DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 1, 7-11, 15, 16, 19 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cai et al (US Pub. No. 2021/0359763 A1) in view of Garcia et al (US Pub. No. 2017/0366880 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Cai et al teaches a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) (Fig. 1, para [0013]; “FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic diagram of an ICTR 100 fabricated on a monolithic semiconductor substrate 109. The monolithic substrate 109 may be a silicon (Si) substrate or a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate.”), comprising:
a transmit module (115) positioned on a substrate of the PIC (para [0013]; “…coherent transmitter module (CTM) 105.”);
a receive module (114) positioned on the substrate (para [0013]; “…a coherent receiver module (CRM) 104...”);
a reference optical port (101) communicatively coupled with the transmit module by a first signal pathway (133), wherein the reference optical port is further communicatively coupled with the receive module by a second signal pathway (132) (para [0014]; “The ICTR 100 also includes a local oscillation (LO) splitter 130. The LO splitter 130 has one input and two outputs. The input of the LO splitter 130 is coupled with an optical waveguide 131, whereas the two outputs of the LO splitter 130 are coupled with optical waveguides 132 and 133, respectively. …. As shown in FIG. 1, the optical waveguide 131 is used to transmit an optical LO that is received by the ICTR 100 via an input port 101 of the ICTR 100. Similarly, the optical waveguide 132 is used to transmit an optical signal from the LO splitter 130 to the CRM 104, whereas the optical waveguide 133 is used to transmit an optical signal from the LO splitter 130 to the CTM 105.”);
a transmit optical port (103) communicatively coupled with the transmit module by a third signal pathway, wherein the transmit optical port is configured to transmit a first optical signal from the PIC (para [0013]; “The CTM 105 functions as a transmitter of the ICTR 100, capable of encoding information into an optical output signal, which is transmitted from the ICTR 100 via an output port 103 of the ICTR 100.”);
a receive optical port (102) communicatively coupled with the receive module by a fourth signal pathway, wherein the receive optical port is configured to receive a second optical signal (para [0013]; “The CRM 104 functions as a receiver of the ICTR 100, capable of extracting information embedded in an optical input received by the ICTR 100 via an input port 102 of the ICTR 100.”); and
Cai et al teaches photonic integrated circuit (PIC), as discussed above, and differs from the claimed invention in that Cai et al does not specifically teach a first semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) positioned on the substrate, wherein the first SOA is in the first signal pathway. Garcia et al teaches photonic integrated circuit comprising semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) (Garcia et al: para [0017]; “Transceiver 100 comprises an multi-wavelength WDM transceiver integrated on a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) and comprising transmission and reception modules—i.e., transceiver 100…”; para [0055]; “…the one or more routing components of each of the PICs comprises a tap and a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) to selectively amplify the output WDM signal of the transmitting component.”; para [0058]; “…the one or more routing components of the PIC comprises a tap and an SOA to selectively amplify the output WDM signal of the transmitting component.”). Since it is well known that optical signal degrades as it travels through medium, therefore, it would have been obvious to an artisan of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the photonic integrated circuit of Cai et al by providing semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) positioned on the substrate, wherein the first SOA is in the first signal pathway in order to increase signal strength across broad optical spectrum.
Regarding claim 7, the combination of Cai et al as modified by Garcia et al teaches SOA, as discussed above, and differs from the claimed invention in that the combination does not specifically teach wherein the PIC further comprises a second SOA positioned on the substrate, wherein the second SOA is in the second signal pathway. However, since the combination teaches SOA, therefore, therefore, it would have been obvious to an artisan of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the photonic integrated circuit of Cai et al by providing a second SOA positioned on the substrate, wherein the second SOA is in the second signal pathway in order to increase signal strength across broad optical spectrum.
Regarding claim 8, the combination of Cai et al as modified by Garcia et al teaches wherein the third signal pathway includes an X signal pathway and a Y signal pathway (para [0040]; “…the CTM 105 has two IQ modulators 160 and 161, each of the two IQ modulators 160 and 161 having two MZMs 111 and 112, each of the two MZMs 111 and 112 having two optical paths each in a form of a serpentine waveguide.”; I and Q signals are considered as X and Y signals).
