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 .
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 allowance or after an Office action under Ex Parte Quayle, 25 USPQ 74, 453 O.G. 213 (Comm'r Pat. 1935). 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, prosecution in this application has been reopened pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 5/21/26 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 (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, 10, 21-24, and 27-29 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over previously-cited Hutchison et al. (US9239340) in view of applicant-cited Fourguette et al. (US8743372).
Claim 1: Hutchison teaches a photonic accelerometer (Fig. 1), comprising: a light source (laser arrangement configured to generate a light beam; claim 1) configured to supply photons to an input of the waveguide (See Fig. 1); a resonator (optical resonator 102); a waveguide (waveguide 104) evanescently coupled to the resonator; a cantilever (cantilever 114) supporting the resonator, the cantilever comprising: (i) a first end fixed to a base (frame 106), and (ii) a second, free end (see Fig. 1, the end including proof mass 108); and a proof mass (proof mass 108) supported by the free end of the cantilever (See Fig. 1); and a photodetector (detector, claims 3, 4) configured to collect photons from an output of the waveguide (the detector is used to detect a change in light intensity at the output of the waveguide, Fig. 1, 5);
an electronic control module (electronic circuitry, claim 4) communicatively coupled with the light source and photodetector, wherein the electronic control module is configured to correlate supplied and collected photons to determine the shifts of the resonant frequency (circuitry coupled to the detector to determine an inertial change associated with the apparatus based on the detected change in light intensity. Col. 4, lines 20-21, Figs. 3, 4).
Hutchinson fails to teach the light source configured to emit photons at a frequency variable over a frequency band; the electronic control module configured to: control the light source to vary the frequency of the emitted photons over the frequency band; and determine a transmission spectrum between: (i) photons supplied to an input of the waveguide, and (ii) photons collected from the output of the waveguide.
However, Fourguette teaches a photonic accelerometer including a resonator 24, Fig. 19, evanescently coupled to a waveguide 32 (col. 8 line 52- col. 9, line 32), wherein the light source is configured to emit photons at a frequency variable over a frequency band (scanning the frequency of the laser light source 110’col. 9, lines 20-21; the frequency band A1-B1, Fig. 41-42, col. 12, lines 33-42; col. 17, lines 17-47); the electronic control module (detection system 170 including controller 176, Fig. 39-40) configured to: control the light source (driver controller 176; col. 16, lines 6-14) to vary the frequency of the emitted photons over the frequency band; and determine a transmission spectrum between: (i) photons supplied to an input of the waveguide, and (ii) photons collected from the output of the waveguide (The detection system 170 further comprises a photo-detector 112, for example, a photo-diode 112', operatively associated with the second end 32.2 of the optical fiber 32 so as to provide for receiving the above-described first portion 28.1 of light 28 therefrom, wherein the photo-detector 112 generates a detection signal 180 responsive to the intensity of that first potion 28.1 of light 28. The signal processor 172 receives the detection signal 180 from the photo-detector 112 and controls the drive current control signal 174 responsive thereto in accordance with an associated detection process 4100, for example, as illustrated in FIG. 41. Col. 16, lines 6-24. Nulls and dips detected by the process 4100, Fig. 41.).
Therefore, Hutchinson teaches emitting laser light having a resonant wavelength associated with the resonator 102. The length of the resonator changes and therefore the optical path length changes due to deflection (col. 3, lines 22-32) thereby shifting the detected dip 312, Fig. 3. Likewise, Fourguette teaches scanning a laser through resonant frequencies associated with the resonator 24 which can shift due to morphological deformation of the whispering gallery mode 26 (col. 4, lines 9-27). The laser source is scanned over a range about a nominal resonance frequency of at least one whispering gallery mode WGM (col. 12, lines 33-42). Therefore, it is known to scan a laser source over a range encompassing a resonance frequency of a resonator which shifts resonant frequency based upon morphology.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the scanning light source, as taught by Fourguette, with the device of claim 1 in order to detect the resonant frequency of the resonator even when shifted due to morphology of the resonator (Fourguette col. 4, lines 20-24).
