IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,721,600
Granted Patent B2
US 12,721,600 · App. 16/964,057 · Granted Sep 1, 2026

Acoustic field mapping with ultrasonic particle velocity estimator

Inventor: Shmuel Ben-Ezra (Pardes-Hanna, IL)
Assignee: NINA MEDICAL LTD
A61B8/4488A61B8/4477A61B8/488A61B8/52A61B8/5223A61B34/30A61N7/00A61B8/4405A61N2007/0056
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,721,600
App. No.
16/964,057
Granted
Sep 1, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A first transducer ( 20 ) transmits a first acoustic field ( 22 ) at a first frequency into a region ( 24 ) of a medium ( 26 ), generating oscillatory motion of scatterers ( 28 ) disposed in the region. A second transducer ( 30 ) transmits acoustic pulses ( 32, 34 ) into the region, and receives respective echoes of each pulse scattering off an oscillating scatterer in the region. The pulses are synchronized with the first acoustic field such that a first pulse scatters off the oscillating scatterer when the scatterer is at a first displacement extremum ( 36 ), and a second pulse scatters off the oscillating scatterer when the scatterer is at a second displacement extremum ( 38 ) that is opposite the first displacement extremum. A computer processor ( 29 ) extracts a time shift between the received echoes, calculates a displacement amplitude of the scatterer, and outputs an indication of the displacement amplitude of the scatterer. Other applications are also described.

Claims (34)

1 . An apparatus for use with a focal region of high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) energy, the apparatus comprising:

a first ultrasound transducer configured to transmit a first acoustic field by emitting the HIFU energy into a medium at a first frequency, a propagation of the first acoustic field generating oscillatory motion at the first frequency of scatterers disposed in the medium, (i) each scatterer oscillating around a respective equilibrium position, and (ii) the oscillatory motion of the scatterers being an acoustic particle-velocity of the first acoustic field;

an acoustic probe,

wherein the acoustic probe is configured to emit pulse-echo ultrasound energy into the medium at an imaging frequency, and

wherein an acoustic element selected from a group consisting of the first ultrasound transducer, a second ultrasound transducer, and the acoustic probe is configured to (i) transmit a plurality of pairs of first and second acoustic pulses into the focal region in a plurality of respective directions while the HIFU energy is being emitted, each pulse having a center frequency that is higher than the first frequency, a time interval between the first and second pulses of each respective pair being n+0.5 times a period of the first acoustic field, n being a positive integer, and (ii) receive respective pairs of echoes of each pair of pulses scattering off a respective oscillating scatterer in the focal region,

the plurality of pairs of first and second pulses being synchronized with the first acoustic field such that, for each pair, the first pulse scatters off the respective oscillating scatterer when the respective oscillating scatterer is at a first displacement extremum with respect to the equilibrium position, and the second pulse scatters off the respective oscillating scatterer when the respective oscillating scatterer is at a second displacement extremum that is opposite the first displacement extremum with respect to the equilibrium position; and

a computer processor configured to (a) generate a real-time sonogram of the medium based on reflections of the pulse-echo ultrasound energy that is transmitted by the acoustic probe, (b) extract respective time shifts, each respective time shift being between the received echoes of a respective pair of echoes that are due to motion of the respective oscillating scatterer, (c) based on the extracted respective time shifts, calculate displacement amplitudes of the respective oscillating scatterers, and (d) generate a map of the displacement amplitudes on a portion of the sonogram corresponding to the focal region.

2 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the acoustic element comprises the acoustic probe.

3 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the acoustic element comprises the first ultrasound transducer.

4 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first frequency is 0.1-5 MHz.

5 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the center frequency of each pulse is 5 to 50 times higher than the first frequency.

6 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a single housing to which the first ultrasound transducer and the acoustic element are coupled, wherein the housing aligns the first acoustic field and the acoustic pulses to be parallel or anti-parallel.

