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 .
Examiner Notes
Examiner received the restriction response and notes the applicant opted to elect Group 1 (claims 1-15) without traverse except for the following, that claims 26-28 were not included in the Restriction Requirement. A mistake was made when writing the original Restriction Requirement. Claims 26-28 belong to group two in the Restriction Requirement. The examiner formally apologizes.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Hu (US 20210333575 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Hu discloses a transmitter array including one or a plurality of light transmitters configured to emit one or a plurality of light beams, see Figures 4A-B, where transmitters emit light towards the meta surface 422. Also see Paragraphs 0072-0073. Hu discloses a first flat optic configured to receive the light beams from the transmitter array and generate one or a plurality of intermediate light beams, see Figures 4A-B, light enters meta surface 422 and exits meta surface 424. Also see Paragraphs 0072-0073. Hu discloses a first spacer disposed between the light transmitter array and the first flat optic, “The spaces between the multiple surfaces in the optical system (such as the meta-surfaces 422, 424, window surface, image plane 430, etc.) can be filled mostly (e.g., more than 50%) or entirely with air or another medium (e.g., epoxy, glass spacer, etc.).” (Paragraph 0073). Hu discloses a receiver array including one or a plurality of light receivers, see Figures 4A-B. Hu discloses a second flat optic configured to receive the intermediate light beams and generate one or a plurality of output light beams toward the receiver array, see Figures 4A-B, the second meta surface 424 receives light beams from first meta surface 422 and directs them towards the place 430. Also see Paragraphs 0072-0073. Hu discloses a second spacer disposed between the second flat optic and the light receiver array, “The spaces between the multiple surfaces in the optical system (such as the meta-surfaces 422, 424, window surface, image plane 430, etc.) can be filled mostly (e.g., more than 50%) or entirely with air or another medium (e.g., epoxy, glass spacer, etc.).” (Paragraph 0073).
Regarding claim 2, Hu discloses the optical coupling system of claim 1, see claim 1 rejection. Hu discloses that the first and second flat optics are configured to provide optical relay or mode matching between the transmitter array and the receiver array, see Figures 4A-B and “By toggling, stepping, or sweeping the phase state of the PCM in the meta-atoms, the optical functionalities of the first meta-surface 422 and second meta-surface 424 can be independently and controllably changed between different optical functionalities, such as a converging lens and a diverging lens, as illustrated by computed rays in FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B. The independent change in focusing characteristics of the two meta-surfaces can provide optical zoom with a fixed track-length of the optical train.” (Paragraph 0073).
Regarding 3, Hu discloses the optical coupling system of claim 1, see claim 1 rejection. Hu discloses that chief rays of the light beams emitted by the transmitter array are within 20 degrees from a normal direction of the first flat optic, and chief rays of the output light beams generated by the second flat optic are within 20 degrees from a normal direction of the second flat optic, see Figures 4A-B and “By toggling, stepping, or sweeping the phase state of the PCM in the meta-atoms, the optical functionalities of the first meta-surface 422 and second meta-surface 424 can be independently and controllably changed between different optical functionalities, such as a converging lens and a diverging lens, as illustrated by computed rays in FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B. The independent change in focusing characteristics of the two meta-surfaces can provide optical zoom with a fixed track-length of the optical train.” (Paragraph 0073).
Regarding claim 4, Hu discloses the optical coupling system of claim 1, see claim 1 rejection. Hu discloses that the intermediate beams generated by the first flat optic are collimated beams, see Figures 4A-B and “By toggling, stepping, or sweeping the phase state of the PCM in the meta-atoms, the optical functionalities of the first meta-surface 422 and second meta-surface 424 can be independently and controllably changed between different optical functionalities, such as a converging lens and a diverging lens, as illustrated by computed rays in FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B. The independent change in focusing characteristics of the two meta-surfaces can provide optical zoom with a fixed track-length of the optical train.” (Paragraph 0073).
Regarding claim 5, Hu discloses the optical coupling system of claim 1, see claim 1 rejection. Hu discloses that each of the first spacer and the second spacer includes one or more of an air gap, an optically transparent solid or liquid material, a porous material, and metamaterials, “The spaces between the multiple surfaces in the optical system (such as the meta-surfaces 422, 424, window surface, image plane 430, etc.) can be filled mostly (e.g., more than 50%) or entirely with air or another medium (e.g., epoxy, glass spacer, etc.).” (Paragraph 0073).
Regarding claim 6, Hu discloses the optical coupling system of claim 1, see claim 1 rejection. Hu discloses that each of the first and second flat optics includes one or more of: sub-wavelength optics, metasurfaces, multi-layer metasurfaces, a metamaterial, diffractive optical elements, holographic optical elements, wafer level optics, and micro-optics, “The zoom lens 400 can include an entrance meta-surface 422 having meta-atoms formed on a first surface of the substrate 410 and a second meta-surface 424 having meta-atoms formed on a second surface of the substrate.” (Paragraph 0073) and Figure 4A-B.
