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 .
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
Claim Objections
Claims 1 and 19 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1 lns. 1-2: “In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an optical range finding device comprising:” appears instead of “An optical range finding device comprising:”
Claim 19 ln. 1: “any one of claim 13,” appears instead of “claim 13,”
Appropriate correction is required.
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, 6-9, 13, and 16-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shanshan CN 107015233 A in view of Teich US 20020093632 A1.
Regarding claim 1, Shanshan teaches In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an optical range finding device (laser radar, Fig. 1) comprising:
a light source configured to generate light (laser source, [0026, 29]);
an optical module for splitting the light into a reference beam and a probe beam and for directing the probe beam towards a target in free-space (splitter with output towards reference path and towards circulator and free-space, [0026, 28]);
a first single-photon detector configured for illumination by the reference beam (A-type single-photon detector, [0026, 33]);
a second single-photon detector configured for illumination by the probe beam after reflection by the target in free-space (B-type single photon detector, [0026, 33]);
a timing module coupled to the first and second single-photon detectors for detecting a time difference between detection of quantum-correlated photons in the reference beam and the reflected probe beam for determining a distance between the device and the target (time-arrival recorder reconstructs the transmit and receive patterns in real time and cross-correlates to find reflectivity and depth values, [0026, 40-41, 59-61, 82]).
Shanshan does not explicitly teach the light is generated with a super-Poissonian timing statistic.
Teich teaches using a semiconductor laser, LED, or incandescent source as a source for super-Poissonian light (44 in Fig. 6, [0026-29], claim 52; Additionally, it is well-known in the art that LEDs, semiconductor lasers, and incandescent sources can produce super-Poissonian light).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Shanshan such that the light source generates light with a super-Poissonian timing statistic similar to Teich with a reasonable expectation of success. This would have the predictable result of enabling splitting the light into entangled photons (Teich: [0027-28]).
Regarding claim 6, Shanshan as modified above teaches the device of claim 1, comprising one or more coherence elements for enforcing spatial coherence of the target beam for increasing a range of the target beam in free space and/or for optimizing optical coherence between the reference beam and the probe beam (collimator, [0009]).
Regarding claim 7, Shanshan as modified above teaches the device of 1,
Shanshan does not explicitly teach wherein the light source comprises one of a group consisting of a laser source configured to generate the light below lasing threshold, super-luminescent diode, sub-threshold gas or solid state laser (including semiconductor laser), light emitting diode, arc lamp, incandescent light bulb, Sunlight and starlight, blackbody radiator, and a mode-hopping laser.
Teich teaches using a semiconductor laser, LED, or incandescent source as a source for super-Poissonian light (44 in Fig. 6, [0026-29], claim 52; Additionally, it is well-known in the art that LEDs, semiconductor lasers, and incandescent sources can produce super-Poissonian light).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Shanshan such that the light source comprises one of a group consisting of a laser source configured to generate the light below lasing threshold, super-luminescent diode, sub-threshold gas or solid state laser (including semiconductor laser), light emitting diode, arc lamp, incandescent light bulb, Sunlight and starlight, blackbody radiator, and a mode-hopping laser similar to Teich with a reasonable expectation of success. This would have the predictable result of enabling splitting the light into entangled photons (Teich: [0027-28]).
Regarding claim 8, Shanshan as modified above teaches the device of 1, wherein each of the first and second detectors is able to detect the arrival time of a single photon with a timing accuracy commensurate or higher than the coherence time of the photons (time-arrival recorder reconstructs the transmit and receive patterns in real time and cross-correlates to find reflectivity and depth values, [0026, 40-41, 59-61, 82]).
Regarding claim 9, Shanshan as modified above teaches the device of claim 8, wherein each of the first and second detectors comprise one of a group consisting of a photomultiplier, superconducting nanowire detector, superconducting transition edge detector, and actively or passively quenched avalanche diode photon detector (PerkinElmer single-photon detector, [0033]).
Regarding claim 13, Shanshan teaches an optical range finding method comprising the steps of:
generating light (laser source, [0026, 29]);
splitting the light into a reference beam and a probe beam and directing the probe beam towards a target in free-space (splitter with output towards reference path and towards circulator and free-space, [0026, 28]);
illuminating a first single-photon detector by the reference beam (A-type single-photon detector, [0026, 33]);
illuminating a second single-photon detector by the probe beam after reflection by the target in free-space (B-type single photon detector, [0026, 33]);
detecting a time difference between detection of quantum-correlated photons in the reference beam and the reflected probe beam for determining a distance between the device and the target (time-arrival recorder reconstructs the transmit and receive patterns in real time and cross-correlates to find reflectivity and depth values, [0026, 40-41, 59-61, 82]).
Shanshan does not explicitly teach the light is generated with a super-Poissonian timing statistic.
Teich teaches using a semiconductor laser, LED, or incandescent source as a source for super-Poissonian light (44 in Fig. 6, [0026-29], claim 52; Additionally, it is well-known in the art that LEDs, semiconductor lasers, and incandescent sources can produce super-Poissonian light).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Shanshan such that the light source generates light with a super-Poissonian timing statistic similar to Teich with a reasonable expectation of success. This would have the predictable result of enabling splitting the light into entangled photons (Teich: [0027-28]).
