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 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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 6/15/2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed on 6/15/2026 have been fully considered. However, upon further consideration, a new ground of rejection is made in view of Etemad et al (US 2007/0036553).
Election/Restrictions
Applicant's election with traverse of “the originally presented invention” in the reply filed on 6/15/2026 is acknowledged (in the claims filed on 6/15/2026: claims 21-22 are withdrawn, and claim 23 is canceled). The traversal is on the ground(s): (1) claims 21-23 and claims 1-20 recite similar structural elements; (2) examination of claims 21-23 together with claims 1-20 would impose no serious burden on the Examiner.
This is not found persuasive. First, as indicated in the Election/Restrictions mailed on 4/3/2026, the originally presented invention, claims 1-20, is directed to optical transmission (transmitter) system that generates a modulated signal; and the newly submitted claims 21-23 are directed to a receiver system. As shown in Applicant’s Figure 2A, the transmission (transmitter) system has two bus waveguides, and each unit cell has two multiplexer components, and the ring waveguides are used to modulate optical signal, and “Each multiplexer can filter a respective modulated optical signal band to generate a respective filtered optical signal 250 including optical signal bands 252-1 through 252-N”. But, for the receiver system (Applicant’s Figure 2B), only one bus waveguide is used, and each unit cell has one multiplexer component, and the ring waveguide (262) is used to “recover data encoded within optical signal 250”. Therefore, the transmission system and the receiver system have different “structural elements”. And, the invention defined by original claims 1-20 is classified into 398/182+, and the invention defined by newly submitted claims 21-23 is classified into 398/202+.
Second, as mentioned by Applicant “MPEP § 808.02 further provides that a serious burden exists only where the inventions require different fields of search (e.g., different classes or subclasses or electronic resources), different search queries, and/or different non-patent literature”, as discussed above, the claimed transmitter and receiver have different “structural elements”, and they are in different subclasses. The invention for transmission system and the invention for receive system require different fields of search: subclasses or electronic resources, different search queries, and/or different non-patent literature; therefore, a serious burden exist.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 1-2, 7-9 and 14-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zheng et al (US 2012/0237155) in view of Etemad et al (US 2007/0036553) and Mi et al (EP 3,952,151 A1).
1). With regard to claim 1, Zheng et al discloses a system (Figure 2 etc.) comprising:
a unit cell (the unit cell contains the coupled-waveguide grating device 112-1 and the ring resonator modulator 212-1 to 212-2) of a ring modulator (212-1 to 212-4) of a dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) optical link ([0034], [0035] and [0040]-[0041] etc.; wavelengths l1- lN), the unit cell comprising:
a set of ring waveguides (212-1 to 212-4), each ring waveguide of the set of ring waveguides being configured to generate a portion of a modulated optical signal ([0042]-[0046], modulated on l1 to l4) based on a portion (l1 to l4; [0042]-[0046], each ring modulator modulates a specific wavelength, e.g., ring-resonator modulator 212-1 is responsible for l1) of an optical signal (l1 to l4) received via one of plurality optical sources (210-1 to 210-N); and
a grating coupler (wavelength-selective coupler 114-1, also Figure 3 shows the structure of the grating coupler, [0049]-[0051]), operatively coupled between the optical source (210-1) and a second bus waveguide (bus waveguide 110), configured to filter the portion of the modulated optical signal (l1 to l4) to generate a portion of a filtered optical signal (l1 to l4, which is output within the OPTICAL SIGNALS l1- lN) by coupling light within a specific wavelength range (l1 to l4) between the optical source (210-1) and the second bus waveguide (110).
But, Zheng does not expressly state that the grating coupler is a contra-directional assisted grating coupler (CDGC) component, operatively coupled between a first bus waveguide and the second bus waveguide; and in Figure 2, Zheng shows that optical signals are from individual optical sources (212-1 to 212-N), and Zheng et al does not expressly show a first bus waveguide that inputs a plurality of wavelengths, and the portion of an optical signal is received via the first bus waveguide.
