Application No. 12/810,391
`Reply to Final Office Action dated 2/27/2013
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`Amendments to the Claims:
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`This listing of claims will replace all prior versions, and listing, of claims in the
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`application.
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`1.
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`(Currently amended) A specimen measurement method in which a specimen composed
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`of blood or plasma to be tested is temporarily stored in a specimen storage portion of a test piece
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`for chromatography after the specimen is added to the test piece, the specimen is transferred
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`from the specimen storage portion to a development layer of the test piece and is developed on
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`the development layer, the development layer having an immobilizing portion at which the
`specimen is to be measured, and an amount of a substance to be measured in the specimen is
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`calculated by measuring an optical property of the specimen at the immobilizing portion,
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`the method comprising:
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`obtaining a first image of the specimen storage portion representing shewng a first
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`amount of specimen stored in the specimen storage portion of the test piece;
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`obtaining a second image of the specimen storage portion representing showing a second
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`amount of specimen stored in the specimen storage portion, where the first amount of specimen
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`is greater than the second amount of specimen;
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`measuring an area difference between the first and second images to calculate a reduction
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`of specimen in the specimen storage portion;
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`comparing the reduction of specimen in the specimen storage portion with a
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`predetermined value;
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`measuring the optical property of the specimen at the immobilizing portion if the
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`reduction of specimen in the specimen storage portion reaches the predetermined value ; and
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`calculating the amount of the substance to be measured in the specimen, based on a
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`measured value,
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`wherein the specimen storage portion includes a capillary spacerand
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`1.1.113].
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`2.
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`(Previously presented) The specimen measurement method according to claim 1, further
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`comprising:
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`Application No. 12/810,391
`Reply to Final Office Action dated 2/27/2013
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`measuring a flowing time from addition of the specimen to the test piece to the reduction
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`of the specimen in the specimen storage portion to the predetermined amount or less;
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`waiting a time period corresponding to the flowing time after the specimen in the
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`specimen storage portion reduces to the predetermined amount or less; and
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`calculating the amount of the substance to be measured in the specimen, after the time
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`period and based on the measured value of the portion to be measured.
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`3.
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`(Currently amended) A specimen measurement method in which a specimen composed
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`, of blood or plasma to be tested is temporarily stored in a specimen storage portion of a test piece
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`for chromatography after the specimen is added to the test piece, the specimen is transferred
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`from the specimen storage portion to a development layer of the test piece and is developed on
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`the development layer, the development layer having an immobilizing portion at which the
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`specimen is to be measured, and an amount of a substance to be measured in the specimen is
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`calculated by measuring an optical property of the specimen at the immobilizing portion,
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`the method comprising:
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`measuring an initial storage amount of the specimen in the specimen storage portion of
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`the test piece, when the specimen is added to the test piece mounted at a predetermined mounting
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`location or when the test piece on which the specimen has been added is mounted at the
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`predetermined mounting location;
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`measuring a storage amount of the specimen in the specimen storage portion else after
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`the specimen is added;
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`calculating a reduction of the specimen in the specimen storage portion by comparing the
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`initial storage amount of the specimen with the storage amount of the specimen in the specimen
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`storage portion after the specimen is added;
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`measuring the optical property of the specimen at the immobilizing portion if the
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`reduction of the specimen in the specimen storage portion reaches a predetermined amount; and
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`calculating, based on a measured value, the amount of the substance to be measured in
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`the specimen;
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`wherein the specimen storage portion includes a capillary spacerafid
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`1.]..1131-
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`Application No. 12/810,391
`Reply to Final Office Action dated 2/27/2013
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`4.
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`(Previously presented) The specimen measurement method according to claim 3, further
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`comprising:
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`measuring a flowing time from addition of the specimen to the test piece to the reduction
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`of the specimen in the specimen storage portion by the predetermined amount;
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`waiting a time period corresponding to the flowing time after the reduction of the
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`specimen in the specimen storage portion by the predetermined amount; and
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`calculating the amount of the substance to be measured in the specimen, after the time
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`period and based on the measured value of the specimen at the immobilizing portion.
