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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 01/26/2026 has been entered.
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 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.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 4, 5, 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Song, Hongya, et al. "Review of compact computational spectral information acquisition systems." Frontiers of Information Technology & Electronic Engineering 21.8 (2020): 1119-1133, in view of Lin. J. et al., US 20170366763 A1 (hereinafter Lin), and further in view of US 9875407 B2 (hereinafter LaForest).
Regarding claim 1, Song teaches a compressive hyperspectral imaging system, comprising: a reconfigurable coded aperture (fig. 21 “Coded aperture mask”) configured to spatially encode an optical signal associated with a scene (fig. 21, the optical signal is coming from the object), “an integrated photonic device configured to disperse the spatially encoded optical signal” (CASSI is the photonic device with a disperse, p. 12 col 1 para 2 lines 1-6); and an array of photo detectors configured to detect the dispersed and spatially encoded optical signal (fig. 21 has a detector array).
Song does not teach wherein the reconfigurable coded aperture comprises an array of optical modulation elements and an electrical interconnection matrix of signal lines coupled with the optical modulation elements, the electrical interconnection matrix being configured to generate different spatial codes by selectively applying one or more electrical pulses via one or more of the signal lines to individually control a transmission state of each of the optical modulation elements; and wherein an output of the array of photo detectors is used for reconstruction of a hyperspectral image corresponding to the scene.
Lin, from the same field of endeavor as Song, teaches wherein an output of the array of photo detectors is used for reconstruction of a hyperspectral image corresponding to the scene (para [0099] claim 23).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to apply the teaching of Lin to Song to have wherein an output of the array of photo detectors is used for reconstruction of a hyperspectral image corresponding to the scene in order to enable a wide area hyperspectral motion imaging (para [0006] lines 1-4).
Song, when modified by Lin, does not teach wherein the reconfigurable coded aperture comprises an array of optical modulation elements and an electrical interconnection matrix of signal lines coupled with the optical modulation elements, the electrical interconnection matrix being configured to generate different spatial codes by selectively applying one or more electrical pulses via one or more of the signal lines to individually control a transmission state of each of the optical modulation elements.
LaForest, from the same field of endeavor as Song, teaches wherein the reconfigurable coded aperture comprises an array of optical modulation elements (fig. 1 element 105 is a coded aperture; col 4 lines 24-29) and an electrical interconnection matrix of signal lines coupled with the optical modulation elements (col 4 lines 24-29; the different liquid crystal cells are the electrical interconnection matrix), “the electrical interconnection matrix being configured to generate different spatial codes by selectively applying one or more electrical pulses via one or more of the signal lines to individually control a transmission state of each of the optical modulation elements” (col 4 lines 31-52).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to apply the teaching of LaForest to Song, when modified by Lin, to have wherein the reconfigurable coded aperture comprises an array of optical modulation elements () and an electrical interconnection matrix of signal lines coupled with the optical modulation elements, the electrical interconnection matrix being configured to generate different spatial codes by selectively applying one or more electrical pulses via one or more of the signal lines to individually control a transmission state of each of the optical modulation elements in order to prevent a bulky acquisition systems and in relatively long acquisition times (col 1 lines 43-44).
Regarding claim 2, Song teaches the compressive hyperspectral imaging system of claim 1, wherein the system includes fewer imaging pixels than in a non-compressive hyperspectral imaging system to achieve hyperspectral imaging (fig. 21, the image in the detector array has black regions, which means no signals in those regions, this means fewer imaging pixels).
Regarding claim 4, Song fails to teach the compressive hyperspectral imaging system of claim 1, wherein the integrated photonic device comprises a meta structure.
Lin, from the same field of endeavor as Song, teaches the compressive hyperspectral imaging system of claim 1, wherein the integrated photonic device comprises a meta structure (para [0079] claim 23).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to apply the teaching of Lin to Song to have the compressive hyperspectral imaging system of claim 1, wherein the integrated photonic device comprises a meta structure in order to enable a wide area hyperspectral motion imaging (para [0006] lines 1-4).