Regarding claim 9, the combination of Cai et al as modified by Garcia et al teaches the third signal pathway includes an X signal pathway and a Y signal pathway (para [0040]; “…the CTM 105 has two IQ modulators 160 and 161, each of the two IQ modulators 160 and 161 having two MZMs 111 and 112, each of the two MZMs 111 and 112 having two optical paths each in a form of a serpentine waveguide.”; I and Q signals are considered as X and Y signals) and differs from the claimed invention in that the combination does not specifically teach a third SOA positioned in the X signal pathway and a fourth SOA positioned in the Y signal pathway. However, since the combination teaches SOA, therefore, therefore, it would have been obvious to an artisan of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the photonic integrated circuit of Cai et al by providing a third SOA positioned in the X signal pathway and a fourth SOA positioned in the Y signal pathway in order to increase signal strength across broad optical spectrum.
Regarding claim 10, Cai et al teaches a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) (Fig. 1, para [0013]; “FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic diagram of an ICTR 100 fabricated on a monolithic semiconductor substrate 109. The monolithic substrate 109 may be a silicon (Si) substrate or a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate.”), comprising:
a transmit module (115) positioned on a substrate of the PIC (para [0013]; “…coherent transmitter module (CTM) 105.”);
a receive module (114) positioned on the substrate (para [0013]; “…a coherent receiver module (CRM) 104...”);
a reference optical port (101) communicatively coupled with the transmit module by a first signal pathway (133), wherein the reference optical port is further communicatively coupled with the receive module by a second signal pathway (132) (para [0014]; “The ICTR 100 also includes a local oscillation (LO) splitter 130. The LO splitter 130 has one input and two outputs. The input of the LO splitter 130 is coupled with an optical waveguide 131, whereas the two outputs of the LO splitter 130 are coupled with optical waveguides 132 and 133, respectively. …. As shown in FIG. 1, the optical waveguide 131 is used to transmit an optical LO that is received by the ICTR 100 via an input port 101 of the ICTR 100. Similarly, the optical waveguide 132 is used to transmit an optical signal from the LO splitter 130 to the CRM 104, whereas the optical waveguide 133 is used to transmit an optical signal from the LO splitter 130 to the CTM 105.”);
a transmit optical port (103) communicatively coupled with the transmit module by a third signal pathway, wherein the transmit optical port is configured to transmit a first optical signal from the PIC (para [0013]; “The CTM 105 functions as a transmitter of the ICTR 100, capable of encoding information into an optical output signal, which is transmitted from the ICTR 100 via an output port 103 of the ICTR 100.”);
a receive optical port (102) communicatively coupled with the receive module by a fourth signal pathway, wherein the receive optical port is configured to receive a second optical signal (para [0013]; “The CRM 104 functions as a receiver of the ICTR 100, capable of extracting information embedded in an optical input received by the ICTR 100 via an input port 102 of the ICTR 100.”); and
Cai et al teaches photonic integrated circuit (PIC), as discussed above, and differs from the claimed invention in that Cai et al does not specifically teach a first semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) positioned on the substrate, wherein the first SOA is in the first signal pathway. Garcia et al teaches photonic integrated circuit comprising semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) (Garcia et al: para [0017]; “Transceiver 100 comprises an multi-wavelength WDM transceiver integrated on a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) and comprising transmission and reception modules—i.e., transceiver 100…”; para [0055]; “…the one or more routing components of each of the PICs comprises a tap and a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) to selectively amplify the output WDM signal of the transmitting component.”; para [0058]; “…the one or more routing components of the PIC comprises a tap and an SOA to selectively amplify the output WDM signal of the transmitting component.”). Since it is well known that optical signal degrades as it travels through medium, therefore, it would have been obvious to an artisan of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the photonic integrated circuit of Cai et al by providing semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) positioned on the substrate, wherein the first SOA is in the first signal pathway, as taught by Garcia et al, in order to increase signal strength across broad optical spectrum.