Claim 2: Hutchinson in view of Fourguette teaches the photonic accelerometer of claim 1. Hutchinson teaches wherein the resonator is a ring resonator, a disk resonator, or a transmission line resonator (the resonator 102 is a ring resonator, see Figs. 1, 5).
Claim 3: Hutchinson in view of Fourguette teaches the photonic accelerometer of claim 1. Hutchinson teaches wherein the resonator (resonator 102) is supported by the cantilever (cantilever 114) and the base (frame 106), and the waveguide (waveguide 104) is supported by the base (see Figs. 1, 5).
Claim 4: Hutchinson in view of Fourguette teaches the photonic accelerometer of claim 1. Hutchinson teaches wherein: the resonator is configured to store resonant photons in a mode at a resonant frequency; the waveguide is configured to guide photons proximate the resonator to couple resonant into the mode; and the proof mass is configured to deflect the cantilever based on motion of the base, deflections of the cantilever causing shifts of the resonant frequency (col. 3, lines 22-32, col. 4, lines 7-27: the light enters the waveguide 104 (Fig. 1), the proof mass oscillates at a resonant frequency based on acceleration, when the input light signal wavelength equals the optical path length around the resonator 102 or 202, the light signal becomes resonant, as shown by the “dip” 312 in graph 300).
Claim 5: Hutchinson in view of Fourguette teaches the photonic accelerometer of claim 4. Hutchinson teaches wherein: the deflections of the cantilever change a morphology of the resonator, and the resonant frequency depends, at least in part, on the morphology of the resonator (col. 3, lines 22-32; claims 10, 11).
Claim 6: Hutchinson in view of Fourguette teaches the photonic accelerometer of claim 5. Hutchison teaches wherein the morphology of the resonator comprises at least one of: (i) a dimension of the resonator (col. 3, lines 26-28: optical path length around the optical resonator 102 may change), or (ii) a refractive index of the resonator.
Claim 10: Hutchinson in view of Fourguette teaches the photonic accelerometer of claim 1. Hutchinson fails to teach wherein the light source is a diode laser, a dye laser, or a semiconductor laser.
However, Fourguette teaches that the laser is a diode laser (top col. 9).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use a diode laser, as taught by Fourguette, with the device of Hutchinson in order to effectively control the laser scanning (Fourguette, col. 17, lines 35-38).
Claim 21: Hutchinson in view of Fourguette teaches the photonic accelerometer of claim 1, but fails to teach a dampener mechanism operably coupled to the cantilever, proof-mass, or both cantilever and proof-mass, the dampener mechanism configured to suppress resonant oscillatory behavior of the cantilever.
However, Fourguette teaches that equation for motion of the proof mass 12 (col. 11) including the influence of the effective mass of the proof mass. Therefore, the mass of the proof mass can be changed in order to affect the damping and is recognized as a result-effective variable.
Additionally, Fourguette teaches the whispering-gallery-mode-based seismometer 10 can be mechanically modeled as a parallel combination of a spring 116 and a damper 118 in parallel with the sensing element 18 and in series with the proof mass 12, wherein in the effective spring rate K of the spring 116, and the effective damping rate R.sub.m of the damper 118 each are dependent upon associated contributions from both the microsphere 24' and the spring-mass subassembly 44 (col. 10, lines 51-68). The diameter of the resonator is inversely related to the Q-factor. Further, Fourguette teaches the equation of motion for the proof mass 12 and that the measured bandwidth of the whispering-gallery-mode-based seismometer 10 will generally depend upon the corresponding mechanical properties of the spring-mass subassembly 44, i.e. the effective spring rate K, effective mass m, and effective damping rate R.sub.m. Therefore, the damping is a result effective variable which affects the bandwidth and the sensitivity of the resonator and is obvious to optimize.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to add mass to the cantilever in order to change the mass, a known result-effective variable, and thereby optimize the damping to achieve a desired resonant response.