7 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the computer processor is further configured to (a) based on the displacement amplitudes, calculate velocity amplitudes of the first acoustic field in the focal region, and (b) generate a map of the velocity amplitudes on a portion of the sonogram corresponding to the focal region.

8 . The apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the computer processor is further configured to (a) based on the velocity amplitudes, calculate intensities of the first acoustic field in the focal region, and (b) generate a map of the intensities of the first acoustic field on a portion of the sonogram corresponding to the focal region.

9 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the medium is tissue of a body of a subject and wherein the first ultrasound transducer is configured to cause a therapeutic effect in the tissue by emitting the HIFU energy into the tissue, and wherein the computer processor is further configured to:

(a) based on the displacement amplitudes, calculate velocity amplitudes of the first acoustic field in the focal region;

(b) monitor a change in a mechanical property of the tissue by monitoring a time variation of the displacement amplitudes; and

(c) in response to the monitoring, terminate the first acoustic field when the mechanical property of the tissue reaches a threshold value.

10 . The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the mechanical property of the tissue is mechanical impedance of the tissue, and wherein the computer processor is configured to (a) monitor a change in the mechanical impedance of the tissue by monitoring a time variation of the displacement amplitudes, and (b) in response to the monitoring, terminate the first acoustic field when the mechanical impedance of the tissue reaches a threshold value.

11 . The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the computer processor is configured to monitor the change in the mechanical property of the tissue over a time period that is 1-120 seconds long.

12 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:

the medium is tissue of a body of a subject and wherein the first ultrasound transducer is configured to cause a therapeutic effect in the tissue by emitting the HIFU energy into the tissue,

the first ultrasound transducer is configured to operate in distinct calibration and therapy modes to facilitate application of therapeutic HIFU energy to a target location, in each of the modes emitting the HIFU energy with one or more differing respective parameters, and

the computer processor is configured to vary the one or more respective parameters such that when the first ultrasound transducer operates in the therapeutic mode the HIFU energy causes the therapeutic effect in the tissue whereas when the first ultrasound transducer is operating in the calibration mode the HIFU energy does not cause the therapeutic effect in the tissue.

13 . The apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the computer processor is configured to vary a duration of a HIFU-pulse of the HIFU energy, such that when the first ultrasound transducer operates in the therapeutic mode the duration of the HIFU-pulse is longer than the duration of the HIFU-pulse is when the first ultrasound transducer operates in the calibration mode.

14 . The apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the computer processor is configured to vary a duty-cycle of the HIFU energy, such that when the first ultrasound transducer operates in the therapeutic mode the duty-cycle is higher than the duty-cycle is when the first ultrasound transducer operates in the calibration mode.

15 . The apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the computer processor is configured to vary a power of the HIFU energy, such that when the first ultrasound transducer operates in the therapeutic mode the power of the HIFU energy is higher than the power of the HIFU energy is when the first ultrasound transducer operates in the calibration mode.

16 . The apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the computer processor is configured to monitor the tissue when the first ultrasound transducer operates in the therapeutic mode and to vary the parameters of the therapeutic mode according to the monitoring in order to alter an effect on the tissue.

17 . The apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the apparatus comprises a targeting unit configured to move the focal region of the HIFU energy when the first ultrasound transducer operates in the calibration mode.

18 . The apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein the targeting unit is configured such that manual movement of the targeting unit moves the focal region of the HIFU energy within the medium by moving the first ultrasound transducer with respect to the medium.

19 . The apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein:

(A) the computer processor is further configured to (i) based on the displacement amplitudes, calculate velocity amplitudes of the first acoustic field in the focal region, (ii) generate a map of the velocity amplitudes on a portion of the sonogram corresponding to the focal region, (iii) based on the velocity amplitudes, calculate intensities of the first acoustic field in the focal region, and (iv) generate a map of the intensities of the first acoustic field on a portion of the sonogram corresponding to the focal region, and

(B) the targeting unit comprises (i) a first-transducer controller and (ii) targeting circuitry configured to (a) obtain data corresponding to the focal region of the HIFU energy on a map selected from the group consisting of: the map of displacement amplitudes, the map of velocity amplitudes, and the map of intensities, (b) obtain data corresponding to a target location in the medium, and (c) send an electric signal to the first-transducer controller, wherein the first-transducer controller is configured to receive the electric signal and in response thereto move the focal region of the HIFU energy toward the target location within the medium.

