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 .
DETAILED ACTION
1. Claims 1-20 are presented for examination.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
2. Claims 15-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
As per Claims 15 and 17, the limitation "simulating the superconducting electronic circuit design" lacks proper antecedent basis: each claim depends from claim 9, which recites no step of simulating the superconducting electronic circuit design.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
3. Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to an abstract idea without significantly more.
(Step 1) The claims 1-8 are directed to a system comprising a memory and a processor and falls within the statutory category of machines. The claims 9-17 recite steps or acts including determining a model for the passive transmission line based on the frequency range; thus, the claims are to a process, which is one of the statutory categories of invention. The claim 18-20 are directed to a non-transitory computer readable medium which is a statutory category of invention.
(Step 2A – Prong One) For the sake of identifying the abstract ideas, a copy of the claim is provided below. Abstract ideas are bolded.
The claim 1 recites:
determine a slope in a voltage pulse at a transmitter for a passive transmission line of a superconducting electronic circuit design (under its broadest reasonable interpretation, a mental process that convers performance in the human mind or with the aid of pencil and paper including an observation, evaluation, judgment or opinion);
determine a model for the passive transmission line based on the slope (under its broadest reasonable interpretation, a mental process that convers performance in the human mind or with the aid of pencil and paper including an observation, evaluation, judgment or opinion);
simulate the superconducting electronic circuit design using the model (under its broadest reasonable interpretation, a mental process that convers performance in the human mind or with the aid of pencil and paper including an observation, evaluation, judgment or opinion); and
make an adjustment to the transmitter based on simulating the superconducting electronic circuit design (under its broadest reasonable interpretation, a mental process that convers performance in the human mind or with the aid of pencil and paper including an observation, evaluation, judgment or opinion).
The claim 9 recites:
determining a slope in a voltage pulse at a transmitter for a passive transmission line of a superconducting electronic circuit design (under its broadest reasonable interpretation, a mental process that convers performance in the human mind or with the aid of pencil and paper including an observation, evaluation, judgment or opinion);
determining a continuous waveform with a slope that matches the slope in the voltage pulse (under its broadest reasonable interpretation, a mental process that convers performance in the human mind or with the aid of pencil and paper including an observation, evaluation, judgment or opinion);
determining a frequency range based on a frequency of the continuous waveform (under its broadest reasonable interpretation, a mental process that convers performance in the human mind or with the aid of pencil and paper including an observation, evaluation, judgment or opinion); and
determining, …, a model for the passive transmission line based on the frequency range (under its broadest reasonable interpretation, a mental process that convers performance in the human mind or with the aid of pencil and paper including an observation, evaluation, judgment or opinion).
The claim 18 recites:
determine a frequency range of a voltage pulse at a transmitter for a passive transmission line of a superconducting electronic circuit design (under its broadest reasonable interpretation, a mental process that convers performance in the human mind or with the aid of pencil and paper including an observation, evaluation, judgment or opinion);
generate a model for the passive transmission line using the frequency range (under its broadest reasonable interpretation, a mental process that convers performance in the human mind or with the aid of pencil and paper including an observation, evaluation, judgment or opinion);
sample a reflected signal from the passive transmission line while varying an input to the model representing a length of the passive transmission line (under its broadest reasonable interpretation, a mental process that convers performance in the human mind or with the aid of pencil and paper including an observation, evaluation, judgment or opinion); and
adjust the transmitter based on the reflected signal (under its broadest reasonable interpretation, a mental process that convers performance in the human mind or with the aid of pencil and paper including an observation, evaluation, judgment or opinion).
Therefore, the limitation, under the broadest reasonable interpretation, outputting the load design could reasonably fall under a mental process or a person could reasonable perform the steps using a pen and paper; and thus are clearly directed to an abstract idea, as constructed.
(Step 2A – Prong Two: integration into practical application) This judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application. In particular, the claims recite the additional elements of “system for generating a superconducting electronic circuit design, the system comprising: a memory; and a processor communicatively coupled to the memory (Claim 1), “processor” (claim 9), and “non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to” (Claim 18) which are recited at high level generality and recited so generally that they represent more than mere instruction to apply the judicial exception on a computer (see MPEP 2106.05(f)). The limitation can also be viewed as nothing more than an attempt to generally link the use of the judicial exception to the technological environment of a computer (see MPEP 2106.05(d)). Further the additional elements of “transmitter” is an insignificant extra-solution activity which is generally linking the use of a judicial exception to a particular technological environment or field of use.