Regarding claim 7, Hu discloses the optical coupling system of claim 1, see claim 1 rejection. Hu discloses that each of the plurality of light transmitters is a light source or an optical channel coupled to an external light source, and each of the plurality of light receivers is a light sensor or an optical channel coupled to an external light sensor, see Figures 4A-B, the light that enters the lens 400 is originating externally from the lens 400. The light then exits the lens 400 and enters receiver 430 which is external.
Regarding claim 8, Hu discloses the optical coupling system of claim 1, see claim 1 rejection. Hu discloses that the light transmitter array is a photonic integrated circuit, and/or the light receiver array is a photonic integrated circuit, “n some applications, such beam steering may be used to compensate for mechanical misalignment of optical components (e.g., a fiber, optical port on a photonic chip, or lens that are optically aligned to the grating coupler).” (Paragraph 0102).
Regarding claim 9, Hu discloses the optical coupling system of claim 1, see claim 1 rejection. Hu discloses that the transmitter array and the receiver array have different physical sizes and/or orientations, see Figures 4A-B.
Regarding claim 10, Hu discloses the optical coupling system of claim 1, see claim 1 rejection. Hu discloses that one or more optical elements configured to transmit the intermediate light beams from the first flat optic to the second flat optic, see Figures 4A-B, the second meta surface 424 receives light beams from first meta surface 422. Also see paragraph 0073.
Regarding claim 11, Hu discloses the optical coupling system of claim 10, see claim 10 rejection. Hu discloses that the one or more optical elements includes a third spacer disposed between the first flat optic and the second flat optic, “The spaces between the multiple surfaces in the optical system (such as the meta-surfaces 422, 424, window surface, image plane 430, etc.) can be filled mostly (e.g., more than 50%) or entirely with air or another medium (e.g., epoxy, glass spacer, etc.).” (Paragraph 0073).
Regarding claim 12, Hu discloses the optical coupling system of claim 10, see claim 10 rejection. Hu discloses that he one or more optical elements includes a reflector, “By toggling, stepping, or sweeping the phase state of the PCM in the meta-atoms, the optical functionalities of the first meta-surface 422 and second meta-surface 424 can be independently and controllably changed between different optical functionalities, such as a converging lens and a diverging lens, as illustrated by computed rays in FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B. The independent change in focusing characteristics of the two meta-surfaces can provide optical zoom with a fixed track-length of the optical train.” (Paragraph 0073), thus the meta surfaces can be designed to be a reflector.
Regarding claim 13, Hu discloses the optical coupling system of claim 12, see claim 12 rejection. Hu discloses that the one or more optical elements further includes a third spacer, wherein the first and second flat optics are regions of a metasurface formed on one surface of the third spacer, and the reflector is formed on an opposite surface of the third spacer, see Figures 4A-B, and “By toggling, stepping, or sweeping the phase state of the PCM in the meta-atoms, the optical functionalities of the first meta-surface 422 and second meta-surface 424 can be independently and controllably changed between different optical functionalities, such as a converging lens and a diverging lens, as illustrated by computed rays in FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B. The independent change in focusing characteristics of the two meta-surfaces can provide optical zoom with a fixed track-length of the optical train.” (Paragraph 0073)”, as well as “The spaces between the multiple surfaces in the optical system (such as the meta-surfaces 422, 424, window surface, image plane 430, etc.) can be filled mostly (e.g., more than 50%) or entirely with air or another medium (e.g., epoxy, glass spacer, etc.).” (Paragraph 0073).
Regarding claim 14, Hu discloses the optical coupling system of claim 1, see claim 1 rejection. Hu discloses that different non-overlapping or partially-overlapping regions of the first flat optic are designated to coupling to different ones of the plurality of light transmitters, or different non-overlapping or partially-overlapping regions of the second flat optic are designated to coupling to different ones of the plurality of light receivers, “Because the meta-atoms can be individually tailored and different shapes can be used on a same meta-surface, a meta-optic can exhibit significantly-improved performance over conventional optics, such as an extremely wide field-of-view imaging and/or aberration-free focusing. (Paragraph 0057). This means that both meta surfaces in Figures 4A-B can be designated to coupling to different ones of the plurality of light transmitters or designated to coupling to different ones of the plurality of light receivers.
Regarding claim 15, Hu discloses the optical coupling system of claim 1, see claim 1 rejection. Hu discloses that the first flat optic and second flat optic are configured to form an image inverter, “By toggling, stepping, or sweeping the phase state of the PCM in the meta-atoms, the optical functionalities of the first meta-surface 422 and second meta-surface 424 can be independently and controllably changed between different optical functionalities, such as a converging lens and a diverging lens, as illustrated by computed rays in FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B. The independent change in focusing characteristics of the two meta-surfaces can provide optical zoom with a fixed track-length of the optical train.” (Paragraph 0073)”, thus the two different meta surfaces can be configured to be form a image inverter.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSH CHARLES GARDINER whose telephone number is (571)270-0634. The examiner can normally be reached 9am-5pm.
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/JOSH CHARLES GARDINER/Examiner, Art Unit 3648
/VLADIMIR MAGLOIRE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3648
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