Regarding claim 5, Song teaches the compressive hyperspectral imaging system of claim 4, wherein the meta structure comprises a substrate (p. 7 col 2 para 6 lines 1-3) and a number of pillars (p. 7 col 2 para 6 lines 1-3, the pillars are the gold blocks) with “predetermined shapes arranged into a two-dimensional (2D) array of a predetermined pattern” (this is shown in fig. 15, the blocks have predetermined shapes and pattern).
Regarding claim 7, Song does not teach the compressive hyperspectral imaging system of claim 4, wherein the array of optical modulation elements comprises one of: an array of liquid-crystal-based spatial light modulators; and an array of phase-change material (PCM)-based Fabry-Perot filters.
Lin, from the same field of endeavor as Song, teaches the compressive hyperspectral imaging system of claim 4, wherein the coded aperture comprises one of: an array of liquid-crystal-based spatial light modulators (para [0040] lines 1-7); and an array of phase-change material (PCM)-based Fabry-Perot filters.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to apply the teaching of Lin to Song to have the compressive hyperspectral imaging system of claim 4, wherein the coded aperture comprises one of: an array of liquid-crystal-based spatial light modulators; and an array of phase-change material (PCM)-based Fabry-Perot filters in order to enable a wide area hyperspectral motion imaging (para [0006] lines 1-4).
Claim(s) 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Song, Lin, and LaForest as applied to claim(s) 1 above, and further in view of Tsai, Tsung-Han, and David J. Brady. "Coded aperture snapshot spectral polarization imaging." Applied optics 52.10 (2013): 2153-2161 (hereinafter Tsai).
Regarding claim 3, the modified device of Song teaches the compressive hyperspectral imaging system of claim 1, but fails to teach wherein the integrated photonic device is further configured to provide polarization diversity, and wherein the system includes fewer imaging pixels than in a non-compressive hyperspectral imaging system to achieve polarimetric hyperspectral imaging.
Tsai, from the same field of endeavor as Song, teaches the compressive hyperspectral imaging system of claim 1, wherein the integrated photonic device is further configured to provide polarization diversity (fig. 1, p. 2 col 2 para 2 lines 1-7), and wherein the system includes fewer imaging pixels than in a non-compressive hyperspectral imaging system to achieve polarimetric hyperspectral imaging (fig. 1, p. 2 col 2 para 2 lines 1-7).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to apply the teaching of Tsai to the modified device of Song to have the compressive hyperspectral imaging system of claim 1, wherein the integrated photonic device is further configured to provide polarization diversity, and wherein the system includes fewer imaging pixels than in a non-compressive hyperspectral imaging system to achieve polarimetric hyperspectral imaging in order to provide accurate spectral signatures and partial polarization information with sufficient spatial resolution (p. 8 col 2 last para last sentence).
Claim(s) 6, 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Song, Lin, and LaForest as applied to claim(s) 1, 5 above, and further in view of Turner, S. et al., US 20170343479 A1 (hereinafter Turner).
Regarding claim 6, the modified device of Song teaches the compressive hyperspectral imaging system of claim 5 (see rejection claim 1, Lin teaches this limitation).
The modified device of song does not disclose wherein dimensions, shapes, and spacings of the pillars are configured based on an operating spectral band.
Turner, from the same field of endeavor as Song, teaches wherein dimensions, shapes, and spacings of the pillars are configured based on an operating spectral band (para [0091] lines 1-13, arrays are spaced apart, characterizing shape and size).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to apply the teaching of Turner to the modified device of Song to have wherein dimensions, shapes, and spacings of the pillars are configured based on an operating spectral band in order to optimize the signal collection efficiency (para [0081] lines 11-12).
Regarding claim 8, the modified device of Song does not teach the compressive hyperspectral imaging system of claim 1, wherein the array of photo detectors comprises an array of avalanche photo detectors (APDs).