Even when viewed in combination, these additional elements do not integrate the recited judicial exception into a practical application and the claim is directed to the judicial exception.
(Step 2B - inventive concept) The claim(s) does/do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception. As discussed above with respect to integration of the abstract idea into a practical application, the additional element of “system for generating a superconducting electronic circuit design, the system comprising: a memory; and a processor communicatively coupled to the memory (Claim 1), “processor” (claim 9), and “non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to” (Claim 18) which are recited at high level generality and recited so generally that they represent more than mere instruction to apply the judicial exception on a computer (see MPEP 2106.05(f)). Mere instructions to apply an exception using generic computer component cannot provide an inventive concept. Further the additional elements of “transmitter” is an insignificant extra-solution activity which is generally linking the use of a judicial exception to a particular technological environment or field of use (see MPEP §2106.05(h)).
Further dependent claims 2-8, 10-17 and 19-20 recite:
(Claim 2) wherein determining the model for the passive transmission line comprises determining a continuous waveform with a slope that matches the slope in the voltage pulse (a mental process).
(Claim 3) wherein determining the model is based on a frequency of the continuous waveform (a mental process).
(Claim 4) wherein determining the model for the passive transmission line comprises determining scattering parameters for the passive transmission line (a mental process).
(Claim 5) wherein the model expresses how the passive transmission line attenuates at least one of an amplitude, a pulse width, or a shape of the voltage pulse (insignificant extra-solution activity – data outputting and/or generally linking the use of a judicial exception to a particular technological environment or field of use).
(Claim 6) wherein simulating the superconducting electronic circuit design comprises sampling an input signal or output signal of the passive transmission line while varying an input to the model representing a length of the passive transmission line (insignificant extra-solution activity – data gathering and/or outputting and/or generally linking the use of a judicial exception to a particular technological environment or field of use).
(Claim 7) wherein varying the input varies a signal reflection from the passive transmission line (insignificant extra-solution activity – data gathering and/or outputting and/or generally linking the use of a judicial exception to a particular technological environment or field of use).
(Claim 8) wherein simulating the superconducting electronic circuit design comprises sampling an input signal or output signal of the passive transmission line while varying an input to the model representing a periodicity of a voltage pulse to the passive transmission line (insignificant extra-solution activity – data gathering and/or outputting and/or generally linking the use of a judicial exception to a particular technological environment or field of use).
(Claim 10) simulating the superconducting electronic circuit design using the model (a mental process); and
making an adjustment to the transmitter based on simulating the superconducting electronic circuit design (a mental process).
(Claim 11) wherein determining the slope in the voltage pulse comprises determining a maximum derivative of the voltage pulse and a minimum derivative of the voltage pulse (a mental process).
(Claim 12) wherein determining the continuous waveform comprises:
determining a first continuous waveform with a maximum derivative that matches the maximum derivative of the voltage pulse and a second continuous waveform with a minimum derivative that matches the minimum derivative of the voltage pulse, wherein the first continuous waveform has a first frequency and the second continuous waveform has a second frequency (a mental process); and
determining whether the first frequency is greater than the second frequency (a mental process).
(Claim 13) wherein determining the model for the passive transmission line comprises determining scattering parameters for the passive transmission line (a mental process).
(Claim 14) wherein the model expresses how the passive transmission line attenuates at least one of an amplitude, pulse width, or shape of the voltage pulse (insignificant extra-solution activity – data outputting and/or generally linking the use of a judicial exception to a particular technological environment or field of use).
(Claim 15) wherein simulating the superconducting electronic circuit design comprises sampling an input signal or output signal of the passive transmission line while varying an input to the model representing a length of the passive transmission line (insignificant extra-solution activity – data gathering and/or outputting and/or generally linking the use of a judicial exception to a particular technological environment or field of use).
(Claim 16) wherein varying the input varies a signal reflection from the passive transmission line (insignificant extra-solution activity – data gathering).
(Claim 17) wherein simulating the superconducting electronic circuit design comprises sampling an input signal or output signal of the passive transmission line while varying an input to the model representing a periodicity of a voltage pulse to the passive transmission line (insignificant extra-solution activity – data gathering or outputting).
(Claim 19) wherein determining the frequency range comprises fitting a continuous waveform to the voltage pulse (a mental process).
(Claim 20) wherein the model comprises scattering parameters for the passive transmission line (insignificant extra-solution activity – data gathering and/or outputting and/or generally linking the use of a judicial exception to a particular technological environment or field of use).
