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 .
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
In [0008], the first sentence will be read as “Additional phase shifters, made of a material other than the electro-optic material platform, can be hybridly integrated or otherwise coupled to the front-end chip.”
In [0031], the first sentence will be read as “Optical gyroscopes may have a front-end chip made of integrated photonics components that can launch light into and receive light from a rotation sensing element.”
In [0031], the second sentence will be read as “The rotation sensing element of the optical gyroscope can comprise a fiber loop or another integrated photonics waveguide chip (e.g., a silicon nitride or other material based waveguide-based coil or microresonator ring).”
In [0037], the second-to-last sentence will be read as “Also, though in FIG. 2A the sensing chip 250 is shown side by side with the front-end chip 200, the sensing chip can be underneath or above the front-end chip 200 where light is coupled evanescently between the two chips.”
In [0044], the first sentence will be read as “Note that [[
In [0049], the third sentence will be read as “This is an important aspect of the design, because efficient coupling with external components depends on the [[
In [0049], the last sentence will be read as “In addition, intersecting waveguides increases the scattering loss which the design in FIG. 7 can avoid.”
In [0050], the last sentence will be read as “In order for light to couple between the two vertical planes, the tapered tips 755 and 775 must have some overlap, and the tapered tips 780 and 785 must have some overlap.”
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Objections
Claims 4-7 and 15-17 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In Claim 4, the word “opticl” will be read as “optical”.
In Claim 5, the word “optial” will be read as “optical”.
In Claim 6, the word “optial” will be read as “optical”.
In Claim 7, line 2 will be read with a space between the comma (“,”) and “wafer-bonding”.
In Claim 15, the only sentence therein will be read as “The integrated photonics optical gyroscope of claim 10, wherein the one or more photodetectors is selectively grown on the material platform having electro-optic properties.”
In Claim 16, the only sentence therein will be read as “The integrated photonics optical gyroscope of claim 1, wherein the [[
In Claim 17, the only sentence therein will be read as “The integrated photonics optical gyroscope of claim 1, wherein the [[
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 18-20 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.
Claim 18 recites the limitation "the waveguide coil or the microresonator ring" in lines 1-2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, the claim will be read as “The integrated photonics optical gyroscope of claim 1, wherein the rotation sensing element is a waveguide coil or a microresonator ring, wherein the waveguide coil or the microresonator ring is fabricated on the material platform having electro-optic properties.”
Claim 19 recites the limitation "the optical splitters" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, the claim will be read as “The integrated photonics optical gyroscope of claim 8, wherein the plurality of waveguide-based optical components include optical splitters, wherein the optical splitters are 2
×
2 splitters or multi-mode interference (MMI)-based devices.”
Claim 20 recites the limitation "the mode-selective filter" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, the claim will be read as “The integrated photonics optical gyroscope of claim 8, wherein the plurality of waveguide-based optical components include mode-selective filters, wherein the mode-selective filters filter out transverse-magnetic (TM) mode.”
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.
Claim(s) 1, 4, 6-10 and 17-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Paniccia (US 2021/0140768 A1).
Regarding independent Claim 1, Paniccia discloses an integrated photonics optical gyroscope, comprising:
a front-end chip (Figure 1: element 100 is a front-end chip; [0033]) to launch light into and receive light from a rotation sensing element ([0010] “to launch light into and receive light from the rotation sensing element”), the front-end chip (Figure 1: element 100 is a front-end chip; [0033]) comprising a plurality of waveguide-based optical components (Figure 1; [0033] “waveguide based components on front-end chip 100”) fabricated on a material platform having electro-optic properties ([0010] “fabricated on a silicon nitride (SiN) waveguide platform”).
Regarding Claim 4, Paniccia discloses the integrated photonics optical gyroscope of claim 1, wherein the plurality of waveguide-based optical elements (Figure 1; [0033] “waveguide based components on front-end chip 100”) comprise:
at least one phase shifter (Figure 1: element 120 is a phase modulator/ phase shifter; [0036]) coupled to one of a first end or a second end of the rotation sensing element (Figure 1; [0036] “incorporated in one or both of the two output branches … for coupling out to the SiN waveguide based sensing chip with a sensing coil/ring resonator”).
