Appeal 2007-2314
Application 10/657,110
based on said volumetric scan data, said endoscope position data, and
said configuration data, displaying representations of said subsurface
structure and said endoscopic line of sight in their correct relative spatial
relationship.
2. PRIOR ART
The Examiner relies on the following references:
Chen US 6,241,657 Jun. 5, 2001
Dohi US 2002/0022767 Feb. 21, 2002
3. OBVIOUSNESS
Claims 9-13 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as obvious over
Chen in view of Dohi. The Examiner relies on Chen for disclosing:
a method for improving a diagnostic or surgical procedure . . .
comprising: acquiring volumetric scan data of a subsurface
structure . . . ; positioning [an] endoscope relative to said
subsurface structure, . . . establishing the position of said
endoscope relative to said subsurface structure . . . ; and based
on said volumetric scan data . . . [and] said endoscope position
data . . . , displaying representations of said subsurface structure
and said endoscopic line of sight . . . in their correct relative
spatial relationship.
(Answer 4-6.)
The Examiner relies on Dohi for disclosing an endoscope with an
internal view changing mechanism (id. at 6-7). The Examiner concludes
that it would have been obvious to use Chen’s endoscope in Dohi’s method
(id. at 7). The Examiner finds that a “skilled artisan would be motivated to
do so because Dohi’s endoscope allows for ‘[provision of] various
endoscope images in good quality without the movement or bending of an
endoscope’” (id. (citing Dohi, ¶ 0008)).
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