Considering the claim both individually and in combination, there is no element or combination of elements recited contains any “inventive concept” or adds “significantly more” to transform the abstract concept into a patent-eligible application.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
4. Claims 1-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wire (US 2003/0040440 A1) in view of Miller (US 2006/0170431 A1), further in view of Schindler ("Impedance Matching of Passive Transmission Line Receivers to Improve Reflections Between RSFQ Logic Cells").
As per Claim 1, Wire teaches a system for generating a superconducting electronic circuit design (Wire, [0041]), the system comprising:
a memory; and a processor communicatively coupled to the memory, the processor configured to (Wire, [0041] "Computer programs that assist the circuit designer to design a complete circuit by simulating results, such as the WRSpice program marketed by Whiteley Research company, requires that the design be entered into the program"), comprising:
a voltage pulse at a transmitter for a passive transmission line of a superconducting electronic circuit design (Wire, [0028] "The transmitter in chip 3 outputs the SFQ pulse onto on-chip microstrip line 2."; [0003] "The most promising superconducting digital circuits communicate by transmitting Single Flux Quantum ("SFQ") pulses."; [0007] "Passive transmission line, microstrip, was included to transmit a signal between individual chips in the module.": picosecond SFQ voltage pulses are launched between chips over passive microstrip transmission lines, i.e., the "voltage pulse at a transmitter for a passive transmission line" as claimed);
determine a model for the passive transmission line (Wire, [0041], [0043] "All the inductance and time delay needed to fit the IE3D data to the model is contributed by transmission line 27.": an electrical equivalent circuit including a transmission line element is fitted to the electromagnetically characterized response of the interconnect); and
simulate the superconducting electronic circuit design using the model (Wire, [0041] “design a complete circuit by simulating results,”; [0044] "the scattering factor of the signal transmission is calculated and plotted against frequency").
However, Wire fails to teach explicitly determine a slope in a voltage pulse at a transmitter for a passive transmission line of a superconducting electronic circuit design;
determine a model for the passive transmission line based on the slope; and
make an adjustment to the transmitter based on simulating the superconducting electronic circuit design.
Miller teaches determine a slope in a voltage pulse at a transmitter for a passive transmission line of a superconducting electronic circuit design (Miller, [0038] "Next the maximum slope of the reflection from the TDR measurement is determined, the slope being a ratio of the change in applied voltage to change in time."; [0021] "Determine the maximum slope of the reflection of the TDR measurement"); and
determine a model for the passive transmission line based on the slope (Miller, [0013] "Another way to indirectly measure bandwidth of a channel is to measure the rise time of a signal through the channel and correlate the rise time to bandwidth."; [0026] "Calculate the channel bandwidth using a formula to relate bandwidth to rise time": the measured maximum slope fixes the rise time and thus the bandwidth, i.e., the basis on which the line model is determined in the combination). In particular, Miller teaches a time domain reflectometry measurement in which the maximum slope of the measured voltage pulse is determined and correlated, through the rise time of a first-order response, to the bandwidth the channel must support.
Wire and Miller are analogous art because they are both related to characterization and modeling of signal transmission lines in electronic circuit design.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of cited references. Thus, one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have been motivated to incorporate Miller into Wire's invention for the purpose of generating a superconducting electronic circuit design to provide an indirect measurement of the bandwidth of the channel by measuring the rise time of the signal through the channel and correlating the rise time to bandwidth accurately (Miller: [0004], [0013]).
However, Wire as modified by Miller fails to teach explicitly make an adjustment to the transmitter based on simulating the superconducting electronic circuit design.
On the other hand, Schindler teaches make an adjustment to the transmitter based on simulating the superconducting electronic circuit design (Schindler, pg. 3, sec. III-C. PTL Transmitter and Receiver, "tuning the value of the resistor until a sufficient relation between SFQ pulse transmission and degree of pulse reflection was achieved"; pg. 1, sec. I: the transmitter-side series resistor is tuned, according to simulation, to minimize reflections).
In particular, Schindler teaches PTL transmitter and receiver stages between RSFQ logic cells and passive transmission lines whose element values are adjusted, according to simulation, until the relation between pulse transmission and pulse reflection is sufficient.