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Figure O1
Regarding two bus waveguides, however, first, as shown in Figure 1A and 1B of Zheng et al, or Figure O1 above (adapted from Figure 1B of Zheng), a DWDM “OPTICAL SIGNALS” l1- lN are input to the bus optical waveguide 110, and a plurality of wavelength selective couplers (114-1 to 114-N) are used to filter/drop a specific wavelength range (or band): the wavelength-selective coupler 114-1 filters/drop a specific wavelength range l1 to l4, and the wavelength-selective coupler 114-N filters/drops a specific wavelength range lN-3 to lN; that is, the waveguide 110 inputs wavelength division multiplexed signal (l1 to lN) and then a plurality of wavelength selective coupler (grating coupler) are used to filter/drop specific portions (band) of the multiplexed signal, or each wavelength selective coupler (grating coupler) filters/drops a specific wavelength range (band). And Zheng et al also states “A similar technique may be used to implement an optical modulator, which may be used as a transmitter in an optical link” ([0041]). Therefore, it is obvious to one skilled in the art that another bus optical waveguide can be used in the system Figure 2 of Zheng so that a DWDM optical source can be used to provide optical wavelengths for the plurality of unit cells via a bus optical waveguide.
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Figure O2 (copy from Etemad’s Figure 4A)
Second, Etemad et al discloses a system/method (Figure 4A, or Figure O2 above) to extract different wavelength to different code modulator (phase shifter, [0053), as shown in Figure 4A, the system comprises a unit cell of phase modulator (e.g., phase shifter 3721, [0053], “To create a phase shift that defines a code, we use heaters on the connecting waveguides, shown here as blocks 372.”) of a wavelength division multiplexing optical link (l1, l2, … lN), the unit cell comprising: a phase modulator (e.g., phase shifter 3721) to generate a portion of a modulated optical signal (e.g., on l1) based on a portion (l1) of an optical signal (l1, l2, … lN input via the Input Guide 362) received via a first bus waveguide (INPUT Guide 362); and a resonator structure coupler (the part of the first ring resonator structure 3651), operatively coupled between the first bus waveguide (362) and a second bus waveguide (368, “OUTPUT GUIDE”), configured to filter the portion of the modulated optical signal (l1) to generate a portion of a filtered optical signal (l1) by coupling light within a specific wavelength range (l1) between the first bus waveguide (362) and the second bus waveguide (368; [0052]-[0053]). That is, Etemad et al teaches to use two bus waveguides: one to input WDM signals, another one to output modulated optical signals, and between the two bus waveguides are a plurality of modulators (phase modulators).
Therefore, based on Etemad’s teachings, and combing the input bus waveguide of Figure 1B of Zheng and the output bus waveguide of Figure 2 of Zheng, a system as show in following figure is obtained.
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Figure O3
As shown in Figure O3 above, the combination of Zheng et al (Figures 1B and 2) and Etemad et al (Figure 4A) discloses a system comprising:
a unit cell of a ring modulator (e.g., Figure O3: 112-1 and 212-1 to 212-4) of a dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) optical link (Zheng: [0034], [0035] and [0040]-[0041] etc.; wavelengths l1- lN), the unit cell comprising:
a set of ring waveguides (212-1 to 212-4), each ring waveguide of the set of ring waveguides being configured to generate a portion of a modulated optical signal ([0042]-[0046], modulated on l1 to l4) based on a portion (l1 to l4; Zheng: [0042]-[0046], each ring modulator modulates a specific wavelength, e.g., ring-resonator modulator 212-1 is responsible for l1) of an optical signal (l1 to lN) received via a first bus waveguide (110-1 in Figure O3); and
a grating coupler (wavelength-selective coupler 114-1, also Figure 3 shows the structure of the grating coupler, [0049]-[0051]), operatively coupled between the first bus waveguide (110-1 in Figure O3) and a second bus waveguide (110), configured to filter the portion of the modulated optical signal (l1 to l4) to generate a portion of a filtered optical signal (l1 to l4, which is output within the OPTICAL SIGNALS l1- lN) by coupling light within a specific wavelength range (l1 to l4) between the first bus waveguide (110-1) and the second bus waveguide (110).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Etemad et al with Zheng et al so that one waveguide can be used to input DWDM wavelengths, and a plurality of grating couplers are used to filter desired wavelengths band to be modulated, since one waveguide is used for inputting DWDM wavelengths, a plurality of separated optical sources can be avoided, and the system is simplified, and signal routing and modulating are made easier.