Turner, from the same field of endeavor as Song, teaches the compressive hyperspectral imaging system of claim 1, wherein the array of photo detectors comprises an array of avalanche photo detectors (APDs) (para [0115] lines 12-13).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to apply the teaching of Turner to the modified device of Song to have the compressive hyperspectral imaging system of claim 1, wherein the array of photo detectors comprises an array of avalanche photo detectors (APDs) in order to provide extremely rapid data collection (para [0115] lines 12-13).
Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Song, Lin, and LaForest as applied to claim(s) 1 above, and further in view of Dorrer, C., et al., US 20070071385 A1 (hereinafter Dorrer).
Regarding claim 9, the modified device of Song does not teach the compressive hyperspectral imaging system of claim 1, wherein the integrated photonic device comprises a plurality of arrayed waveguide grating router (AWGR) blocks, and wherein a respective AWGR block comprises one or more stacked AWGRs.
Dorrer, from the same field of endeavor as Song, teaches the compressive hyperspectral imaging system of claim 1, wherein the integrated photonic device comprises a plurality of arrayed waveguide grating router (AWGR) blocks (figs. 1-2, waveguide array 114, para [0015]), and wherein a respective AWGR block comprises one or more stacked AWGRs (para [0032] last sentence).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to apply the teaching of Dorrer to the modified device of Song to have the compressive hyperspectral imaging system of claim 1, wherein the integrated photonic device comprises a plurality of arrayed waveguide grating router (AWGR) blocks, and wherein a respective AWGR block comprises one or more stacked AWGRs in order to increase the spectral resolution (para [0023] lines 1-7).
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Song, Lin, LaForest, and Dorrer as applied to claim(s) 9 above, and further in view of Zhao, S., et al., US 20020076150 A1 (hereinafter Zhao).
Regarding claim 10, Song, when modified by Lin and Dorrer, does not teach the compressive hyperspectral imaging system of claim 9, wherein the AWGRs are stacked horizontally.
Zhao, from the same field of endeavor as Song, teaches the compressive hyperspectral imaging system of claim 9, wherein the AWGRs are stacked horizontally (para [0071] last sentence).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to apply the teaching of Zhao to Song, when modified by Lin and Dorrer, to have the compressive hyperspectral imaging system of claim 9, wherein the AWGRs are stacked horizontally in order to form versatile fiber-waveguide coupling schemes (para [0071] last sentence).
Claim(s) 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Song, Lin, LaForest, and Dorrer as applied to claim(s) 9 above, and further in view of Kwok, C., et al., US 8958667 B2 (hereinafter Kwok).
Regarding claim 11, Song, when modified by Lin and Dorrer, does not teach the compressive hyperspectral imaging system of claim 9, wherein the AWGRs are stacked vertically, and wherein a respective input waveguide of a respective AWGR comprises a vertical section, a 450 reflector, and a horizontal section.
Kwok, from the same field of endeavor as Song, teaches the the compressive hyperspectral imaging system of claim 9, wherein the AWGRs are stacked vertically (col 5 lines 19-26), and wherein a respective input waveguide of a respective AWGR comprises a vertical section (col 5 lines 19-26), a 450 reflector (col 5 lines 45-56), and a horizontal section (col 5 lines 19-26).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to apply the teaching of Kwok to Song, when modified by Lin and Dorrer, to have the compressive hyperspectral imaging system of claim 9, wherein the AWGRs are stacked vertically, and wherein a respective input waveguide of a respective AWGR comprises a vertical section, a 450 reflector, and a horizontal section in order to establish optical connectivity between semiconductor photonics at the semiconductor lever (col 4 lines 46-50).
Claim(s) 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Song, Lin, LaForest, and Dorrer as applied to claim(s) 9 above, and further in view of Bapst, U. et al., US 7212698 B2 (hereinafter Bapst).
