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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election of Group I, claims 1-19 in the reply filed on 06/02/2025 is acknowledged. Because applicant did not distinctly and specifically point out the supposed errors in the restriction requirement, the election has been treated as an election without traverse (MPEP § 818.01(a)).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-5, 9-10, 13, 17, 18, 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1/a2 as being anticipated by Gao (“Practical Guide for Building Superconducting Quantum Devices”).
Regarding claim 1, 9, 18, 19; Gao teaches a quantum computing system (abstract) comprising a first cryogenic chamber (fig. 8 and description thereof; the 4K stage),
a signal reflector element positioned within the first cryogenic chamber (directional coupler (reflector component) described as part of the attenuator; page 17, second column; fig. 8) being configured to split an input signal into a first signal component and a second signal component via a partial reflection of the input signal that causes the first signal component of the input signal to be reflected by the signal reflector element and the second signal component of the input signal to be transmitted by the signal reflector element (page 17, second column; route excess power back to the higher temperature stage),
a second cryogenic chamber (fig. 8 and description thereof; 10 mK stage),
a quantum device positioned within the second cryogenic chamber (flux-tunable transmon in 10 mK stage; fig. 8 and description thereof),
a first signal line configured to provide the input signal from an external environment to the signal reflector element and to provide the reflected first signal component from the signal reflector element to the external element, wherein the external environment is external to each of the first cryogenic chamber and the second cryogenic chamber (300K environment and signal lines from the external environment to the 10 mK environment; fig. 8), and
a second signal line configured to provide the transmitted second signal component from the signal reflector element to the quantum device positioned within the second cryogenic chamber, wherein the signal reflector element electrically couples the first signal line to the second signal line such that the second signal component transmitted by the signal reflector element is transmitted to the second signal line via the signal reflector element (necessarily present as page 17, right column recites signal being reflected back to external environment and signal passing the transmon flux device).
Regarding claims 2-5, Gao teaches that the signal reflector is a directional coupler (page 17, right column). Additionally, it appears that the input signal is material worked upon by the apparatus and does not further limit the apparatus. See MPEP 2115. Regarding claims 3-5, it appears that the temperature value of the stages are substantially close to/overlap with the claimed range such that Gao meets these limitations. In the alternative, it appears that the apparatus of Gao is able to operate at the claimed temperatures absent a showing of unexpected results.
Regarding claim 10, Gao teaches that the attenuator is a 20 dB attenuator (fig. 8).
regarding claim 13, Gao appears to teach disjoint lines (separate lines including a first portion that is configured to transmit the input signal from the external environment to the signal reflector element and a second portion, which is disjoint from the first portion, that is configured to transmit the first signal component from the signal reflector element to the external environment (teaching that a first signal is provided the attenuator with a feedback; fig. 8, page 17, right column).
Regarding claim 17, it appears that that the directional coupler of Gao would reflect the first signal to the external environment and the input signal over the same line (common portion of the first signal line; fig. 8).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gao in view of Hwang (US 2014/0252568).
Gao teaches an apparatus as described above in claim 1, but fails to teach a ground line passing through the external environment, the first cryogenic chamber, and the second cryogenic chamber, wherein the ground line is electrically coupled to an electrical ground.
Hwang, however, teaches an electrical device wherein ground lines are provided to electrical components for the purpose of dissipating heat (para. 0050).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide a ground line through the electrical apparatus of Gao in order to dissipate heat as taught by Hwang.
Additionally, it appears the ground line of the prior art would necessarily be coupled to an electrical ground in order to safely dissipate the heat.
Claim(s) 7-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gao in view of Hwang (US 2014/0252568) and Cake (US 5293122).
Gao teaches an apparatus as described above in claim 1, but fails to teach a resistor element positioned in the external environment that couples the first signal line to an electrical ground such that heat associated with energy of the first signal component is dissipated to the external environment (claim 7) or the resistor element in the second cryogenic chamber that couples the second line an electrical ground such that the second signal component is at least partially thermalized in the second cryogenic chamber (claim 8).
Cake, however, teaches an electrical apparatus (abstract) wherein a ground line is connected to a signal line through a resistor (col. 2, lines 1-15).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide a resistor coupled to the signal lines of either the external environment and second cryogenic chamber in Gao in order to provide a configuration known in the art as taught by Cake.
Claim(s) 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gao in view of Abdo (US 9589236).
Gao teaches an apparatus as described above with respect to claim 1.
If Gao fails to teach that the first signal line includes a common portion that transmits the first signal component and the input, Abdo will be relied upon herein.
Abdo teaches a qubit readout system (abstract) wherein when there is a reflected signal, the input and output signals share the same line (common portion) (col. 9, lines 10-20).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide that the input and output signal components of Gao sharing the same line (common portion) in order to provide a known configuration for reflecting signals as taught by Abdo.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PAUL A WARTALOWICZ whose telephone number is (571)272-5957. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9 am - 5 pm.
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/PAUL A WARTALOWICZ/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1735