Regard the contra-directional assisted grating coupler (CDGC), first, the grating coupler disclosed by Zheng et al (114-i, and Figure 3) is a type of CDGC; Figure 3 shows the wavelength-selective coupler, Zheng et al discloses “This wavelength-selective coupler between ports 1-4 may include coupled Bragg gratings having widths W1 and W2 and length L. Note that the wave numbers of the Bragg gratings are different and the Bragg condition is satisfied at the wavelengths to be dropped. … . By adjusting the grating width along bus optical waveguide 110 (FIGS. 1A, 1B and 2), the bs of each Bragg grating can be changed in order to accommodate cross coupling at a desired wavelength for add/drop purposes”; as shown in Figure 3, as the optical signal is input from port 4, the signal outputs from the port3 is a “contra-directional” signal relative to the input. Second, CDGC has been widely used in optical communications, and used in connection with a ring resonator. E.g., Mi et al, discloses a system/method (Figures 2-3 and 5 etc.), in which a grating coupler (e.g., contra-directional assisted grating coupler (CDGC. Or the grating-assisted directional coupler, GADC, 301-304 in Figure 3) is used to drop different wavelength bands (e.g., l1-l20, l21-l40, l41-l60, and l61-l80), and the grating coupler can filter a portion of the modulated optical signal (e.g., l21-l40) to generate a portion of a filtered optical signal by coupling light within a specific wavelength range (e.g., l21-l40) between a first bus waveguide (e.g., the waveguide between 317 and 318 at the top portion of Figure 3(a)) and a second bus waveguide (e.g., the waveguide between 319 and 320 at the bottom portion of Figure 3(a)).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to apply CDGCs as taught by Mi et al to the system/method of Zheng et al and Etemad et al so that different wavelength bands can be conveniently and easily selected and directed to different unit cell of ring modulator, and each wavelength is individually modulated by a ring modulator.
2). With regard to claim 2, Zheng et al and Etemad et al and Mi et al disclose all of the subject matter as applied to claim 1 above, and the combination of Zheng et al and Etemad et al and Mi et al further discloses wherein the unit cell further comprises a third bus waveguide (Figure O3: Coupled-Waveguide Grating Device 112-1. Zheng: 112-1 and Etemad: 367) disposed between the CDGC component (Figure O3: 114-1) and a second CDGC component (Figure O3: 114-1-1) operatively coupled between the first bus waveguide (110-1) and the second bus waveguide (Figure O3: 110).
3). With regard to claim 7, Zheng et al and Etemad et al and Mi et al disclose all of the subject matter as applied to claim 1 above, and the combination of Zheng et al and Etemad et al and Mi et al further discloses wherein the first bus waveguide and the second bus waveguide are each operatively coupled to a plurality of unit cells (Figure O3: 112-1 and 212-1 to 212-4; 112-2 and 212-5 to 212-8; …; 112-N and 212-(N-3) to 212-N. Zheng: Figure 2) comprising the unit cell (Figure O3: 112-1 and 212-1 to 212-4).
4). With regard to claim 8, Zheng et al discloses a method, comprising:
receiving, by a unit cell (Figure 2, the unit cell contains the coupled-waveguide grating device 112-1 and the ring resonator modulator 212-1 to 212-2) of a ring modulator (212-1 to 212-4) of a dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) optical link ([0034], [0035] and [0040]-[0041] etc.; wavelengths l1- lN), a portion of an optical signal (l1 to l4; [0042]-[0046], each ring modulator modulates a specific wavelength, e.g., ring-resonator modulator 212-1 is responsible for l1) via one of plurality optical sources (210-1 to 210-N);
generating, by the unit cell, a portion of a modulated optical signal ([0042]-[0046], modulated on l1 to l4) of the optical signal (l1 to l4; [0042]-[0046], each ring modulator modulates a specific wavelength, e.g., ring-resonator modulator 212-1 is responsible for l1);
filtering, by the unit cell using a grating coupler (wavelength-selective coupler 114-1, also Figure 3 shows the structure of the grating coupler, [0049]-[0051]) operatively coupled between the optical source (210-1) and a second bus waveguide (bus waveguide 110), the portion (l1 to l4) of the modulated optical signal to generate a portion of a filtered optical signal (l1 to l4, which is output within the OPTICAL SIGNALS l1- lN) by coupling light within a specific wavelength group (l1 to l4) between the optical source (210-1) and the second bus waveguide (110); and
outputting, by the unit cell via the second bus waveguide (110), the portion (l1 to l4, among the Optical Signals l1 - lN) of the filtered optical signal.