Regarding claim 12, Song, when modified by Lin and Dorrer, does not teach the compressive hyperspectral imaging system of claim 9, wherein the AWGR block further comprises an array of micro-lenses, and wherein a micro-lens is to couple light into a corresponding input waveguide of the AWGRs.
Bapst, from the same field of endeavor as Song, teaches the compressive hyperspectral imaging system of claim 9, wherein the AWGR block further comprises an array of micro-lenses, and wherein a micro-lens is to couple light into a corresponding input waveguide of the AWGRs (fig. 20B, col 11 lines 40-47).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to apply the teaching of Bapst to Song, when modified by Lin and Dorrer, to have the compressive hyperspectral imaging system of claim 9, wherein the AWGR block further comprises an array of micro-lenses, and wherein a micro-lens is to couple light into a corresponding input waveguide of the AWGRs in order to increase the waveguide density (col 11 lines 40-47).
Claim(s) 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Song, Lin, LaForset, and Dorrer as applied to claim(s) 9 above, and further in view of Wei, J. et al., WO 2020220718 A1 (hereinafter Wei).
Regarding claim 13, Song, when modified by Lin and Dorrer, does not teach the compressive hyperspectral imaging system of claim 9, wherein the coded aperture is integrated into the AWGRs, and wherein each input waveguide of a respective AWGR comprises a modulator.
Wei, from the same field of endeavor as Song, teaches the compressive hyperspectral imaging system of claim 9, wherein the coded aperture is integrated into the AWGRs, and wherein each input waveguide of a respective AWGR comprises a modulator (p. 18 para 4; the modulator is the spatial light modulator which is also a grating).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to apply the teaching of Wei to Song, when modified by Lin and Dorrer, to have the compressive hyperspectral imaging system of claim 9, wherein the coded aperture is integrated into the AWGRs, and wherein each input waveguide of a respective AWGR comprises a modulator in order to change by adjusting the phase of the light spot (p. 18 para 4).
Claim(s) 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Song, Lin, LaForest, and Dorrer as applied to claim(s) 9 above, and further in view of Turner.
Regarding claim 14, Song, when modified by Lin and Dorrer, does not teach the compressive hyperspectral imaging system of claim 9, wherein the array of photo detectors is integrated into the AWGRs, and wherein each output waveguide of a respective AWGR comprises a photo detector.
Turner, from the same field of endeavor as Song, teaches the compressive hyperspectral imaging system of claim 9, wherein the array of photo detectors is integrated into the AWGRs, and wherein each output waveguide of a respective AWGR comprises a photo detector (para [0081] lines 1-12; the arrays are confine in a respective detector).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to apply the teaching of Turner to Song, when modified by Lin and Dorrer, to the compressive hyperspectral imaging system of claim 9, wherein the array of photo detectors is integrated into the AWGRs, and wherein each output waveguide of a respective AWGR comprises a photo detector in order to optimize the signal collection efficiency (para [0081] lines 11-12).
Claim(s) 15, 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Song, in view of Lin, and further in view of LaForest.
Regarding claim 15, Song teaches an optical encoding system, comprising: a reconfigurable spatial encoder (fig. 21 “Coded aperture mask”) configured to spatially encode an optical signal associated with a to-be-imaged scene (fig. 21, the optical signal is coming from the object), and a dispersive element comprising a meta structure configured to disperse the spatially encoded optical signal (CASSI is the photonic device with a disperse, p. 12 col 1 para 2 lines 1-6), wherein the meta structure comprises a substrate (p. 7 col 2 para 6 lines 1-3) and a number of pillars (p. 7 col 2 para 6 lines 1-3, the pillars are the gold blocks) with predetermined shapes arranged into a two-dimensional (2D) array of a predetermined pattern (this is shown in fig. 15, the blocks have predetermined shapes and pattern).
Song fails to teach wherein the reconfigurable spatial encoder comprises an array of optical modulation elements and an electrical interconnection matrix of signal lines coupled with the optical modulation elements, the electrical interconnection matrix being configured to generate different spatial codes by selectively applying one or more electrical pulses via one or more of the signal lines to individually control a transmission state of each of the optical modulation elements; and thereby allowing the dispersed and spatially encoded optical signal to be detected to reconstruct a hyperspectral image corresponding to the scene.