Regarding claim 16, see rejection to claim 6.
Regarding claim 17, see rejection to claim 8.
Claims 2 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shanshan CN 107015233 A in view of Teich US 20020093632 A1 and further in view of Islam US 20140183362 A1.
Regarding claim 2, Shanshan as modified above teaches the device of claim 1,
Shanshan does not explicitly teach comprising a polarizer for polarizing the light generated by the light source prior to the splitting of the light, for increasing a temporal photon bunching signature of the light emitted from the light source.
Islam teaches a polarizer before a beam splitter (1804 in Fig. 18, [0080]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Shanshan to include a polarizer for polarizing the light generated by the light source prior to the splitting of the light, for increasing a temporal photon bunching signature of the light emitted from the light source similar to Islam with a reasonable expectation of success. This would have the predictable result helping ensure the polarization of light is known prior to splitting.
Regarding claim 14, see rejection to claim 2.
Claims 3-5 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shanshan CN 107015233 A in view of Teich US 20020093632 A1 and further in view of Kolbl US 20220333991 A1.
Regarding claim 3, Shanshan as modified above teaches the device of claim 1,
Shanshan does not explicitly teach comprising one or more optical elements for bandpass filtering of the reference beam and the reflected probe beam prior to detection by the first and second detectors.
Kolbl teaches bandpass filters in a reference path (first reference beam) and a measurement path (second reference beam), (24 and 28 in Fig. 1, [0025-26, 74-83, 94-97])
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Shanshan to include one or more optical elements for bandpass filtering of the reference beam and the reflected probe beam prior to detection by the first and second detectors similar to Kolbl with a reasonable expectation of success. This would have the predictable result reducing interference.
Regarding claim 4, Shanshan as modified above teaches the device of claim 3,
Shanshan does not explicitly teach wherein the one or more optical elements for filtering comprise sets of one or more identical components for the reference beam and the reflected probe beam, respectively.
Kolbl teaches bandpass filters in a reference path (first reference beam) and a measurement path (second reference beam), (24 and 28 in Fig. 1, [0025-26, 74-83, 94-97]; only laser light transmitted for both and designed analogously)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Shanshan such that the one or more optical elements for filtering comprise sets of one or more identical components for the reference beam and the reflected probe beam, respectively similar to Kolbl with a reasonable expectation of success. This would have the predictable result reducing interference.
Regarding claim 5, Shanshan as modified above teaches the device of claim 3,
Shanshan does not explicitly teach wherein the one or more optical elements for filtering comprise one set of one or more components for the reference beam and the reflected probe beam.
Kolbl teaches bandpass filters in a reference path (first reference beam) and a measurement path (second reference beam), (24 and 28 in Fig. 1, [0025-26, 74-83, 94-97]; only laser light transmitted for both and designed analogously)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Shanshan such that the one or more optical elements for filtering comprise one set of one or more components for the reference beam and the reflected probe beam similar to Kolbl with a reasonable expectation of success. This would have the predictable result reducing interference.
Regarding claim 15, see rejection to claim 3.
Claims 10, 12, and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shanshan CN 107015233 A in view of Teich US 20020093632 A1 and further in view of Rakuljie US 20210018598 A1.
Regarding claim 10, Shanshan as modified above teaches the device of claim 1,
Shanshan does not explicitly teach wherein the optical module for splitting the light into the reference beam and the probe beam is polarizing.
Rakuljie teaches a polarization beam splitter to split into local oscillator and measurement beams (302 in Fig. 3C, [0074]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Shanshan such that the optical module for splitting the light into the reference beam and the probe beam is polarizing similar to Rakuljie with a reasonable expectation of success. This would have the predictable result splitting light into two paths using a method well-known in the art.
Regarding claim 12, Shanshan teaches the device of claim 10,
Shanshan does not explicitly teach comprising two waveplates disposed for minimizing losses in the optical module for splitting the light into the reference beam and the probe beam.
Rakuljie teaches a polarization beam splitter to split into local oscillator and measurement beams and including multiple waveplates (318, 322, 328, 330 in Fig. 3C, [0073-75]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Shanshan such that the optical module for splitting the light into the reference beam and the probe beam is polarizing similar to Rakuljie with a reasonable expectation of success. This would have the predictable result splitting light into two paths using a method well-known in the art.
Regarding claim 19, see rejection to claim 12.
Claims 11 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shanshan CN 107015233 A in view of Teich US 20020093632 A1 and further in view of Snell US 20180166848 A1.
Regarding claim 11, Shanshan teaches the device of claim 10,
Shanshan does not explicitly teach comprising a rotatable polarizer for balancing beam intensities exposed to the first and second single-photon detectors.
Snell teaches adjusting rotation of a half-wave plate to tune light transmission through a polarization beam splitter (8 in Fig. 1, [0029])
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Shanshan to include a rotatable polarizer for balancing beam intensities exposed to the first and second single-photon detectors similar to Snell with a reasonable expectation of success. This would have the predictable result splitting light into two paths using a method well-known in the art.
Regarding claim 18, see rejection to claim 11.
Conclusion
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/J.C.F./Examiner, Art Unit 3645
/ISAM A ALSOMIRI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3645