Regarding 6, Paniccia discloses the integrated photonics optical gyroscope of claim 4, further comprising:
an additional phase shifter (Figure 1: element 122 is a phase modulator/ phase shifter; [0036]) fabricated by depositing, growing or bonding a metallic heater (Figure 1; [0036] “a high-speed modulator (… 122 a) and a thermal modulator (… 122 b)”) on top of the material platform having electro-optic properties ([0010] “fabricated on a silicon nitride (SiN) waveguide platform”).
Regarding Claim 7, Paniccia discloses the integrated photonics optical gyroscope of claim 4, further comprising:
an additional phase shifter fabricated by growing, wafer-bonding or attaching III-V compound semiconductor material ([0012] “the phase shifter can be fabricated by growing, wafer-bonding or attaching III-V compound semiconductor material”) on top of the material platform having electro-optic properties ([0010] “on a silicon nitride (SiN) waveguide platform”).
Regarding Claim 8, Paniccia discloses the integrated photonics optical gyroscope of claim 1, wherein the plurality of waveguide-based optical components (Figure 1; [0033] “waveguide based components on front-end chip 100”) include one or more from: optical splitters (Figure 1: elements 106, 108 are 2×2 optical splitters; [0034]), directional couplers, input couplers (Figure 1: element 102 is an input coupler; [0034]), output couplers (Figure 1: elements 132a, 132b are output couplers; [0036]), and mode-selective filters (Figure 1: elements 160, 162, 164, 166 are TM filters; [0036]).
Regarding Claim 9, Paniccia discloses the integrated photonics optical gyroscope of claim 1, wherein a semiconductor light source ([0034] “The light source can be a semiconductor laser”) is hybridly integrated ([0007] “External elements (e.g., laser, detectors, phase shifter etc.) … can be hybridly integrated to the SiN waveguide platform”) or coupled (Figure 1; [0034] “a light source (not shown in FIG. 1, but similar to laser 201 in FIG. 2) is coupled to the integrated photonics front-end chip 100 via a fiber”) with the material platform having electro-optic properties ([0010] “on a silicon nitride (SiN) waveguide platform”).
Regarding Claim 10, Paniccia discloses the integrated photonics optical gyroscope of claim 9, wherein one or more photodetectors (Figure 1: elements 136, 137 are detectors; [0035] “The detectors can be PIN or avalanche photodiodes that convert light to electrical signal”) are hybridly integrated ([0007] “External elements (e.g., laser, detectors, phase shifter etc.) … can be hybridly integrated to the SiN waveguide platform”) or coupled with the material platform having electro-optic properties ([0010] “on a silicon nitride (SiN) waveguide platform”).
Regarding Claim 17, Paniccia discloses the integrated photonics optical gyroscope of claim 1, wherein the rotation sensing element is a waveguide coil or a microresonator ring ([0007] “The rotation sensing element comprises a coil with multiple turns or a microresonator ring”).
Regarding Claim 18, Paniccia discloses the integrated photonics optical gyroscope of claim 1, wherein the rotation sensing element is a waveguide coil or a microresonator ring ([0007] “The rotation sensing element comprises a coil with multiple turns or a microresonator ring”), wherein the waveguide coil (Figure 2: element 205 is a waveguide based sensing coil; [0037]) or the microresonator ring is fabricated on the material platform having electro-optic properties (Figure 2: element 200 is a separate SiN waveguide-based sensing chip).
Regarding Claim 19, Paniccia discloses the integrated photonics optical gyroscope of claim 8, wherein the plurality of waveguide-based optical components (Figure 1; [0033] “waveguide based components on front-end chip 100”) include optical splitters ([0035] “splitters and/or directional couplers are designed on-chip”), wherein the optical splitters are 2
×
2 splitters (Figure 1: elements 106, 108 are 2×2 optical splitters; [0034]) or multi-mode interference (MMI)-based devices.
Regarding Claim 20, Paniccia discloses the integrated photonics optical gyroscope of claim 8, wherein the plurality of waveguide-based optical components (Figure 1; [0033] “waveguide based components on front-end chip 100”) include mode-selective filters (Figure 1: elements 160, 162, 164, 166 are mode-selective filters; [0036]), wherein the mode-selective filters filter out transverse-magnetic (TM) mode ([0036] “mode-selective filters (such as TM filters which filters out most of the transverse-magnetic (TM) mode while passing transverse-electric (TE) mode)”).
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:
Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or non-obviousness.
Claim(s) 2-3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Paniccia (US 2021/0140768 A1) in view of Lewis et al. (US 2022/0229231 A1).