Lin, from the same field of endeavor as Song, teaches thereby allowing the dispersed and spatially encoded optical signal to be detected to reconstruct a hyperspectral image corresponding to the scene (para [0099] claim 23).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to apply the teaching of Lin to Song to have thereby allowing the dispersed and spatially encoded optical signal to be detected to reconstruct a hyperspectral image corresponding to the scene in order to enable a wide area hyperspectral motion imaging (para [0006] lines 1-4).
Song, when modified by Lin, does not teach wherein the reconfigurable spatial encoder comprises an array of optical modulation elements and an electrical interconnection matrix of signal lines coupled with the optical modulation elements, the electrical interconnection matrix being configured to generate different spatial codes by selectively applying one or more electrical pulses via one or more of the signal lines to individually control a transmission state of each of the optical modulation elements.
LaForest, from the same field of endeavor as Song, teaches wherein the reconfigurable spatial encoder comprises an array of optical modulation elements (fig. 1 element 105 is a coded aperture; col 4 lines 24-29) and an electrical interconnection matrix of signal lines coupled with the optical modulation elements (col 4 lines 24-29; the different liquid crystal cells are the electrical interconnection matrix), the electrical interconnection matrix being configured to generate different spatial codes by selectively applying one or more electrical pulses via one or more of the signal lines to individually control a transmission state of each of the optical modulation elements (col 4 lines 31-52).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to apply the teaching of LaForest to Song, when modified by Lin, to have wherein the reconfigurable spatial encoder comprises an array of optical modulation elements and an electrical interconnection matrix of signal lines coupled with the optical modulation elements, the electrical interconnection matrix being configured to generate different spatial codes by selectively applying one or more electrical pulses via one or more of the signal lines to individually control a transmission state of each of the optical modulation elements in order to prevent a bulky acquisition systems and in relatively long acquisition times (col 1 lines 43-44).
Regarding claim 17, Song does not teach the optical encoding system of claim 15, wherein the array of optical modulation elements comprises one of: an array of liquid-crystal-based spatial light modulators; and an array of phase-change material (PCM)-based Fabry-Perot filters.
Lin, from the same field of endeavor as Song, teaches the optical encoding system of claim 15, wherein the array of optical modulation elements comprises one of: an array of liquid-crystal-based spatial light modulators (para [0040] lines 1-7); and an array of phase-change material (PCM)-based Fabry-Perot filters.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to apply the teaching of Lin to Song to have the optical encoding system of claim 15, wherein the array of optical modulation elements comprises one of: an array of liquid-crystal-based spatial light modulators; and an array of phase-change material (PCM)-based Fabry-Perot filters in order to enable a wide area hyperspectral motion imaging (para [0006] lines 1-4).
Claim(s) 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Song Lin, and LaForest as applied to claim(s) 15 above, and further in view of Turner.
Regarding claim 16, the modified device of Song does not teach the optical encoding system of claim 15, wherein dimensions shapes, and spacings of the number of pillars are configured based on an operating spectral band of the optical encoder.
Turner, from the same field of endeavor as Song, teaches the optical encoding system of claim 15, wherein dimensions shapes, and spacings of the number of pillars are configured based on an operating spectral band of the optical encoder (para [0091] lines 1-13, arrays are spaced apart, characterizing shape and size).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to apply the teaching of Turner to the modified device of Song to have the optical encoding system of claim 15, wherein dimensions shapes, and spacings of the number of pillars are configured based on an operating spectral band of the optical encoder in order to optimize the signal collection efficiency (para [0081] lines 11-12).
Claim(s) 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Dorrer, in view of Zhao, in view of Lin, and further in view of LaForest.