Furthermore, the combination of Cai et al as modified by Garcia et al teaches photonic integrated circuit that includes a first transmit module, a first receive module, a first receive optical port, a first transmit optical port and a first reference optical port, as discussed above, and differs from the claimed invention in that the combination does not specifically teach a second PIC portion. However, on a different embodiments Garcia et al teaches multiple PICs (para [0046]; “FIG. 7 is an illustration of a semiconductor wafer comprising a plurality of PICs according an embodiment of the disclosure. In this embodiment, semiconductor wafer 700 is an un-singulated wafer and comprises heterogeneous material. Wafer 700 is shown to include PICs 701-704 (the number of PICs illustrated to be included in wafer 700 is for exemplary purposes only).”). Therefore, it would have been obvious to an artisan of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the photonic integrated circuit of Cai et al by providing multiple PICs in order to increase speed and provide higher bandwidth.
Regarding claim 11, the combination of Cai et al as modified by Garcia et al teaches wherein the first PIC portion and the second PIC portion are on a same substrate as each other (Garcia et al: para [0046]; “FIG. 7 is an illustration of a semiconductor wafer comprising a plurality of PICs according an embodiment of the disclosure. In this embodiment, semiconductor wafer 700 is an un-singulated wafer and comprises heterogeneous material. Wafer 700 is shown to include PICs 701-704 (the number of PICs illustrated to be included in wafer 700 is for exemplary purposes only).”).
Regarding claim 15, Cai et al teaches a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) (Fig. 1, para [0013]; “FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic diagram of an ICTR 100 fabricated on a monolithic semiconductor substrate 109. The monolithic substrate 109 may be a silicon (Si) substrate or a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate.”), comprising:
a substrate (para [0013]; “FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic diagram of an ICTR 100 fabricated on a monolithic semiconductor substrate 109. The monolithic substrate 109 may be a silicon (Si) substrate or a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate.”);
a reference optical port to receive a reference optical signal (para [0014]; “The ICTR 100 also includes a local oscillation (LO) splitter 130. The LO splitter 130 has one input and two outputs. The input of the LO splitter 130 is coupled with an optical waveguide 131, whereas the two outputs of the LO splitter 130 are coupled with optical waveguides 132 and 133, respectively. …. As shown in FIG. 1, the optical waveguide 131 is used to transmit an optical LO that is received by the ICTR 100 via an input port 101 of the ICTR 100. Similarly, the optical waveguide 132 is used to transmit an optical signal from the LO splitter 130 to the CRM 104, whereas the optical waveguide 133 is used to transmit an optical signal from the LO splitter 130 to the CTM 105.”);
a transmit module positioned on the substrate (para [0013]; “…coherent transmitter module (CTM) 105.”), the transmit module to receive a first data signal and output, based on the first data signal and the reference optical signal, a first optical signal to a transmit optical port of the PIC (para [0013]; “The CTM 105 functions as a transmitter of the ICTR 100, capable of encoding information into an optical output signal, which is transmitted from the ICTR 100 via an output port 103 of the ICTR 100.”; para [0014]; “The ICTR 100 also includes a local oscillation (LO) splitter 130. The LO splitter 130 has one input and two outputs. The input of the LO splitter 130 is coupled with an optical waveguide 131, whereas the two outputs of the LO splitter 130 are coupled with optical waveguides 132 and 133, respectively. As shown in FIG. 1, the optical waveguide 131 is used to transmit an optical LO that is received by the ICTR 100 via an input port 101 of the ICTR 100. Similarly, the optical waveguide 132 is used to transmit an optical signal from the LO splitter 130 to the CRM 104, whereas the optical waveguide 133 is used to transmit an optical signal from the LO splitter 130 to the CTM 105”);
a receive module (para [0013]; “…a coherent receiver module (CRM) 104...”) positioned on the substrate, the receive module to receive a second optical signal from a receive optical port of the PIC (para [0017]; “The CRM 104 is configured to detect the signal embedded in the modulated carrier of the optical input received via the input port 102.”) and output, based on the second optical signal and the reference optical signal, a second data signal (para [0021]; “…the HM 141 generates at its outputs predefined beat phase offsets of 0 degrees, 180 degrees, 90 degrees and −90 degrees based on the first LO that arrives at the HM 141 via the waveguide 137 and TE component that arrives at the HM 141 via the waveguide 146.”).