20 . The apparatus according to claim 19 , wherein the first-transducer controller is configured to (a) move the focal region of the HIFU energy with respect to the first ultrasound transducer, and (b) change a size of the focal region of the HIFU energy by applying phased-array control to the HIFU energy emitted by the first ultrasound transducer.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 9, 2020
From: BEN-EZRA, SHMUEL
To: NINA MEDICAL LTD
Reel/Frame 053725/0260 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62621140 · Jan 24, 2018
Related Publication 20210045714A1 · Feb 18, 2021
References Cited (130)
US 5086775A · Parker et al. · 1992 [cited by applicant]
US 5109857A · Roundhill et al. · 1992 [cited by applicant]
US 5224482A · Nikoonahad et al. · 1993 [cited by applicant]
US 5425370A · Vilkomerson · 1995 [cited by examiner]
US 5472405A · Buchholtz et al. · 1995 [cited by applicant]
US 5919139A · Lin · 1999 [cited by applicant]
US 6086535A · Ishibashi et al. · 2000 [cited by applicant]
US 6128523A · Bechtold et al. · 2000 [cited by applicant]
US 6425867B1 · Vaezy et al. · 2002 [cited by applicant]
US 6454713B1 · Ishibashi et al. · 2002 [cited by applicant]
US 6485423B2 · Angelsen et al. · 2002 [cited by applicant]
US 6786097B2 · Song et al. · 2004 [cited by applicant]
US 6875176B2 · Mourad et al. · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 7876149B2 · Song et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 8337434B2 · Vaezy et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 8743657B1 · Barton, III et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 9107798B2 · Azhari et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9420988B2 · Anand et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9743909B1 · Sapozhnikov · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 10154826B2 · Singh et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 10281568B2 · Oelze et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20030115963A1 · Song et al. · 2003 [cited by applicant]
US 20030204141A1 · Nock et al. · 2003 [cited by applicant]
US 20040003430A1 · Hauptmann et al. · 2004 [cited by applicant]
US 20040034304A1 · Sumi · 2004 [cited by examiner]
US 20040034305A1 · Song et al. · 2004 [cited by applicant]
US 20040267129A1 · Angelsen et al. · 2004 [cited by applicant]
US 20050203399A1 · Vaezy et al. · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 20070106157A1 · Kaczkowski · 2007 [cited by examiner]
US 20070167774A1 · Jeong et al. · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 20070232912A1 · Chen et al. · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 20070239077A1 · Azhari et al. · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 20070276245A1 · Konofagou · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 20080058682A1 · Azhari et al. · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 20080097207A1 · Cai · 2008 [cited by examiner]
US 20080312561A1 · Chauhan · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 20090124203A1 · Song et al. · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 20090209858A1 · Oelze · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 20100160781A1 · Carter et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20100274130A1 · Anand et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20100274161A1 · Azhari et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20100280373A1 · Fan et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20100286514A1 · Leighton et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20110184322A1 · Brawer et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20110251524A1 · Azhari et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20130184580A1 · Lause · 2013 [cited by examiner]
US 20140147013A1 · Shandas et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140150556A1 · Angelsen et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20150164480A1 · Watanabe · 2015 [cited by examiner]