But, Zheng does not expressly state that the grating coupler is a contra-directional assisted grating coupler (CDGC) component, operatively coupled between a first bus waveguide and the second bus waveguide; and in Figure 2, Zheng shows that optical signals are from individual optical sources (212-1 to 212-N), and Zheng et al does not expressly show a first bus waveguide that inputs a plurality of wavelengths, and the portion of an optical signal is received via the first bus waveguide.
Regarding two bus waveguides, however, first, as shown in Figure 1A and 1B of Zheng et al, or Figure O1 above (adapted from Figure 1B of Zheng), a DWDM “OPTICAL SIGNALS” l1- lN are input to the bus optical waveguide 110, and a plurality of wavelength selective couplers (114-1 to 114-N) are used to filter/drop a specific wavelength range (or band): the wavelength-selective coupler 114-1 filters/drop a specific wavelength range l1 to l4, and the wavelength-selective coupler 114-N filters/drops a specific wavelength range lN-3 to lN; that is, the waveguide 110 inputs wavelength division multiplexed signal (l1 to lN) and then a plurality of wavelength selective coupler (grating coupler) are used to filter/drop specific portions (band) of the multiplexed signal, or each wavelength selective coupler (grating coupler) filters/drops a specific wavelength range (band). And Zheng et al also states “A similar technique may be used to implement an optical modulator, which may be used as a transmitter in an optical link” ([0041]). Therefore, it is obvious to one skilled in the art that another bus optical waveguide can be used in the system Figure 2 of Zheng so that a DWDM optical source can be used to provide optical wavelengths for the plurality of unit cells via a bus optical waveguide.
Second, Etemad et al discloses a system/method (Figure 4A, or Figure O2 above) to extract different wavelength to different code modulator (phase shifter, [0053), as shown in Figure 4A, the system comprises a unit cell of phase modulator (e.g., phase shifter 3721, [0053], “To create a phase shift that defines a code, we use heaters on the connecting waveguides, shown here as blocks 372.”) of a wavelength division multiplexing optical link (l1, l2, … lN), the unit cell comprising: a phase modulator (e.g., phase shifter 3721) to generate a portion of a modulated optical signal (e.g., on l1) based on a portion (l1) of an optical signal (l1, l2, … lN input via the Input Guide 362) received via a first bus waveguide (INPUT Guide 362); and a resonator structure coupler (the part of the first ring resonator structure 3651), operatively coupled between the first bus waveguide (362) and a second bus waveguide (368, “OUTPUT GUIDE”), configured to filter the portion of the modulated optical signal (l1) to generate a portion of a filtered optical signal (l1) by coupling light within a specific wavelength range (l1) between the first bus waveguide (362) and the second bus waveguide (368; [0052]-[0053]). That is, Etemad et al teaches to use two bus waveguides: one to input WDM signals, another one to output modulated optical signals, and between the two bus waveguides are a plurality of modulators (phase modulators).
Therefore, based on Etemad’s teachings, and combing the input bus waveguide of Figure 1B of Zheng and the output bus waveguide of Figure 2 of Zheng, a system as show Figure O3 above is obtained.