Regarding Claim 2, Paniccia discloses the integrated photonics optical gyroscope of claim 1, but does not specifically teach that the material platform having electro-optic properties comprises: single crystalline or poly-crystalline lithium niobate platform.
However, Lewis, in the same field of interferometric gyroscopes, teaches that the material platform having electro-optic properties (Figure 1; [0019] “second substrate 104 is formed of a third material …, and the third material has particular non-linear electro-optic properties”) comprises: single crystalline or poly-crystalline lithium niobate platform ([0019] “the third material is a lithium niobate”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the gyroscope of Paniccia, such that the material platform having electro-optic properties comprises: single crystalline or poly-crystalline lithium niobate platform, as taught by Lewis, because “In order to reduce size, weight, and cost of interferometric gyroscopes, it is desirable to increase the integration of functions into a single device (for example, the integrated optical circuit).” (Lewis, para 3)
Regarding Claim 3, Paniccia discloses the integrated photonics optical gyroscope of claim 1, but does not specifically teach that the material platform having electro-optic properties comprises: single crystalline or poly-crystalline lithium tantalate platform.
However, Lewis, in the same field of interferometric gyroscopes, teaches that the material platform having electro-optic properties (Figure 1; [0019] “second substrate 104 is formed of a third material …, and the third material has particular non-linear electro-optic properties”) comprises: single crystalline or poly-crystalline lithium tantalate platform (Figure 1; [0019] “second substrate 104 is formed of lithium tantalate substrate”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the gyroscope of Paniccia, such that the material platform having electro-optic properties comprises: single crystalline or poly-crystalline lithium tantalate platform, as taught by Lewis, because “In order to reduce size, weight, and cost of interferometric gyroscopes, it is desirable to increase the integration of functions into a single device (for example, the integrated optical circuit).” (Lewis, para 3)
Claim(s) 5 and 11-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Paniccia (US 2021/0140768 A1).
Regarding Claim 5, Paniccia discloses the integrated photonics optical gyroscope of claim 4, further comprising:
an additional phase shifter (Figure 1: element 122 is a phase modulator/ phase shifter; [0036]) fabricated on top of the material platform having electro-optic properties ([0010] “fabricated on a silicon nitride (SiN) waveguide platform”), but does not specifically teach an additional phase shifter fabricated by depositing, growing or bonding a piezo-electric material on top of the material platform having electro-optic properties.
However, Paniccia – in the embodiment of Figure 5B – teaches an additional phase shifter (Figure 5B: element 522 is an additional phase shifter; [0044]) fabricated by depositing, growing or bonding a piezo-electric material ([0044] “accomplished thru depositing metal or PZT material”) on top of the material platform having electro-optic properties (Figure 5B: element 500B is a second layer of silicon nitride (SiN) waveguide platform; [0044]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the gyroscope in Figure 1 of Paniccia, with an additional phase shifter fabricated by depositing, growing or bonding a piezo-electric material on top of the material platform having electro-optic properties, as taught in Figure 5 of Paniccia, because this technique can achieve homogeneous linewidth broadening, meaning the entire spectral line is widened uniformly.
Regarding Claim 11, Paniccia discloses the integrated photonics optical gyroscope of claim 10, but does not specifically teach that the semiconductor light source and the one or more photodetectors are integrated on a common substrate which is then coupled to the material platform having electro-optic properties.
However, Paniccia – in the embodiment of Figure 6A – teaches that the semiconductor light source (Figure 6A: element 501 is a laser; [0044]) and the one or more photodetectors (Figure 6A: element 538 is a Sagnac detector; [0044]) are integrated on a common substrate (Figure 6A; [0044] “supported by the same substrate in module 600”) which is then coupled to the material platform having electro-optic properties (Figure 6A; [0044] “the same substrate in module 600 which is then aligned to the layer 500A of the SiN die”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the gyroscope in Figure 1 of Paniccia, such that the semiconductor light source and the one or more photodetectors are integrated on a common substrate which is then coupled to the material platform having electro-optic properties, as taught in Figure 6A of Paniccia, because “This design also automatically isolates the Sagnac detector from unwanted stray light that may leak into the substrate of layer 500A.” (Paniccia, para 44)
Regarding Claim 12, modified Paniccia discloses the integrated photonics optical gyroscope of claim 11, but does not specifically teach that the common substrate is wafer-bonded or flip-chip bonded with the front-end chip.