US 20160012114A1 · Osborne et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20160120511A1 · Azuma et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20160131749A1 · Kim · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20160262727A1 · Dayton et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20170008025A1 · Vincent · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20170036040A1 · Bergfjord et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20170080259A1 · Lu · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20180145770A1 · Oelze et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20190038253A1 · Song et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20190175139A1 · Singh et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20190232090A1 · Ben-Ezra · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20190290939A1 · Watson et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20190314646A1 · Song et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
KR 20130034987 · 2013 [cited by applicant]
KR 20170091813A · 2017 [cited by applicant]
WO 20130047960A1 · 2013 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2013047960A1 · 2013 [cited by examiner]
WO 2018015944A1 · 2018 [cited by applicant]
WO 2020181290A1 · 2020 [cited by applicant]
Vaezy et al. (“Real-Time Visualization of High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound Treatment Using Ultrasound Imaging”), 2001, Ultrasound in Med. & Biol., vol. 27, No. 1, pp. 33-43 (Year: 2001). [cited by examiner]
Jeong et al. (“Adaptive HIFU noise cancellation for simultaneous therapy and imaging using an integrated HIFU/imaging transducer”). 2010. Physics in Medicine and Biology. vol. 55, 1889-1902 (Year: 2010). [cited by examiner]
Supplementary European Search Report for European Application No. 19743270, issued Sep. 22, 2021, 5pp. [cited by applicant]
European Search Report dated Dec. 8, 2020, which issued during the prosecution of Applicant's European App No. 17830598.3. [cited by applicant]
Real-time visualization of high-intensity focused ultrasound treatment using ultrasound imaging (Vaezy et al., Ultrasound in Med. & Biol., vol. 27, No. 1, 2001). [cited by applicant]
Hyperecho in ultrasound images of HIFU therapy: involvement of cavitation (Rabkin et al., Ultrasound in Med. & Biol., vol. 31, No. 7, 2005). [cited by applicant]
Acoustic characterization of high intensity focused ultrasound fields: A combined measurement and modeling approach (Canney et al., The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, vol. 124, No. 4, pp. 2406-2420, Oct. … [cited by applicant]
Passive cavitation imaging with ultrasound arrays (Salgaonkar et al., The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, vol. 126, No. 6, Dec. 2009). [cited by applicant]
Passive spatial mapping of inertial cavitation during hifu exposure (Gyongy et al., IEEE Transactions On Biomedical Engineering, vol. 57, No. 1, Jan. 2010). [cited by applicant]
Combined passive detection and ultrafast active imaging of cavitation events induced by short pulses of high-intensity ultrasound (Gateau et al., IEEE Transactions on Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics, and Frequency Control, … [cited by applicant]
Spatiotemporal Monitoring of High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound Therapy with Passive Acoustic Mapping (Jensen et al., Radiology: vol. 2262: No. 1, Jan. 2012). [cited by applicant]
In Vivo Application and Localization of Transcranial Focused Ultrasound Using Dual-Mode Ultrasound Arrays (Haritonova et al., IEEE Transactions on Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics, and Frequency Control, vol. 62, No. 12, pp.… [cited by applicant]
Passive acoustic mapping utilizing optimal beamforming in ultrasound therapy monitoring (Coviello et al., The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, vol. 137, No. 5, May 2015). [cited by applicant]
Real-time monitoring of HIFU treatment using pulse inversion (Song et al., Physics in Medicine & Biology, vol. 58, No. 15, Jul. 17, 2013). [cited by applicant]
Quantitative frequency-domain passive cavitation imaging (Haworth et al., IEEE Transactions on Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics, and Frequency Control, vol. 64, No. 1, Jan. 2017). [cited by applicant]