Wire, Miller, and Schindler are analogous art because they are all related to characterization and matching of pulse-carrying transmission lines in electronic circuit design.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of cited references. Thus, one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have been motivated to incorporate Schindler into Wire as modified by Miller's invention for the purpose of generating a superconducting electronic circuit design, as suggested by Schindler's teaching that passive transmission line transmitters can be adjusted to minimize impedance mismatching to improve the reflections between the connected RSFQ logic cells, according to simulation (Schindler: pg. 1, sec. I).
As per Claim 2, Wire fails to teach explicitly wherein determining the model for the passive transmission line comprises determining a continuous waveform with a slope that matches the slope in the voltage pulse.
Miller teaches wherein determining the model for the passive transmission line comprises determining a continuous waveform with a slope that matches the slope in the voltage pulse (Miller, [0039] "the calculation is made by measuring the maximum slope of the reflected voltage, the results having units of volts/time.”, "by dividing the applied voltage by the measured maximum slope": the first-order interpolated response constructed from the measured maximum slope and the applied voltage is the claimed "continuous waveform" whose slope matches the measured slope).
As per Claim 3, Wire fails to teach explicitly wherein determining the model is based on a frequency of the continuous waveform.
Miller teaches wherein determining the model is based on a frequency of the continuous waveform (Miller, [0013], [0026], [0039], [0044]: the rise time that characterizes the first-order response fixes the channel bandwidth, so the band over which the model is determined follows from the frequency content of the fitted waveform).
As per Claim 4, Wire teaches wherein determining the model for the passive transmission line comprises determining scattering parameters for the passive transmission line (Wire, [0039] "a factor that is the square-root of the transmitted power ratio, versus frequency": the S21 scattering factor, i.e., the "scattering parameters" as claimed, characterizes the transmission structure).
As per Claim 5, Wire teaches wherein the model expresses how the passive transmission line attenuates at least one of an amplitude, a pulse width, or a shape of the voltage pulse (Wire, [0040] "the bandwidth obtained is about 200 GHz. Beyond 200 GHz, the output falls off and reaches a null at about 300 GHz": the characterized response expresses how the structure attenuates the transmitted amplitude across the band).
5. Claims 6-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wire (US 2003/0040440 A1) in view of Miller (US 2006/0170431 A1) and Schindler ("Impedance Matching of Passive Transmission Line Receivers to Improve Reflections Between RSFQ Logic Cells"), further in view of Belge (US 2003/0002658 A1).
Wire as modified by Miller and Schindler teaches most all the instant invention as applied to claims 1-5 above.
As per Claim 6, Wire as modified by Miller and Schindler fails to teach explicitly wherein simulating the superconducting electronic circuit design comprises sampling an input signal or output signal of the passive transmission line while varying an input to the model representing a length of the passive transmission line.
Belge teaches wherein simulating the superconducting electronic circuit design comprises sampling an input signal or output signal of the passive transmission line while varying an input to the model representing a length of the passive transmission line (Belge, [0006], [0010], [0045], [0049]: the forward model's per-section parameters, including each section's length, are varied while the modeled echo is compared against the observation).
Wire, Miller, Schindler, and Belge are analogous art because they are all related to characterization and modeling of pulse-carrying transmission lines in electronic circuit design.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of cited references. Thus, one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have been motivated to incorporate Belge into Wire as modified by Miller and Schindler's invention for the purpose of generating a superconducting electronic circuit design, to provide an indirect measurement of the bandwidth of the channel by measuring the rise time of the signal through the channel and correlating the rise time to bandwidth accurately (Miller: [0004], [0013]), as suggested by Schindler's teaching that passive transmission line transmitters can be adjusted to minimize impedance mismatching to improve the reflections between the connected RSFQ logic cells, according to simulation (Schindler: pg. 1, sec. I), and to provide matching of the observed echo using a forward model by varying the parameters of the model, including the length of each section of the line (Belge: [0006], [0010]).
As per Claim 7, Wire as modified by Miller and Schindler fails to teach explicitly wherein varying the input varies a signal reflection from the passive transmission line.
Belge teaches wherein varying the input varies a signal reflection from the passive transmission line (Belge, [0007], [0047]-[0049]: the echo arises at the line's impedance discontinuities, so varying the modeled structure varies the modeled reflection).
As per Claim 8, Wire as modified by Miller and Schindler fails to teach explicitly wherein simulating the superconducting electronic circuit design comprises sampling an input signal or output signal of the passive transmission line while varying an input to the model representing a periodicity of a voltage pulse to the passive transmission line.
