that the inventive method of
MR data acquisition
includes prescribing a 3D imaging volume, applying a pulse sequence
that is applicable as a 3D pulse sequence with slice encoding and
rewinder gradients disabled in one dimension, and acquiring 2D MR
data to localize the 3D imaging volume. After the 3D imaging volume
is localized, the disabled slice encoding and rewinder gradients are
enabled and the technique continues by applying the pulse sequence in
three dimensions and acquiring 3D MR data of the 3D
imaging volume. [Emphasis added.]
(Pages 3 and 12.) The term "disabled" is plainly used in the sense of being
opposite to "enabled"; i.e., "disabled" means "turned off" or "inactivated,"
whereas "enabled" means "turned on" or "activated." There is absolutely no
suggestion that "disabled" means "only partly turned off."
While it may be true that "disabled" does not always have to mean
"disabled completely" or "turned off" or "inactivated," the embodiment in
Figures 2, 3, and 4 shows the gradients "disabled completely" and there is no
suggestion that "disabled" to acquire a 2D image means anything other than
"turned off" or "inactivated." As to Appellant's argument that the fact that
gradients are completely turned off in the embodiment in Figure 3 does not
dictate the conclusion that all "disabled" gradients are completely turned off,
Appellant has not pointed to any language which would suggest that
"disabled," as used in this application and as described as being the
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