Claim 22: Hutchinson in view of Fourguette teaches the photonic accelerometer of claim 21, but fails to teach wherein the dampener mechanism comprises a damping block residing on the cantilever.
However, Fourguette teaches that equation for motion of the proof mass 12 (col. 11) including the influence of the effective mass of the proof mass. Therefore, the mass of the proof mass can be changed in order to affect the damping and is recognized as a result-effective variable.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to add mass to the cantilever in order to change the mass, as known result-effective variable, and thereby optimize the damping to achieve a desired resonant response.
Claim 23: Hutchinson in view of Fourguette teaches the photonic accelerometer of claim 1, but fails to teach wherein the cantilever comprises an incorporated dampener mechanism.
However, Fourguette teaches that equation for motion of the proof mass 12 (col. 11) including the influence of the effective mass of the proof mass. Therefore, the mass of the proof mass can be changed in order to affect the damping and is recognized as a result-effective variable.
Additionally, Fourguette teaches the whispering-gallery-mode-based seismometer 10 can be mechanically modeled as a parallel combination of a spring 116 and a damper 118 in parallel with the sensing element 18 and in series with the proof mass 12, wherein in the effective spring rate K of the spring 116, and the effective damping rate R.sub.m of the damper 118 each are dependent upon associated contributions from both the microsphere 24' and the spring-mass subassembly 44 (col. 10, lines 51-68). The diameter of the resonator is inversely related to the Q-factor. Further, Fourguette teaches the equation of motion for the proof mass 12 and that the measured bandwidth of the whispering-gallery-mode-based seismometer 10 will generally depend upon the corresponding mechanical properties of the spring-mass subassembly 44, i.e. the effective spring rate K, effective mass m, and effective damping rate R.sub.m. Therefore, the damping is a result effective variable which affects the bandwidth and the sensitivity of the resonator and is obvious to optimize.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate mass into/onto the cantilever in order to change the mass, a known result-effective variable, and thereby optimize the damping to achieve a desired resonant response.
Claim 24: Hutchinson in view of Fourguette teaches the photonic accelerometer of claim 1, wherein the cantilever comprises a mechanical quality factor less than or equal to 10.
However, Fourguette teaches that the mechanical q-factor depends on the effective mass of the proof mass, the spring constant K, and damping coefficient Rm. The nominal operating frequency and bandwidth of the tunable laser light source 110' is selected in combination with the Q-factor of the microsphere 24' and the associated signal processing method to operate with the materials of the optical fiber 32 and the microsphere 24', and provide for a resulting or specified associated measurement resolution. Therefore, the quality factor is a known result-effective variable and obvious to optimize.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use a mechanical quality factor less than or equal to 10 in order to achieve a desired resolution (Fourguette, col. 12, lines 6-11).
Claim 27: Hutchinson teaches a method comprising: emitting photons at a first frequency (laser arrangement configured to generate a light beam; claim 1) through a waveguide (waveguide 104), the waveguide evanescently coupled to a resonator (resonator 102) supported by a cantilever (cantilever 114), the cantilever supporting a proof mass (proof mass 108, Fig. 1); detecting, by a photodetector (detector claims 3, 4), photons at the first frequency and photons at a second frequency (Fig. 3 shows detected frequencies corresponding to the initial resonant frequency 316 and shifted resonant frequency 318); detecting, by the photodetector, photons received from the waveguide; and determining a deflection of the cantilever based on the transmission spectrum (col. 3, lines 22-32, col. 4, lines 7-27: the light enters the waveguide 104 (Fig. 1), the proof mass oscillates at a resonant frequency based on acceleration, when the input light signal wavelength equals the optical path length around the resonator 102 or 202, the light signal becomes resonant, as shown by the “dip” 312 in graph 300. claim 4: circuitry coupled to the detector to determine an inertial change associated with the apparatus based on the detected change in light intensity. Col. 4, lines 20-21, Figs. 3, 4).