Belge teaches wherein simulating the superconducting electronic circuit design comprises sampling an input signal or output signal of the passive transmission line while varying an input to the model representing a periodicity of a voltage pulse to the passive transmission line (Belge, [0007], [0051]: the model is evaluated at the frequencies of the pulses emitted by the pulse generator, the claimed "periodicity").
6. Claims 9, 11, 13, and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wire (US 2003/0040440 A1) in view of Miller (US 2006/0170431 A1).
As per Claim 9, Wire teaches a method for generating a superconducting electronic circuit design (Wire, [0007], [0041] "Computer programs that assist the circuit designer to design a complete circuit by simulating results, such as the WRSpice program marketed by Whiteley Research company, requires that the design be entered into the program"), comprising:
a voltage pulse at a transmitter for a passive transmission line of a superconducting electronic circuit design (Wire, [0028] "The transmitter in chip 3 outputs the SFQ pulse onto on-chip microstrip line 2."; [0003] "The most promising superconducting digital circuits communicate by transmitting Single Flux Quantum ("SFQ") pulses."; [0007] "Passive transmission line, microstrip, was included to transmit a signal between individual chips in the module.": picosecond SFQ voltage pulses are launched between chips over passive microstrip transmission lines, i.e., the "voltage pulse at a transmitter for a passive transmission line" as claimed) and
determining, by a processor, a model for the passive transmission line (Wire, [0041], [0043] "All the inductance and time delay needed to fit the IE3D data to the model is contributed by transmission line 27.": an electrical equivalent circuit including a transmission line element is fitted to the electromagnetically characterized response of the interconnect thus the equivalent-circuit model of the line is fitted by computer). In particular, Wire teaches computer-implemented design of superconducting circuits in which an equivalent-circuit model of the passive chip-to-chip transmission line is determined and used in simulation.
However, Wire fails to teach explicitly determining a slope in a voltage pulse at a transmitter for a passive transmission line of a superconducting electronic circuit design;
determining a continuous waveform with a slope that matches the slope in the voltage pulse;
determining a frequency range based on a frequency of the continuous waveform; and
determining, by a processor, a model for the passive transmission line based on the frequency range.
Miller teaches determining a slope in a voltage pulse at a transmitter for a passive transmission line of a superconducting electronic circuit design (Miller, [0038] "Next the maximum slope of the reflection from the TDR measurement is determined, the slope being a ratio of the change in applied voltage to change in time."; [0021] "Determine the maximum slope of the reflection of the TDR measurement");
determining a continuous waveform with a slope that matches the slope in the voltage pulse (Miller, [0039] "the calculation is made by measuring the maximum slope of the reflected voltage, the results having units of volts/time.”, "by dividing the applied voltage by the measured maximum slope": the first-order interpolated response constructed from the measured maximum slope and the applied voltage is the claimed "continuous waveform" whose slope matches the measured slope);
determining a frequency range based on a frequency of the continuous waveform (Miller, [0013], [0026], [0039], [0044]: the pulse-derived channel bandwidth supplies the frequency range against which, in the combination, Wire's computer-implemented equivalent-circuit model of the line is determined); and
determining, by a processor, a model for the passive transmission line based on the frequency range (Miller, [0026]: the pulse-derived channel bandwidth supplies the frequency range against which, in the combination, Wire's computer-implemented equivalent-circuit model of the line is determined). In particular, Miller teaches measuring the maximum slope of a voltage pulse, constructing a first-order response whose maximum slope matches the measured slope, and correlating the rise time of that response to the bandwidth the channel must support.
Wire and Miller are analogous art because they are both related to characterization and modeling of signal transmission lines in electronic circuit design.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of cited references. Thus, one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have been motivated to incorporate Miller into Wire's invention for the purpose of generating a superconducting electronic circuit design to provide an indirect measurement of the bandwidth of the channel by measuring the rise time of the signal through the channel and correlating the rise time to bandwidth accurately (Miller: [0004], [0013]).
As per Claim 11, Wire fails to teach explicitly wherein determining the slope in the voltage pulse comprises determining a maximum derivative of the voltage pulse and a minimum derivative of the voltage pulse.
Miller teaches wherein determining the slope in the voltage pulse comprises determining a maximum derivative of the voltage pulse and a minimum derivative of the voltage pulse (Miller, [0038]-[0039]: Examiner's Note - the maximum slope is determined on the measured transitions of the pulse; the rising transition's extreme slope corresponds to the claimed "maximum derivative" and the falling transition's extreme slope corresponds to the claimed "minimum derivative").
