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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in parent Application No. EP22208009.5, filed on November 17, 2022.
Election/Restriction
Applicant's election with traverse of Species A (claims 1 and 6-13) in the reply filed on January 22, 2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that the Examiner did not any evidence that Species A and B are different and divergent classification and require a different field of search . This is not found persuasive because Applicant has not presented any evidence or clearly admitted that the identified species are obvious variants and that they do not require a different field of search.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
Information Disclosure Statement
The prior art documents submitted by applicant in the Information Disclosure Statements filed on November 13, 2023 have all been considered and made of record (note the attached copies of form PTO-1449).
Drawings
Six (6) sheets of drawings were filed on November 13, 2023.
Specification
Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
Inventorship
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.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
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, 6-8, and 10-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Schrans et al (WO2020161260A1), hereafter Schrans.
Regarding claim 1 and 13, Schrans discloses a device and method for frequency shifting of light in a photonic integrated circuit(FIG. 5), PIC, the PIC comprising: a waveguide array wherein each waveguide in the waveguide array is configured to guide a light signal (FIG 14 and 15 multiple input waveguides 46 guiding light from the laser/switch to the light-emitting components. Pg. 3 lines 26-29) , wherein the light signal guided by all of the waveguides originates from a common light beam(FIG. 13 A and B. Abstract: light source for providing light from at least one laser) or multiple mutually coherent light beams; a modulator array associated with the waveguide array such that each waveguide in the waveguide array is associated with a mutually unique modulator of the modulator array (FIG.15 and 19. Individual phase shifters 52 provided in the different optical paths to control the phase of light. Pg. 49 lines 8-10. Pg. 51 lines 23-26: Each waveguide has a phase shifter. The phase shifter in the active component that drives modulation, making it a modulator) , each modulator being configured to provide a modulation, by generation of a modulation signal, of a phase and/or an amplitude of the light signal being guided in the associated waveguide to form a modulated light signal (Phase shifters 52 modulate the phase of light in each waveguide. Pg. 51 lines 27-28: The phase shift imparted to the light in arm waveguides determines which output waveguide the light will arrive at) wherein the modulation signals of all modulators have a common modulation period, (Pg. 3 lines 15-16: path-matched arm waveguides. Phase delay of light within each of the arm waveguides can be controlled. In this case path-matched in interpreted as the same baseline delay across all arms (shared time reference). Pg 51. lines 23-30: Path length matched and all phase shifter are active between o and 2π. The arms share the same optical length and all phase shifters operate over the same 0-2π control range); a free propagation unit (Pg. 51 line 26: Free diffraction region) comprising an array of inputs (The facets/end of the arms waveguides), each input being associated with a waveguide of the waveguide array (Figure 19) and configured to receive the modulated light signal from the associated waveguide (Pg. 51 lines 27-28: Phase shift imparted to the light in the arm waveguides) such that the modulated light signals from all waveguides propagate freely in two spatial dimensions (FIG 15. Pg. 49 lines 16-19: directs light into different polar angles) through the free propagation unit (free diffraction region) towards an array of outputs of the free propagation unit (Output waveguides; Pg. 51 line 26). Schran fails to disclose that the modulated light signal comprises a plurality of sideband frequencies representing different orders of frequency shifts based on harmonics of the common modulation period and the modulated light signals interfere with each other to form output signals at the array of outputs, such that different outputs receive light with different peak frequency corresponding to different sideband frequencies.
A result of Shcran’s LiDAR modulation and OPA control, which uses path-matched arms with controllable phase shifters(Pg. 3 lines 15-29 and Pg. 51 lines 23-32) together with FMCW and out-of-band trace modulation, so the time varying phase setting necessarily generate multiple sideband frequencies and corresponding frequency shifts of the underlying light. FIG. 15. Individual phase shifters 52 Pg. 49 lines 8-10. Therefore, before the effective filing date of the present invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to recognize that in Schrans’ OPA switch, the phase-modulated signals from the path-matched arm waveguides (each having a phase shifter) that travels across a free diffraction region to the output waveguides, and [where] the phase shift imparted to the light in the arm waveguides determines which output waveguide the light will arrive at, interfere in that the free diffraction region to form output signals at the array of outputs. In view of Shcran’s disclosure that the LiDAR systems employ FMCW and out-of-band trace modulation, which a person of ordinary skill understand necessarily generates multiple sideband frequency components of the optical carrier. It would have been an obvious and predictable result that the interference of these modulated signals in the free diffraction regions causes different output waveguides to preferentially reinforce different sideband components, so that different outputs receive light with different effective peak frequencies corresponding to different sideband frequencies.
Regarding Claim 6, Schrans discloses the PIC according to claim 1. Schran further discloses a delay between modulation (Pg.3 lines 15-17) and consecutive modulators (49) (Fig. 14; Pg. 48, lines 20-28). Schran fails to disclose a delay between modulations of consecutive modulators in the modulator array.
Before the effective filing date of the present invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to understand that because the phase delay of light in each arm waveguide is individually controllable, the controller can choose to apply modulation patterns to different phase shifters at different, i.e., with relative time offsets, in addition to controlling their amplitudes and static phase values. In coherent LiDAR and OPA beam-forming practice, it is a routine design option to introduce relative delays or time-staggered modulation between adjacent elements in an array to shape or scan beams, to implement coding across the array, or to separate channels temporally.