Cai et al teaches photonic integrated circuit (PIC), as discussed above, and differs from the claimed invention in that Cai et al does not specifically teach a first semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) positioned on the substrate, wherein the first SOA is in a first signal pathway between the reference optical port and the transmit module. Garcia et al teaches photonic integrated circuit comprising semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) (Garcia et al: para [0017]; “Transceiver 100 comprises an multi-wavelength WDM transceiver integrated on a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) and comprising transmission and reception modules—i.e., transceiver 100…”; para [0055]; “…the one or more routing components of each of the PICs comprises a tap and a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) to selectively amplify the output WDM signal of the transmitting component.”; para [0058]; “…the one or more routing components of the PIC comprises a tap and an SOA to selectively amplify the output WDM signal of the transmitting component.”). Since it is well known that optical signal degrades as it travels through medium, therefore, it would have been obvious to an artisan of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the photonic integrated circuit of Cai et al by providing semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) positioned on the substrate, wherein the first SOA is in a first signal pathway between the reference optical port and the transmit module in order to increase signal strength across broad optical spectrum.
Furthermore, in view of the combination above, Garcia et al further teaches a processor (ASIC) (para [0044]; “FIG. 6 is an illustration of a system including one or more loopback or data imposing components according to an embodiment of the disclosure. In this embodiment, system 600 is shown to include printed circuit board (PCB) substrate 602, organic substrate 604, application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) 606, and PIC 608, which may include any of the transceivers comprising loopback paths and/or low-speed data modulation embodiments discussed above. PIC 608 exchanges light with fiber 612 …. The optical devices of PIC 608 are controlled, at least in part, by control circuitry included in ASIC 606.”).
Regarding claim 16, the combination of Cai et al as modified by Garcia et al teaches SOA, as discussed above, and differs from the claimed invention in that the combination does not specifically teach a second SOA in a second signal pathway between the reference optical port and the receive module. However, since the combination teaches SOA, therefore, therefore, it would have been obvious to an artisan of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the photonic integrated circuit of Cai et al by providing a second SOA in a second signal pathway between the reference optical port and the receive module in order to increase signal strength across broad optical spectrum.
Regarding claim 19, the combination of Cai et al as modified by Garcia et al teaches wherein the transmit module is to output the first optical signal to the transmit optical port via a third signal pathway between the transmit module and the transmit optical port and a fourth signal pathway between the transmit module and the transmit optical port (para [0038]; “The CTM 105 also includes a polarization beam rotator-combiner (PBRC) 162. The PBRC 162 may be identical to the PBRS 130 except that the input and output are reversed. The PBRC 162 is configured to combine the first portion of the optical output signal, as generated by the IQ modulator 160, and the second portion of the optical output signal, as generated by the IQ modulator 161, into the optical output signal presented at the output port 103. Specifically, the first portion of the optical output signal is combined by the PBRC 162 as a TE component of the optical output signal, whereas the second portion of the optical output signal is combined by the PBRC 162 as a TM component of the optical output signal.”).
Regarding claim 20, the combination of Cai et al as modified by Garcia et al teaches SOA, as discussed above, and differs from the claimed invention in that the combination does not specifically teach a third SOA in the third signal pathway; and a fourth SOA in the fourth signal pathway. However, since the combination teaches SOA, therefore, therefore, it would have been obvious to an artisan of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the photonic integrated circuit of Cai et al by providing a third SOA in the third signal pathway and a fourth SOA in the fourth signal pathway in order to increase signal strength across broad optical spectrum.