Hutchinson fails to teach emitting, by a tunable light source, photons at a first frequency through a waveguide; emitting, by the tunable light source, photons at a second frequency through the waveguide; determining a transmission spectrum based on the photons detected at the first frequency, the photons detected at the second frequency, and the photons received from the waveguide; and determining a deflection of the cantilever based on the transmission spectrum.
However, Fourguette teaches a photonic accelerometer including a resonator 24, Fig. 19, evanescently coupled to a waveguide 32 (col. 8 line 52- col. 9, line 32), wherein the light source is configured to emit photons at a frequency variable over a frequency band (scanning the frequency of the laser light source 110’col. 9, lines 20-21; the frequency band A1-B1, Fig. 41-42, col. 12, lines 33-42; col. 17, lines 17-47); the electronic control module (detection system 170 including controller 176, Fig. 39-40) configured to: control the light source (driver controller 176; col. 16, lines 6-14) to vary the frequency of the emitted photons over the frequency band; and determine a transmission spectrum between: (i) photons supplied to an input of the waveguide, and (ii) photons collected from the output of the waveguide (The detection system 170 further comprises a photo-detector 112, for example, a photo-diode 112', operatively associated with the second end 32.2 of the optical fiber 32 so as to provide for receiving the above-described first portion 28.1 of light 28 therefrom, wherein the photo-detector 112 generates a detection signal 180 responsive to the intensity of that first potion 28.1 of light 28. The signal processor 172 receives the detection signal 180 from the photo-detector 112 and controls the drive current control signal 174 responsive thereto in accordance with an associated detection process 4100, for example, as illustrated in FIG. 41. Col. 16, lines 6-24. Nulls and dips detected by the process 4100, Fig. 41.).
Therefore, Hutchinson teaches emitting laser light having a resonant wavelength associated with the resonator 102. The length of the resonator changes and therefore the optical path length changes due to deflection (col. 3, lines 22-32) thereby shifting the detected dip 312, Fig. 3. Likewise, Fourguette teaches scanning a laser through resonant frequencies associated with the resonator 24 which can shift due to morphological deformation of the whispering gallery mode 26 (col. 4, lines 9-27). The laser source is scanned over a range about a nominal resonance frequency of at least one whispering gallery mode WGM (col. 12, lines 33-42). Therefore, it is known to scan a laser source over a range encompassing a resonance frequency of a resonator which shifts resonant frequency based upon morphology.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the scanning light source, as taught by Fourguette, with the method of claim 27 in order to detect the resonant frequency of the resonator even when shifted due to morphology of the resonator (Fourguette col. 4, lines 20-24).
Claim 28: Hutchison in view of Fourguette teaches the method claim 27. Hutchinson teaches correlating, using an electronic control module (electronic circuitry, claim 4) communicatively coupled with the tunable light source and the photodetector, emitted and detected photons to determine shifts of resonant frequency (claim 4: circuitry coupled to the detector to determine an inertial change associated with the apparatus based on the detected change in light intensity. Col. 4, lines 20-21, Figs. 3, 4).
Claim 29: Hutchison in view of Fourguette teaches the method claim 27. Hutchinson fails to teach wherein: the tunable light source is configured to emit photons at a frequency variable over a frequency band, and, for each of a plurality of time steps, the method comprising: varying the frequency over the frequency band; and determining the transmission spectrum between: (i) photons emitted to the waveguide, and (ii) photons detected from the waveguide.
However, Fourguette teaches wherein: the tunable light source is configured to emit photons at a frequency variable over a frequency band (scanning the frequency of the laser light source 110’col. 9, lines 20-21; the frequency band A1-B1, Fig. 41-42, col. 12, lines 33-42; col. 17, lines 17-47), and, for each of a plurality of time steps (time series 204 of measures of the instantaneous optical resonant frequency, Fig. 40), the method comprising: varying the frequency over the frequency band; and determining the transmission spectrum (Fig. 41, detection process 4100) between: (i) photons emitted to the waveguide, and (ii) photons detected from the waveguide (tracking the detection signal 180; col. 19, lines 32-43).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the scanning light source and detection method, as taught by Fourguette, with the method of claim 27 in order to detect the resonant frequency shift relative to the associated frequency space (Fourguette col. 19, lines 32-36).