As per Claim 13, Wire teaches wherein determining the model for the passive transmission line comprises determining scattering parameters for the passive transmission line (Wire, [0039]: the S21 scattering factor characterizes the transmission structure).
As per Claim 14, Wire teaches wherein the model expresses how the passive transmission line attenuates at least one of an amplitude, pulse width, or shape of the voltage pulse (Wire, [0040]: the characterized response expresses the attenuation of the transmitted amplitude across the band).
7. Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wire (US 2003/0040440 A1) in view of Miller (US 2006/0170431 A1), further in view of Schindler ("Impedance Matching of Passive Transmission Line Receivers to Improve Reflections Between RSFQ Logic Cells").
Wire as modified by Miller teaches most all the instant invention as applied to claims 9, 11, 13, and 14 above.
As per Claim 10, Wire as modified by Miller teaches simulating the superconducting electronic circuit design using the model (Wire, [0041], [0044] "the scattering factor of the signal transmission is calculated and plotted against frequency"; the fitted equivalent-circuit model of the passive transmission line is entered into the circuit simulation program and used to simulate the design).
Wire as modified by Miller to teach explicitly making an adjustment to the transmitter based on simulating the superconducting electronic circuit design.
Schindler teaches making an adjustment to the transmitter based on simulating the superconducting electronic circuit design (Schindler, pg. 3, sec. III-C. PTL Transmitter and Receiver, "tuning the value of the resistor until a sufficient relation between SFQ pulse transmission and degree of pulse reflection was achieved"; pg. 1, sec. I: the transmitter-side series resistor is tuned, according to simulation, to minimize reflections). In particular, Schindler teaches PTL transmitter and receiver stages between RSFQ logic cells and passive transmission lines whose element values are adjusted, according to simulation, until the relation between pulse transmission and pulse reflection is sufficient.
Wire, Miller, and Schindler are analogous art because they are all related to characterization and matching of pulse-carrying transmission lines in electronic circuit design.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of cited references. Thus, one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have been motivated to incorporate Schindler into Wire as modified by Miller's invention or the purpose of generating a superconducting electronic circuit design to provide an indirect measurement of the bandwidth of the channel by measuring the rise time of the signal through the channel and correlating the rise time to bandwidth accurately (Miller: [0004], [0013]) and for the purpose of generating a superconducting electronic circuit design, as suggested by Schindler's teaching that passive transmission line transmitters can be adjusted to minimize impedance mismatching to improve the reflections between the connected RSFQ logic cells, according to simulation (Schindler: pg. 1, sec. I).
8. Claims 15-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wire (US 2003/0040440 A1) in view of Miller (US 2006/0170431 A1), further in view of Belge (US 2003/0002658 A1).
Wire as modified by Miller teaches most all the instant invention as applied to claims 9, 11, 13, and 14 above.
As per Claim 15, Wire as modified by Miller fails to teach explicitly wherein simulating the superconducting electronic circuit design comprises sampling an input signal or output signal of the passive transmission line while varying an input to the model representing a length of the passive transmission line.
Belge teaches wherein simulating the superconducting electronic circuit design comprises sampling an input signal or output signal of the passive transmission line while varying an input to the model representing a length of the passive transmission line (Belge, [0006] "TDR has also been used to identify structural topology and faults in subscriber lines."; [0010] "Such an approach tries to match the observed echo using a forward model by varying the parameters of the model."; [0045] "The pulse generator 120 can forward a plurality of pulses, for example, at varying frequencies, down the subscriber line and the measurement device 130 measures the actual frequency response of the loop."; [0049]: the forward model's per-section parameters, including each section's length, are varied while the modeled echo, a signal of the line, is compared against the observation).
Wire, Miller, and Belge are analogous art because they are all related to characterization and modeling of signal transmission lines in electronic circuit design.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of cited references. Thus, one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have been motivated to incorporate Belge into Wire as modified by Miller's invention for the purpose of generating a superconducting electronic circuit design to provide an indirect measurement of the bandwidth of the channel by measuring the rise time of the signal through the channel and correlating the rise time to bandwidth accurately (Miller: [0004], [0013]) and to provide matching of the observed echo using a forward model by varying the parameters of the model, including the length of each section of the line (Belge: [0006], [0010]).
As per Claim 16, Wire as modified by Miller fails to teach explicitly wherein varying the input varies a signal reflection from the passive transmission line.