Claims 2 and 3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cai et al (US Pub. No. 2021/0359763 A1) in view of Garcia et al (US Pub. No. 2017/0366880 A1) and further in view of Campos et al (US Patent No. 11,476,949 B2).
Regarding claim 2, the combination of Cai et al as modified by Garcia et al teaches coherent receiver (para [0012]; “…integrated coherent transmitters and receivers…”) using local oscillator and differs from the claimed invention in that the combination does not specifically teach wherein the receive module includes an intradyne coherent receiver (ICR). Campos et al teaches intradyne coherent receiver (col. 9, line 55 to col. 10, line 11; “In a coherent receiver, a local oscillator … is known to be used to down-convert the electrical field of the incoming optical signal to the baseband intermediate frequency …. Coherent detection is thus able to map an entire optical field into the digital domain, thereby enabling the detection of the amplitude, phase, and state of polarization of the signal. Depending on the intermediate frequency, …, coherent receivers thus fall into the fall into three classes described herein (i.e., homodyne, intradyne, and heterodyne)… intradyne receivers are described, for purposes of illustration but not in a limiting sense, as the exemplary option for 100G coherent systems. In an intradyne receiver, the intermediate frequency … may be selected to fall within the signal band by approximately aligning the LO frequency … with the signal frequency …. Intradyne detection allows the detection of both the I and Q components of the received signal, and thus the intradyne receiver is also referred to as a “phase diversity” receiver. In some embodiments, digital phase locking algorithms are implemented to recover the modulation signal from the sampled I and Q components, typically using high-speed analog-to-digital conversion (ADC) and digital signal processing (DSP).” ). Since intradyne coherent receiver is well known, therefore, it would have been obvious to an artisan of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the photonic integrated circuit of the combination by providing intradyne coherent receiver, as taught by Campos et al, in order to provide superior optical sensitivity, allowing higher data rates (100G+), longer transmission distances, and enhanced spectral efficiency.
Regarding claim 3, the combination of Cai et al as modified by Garcia et al teaches coherent transmitter comprising IQ modulator (para [0037]; “…The CTM 105 includes two IQ modulators 160 and 161.…”) and differs from the claimed invention in that the combination does not specifically teach wherein the transmit module includes a dual polarization (DP) in-phase quadrature (IQ) modulator. Campos et al teaches coherent optical communication comprising dual polarization (DP) in-phase quadrature (IQ) modulator (Campos et al: col. 43, lines 10-22; “FIG. 48 is a schematic illustration of an exemplary dual polarization modulator 4800. In an exemplary embodiment, polarization modulator 4800 represents a DP-QPSK modulator with polarization skew in the 200G operational mode, and is otherwise similar in form and function to dual polarization modulator 400, FIG. 4. Modulator 4800 includes two separate units of modulator 4700, FIG. 47, for each of the two orthogonal X- and Y-polarizations. In exemplary operation, a DP-QPSK signal is generated by modulating the two IQ QPSK signals in each of two orthogonal XY polarizations and combining the IQ signals, by a PBC 4802, prior to launching the combined signal into a fiber transport medium 4804.”). Since dual polarization (DP) in-phase quadrature (IQ) modulator is well known, therefore, it would have been obvious to an artisan of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the photonic integrated circuit of the combination by providing dual polarization (DP) in-phase quadrature (IQ) modulator, as taught by Campos et al, in order to increase data rates, spectral efficiency and lower power consumption.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-6, 12-14, 17 and 18 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Nagarajan et al (US Pub. No. 2014/0001347 A1) is cited to show optical system comprising photonic integrated circuits.
Murthy et al (US Patent No. 8,155,531 B2) is cited to show tunable photonic integrate circuits.
Welch et al (US Patent No. 7,773,837 B2) is cited to show monolithic transmitter photonic integrated circuits.
Singh et al (US Patent No. 7,295,783 B2) is cited to show optical network comprising transmitter photonic integrated circuit module and receiver photonic integrated circuit module.
Nagarajan (US Patent No. 12,418,345 B2) is cited to show integrated coherent optical transceiver.
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DALZID E. SINGH
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2635
/DALZID E SINGH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2635