In vivo real-time cavitation imaging in moving organs (Arnal et al., Physics in Medicine & Biology, vol. 62, No. 3, Jan. 10, 2017). [cited by applicant]
Visualization of the intensity field of a focused ultrasound source in situ (Nguyen et al., IEEE Transactions on Medical Imaging, vol. 38, No. 1, pp. 124-133, Jan. 2019) [Per IEEE: this article was publicly available as… [cited by applicant]
Singular value decomposition of received ultrasound signal to separate tissue, blood flow, and cavitation signals (Ikeda et al., Japanese Journal of Applied Physics, vol. 57, 2018). [cited by applicant]
2D and 3D real-time passive cavitation imaging of pulsed cavitation ultrasound therapy in moving tissues (Suarez et al., Physics in Medicine & Biology, vol. 63, No. 23, Dec. 6, 2018). [cited by applicant]
PCT Search Report for International Application No. PCT/IL2019/050089, mailed Jun. 18, 2019, 2 pp. [cited by applicant]
PCT Written Opinion for International Application No. PCT/IL2019/050089, mailed Jun. 18, 2019, 5 pp. [cited by applicant]
PCT Preliminary Report on Patentability for International Application No. PCT/IL2019/050089, dated Jan. 22, 2019, 6 pp. [cited by applicant]
An Office Action summarized English translation and Search Report dated Apr. 26, 2021, which issued during the prosecution of Chinese Patent Application No. 201780055779.9. [cited by applicant]
PCT Preliminary Report for International Application No. PCT/IL2019/050089; mailed Jul. 28, 2020; 6 pp. [cited by applicant]
An Office Action dated Mar. 10, 2021, which issued during the prosecution of U.S. Appl. No. 16/246,522. [cited by applicant]
Bonnefous, O., and Patrick Pesque. “Time domain formulation of pulse-Doppler ultrasound and blood velocity estimation by cross correlation.” Ultrasonic imaging 8.2 (1986): 73-85. [cited by applicant]
Kasai, Chihiro, et al. “Real-time two-dimensional blood flow imaging using an autocorrelation technique.” IEEE Transactions on sonics and ultrasonics 32.3 (1985): 458-464. [cited by applicant]
Jensen, Jørgen Arendt. “Implementation of ultrasound time-domain cross-correlation blood velocity estimators.” IEEE transactions on biomedical engineering 40.5 (1993): 468-474. [cited by applicant]
Munk, Peter. Estimation of blood velocity vectors using ultrasound. Diss. Department of Information Technology, Technical University of Denmark, 2000. [cited by applicant]
Pulse Shapes, https://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/users/menke/radar/pulse/index.html, downloaded Jan. 21, 2018. [cited by applicant]
1 Office Action for United States U.S. Appl. No. 16/246,522, mailed Aug. 23, 2021, 48pp. [cited by applicant]
PCT International Search Report for International Application No. PCT/IL2021/0513001, mailed Jan. 28, 2022, 2pp. [cited by applicant]
PCT Written Opinion for International Application No. PCT/IL2021/0513001, mailed Jan. 28, 2022, 7pp. [cited by applicant]
“Tissue Harmonic Imaging: A Review” [W.R. Hedrick Linda Metzger, Journal of Diagnostic Medical Sonography, vol. 21, issue 3, May 2005]. [cited by applicant]
“Feasibility study of ultrasonic computed tomography-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound” [Haim Azhari, Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology, vol. 38, issue 4, Apr. 2012]—Abstract. [cited by applicant]
“Temperature dependence of acoustic harmonics generated by nonlinear ultrasound beam propagation in ex vivo issue and tissue-mimicking phantoms” [Maraghechi et al., International Journal of Hyperthermia, 31:6, published… [cited by applicant]
“Photoacoustics: a historical review” [Manohar et al., Advances in Optics and Photonics, vol. 8, issue 4, published Oct. 20, 2016]. [cited by applicant]
“Objective breast tissue image classification using Quantitative Transmission ultrasound tomography” [Malik et al., Scientific Reports 6, article 38857, published Dec. 9, 2016]. [cited by applicant]
“Quantitative transmission ultrasound tomography:imaging and performance characteristics” [Malik et al., Med. Phys. 15(7), published May 28, 2018]. [cited by applicant]