As shown in Figure O3 above, the combination of Zheng et al (Figures 1B and 2) and Etemad et al (Figure 4A) discloses a method, comprising:
receiving, by a unit cell of a ring modulator (e.g., Figure O3: 112-1 and 212-1 to 212-4) of a dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) optical link (Zheng: [0034], [0035] and [0040]-[0041] etc.), a portion (l1 to l4) of an optical signal (l1 to lN within the Optical Input Source) via a first bus waveguide (110-1 in Figure O3), wherein the unit cell comprises a set of ring waveguides (212-1 to 212-4);
generating, by the unit cell, a portion of a modulated optical signal (Zheng: [0042]-[0046], modulated on l1 to l4) by modulating the portion (l1, l2, l3, l4; Zheng: [0042]-[0046], each ring modulator modulates a specific wavelength, e.g., ring-resonator modulator 212-1 is responsible for l1) of the optical signal;
filtering, by the unit cell using a grating coupler (the wavelength-selective coupler 114-1) operatively coupled between the first bus waveguide (110-1 in Figure O3) and a second bus waveguide (110), the portion of the modulated optical signal (l1 to l4 are filtered, and output within the Optical Signals l1 to lN. The Wavelength-Selective Coupler 114-1-1 extracts l1 to l4 from the Optical Input l1 to lN; and the filtered l1- l4 are sent to ring modulator 212-1 to 212-4 respectively; and then the Wavelength-Selective Coupler 114-1 filters and sends the modulated optical signal l1 to l4 to bus optical waveguide 110) to generate a portion of a filtered optical signal (l1- l4) by coupling light within a specific wavelength range (l1 to l4) between the first bus waveguide (110-1) and a second bus waveguide (110); and
outputting, by the unit cell via the second bus waveguide (110), the portion of the filtered optical signal (l1 to l4, in the output OPTICAL SIGNALS l1- ln).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Etemad et al with Zheng et al so that one waveguide can be used to input DWDM wavelengths, and a plurality of grating couplers are used to filter desired wavelengths band to be modulated, since one waveguide is used for inputting DWDM wavelengths, a plurality of separated optical sources can be avoided, and the system is simplified, and signal routing and modulating are made easier.
Regard the contra-directional assisted grating coupler (CDGC), first, the grating coupler disclosed by Zheng et al (114-i, and Figure 3) is a type of CDGC; Figure 3 shows the wavelength-selective coupler, Zheng et al discloses “This wavelength-selective coupler between ports 1-4 may include coupled Bragg gratings having widths W1 and W2 and length L. Note that the wave numbers of the Bragg gratings are different and the Bragg condition is satisfied at the wavelengths to be dropped. … . By adjusting the grating width along bus optical waveguide 110 (FIGS. 1A, 1B and 2), the bs of each Bragg grating can be changed in order to accommodate cross coupling at a desired wavelength for add/drop purposes”; as shown in Figure 3, as the optical signal is input from port 4, the signal outputs from the port3 is a “contra-directional” signal relative to the input. Second, CDGC has been widely used in optical communications, and used in connection with a ring resonator. E.g., Mi et al, discloses a system/method (Figures 2-3 and 5 etc.), in which a grating coupler (e.g., contra-directional assisted grating coupler (CDGC. Or the grating-assisted directional coupler, GADC, 301-304 in Figure 3) is used to drop different wavelength bands (e.g., l1-l20, l21-l40, l41-l60, and l61-l80), and the grating coupler can filter a portion of the modulated optical signal (e.g., l21-l40) to generate a portion of a filtered optical signal by coupling light within a specific wavelength range (e.g., l21-l40) between a first bus waveguide (e.g., the waveguide between 317 and 318 at the top portion of Figure 3(a)) and a second bus waveguide (e.g., the waveguide between 319 and 320 at the bottom portion of Figure 3(a)).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to apply CDGCs as taught by Mi et al to the system/method of Zheng et al and Etemad et al so that different wavelength bands can be conveniently and easily selected and directed to different unit cell of ring modulator, and each wavelength is individually modulated by a ring modulator.
5). With regard to claim 9, Zheng et al and Etemad et al and Mi et al disclose all of the subject matter as applied to claim 8 above, and the combination of Zheng et al and Etemad et al and Mi et al further discloses wherein the unit cell further comprises a third bus waveguide (Figure O3: Coupled-Waveguide Grating Device 112-1. Zheng: 112-1 and Etemad: 367) disposed between the CDGC component (Figure O3: 114-1) and a second CDGC component (Figure O3: 114-1-1) operatively coupled between the first bus waveguide (110-1) and the second bus waveguide (Figure O3: 110).