Regrading claim 7, Schrans discloses the PIC according to claim 1. Schran further discloses the delay between modulations(Pg. 3 lines 15-17) and consecutive modulators (49) (Fig. 14; Pg. 48, lines 20-28). Schran fails to disclose the delay between modulations of consecutive modulators is equal for all consecutive modulators in the modulator array.
Before the effective filing date of the present invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to choose a uniform delay between adjacent phase shifters when implementing time-staggered modulation across the array, because equal time steps between elements are a routine and predictable way to realize a linear phase ramp or travelling-wave excitation in optical phased arrays and other phased-array systems.
Regarding claim 8, Schrans discloses the PIC according to claim 1. Schran further discloses the free propagation unit is in the form of a slab region (Pg. 32 lines 36-37).
Regarding claim 10, Schran discloses the PIC according to claim 1, but is silent with respect to a system for multiple interferometric sensing. However, Schrans discloses that the PIC transmitter uses the principles of interferometry (interference of coherent light waves) across multiple channels simultaneously to scan and map the environment, making it a sophisticated, miniature system for multiple interferometric sensing. FIG. 5. Pg.5 lines 16-25.
Therefore, before the effective filing date of the present invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings of Schran with standard, known interferometric sensing techniques to arrive at a system for multiple interferometric sensing, as Schran’s description of simultaneously scanning and mapping the environment with coherent light waves explicitly suggests the function and utility of such a system Pg.14 lines 32-36).
Schran further discloses the system comprising: a PIC according to claim 1; a control unit (FIG 9B control device 36) that may control optical components (Pg. 37 lines 9-10). Schran fails to disclose a control unit connected to the modulator array and configured for controlling the generation of the modulation signal in each modulator.
Before the effective filing date of the present invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the control unit of Schran to be connected to the modulator array and configured for controlling the generation of the modulation signal in each modulator, because providing individual control over modulator signals is a known technique to improve the signal-to-noise ratio, enhance modulation accuracy, and enable independent phase or intensity adjustments in an optical modulator array, such as in interferometric sensing systems. Such modifications allow for the optimization of optical fields, correction of fabrication non-uniformities, and improved beamforming or mapping performance in the system.
Regarding claim 11, Schran discloses the system according to claim 10, further comprising: at least one light source configured and arranged to provide a reference light beam and the common light beam or the multiple mutually coherent light beams for the PIC (FIG. 13 A and B. Abstract: light source for providing light form at least one laser); at least one photodetector (FIG 9B. photodetector 33). Schran fails to disclose the photodetector comprising a light sensitive element configured to generate an electrical signal dependent on an intensity of light incident onto the light sensitive element, the at least one photodetector being configured to receive the reference light beam and the output signals from the PIC being scattered by a target, incident onto the light sensitive element.
Before the effective filing date of the present invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the system of Schrans to include a reference light beam provided by the same light source and to direct both the reference light beam and the returned output signals from the PIC to the photodetector, because providing a split-off reference beam for coherent detection is a known technique in interferometric sensing systems and FMCW LiDAR systems to enable interference-based detection of scattered return light and electrical signal generation at the photodetector.
Regarding claim 12, Schran discloses the system according to claim 10, Schran fails to disclose the reference light beam is one of the output signals from the PIC.
Before the effective filing date of the present invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to configure on of the available PIC output channels in Schrans as a reference/LO channel and to use the optical signal on that output as a reference light beams, while other PIC outputs carry target-dependent signal, because coherent/FMCW interferometric sensing it is well-known and predictable design choice to derive the local reference beam from the same integrated photonic circuit and coherent source as the measurement channels, for example, by tapping or dedicating one output, in order to ensure phase coherence, reduce external optics and simplify on-chip integration of the coherent receiver.
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Schrans et al. (WO2020161260A1), hereafter Schrans, as applied to claim 1 above, in view of Trita (US10955613B2).
Regarding claim 9, Schran discloses the PIC according to claim 1. Schran fails to discloses the free propagation unit is in the form of a star coupler.
Trita teaches an arrayed waveguide grating includes two-star couplers in the free propagation region (Abstract. Column 1 lines 44-48).
Before the effective filing date of the present invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the free propagation region of the PIC disclosed in Schran by implementing the star coupler configuration taught by Trita, in order to achieve efficient wavelength splitting and multiplexing within the arrayed waveguide grating structure. Specifically, Trita teaches that an arrayed waveguide grating utilizes star couplers as the free propagation region for improved coupling in photonic integrated circuits(Column 7 lines 33-37). A person of ordinary skill in the art would have combined these teachings to improve the coupling efficiency and spectral resolution of Schrans' PIC, as Trita provides a known, standard design for such devices.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s
disclosure:
Li et al (US20220196804A1) sees the entire disclosure.
Muenter et al. (US20080144041A1) see the entire disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TAJANAE N GREEN whose telephone number is (571)272-2188. The examiner can normally be reached Tues-Fri. 5:30a-3:30p.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Uyen-Chau Le can be reached at (571) 272-2397. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TAJANAE NICOLE GREEN/ Examiner, Art Unit 2874
/UYEN CHAU N LE/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2874