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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 12/15/2023 was filed and is being considered by the examiner.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Invention I in the reply filed on 5/28/2026 is acknowledged.
Claims 11-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected Invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 5/28/2026.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 1-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, first paragraph, as based on a disclosure which is not enabling. The disclosure does not enable one of ordinary skill in the art to practice the invention without the fingers of claim 3 and the qubits of claim 9, which is/are critical or essential to the practice of the invention but not included in the claim(s). See In re Mayhew, 527 F.2d 1229, 188 USPQ 356 (CCPA 1976).
In regard to claim 1, the applicant recites a classical computing assembly. However, the specification is clear that this invention is directed to a quantum signal. The only enters the claims in claim 9. This is critical to the invention. Moreover, the specification is clear that the problem is transmitting extremely low-energy quantum signals between chips while reducing noise—this is accomplished by the fingers of claim 3. Claim 3 is further critical to the invention. Claims 3 and 9 must be rolled into claim 1 before allowance.
Claims 2-8 are further rejected for depending on claim 1.
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.
Claim(s) 1 and 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zangrando et al (US 4,083,016).
In regard to claim 1, Zangrando et al disclose a structure comprising:
a first chip substantially located in a first microwave cavity, wherein the first microwave cavity has a first mode;
a second chip substantially located in a second microwave cavity, wherein the second microwave cavity has a second mode;
a microwave channel connecting the first microwave cavity and the second microwave cavity; and
a coupling from the first chip to the second chip through the microwave channel.
Zangrando et al fail to disclose wherein the microwave channel has a third mode, and wherein the third mode dissipates the first mode and the second mode in the microwave channel.
However, in the 45 years since Zangrando et al, it was well-known that iris/apertures between microwave cavities would posses their own third mode, and it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to optimize the iris in order to reduce propagation of undesired cavity fields.
In regard to claim 2, Zangrando et al fail to disclose the microwave channel has an aspect ratio of greater than 4:1. However, this is routine optimization. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to optimize the iris in order to reduce propagation of undesired cavity fields.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 9 and 10 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Shabani et al (US 2024/0005187 A1) disclose quantum architecture.
Paik et al (US 11,586,967 B2) disclose controlling quantum states.
Bishop et al (US 2018/0003753 A1) disclose read out of quantum states.
Paik (US 2014/0314419 A1) disclose quantum information transfer.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTOPHER E DUNAY whose telephone number is (571)270-1222. The examiner can normally be reached 7:00 am - 6:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, James (Jong-Suk) Lee can be reached at 571-272-7044. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CHRISTOPHER E DUNAY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875
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