6). With regard to claim 14, Zheng et al and Etemad et al and Mi et al disclose all of the subject matter as applied to claim 8 above, and the combination of Zheng et al and Etemad et al and Mi et al further discloses wherein the first bus waveguide and the second bus waveguide are each operatively coupled to a plurality of unit cells (Figure O3: 112-1 and 212-1 to 212-4; 112-2 and 212-5 to 212-8; …; 112-N and 212-(N-3) to 212-N. Zheng: Figure 2) comprising the unit cell (Figure O3: 112-1 and 212-1 to 212-4).
7). With regard to claim 15, Zheng et al discloses a system (Figure 2 etc.) comprising:
a dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) optical link ([0034], [0035] and [0040]-[0041] etc.; wavelengths l1- lN) comprising:
a transmitter (e.g., Figure 2) configured to receive an optical signal (Figure 2, the optical signal the Optical Sources 210-1 to 210-N) and generate a modulated optical signal (output signal: OPTICAL SIGNALS l1- lN) by modulating the optical signal (Figure 2, modulated by the Ring-Resonator Modulators 212-1 to 212-N; and OPTICAL SIGNALS l1- lN), wherein the transmitter comprises:
a plurality of optical sources (210-1 to 210-N);
a second bus waveguide (110); and
a plurality of unit cells (e.g., unit cells each contains the coupled-waveguide grating device 112-i and the ring resonator modulator 212-i and/or wavelength selective coupler 114-i) of a ring modulator (212-i), wherein each unit cell of the plurality of unit cells corresponds to a respective wavelength group (e.g., unit cell 212-1 to 212-4, 112-1 and 114-1 for the wavelength group of l1 - l4; and unit cell 212-(N-3) to 212-N, 112-N and 114-N for the wavelength group of l(N-3) - lN) of the DWDM optical link, and wherein a unit cell of the plurality of unit cells comprises:
a set of ring waveguides (e.g., 212-1 to 212-4), each ring waveguide of the set of ring waveguides being configured to generate a portion of the modulated optical signal ([0042]-[0046], modulated on l1 to l4) based on the optical signal (l1 to l4; [0042]-[0046], each ring modulator modulates a specific wavelength, e.g., ring-resonator modulator 212-1 is responsible for l1); and
a grating coupler (wavelength-selective coupler 114-1, also Figure 3 shows the structure of the grating coupler, [0049]-[0051]), operatively coupled between the optical source (210-1) and the second bus waveguide (bus waveguide 110), configured to filter the portion of the modulated optical signal (l1 to l4) to generate a portion of a filtered optical signal (l1 to l4, which is output within the OPTICAL SIGNALS l1- lN) by coupling light within a specific wavelength range (l1 to l4) between the optical source (210-1) and the second bus waveguide (110).
But, Zheng does not expressly state that the grating coupler is a contra-directional assisted grating coupler (CDGC) component, operatively coupled between a first bus waveguide and the second bus waveguide; and in Figure 2, Zheng shows that optical signals are from individual optical sources (212-1 to 212-N), and Zheng et al does not expressly show a first bus waveguide that inputs a plurality of wavelengths, and the portion of an optical signal is received via the first bus waveguide.
Regarding two bus waveguides, however, first, as shown in Figure 1A and 1B of Zheng et al, or Figure O1 above (adapted from Figure 1B of Zheng), a DWDM “OPTICAL SIGNALS” l1- lN are input to the bus optical waveguide 110, and a plurality of wavelength selective couplers (114-1 to 114-N) are used to filter/drop a specific wavelength range (or band): the wavelength-selective coupler 114-1 filters/drop a specific wavelength range l1 to l4, and the wavelength-selective coupler 114-N filters/drops a specific wavelength range lN-3 to lN; that is, the waveguide 110 inputs wavelength division multiplexed signal (l1 to lN) and then a plurality of wavelength selective coupler (grating coupler) are used to filter/drop specific portions (band) of the multiplexed signal, or each wavelength selective coupler (grating coupler) filters/drops a specific wavelength range (band). And Zheng et al also states “A similar technique may be used to implement an optical modulator, which may be used as a transmitter in an optical link” ([0041]). Therefore, it is obvious to one skilled in the art that another bus optical waveguide can be used in the system Figure 2 of Zheng so that a DWDM optical source can be used to provide optical wavelengths for the plurality of unit cells via a bus optical waveguide.