Regarding claim 18, Dorrer teaches an optical encoding system, comprising: a reconfigurable spatial encoder configured to spatially encode an optical signal associated with a to-be-imaged scene (para [0022] lines 2-14; spatially Fourier transform the signal from 102), and a dispersive element comprising a plurality of arrayed waveguide grating router (AWGR) blocks configured to disperse the spatially encoded optical signal (para [0022] lines 2-14; the AWGR is element 114 in fig. 1), wherein the AWGR blocks form a two-dimensional (2D) array (fig. 2 shows the AWGR blocks form a two-dimensional (2D) array).
Dorrer fails to disclose wherein the reconfigurable spatial encoder comprises an array of optical modulation elements and an electrical interconnection matrix of signal lines coupled with the optical modulation elements, the electrical interconnection matrix being configured to generate different spatial codes by selectively applying one or more electrical pulses via one or more of the signal lines to individually control a transmission state of each of the optical modulation elements; wherein a respective AWGR block comprises one or more horizontally or vertically stacked AWGRs, thereby allowing the dispersed and spatially encoded optical signal to be detected to reconstruct a hyperspectral image corresponding to the scene.
Zhao, from the same field of endeavor as Song, teaches wherein a respective AWGR block comprises one or more horizontally or vertically stacked AWGRs (para [0071] last sentence).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to apply the teaching of Zhao to Dorrer to have wherein a respective AWGR block comprises one or more horizontally or vertically stacked AWGRs in order to form versatile fiber-waveguide coupling schemes (para [0071] last sentence).
Dorrer, when modified by Zhao, does not teach wherein the reconfigurable spatial encoder comprises an array of optical modulation elements and an electrical interconnection matrix of signal lines coupled with the optical modulation elements, the electrical interconnection matrix being configured to generate different spatial codes by selectively applying one or more electrical pulses via one or more of the signal lines to individually control a transmission state of each of the optical modulation elements; thereby allowing the dispersed and spatially encoded optical signal to be detected to reconstruct a hyperspectral image corresponding to the scene.
Lin, from the same field of endeavor as Dorrer, teaches thereby allowing the dispersed and spatially encoded optical signal to be detected to reconstruct a hyperspectral image corresponding to the scene (para [0099] claim 23).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to apply the teaching of Lin to Dorrer, when modified by Zhao, to have thereby allowing the dispersed and spatially encoded optical signal to be detected to reconstruct a hyperspectral image corresponding to the scene in order to enable a wide area hyperspectral motion imaging (para [0006] lines 1-4).
Dorrer, when modified by Zhao and Lin, does not teach wherein the reconfigurable spatial encoder comprises an array of optical modulation elements and an electrical interconnection matrix of signal lines coupled with the optical modulation elements, the electrical interconnection matrix being configured to generate different spatial codes by selectively applying one or more electrical pulses via one or more of the signal lines to individually control a transmission state of each of the optical modulation elements.
LaForest, from the same field of endeavor as Song, teaches wherein the reconfigurable spatial encoder comprises an array of optical modulation elements (fig. 1 element 105 is a coded aperture; col 4 lines 24-29) and an electrical interconnection matrix of signal lines coupled with the optical modulation elements (col 4 lines 24-29; the different liquid crystal cells are the electrical interconnection matrix), the electrical interconnection matrix being configured to generate different spatial codes by selectively applying one or more electrical pulses via one or more of the signal lines to individually control a transmission state of each of the optical modulation elements (col 4 lines 31-52).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to apply the teaching of LaForest to Dorrer, when modified by Zhao and Lin, to have wherein the reconfigurable spatial encoder comprises an array of optical modulation elements and an electrical interconnection matrix of signal lines coupled with the optical modulation elements, the electrical interconnection matrix being configured to generate different spatial codes by selectively applying one or more electrical pulses via one or more of the signal lines to individually control a transmission state of each of the optical modulation elements in order to prevent a bulky acquisition systems and in relatively long acquisition times (col 1 lines 43-44).