Belge teaches wherein varying the input varies a signal reflection from the passive transmission line (Belge, [0007] "A probing pulse that is sent into the subscriber line is reflected whenever there is an impedance discontinuity on the line."; [0047] "the model is evaluated based on, for example, the same frequencies as generated by the pulse generator 120"; [0049]: the echo arises at the line's impedance discontinuities, so varying the modeled structure varies the modeled reflection).
As per Claim 17, Wire as modified by Miller fails to teach explicitly wherein simulating the superconducting electronic circuit design comprises sampling an input signal or output signal of the passive transmission line while varying an input to the model representing a periodicity of a voltage pulse to the passive transmission line.
Belge teaches wherein simulating the superconducting electronic circuit design comprises sampling an input signal or output signal of the passive transmission line while varying an input to the model representing a periodicity of a voltage pulse to the passive transmission line (Belge, [0007], [0051] "multiple frequencies are selected and evaluated against the model based on, for example, the frequencies of the pulses emitted by the pulse generator": the model is evaluated at the frequencies of the pulses emitted by the pulse generator; the pulse frequency is the claimed "periodicity" of the voltage pulse).
9. Claims 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wire (US 2003/0040440 A1) in view of Miller (US 2006/0170431 A1) and Belge (US 2003/0002658 A1), further in view of Schindler ("Impedance Matching of Passive Transmission Line Receivers to Improve Reflections Between RSFQ Logic Cells").
As per Claim 18, Wire teaches a non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to (Wire, [0041]: the circuit design and simulation programs are stored instructions executing on a computer's processor), comprising:
a voltage pulse at a transmitter for a passive transmission line of a superconducting electronic circuit design(Wire, [0028] "The transmitter in chip 3 outputs the SFQ pulse onto on-chip microstrip line 2."; [0003] "The most promising superconducting digital circuits communicate by transmitting Single Flux Quantum ("SFQ") pulses."; [0007] "Passive transmission line, microstrip, was included to transmit a signal between individual chips in the module.": picosecond SFQ voltage pulses are launched between chips over passive microstrip transmission lines, i.e., the "voltage pulse at a transmitter for a passive transmission line" as claimed); and
generate a model for the passive transmission line (Wire, [0041], [0043] "All the inductance and time delay needed to fit the IE3D data to the model is contributed by transmission line 27.": an electrical equivalent circuit including a transmission line element is fitted to the electromagnetically characterized response of the interconnect).
However, Wire fails to teach explicitly determine a frequency range of a voltage pulse at a transmitter for a passive transmission line of a superconducting electronic circuit design; generate a model for the passive transmission line using the frequency range; sample a reflected signal from the passive transmission line while varying an input to the model representing a length of the passive transmission line; and adjust the transmitter based on the reflected signal.
Miller teaches determine a frequency range of a voltage pulse at a transmitter for a passive transmission line of a superconducting electronic circuit design (Miller, [0013], [0038]) and
generate a model for the passive transmission line using the frequency range (Miller, [0026]: the pulse-derived channel bandwidth is adopted as the governing frequency range against which, in the combination, Wire's line model is generated). In particular, Miller teaches deriving the bandwidth a channel must support from the rise time of the measured pulse and adopting that pulse-derived bandwidth as the governing band.
Wire and Miller are analogous art because they are both related to characterization and modeling of signal transmission lines in electronic circuit design.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of cited references. Thus, one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have been motivated to incorporate Miller into Wire's invention for the purpose of generating a superconducting electronic circuit design to provide an indirect measurement of the bandwidth of the channel by measuring the rise time of the signal through the channel and correlating the rise time to bandwidth accurately (Miller: [0004], [0013]).
However, Wire as modified by Miller fails to teach explicitly sample a reflected signal from the passive transmission line while varying an input to the model representing a length of the passive transmission line.
Belge teaches sample a reflected signal from the passive transmission line while varying an input to the model representing a length of the passive transmission line (Belge, [0007], [0010], [0045], [0049]: the echo, i.e., the claimed "reflected signal", is observed while the forward model's per-section parameters, including section length, are varied). In particular, Belge teaches observing the echo of a probing pulse while the forward model's per-section parameters are varied, the echo arising at the line's impedance discontinuities.
However, Wire as modified by Miller and Belge fails to teach explicitly adjust the transmitter based on the reflected signal.
On the other hand, Schindler teaches adjust the transmitter based on the reflected signal (Schindler, pg. 3, sec. III-C. PTL Transmitter and Receiver, "tuning the value of the resistor until a sufficient relation between SFQ pulse transmission and degree of pulse reflection was achieved"; pg. 1, sec. I: the transmitter's series resistor value is tuned according to the degree of pulse reflection). In particular, Schindler teaches PTL transmitter stages whose series-resistor values are tuned until the relation between pulse transmission and pulse reflection is sufficient.