Second, Etemad et al discloses a system/method (Figure 4A, or Figure O2 above) to extract different wavelength to different code modulator (phase shifter, [0053), as shown in Figure 4A, the system comprises a unit cell of phase modulator (e.g., phase shifter 3721, [0053], “To create a phase shift that defines a code, we use heaters on the connecting waveguides, shown here as blocks 372.”) of a wavelength division multiplexing optical link (l1, l2, … lN), the unit cell comprising: a phase modulator (e.g., phase shifter 3721) to generate a portion of a modulated optical signal (e.g., on l1) based on a portion (l1) of an optical signal (l1, l2, … lN input via the Input Guide 362) received via a first bus waveguide (INPUT Guide 362); and a resonator structure coupler (the part of the first ring resonator structure 3651), operatively coupled between the first bus waveguide (362) and a second bus waveguide (368, “OUTPUT GUIDE”), configured to filter the portion of the modulated optical signal (l1) to generate a portion of a filtered optical signal (l1) by coupling light within a specific wavelength range (l1) between the first bus waveguide (362) and the second bus waveguide (368; [0052]-[0053]). That is, Etemad et al teaches to use two bus waveguides: one to input WDM signals, another one to output modulated optical signals, and between the two bus waveguides are a plurality of modulators (phase modulators).
Therefore, based on Etemad’s teachings, and combing the input bus waveguide of Figure 1B of Zheng and the output bus waveguide of Figure 2 of Zheng, a system as show Figure O3 above is obtained.
As shown in Figure O3 above, the combination of Zheng et al (Figures 1B and 2) and Etemad et al (Figure 4A) discloses a system comprising:
a dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) optical link (Zheng: [0034], [0035] and [0040]-[0041] etc.) comprising:
a transmitter (Figure O3) configured to receive an optical signal (l1 to lN from Optical Input Source, input via the Bus Optical Waveguide 110-1) and generate a modulated optical signal (the modulated output Optical Signals “l1 to lN” via Bus Optical Waveguide 110) by modulating the optical signal (modulated by the Ring-Resonator Modulator 212-1 to 212-N), wherein the transmitter comprises:
a first bus waveguide (the Bus Optical Waveguide 110-1 shown in Figure O3);
a second bus waveguide (the Bus Optical Waveguide 110); and
a plurality of unit cells (112-1 and 212-1 to 212-4; 112-2 and 212-5 to 212-8; …, and 112-N and 212-(N-3) to 212-N) of a ring modulator (212-1 to 212-N etc.), wherein each unit cell of the plurality of unit cells corresponds to a respective band (e.g., band l1- l4, band l5- l8, and band l (N-3) -lN) of the DWDM optical link, and wherein a unit cell of the plurality of unit cells comprises:
a set of ring waveguides (e.g., 212-1 to 212-4), each ring waveguide of the set of ring waveguides being configured to generate a portion (one of l1, …, l4; Zheng: [0042]-[0046], each ring modulator modulates a specific wavelength, e.g., ring-resonator modulator 212-1 is responsible for l1) of the modulated optical signal based on the optical signal (l1 to lN); and
a grating coupler (wavelength-selective coupler 114-1, also Figure 3 shows the structure of the grating coupler, [0049]-[0051]), operatively coupled between the first bus waveguide (110-1 in Figure O3) and a second bus waveguide (110), configured to filter the portion (l1 to l4) of the modulated optical signal to generate a filtered optical signal (l1 to l4, which is output within the OPTICAL SIGNALS l1- ln) by coupling light within a specific wavelength range (l1 to l4) between the first bus waveguide (110-1) and the second bus waveguide (110).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Etemad et al with Zheng et al so that one waveguide can be used to input DWDM wavelengths, and a plurality of grating couplers are used to filter desired wavelengths band to be modulated, since one waveguide is used for inputting DWDM wavelengths, a plurality of separated optical sources can be avoided, and the system is simplified, and signal routing and modulating are made easier.