Claim(s) 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Dorrer, in view of Zhao, Lin, and LaForest, as applied to claim(s) 18 above, and further in view of Kwok.
Regarding claim 19, the modified apparatus of Dorrer does not teach the optical encoding system of claim 18, wherein the AWGRs are stacked vertically, and wherein a respective input waveguide of a respective AWGR comprises a vertical section, a 450 reflector, and a horizontal section.
Kwok, from the same field of endeavor as Song, teaches the optical encoding system of claim 18, wherein the AWGRs are stacked vertically (col 5 lines 19-26), and wherein a respective input waveguide of a respective AWGR comprises a vertical section (col 5 lines 19-26), a 450 reflector (col 5 lines 45-56), and a horizontal section (col 5 lines 19-26).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to apply the teaching of Kwok to the modified apparatus of Dorrer to have the optical encoding system of claim 18, wherein the AWGRs are stacked vertically, and wherein a respective input waveguide of a respective AWGR comprises a vertical section, a 450 reflector, and a horizontal section in order to establish optical connectivity between semiconductor photonics at the semiconductor lever (col 4 lines 46-50).
Claim(s) 20, 22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Dorrer, in view of Zhao, Lin, and LaForest, as applied to claim(s) 18 above, and further in view of Turner.
Regarding claim 20, the modified apparatus of Dorrer does not teach the optical encoding system of claim 18, wherein the AWGR block further comprises an array of micro-lenses, and wherein a respective micro-lens is to couple light into a corresponding input waveguide of the AWGRs.
Turner, from the same field of endeavor as Dorrer, teaches the optical encoding system of claim 18, wherein the AWGR block further comprises an array of micro-lenses, and wherein a respective micro-lens is to couple light into a corresponding input waveguide of the AWGRs (para [0081] lines 7-12).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to apply the teaching of Turner to the modified apparatus of Dorrer to have the optical encoding system of claim 18, wherein the AWGR block further comprises an array of micro-lenses, and wherein a respective micro-lens is to couple light into a corresponding input waveguide of the AWGRs in order to optimize the signal collection efficiency (para [0081] lines 11-12).
Regarding claim 22, the modified apparatus of Dorrer does not teach the optical encoding system of claim 18, further comprising an array of integrated photo detectors, wherein each output waveguide of a respective AWGR comprises a photo detector.
Turner, from the same field of endeavor as Song, teaches the optical encoding system of claim 18, further comprising an array of integrated photo detectors, wherein each output waveguide of a respective AWGR comprises a photo detector (para [0115] lines 12-13).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to apply the teaching of Turner to the modified apparatus of Dorrer to have the optical encoding system of claim 18, further comprising an array of integrated photo detectors, wherein each output waveguide of a respective AWGR comprises a photo detector in order to provide extremely rapid data collection (para [0115] lines 12-13).
Claim(s) 21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Dorrer, in view of Zhao, Lin, and LaForest, as applied to claim(s) 18 above, and further in view of Wei.
Regarding claim 21, the modified apparatus of Dorrer does not teach the optical encoding system of claim 18, wherein the spatial encoder is integrated with the AWGR blocks, wherein each input waveguide of a respective AWGR comprises a modulator.
Wei, from the same field of endeavor as Song, teaches the optical encoding system of claim 18, wherein the spatial encoder is integrated with the AWGR blocks, wherein each input waveguide of a respective AWGR comprises a modulator (p. 18 para 4; the modulator is the spatial light modulator which is also a grating).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to apply the teaching of Wei to the modified apparatus of Dorrer to have the optical encoding system of claim 18, wherein the spatial encoder is integrated with the AWGR blocks, wherein each input waveguide of a respective AWGR comprises a modulator in order to change by adjusting the phase of the light spot (p. 18 para 4).
Prior Art not Cited
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
US 5739536 A discloses a coded aperture imaging spectrometer.
Conclusion
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/ROBERTO FABIAN JR/ Examiner, Art Unit 2877
/Kara E. Geisel/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2877