However, Paniccia – in the embodiment of Figures 8A-8B (top view and side view respectively, of the same embodiment) – teaches that the common substrate (Figures 8A-8B: element 600 is a laser and detector module; [0049]) is wafer-bonded or flip-chip bonded with the front-end chip ([0049] “FIGS. 8A-8B show (top view 800A and side view 800B respectively) that the laser and detector module 600 is bonded or grown on top of the first SiN layer 500A”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the gyroscope of Paniccia, such that the common substrate is wafer-bonded or flip-chip bonded with the front-end chip, as taught in Figures 8A-8B of Paniccia, because “As shown in FIG. 8B, the first SiN layer 500A and the second SiN layer 500B may be vertically separated by a layer 802 which helps in evanescent coupling between the layers 500A and 500B.” (Paniccia, para 49)
Regarding Claim 13, modified Paniccia discloses the integrated photonics optical gyroscope of claim 12, wherein the common substrate (Figure 6A; [0044] “the same substrate in module 600”) is self-aligned or coupled with the front-end chip (Figure 6A; [0023] “a common substrate for self-aligned coupling with the integrated photonics components in the first layer”).
Regarding Claim 14, Paniccia discloses the integrated photonics optical gyroscope of claim 9, but does not specifically teach that the semiconductor light source is selectively grown on the material platform having electro-optic properties.
However, Paniccia – in the embodiment of Figures 8A-8B (top view and side view respectively, of the same embodiment) – teaches that the semiconductor light source ([0034] “The light source can be a semiconductor laser”; Figures 8A-8B: element 600 is a laser and detector module; [0049]) is selectively grown on the material platform having electro-optic properties ([0049] “FIGS. 8A-8B show (top view 800A and side view 800B respectively) that the laser and detector module 600 is bonded or grown on top of the first SiN layer 500A”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the gyroscope in Figure 1 of Paniccia, such that the semiconductor light source is selectively grown on the material platform having electro-optic properties, as taught in Figures 8A-8B of Paniccia, because “As shown in FIG. 8B, the first SiN layer 500A and the second SiN layer 500B may be vertically separated by a layer 802 which helps in evanescent coupling between the layers 500A and 500B.” (Paniccia, para 49)
Regarding Claim 15, Paniccia discloses the integrated photonics optical gyroscope of claim 10, but does not specifically teach that the one or more photodetectors is selectively grown on the material platform having electro-optic properties.
However, Paniccia – in the embodiment of Figures 8A-8B (top view and side view respectively, of the same embodiment) – teaches that the one or more photodetectors (Figures 8A-8B: element 600 is a laser and detector module; [0049]) is selectively grown on the material platform having electro-optic properties ([0049] “FIGS. 8A-8B show (top view 800A and side view 800B respectively) that the laser and detector module 600 is bonded or grown on top of the first SiN layer 500A”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the gyroscope in Figure 1 of Paniccia, such that the one or more photodetectors is selectively grown on the material platform having electro-optic properties, as taught in Figures 8A-8B of Paniccia, because “As shown in FIG. 8B, the first SiN layer 500A and the second SiN layer 500B may be vertically separated by a layer 802 which helps in evanescent coupling between the layers 500A and 500B.” (Paniccia, para 49)
Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Paniccia (US 2021/0140768 A1) in view of Kim et al. (US 10,989,535 B1).
Regarding Claim 16, Paniccia discloses the integrated photonics optical gyroscope of claim 1, but does not specifically teach that the rotation sensing element is a fiber spool.
However, Kim, in the same field of fiber-optic gyroscope (FOG) systems, teaches that the rotation sensing element is a fiber spool (Figure 1: element 18 is a FOG; [Column 4, lines 28-29] “FOG 18 can include a single optical fiber that is wound around a spool”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the gyroscope of Paniccia, such that the rotation sensing element is a fiber spool, as taught by Kim, because “optical beams OPT1 and OPT2 can each propagate through the FOG 18 and can each be output at the opposite one of the I/ O connections 20 and 22 without interference of the photons of the counter-propagating optical beams OPT1 and OPT2.” (Kim, Column 4, lines 49-53)
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Akbar H. Rizvi whose telephone number is (571) 272-5085. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 9:30 am - 6:30 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Tarifur R. Chowdhury can be reached at (571) 272-2287. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/AKBAR H. RIZVI/
Examiner, Art Unit 2877
/TARIFUR R CHOWDHURY/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2877