Regard the contra-directional assisted grating coupler (CDGC), first, the grating coupler disclosed by Zheng et al (114-i, and Figure 3) is a type of CDGC; Figure 3 shows the wavelength-selective coupler, Zheng et al discloses “This wavelength-selective coupler between ports 1-4 may include coupled Bragg gratings having widths W1 and W2 and length L. Note that the wave numbers of the Bragg gratings are different and the Bragg condition is satisfied at the wavelengths to be dropped. … . By adjusting the grating width along bus optical waveguide 110 (FIGS. 1A, 1B and 2), the bs of each Bragg grating can be changed in order to accommodate cross coupling at a desired wavelength for add/drop purposes”; as shown in Figure 3, as the optical signal is input from port 4, the signal outputs from the port3 is a “contra-directional” signal relative to the input. Second, CDGC has been widely used in optical communications, and used in connection with a ring resonator. E.g., Mi et al, discloses a system/method (Figures 2-3 and 5 etc.), in which a grating coupler (e.g., contra-directional assisted grating coupler (CDGC. Or the grating-assisted directional coupler, GADC, 301-304 in Figure 3) is used to drop different wavelength bands (e.g., l1-l20, l21-l40, l41-l60, and l61-l80), and the grating coupler can filter a portion of the modulated optical signal (e.g., l21-l40) to generate a portion of a filtered optical signal by coupling light within a specific wavelength range (e.g., l21-l40) between a first bus waveguide (e.g., the waveguide between 317 and 318 at the top portion of Figure 3(a)) and a second bus waveguide (e.g., the waveguide between 319 and 320 at the bottom portion of Figure 3(a)).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to apply CDGCs as taught by Mi et al to the system/method of Zheng et al and Etemad et al so that different wavelength bands can be conveniently and easily selected and directed to different unit cell of ring modulator, and each wavelength is individually modulated by a ring modulator.
8). With regard to claim 16, Zheng et al and Etemad et al and Mi et al disclose all of the subject matter as applied to claim 15 above, and the combination of Zheng et al and Etemad et al and Mi et al further discloses wherein the unit cell further comprises a third bus waveguide (Figure O3: Couple-Waveguide Grating Device 112-1. Zheng: 112-1 and Etemad: 367) disposed between the CDGC component (Figure O3: 114-1) and a second CDGC component (Figure O3: 114-1-1) operatively coupled between the first bus waveguide (110-1) and the second bus waveguide (Figure O3: 110).
Claims 3-4, 10-11 and 17-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zheng et al and Etemad et al and Mi et al as applied to claims 1, 8 and 15 above, and further in view of Hayakawa (US 2015/0316794) and Vollmerhausen (US 10,727,952).
1). With regard to claims 3, 10 and 17, Zheng et al and Etemad et al and Mi et al disclose all of the subject matter as applied to claims 1, 8 and 15 above. But, Zheng et al and Etemad et al and Mi et al do not expressly disclose wherein each ring waveguide further comprises at least one electrical component configured to tune a resonant frequency of the ring waveguide by modifying an index of refraction of a material of the ring waveguide.
However, to use an electrical component to tune a resonant frequency of a ring waveguide is well known in the art. E.g., Hayakawa discloses to use a resister (Figure 2, heater 17, and heater electrode 8(8X)) to tune a resonant frequency of a ring waveguide by modifying an index of refraction of a material of the ring waveguide ([0056], and Figure 2). And another prior art, Vollmerhausen, also discloses that a diode can be used to modifying an index of refraction of a material of the ring waveguide (Figure 11, and column 15 lines 7-52).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use an electrical component as taught by Hayakawa and Vollmerhausen to the system/method of Zheng et al and Etemad et al and Mi et al so that the resonance frequency of the ring modulator can be accurately controlled, signal quality can be improved, and reliability of the system/method can be enhanced.
2). With regard to claims 4, 11 and 18, Zheng et al and Etemad et al and Mi et al and Hayakawa and Vollmerhausen disclose all of the subject matter as applied to claims 1, 3, 8, 10, 15 and 17 above. And the combination of Zheng et al and Etemad et al and Mi et al and Hayakawa and Vollmerhausen further discloses wherein the at least one electrical component comprises at least one of: a resistor (Hayakawa: a resistor is used), a diode (Vollmerhausen: diode is used) or a transistor.
Conclusion
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/LI LIU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2634 June 27, 2026
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