“Nonlinear acoustics and imaging” [Thomas L. Szabo, in Diagnostic Ultrasound Imaging, 2004, chapter 12.5.1]—Abstract. [cited by applicant]
“Advanced and emerging surgical technologies and the process of innovation” [Russell K. Woo, Thomas M. Krummel, Pediatric Surgery (Sixth Edition), 2006]—Abstract. [cited by applicant]
U.S. Appl. No. 62/621,140, filed Jan. 24, 2018. [cited by applicant]
An International Search Report and a Written Opinion both dated Oct. 17, 2017, which issued during the prosecution of Applicant's PCT/IL2017/050799. [cited by applicant]
An International Search Report and a Written Opinion both dated Jun. 18, 2019, which issued during the prosecution of Applicant's PCT/IL2019/050089. [cited by applicant]
“An axial velocity estimator for ultrasound blood flow imaging, based on a full evaluation of the Doppler equation by means of a two-dimensional autocorrelation approach” [Loupas et al., IEEE Transactions on Ultrasonics… [cited by applicant]
“Low-order complex AR models for mean and maximum frequency estimation in the context of Doppler color flow mapping” [Loupas et al., IEEE Transactions on Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics, and Frequency Control, vol. 37, No. … [cited by applicant]
“Experimental evaluation of velocity and power estimation for ultrasound blood flow imaging, by means of a two- dimensional autocorrelation approach” [Loupas et al, IEEE Transactions on Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics, and … [cited by applicant]
“Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse (ARFI) Imaging: a Review” [Kathy Nightingale, Curr Med Imaging Rev. Nov. 1, 2011; 7(4): 328-339]. [cited by applicant]
“Developments in target micro-Doppler signatures analysis: radar imaging, ultrasound and through-the-wall radar” [Clemente et al, EURASIP Journal on Advances in Signal Processing 2013, 2013:47]. [cited by applicant]
“High intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) focal spot localization using harmonic motion imaging (HMI)” [Han et al., 2015 Phys. Med. Biol. 60 5911-5924, downloaded Sep. 13, 2016]. [cited by applicant]
“Observations of tissue response to acoustic radiation force: opportunities for imaging” [Nightingale et.al., Ultrason. Imaging vol. 24, Issue 3, 2002]. [cited by applicant]
“Ultrasound elastography: Principles and techniques” [Gennisson et al., Diagnostic and Interventional Imaging (2013) 94, 487-495]. [cited by applicant]
“Clinical use of ultrasound tissue harmonic imaging” [Tranquart et al., Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology, vol. 25, Issue 6, 1999]. [cited by applicant]
“Noninvasive diagnosis of congenital and acquired pediatric heart disease” [Philip J. Spevak, Laureen M. Sena, Critical Heat Disease in Infants and Children (second edition), 2006]—Abstract. [cited by applicant]
United States Patent and Trademark Office, Advisory Action for U.S. Appl. No. 16/246,522, mailed Jan. 21, 2022, 8pp. [cited by applicant]
United States Patent and Trademark Office, Non-Final Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 16/246,522, mailed Jul. 21, 2022, 40pp. [cited by applicant]
United States Patent and Trademark Office, Final Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 16/246,522, mailed Nov. 1, 2023, 101pp. [cited by applicant]
Office Action for Chinese Patent Application No. 201980021795.5, dated Nov. 28, 2023, 9pp. [cited by applicant]
United States Patent and Trademark Office, Notice of Allowance and Fee(s) Due for U.S. Appl. No. 16/246,522, mailed Mar. 13, 2025, 168pp. [cited by applicant]
European Patent Office, Communication under Rule 71(3) EPC, Intention to Grant and Text Intended for Grant for European Patent Application No. 17830598.3, dated Feb. 24, 2025, 37pp. [cited by applicant]
European Patent Office, Communication pursuant to Rule 71(3) EPC—Intention to Grant and Text Intended for grant—for European Patent Application No. 19743270.1, dated Dec. 18, 2024, 38pp. [cited by applicant]
United States Patent and Trademark Office, Final Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 16/246,522, mailed Apr. 26, 2023, 62pp. [cited by applicant]