Claims 11-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hutchison in view of Fourguette further in view of previously-cited Srinivasan et al. (US20210080805).
Claim 11: Hutchison in view of Fourguette teaches the device of claim 1, but fails to teach wherein the cantilever is a photonic chip comprising a layer of cladding and a layer of substrate, the resonator and waveguide are embedded in the layer of cladding, and the layer of substrate is attached to the base.
However, Srinivasan [0042] teaches an device 200 including a cladding layer (cover cladding 202) and substrate (substrate cladding 201), the resonator (resonator 204) and waveguide (waveguide 203) are embedded in the layer of cladding (see Fig. 1).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the teachings of Srinivasan with the device of Hutchison in view of Fourguette for the obvious benefit using suitable materials for coupling between the resonator and waveguide (Srinivasan [0042]).
Claim 12: Hutchison in view of Fourguette further in view of Srinivasan teaches the photonic accelerometer of claim 11. Hutchison in view of Fourguette fails to teach wherein the layer of cladding comprises silica, and the layer of substrate comprises silicon.
However, Srinivasan teaches wherein the layer of cladding (cover cladding 202) comprises silica (silicon dioxide [0033]), and the layer of substrate comprises silicon ([0042] silicon substrate).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the teachings of Srinivasan with the device of Hutchison in view of Fourguette for the obvious benefit of using suitable materials for coupling between the resonator and waveguide (Srinivasan [0042]).
Claim 13: Hutchison in view of Fourguette further in view of Srinivasan teaches the photonic accelerometer of claim 1, but fails to teach but fails to teach wherein the waveguide is a dielectric waveguide.
However, Srinivasan teaches a dielectric waveguide (waveguide 203 [0035] silicon nitride).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the teachings of Srinivasan with the device of Hutchison in view of Fourguette for the benefit of using suitable materials for coupling between the resonator and waveguide by using a material having a refractive index that is greater than that of substrate cladding and that supports broadband optical transparency that spans the wavelength range of pump coherent light, idler coherent light, and signal coherent light (Srinivasan [0042]).
Claims 25-26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hutchison in view of Fourguette further in view of Ekström et al. (US5663790).
Claim 25: Hutchison in view of Fourguette teaches the photonic accelerometer of claim 1, but fails to teach comprising a reference resonator residing in a non-deformable region of the cantilever, the reference resonator configured to output a reference photonic signal to the photodetector, wherein the electronic control module is configured to determine the transmission spectrum based in part on the reference photonic signal.
However, Ekström teaches a ring resonator 5 coupled to a waveguide branch 4 and a reference resonator 7 coupled to another branch 6, Fig. 1. The reference resonator 7 and waveguide 6 output to a reference detector 11. The reference resonator 7 is such that it is not exposed to the varying measurement conditions that the measurement ring 5 is exposed to in the sample area 12. Therefore, the reference arm 2 has the same configuration as the measuring arm 1, but is not subject the varying measurement conditions. Therefore, a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention would recognize that the reference ring resonator would need to be subject to the same ambient conditions and provided with the same light source in order to provide a useful reference signal.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to a reference ring resonator, as taught by Ekström, with the device of claim 1, in order to detect the wavelength shift while avoiding temperature influences (Ekström, col. 2, lines 58-65)
Claim 26: Hutchison in view of Fourguette further in view of Ekström teaches the photonic accelerometer of claim 25. Hutchison in view of Fourguette fails to teach wherein the electronic control modules is configured to use information from photonic signal received at the photodetector from the reference resonator to compensate for variations in ambient conditions of the accelerometer.
However, Ekström teaches the reference resonator 7, Fig. 1, which outputs to a reference detector 11. If the light source and/or resonators are affected by temperature, the influence affects both the reference resonator 7 and the measuring resonator 5, thus compensating for temperature/ambient condition affects.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to a reference ring resonator, as taught by Ekström, with the device of claim 1, in order to detect the wavelength shift while avoiding temperature influences (Ekström, col. 2, lines 58-65).