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`5.
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`(Previously presented) The specimen measurement method according to claim 1, further
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`comprising:
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`measuring an initial storage amount of the specimen in the specimen storage portion of
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`the test piece, when the specimen is added to the test piece mounted at a predetermined mounting
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`location or when the test piece on which the specimen has been added is mounted at the
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`predetermined mounting location; and
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`performing at least one of a measurement terminating operation and a warning operation
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`when the initial storage amount of the specimen is smaller than predetermined initial storage
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`setting.
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`6.
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`(Previously presented) The specimen measurement method according to claim 1,
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`wherein the test piece is a test piece for chromatography.
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`7.
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`(Withdrawn—previously presented) A specimen measurement apparatus in which a
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`specimen to be tested is temporarily stored in a specimen storage portion of a test piece after the
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`specimen is added to the test piece, the specimen is transferred from the specimen storage
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`portion to a development layer of the test piece and is developed on a development layer, and an
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`amount of a substance to be measured in the specimen is calculated by measuring an optical
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`property of the specimen at a predetermined portion of the development layer of the test piece,
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`the specimen measurement apparatus comprising:
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`an imaging device for imaging the specimen at the predetermined portion and the
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`specimen storage portion of the test piece;
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`Application No. 12/810,391
`Reply to Final Office Action dated 2/27/2013
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`a specimen amount detector for detecting, based on imaging information, an amount of
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`the specimen in the specimen storage portion; and
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`a controller for measuring the specimen at the predetermined portion, in response to a
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`reduction of the specimen to a predetermined amount or less in the specimen storage portion or a
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`reduction of the specimen by the predetermined amount or more in the specimen storage portion,
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`and calculating, based on a measured value, the amount of the substance to be measured in the
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`specimen,
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`wherein the specimen storage portion includes a capillary space, and
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`wherein the specimen is blood or plasma.
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`8.
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`(Withdrawn-previously presented) The specimen measurement apparatus according to
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`claim 7, further comprising an illuminator for illuminating the test piece with measurement light;
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`and a light receiver for receiving reflected light of the measurement light having illuminated the
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`test piece.
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`9.
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`(Withdrawn—previously presented) The specimen measurement apparatus according to
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`claim 8, wherein the illuminator is one of an LED, an LD, and a lamp.
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`10.
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`(Withdrawn—previously presented) The specimen measurement apparatus according to
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`claim 8, wherein the light receiver is an image sensor.
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`11.
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`(Withdrawn—previously presented) (Withdrawn—Previously Presented) The specimen
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`measurement apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the test piece is a test piece for
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`chromatography.
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`12.
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`(Previously presented) The specimen measurement method according to claim 3, further
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`comprising:
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`measuring an initial storage amount of the specimen in the specimen storage portion of
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`the test piece, when the specimen is added to the test piece mounted at a predetermined mounting
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`location or when the test piece on which the specimen has been added is mounted at the
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`predetermined mounting location; and
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`Application No. 12/810,391
`Reply to Final Office Action dated 2/27/2013
`
`performing at least one of a measurement terminating operation and a warning operation-
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`When the initial storage amount of the specimen is smaller than predetermined initial storage
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`setting.
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`13.
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`(Previously presented) The specimen measurement method according to claim 3,
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`wherein the test piece is a test piece for chromatography.
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`14.
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`(Previously presented) The specimen measurement method according to claim 3,
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`wherein measuring an initial storage amount of the specimen in the specimen storage portion of
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`the test piece includes: obtaining a first image of specimen stored in the specimen storage
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`portion of the test piece; and
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`measuring a storage amount of the specimen storage portion after the specimen is added
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`includes: obtaining a second image of specimen stored in the specimen storage portion of the test
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`piece.
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