Wire, Miller, Belge, and Schindler are analogous art because they are all related to characterization and matching of pulse-carrying transmission lines in electronic circuit design.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of cited references. Thus, one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have been motivated to incorporate Schindler into Wire as modified by Miller and Belge's invention for the purpose of generating a superconducting electronic circuit design, as suggested by Schindler's teaching that passive transmission line transmitters can be adjusted to minimize impedance mismatching to improve the reflections between the connected RSFQ logic cells, according to simulation (Schindler: pg. 1, sec. I).
As per Claim 19, Miller teaches wherein determining the frequency range comprises fitting a continuous waveform to the voltage pulse (Miller, [0039]: the first-order interpolated response, constructed from the measured maximum slope and the applied voltage, is the fitted continuous waveform).
As per Claim 20, Wire teaches wherein the model comprises scattering parameters for the passive transmission line (Wire, [0039]: the S21 scattering factor, i.e., the "scattering parameters" as claimed, characterizes the line).
Allowable Subject Matter
10. Claim 12 is 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.
(Claim 12) “wherein determining the continuous waveform comprises:
determining a first continuous waveform with a maximum derivative that matches the maximum derivative of the voltage pulse and a second continuous waveform with a minimum derivative that matches the minimum derivative of the voltage pulse, wherein the first continuous waveform has a first frequency and the second continuous waveform has a second frequency;
and determining whether the first frequency is greater than the second frequency.”
Conclusion
11. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Elfadel (US 2006/0085171 A1) teaches modeling and simulation of interconnect response pertinent to sampling input or output signals of a passive transmission line model.
Kameda ("A New Design Methodology for Single-Flux-Quantum (SFQ) Logic Circuits Using Passive-Transmission-Line (PTL) Wiring") teaches a design methodology for SFQ logic circuits using passive-transmission-line wiring.
Polonsky ("PSCAN'96: New Software for Simulation and Optimization of Complex RSFQ Circuits", IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond., vol. 7, no. 2, June 1997) teaches simulation and optimization of RSFQ circuits including adjustment of circuit parameters according to simulation.
Castellanos-Beltran (“Single-Flux-Quantum Multiplier Circuits for Synthesizing Gigahertz Waveforms With Quantum-Based Accuracy”) teaches a system for generating a superconducting electronic circuit design including determine a model for the passive transmission line, simulate the superconducting electronic circuit design using the model; and make an adjustment to the transmitter based on simulating the superconducting electronic circuit design.
Carmon (US 8,271,913 B2) teaches modeling of transmission lines from frequency-domain characteristics and relates the signal rise time to the frequency up to which transmission-line effects are significant, pertinent to determining a passive transmission-line model over a frequency range associated with a pulse rise time.
Lalgudi (US 8,892,414 B1) teaches transmission-line simulators that extract RLGC parameters and propagation constants from frequency-domain network parameters (S-, Y-, Z-, or ABCD-parameters), pertinent to expressing a passive transmission-line model in scattering parameters.
Prasanth (US 2011/0119688 A1) teaches computing slew rate separately on the rising and falling slopes of acquired signal transitions, pertinent to characterizing the maximum and minimum derivatives of a voltage pulse.
Johnson and Graham (“High-Speed Digital Design: A Handbook of Black Magic”) teach that the highest significant spectral content of a digital signal, the knee frequency, is related to its edge rise time by Fknee = 0.5/Tr, pertinent to determining a frequency range for a passive transmission-line model from the rise time of a voltage pulse.
Bogatin (“Bandwidth of a signal from its rise time: Rule of Thumb #1”) teaches that bandwidth is the highest significant sine-wave frequency component in a signal, related to the rise time by BW = 0.35/Tr, pertinent to determining a frequency range for a passive transmission-line model from the rise time of a voltage pulse.
Arar (“The Relationship Between Rise Time and Bandwidth in Digital Signals”) teaches the rise-time/bandwidth relationship BW = 0.35/Tr and that faster signal edges require higher-frequency components, pertinent to associating a higher frequency with a faster pulse edge.
11. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EUNHEE KIM whose telephone number is (571)272-2164. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9am-5pm ET.
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EUNHEE KIM
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2188
/EUNHEE KIM/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2188
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