Claim 30 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. as being unpatentable over Fourguette in view of Hutchinson.
Claim 30: Fourguette teaches a triaxial photonic accelerometer (Figs. 43-45), comprising: a light source (separated corresponding optical fiber 32, col. 20,lines 46-55) configured to emit photons at a frequency variable over a frequency band (common tunable laser diode source 110”, col. 20, lines 50-55; scanning the frequency of the laser light source 110’col. 9, lines 20-21; the frequency band A1-B1, Fig. 41-42, col. 12, lines 33-42; col. 17, lines 17-47); a base (support structure 222) configured to move in three mutually orthogonal directions; three photonic accelerometers (seismometers 10’), each accelerometer comprising: a resonator (resonator 24, 24’); a waveguide (optical fiber 32, Fig. 19) evanescently coupled to the resonator (col. 9, lines 1-10); a photodetector (associated photo-detector 112; col. 20, lines 48-49) configured to collect photons from an output of the waveguide (col. 9, lines 1-33); and an electronic control module (detection system 170 including controller 176, Fig. 39-40) communicatively coupled with the light source and photodetector, wherein the electronic control module is configured to correlate supplied and collected photons to determine a shift of a resonant frequency based on a deflection of the cantilever, the electronic control module configured to: control the light source to vary the frequency of the emitted photons over the frequency band; and determine a transmission spectrum between: (i) photons supplied to an input of the waveguide, and (ii) photons collected from the output of the waveguide; and a dampener mechanism operably coupled to the cantilever or proof-mass or both and configured to suppress resonant oscillatory behavior of the cantilever (The detection system 170 further comprises a photo-detector 112, for example, a photo-diode 112', operatively associated with the second end 32.2 of the optical fiber 32 so as to provide for receiving the above-described first portion 28.1 of light 28 therefrom, wherein the photo-detector 112 generates a detection signal 180 responsive to the intensity of that first potion 28.1 of light 28. The signal processor 172 receives the detection signal 180 from the photo-detector 112 and controls the drive current control signal 174 responsive thereto in accordance with an associated detection process 4100, for example, as illustrated in FIG. 41. Col. 16, lines 6-24. Nulls and dips detected by the process 4100, Fig. 41.).
Fourguette fails to teach a cantilever supporting the resonator, the cantilever comprising: (i) a first end fixed to a base, and (ii) a second, free end; and a proof mass supported by the free end of the cantilever.
However, Hutchinson teaches a cantilever (cantilever 114) supporting the resonator, the cantilever comprising: (i) a first end fixed to a base (frame 106), and (ii) a second, free end (see Fig. 1, the end including proof mass 108); and a proof mass (proof mass 108) supported by the free end of the cantilever (See Fig. 1); and a photodetector (detector, claims 3, 4) configured to collect photons from an output of the waveguide (the detector is used to detect a change in light intensity at the output of the waveguide, Fig. 1, 5).
Therefore, Hutchinson teaches emitting laser light having a resonant wavelength associated with the deformable resonator 102. The length of the resonator changes and therefore the optical path length changes due to deflection (col. 3, lines 22-32) thereby shifting the detected dip 312, Fig. 3. Likewise, Fourguette teaches scanning a laser through resonant frequencies associated with the resonator 24 which can shift due to morphological deformation of the whispering gallery mode(s) 26 (col. 4, lines 9-27). Therefore, both Hutchinson and Fourguette teach evanescent coupling of a resonator with a waveguide in order to detect resonant frequency shift of the resonator. Substituting the resonator 102, including cantilever 114, of Hutchinson for the support assembly 38 and resonator 24 of Fourguette would produce predictable results.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the resonator of Hutchinson with the device of Fourguette in order to allow for scalable production with sufficient sensitivity (Hutchinson, col. 1, lines 25-30).
Conclusion
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/JEAN F MORELLO/Examiner, Art Unit 2855
/DAVID Z HUANG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2855
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