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 statements (IDS) submitted on 12/27/2023 and 3/27/2024 are being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 13 recites the limitation "the second and inversed frequency dispersion " in lines 2-3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. It seems that the claim 13 should depend from claim 10.
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.
Claims 1-4 and 9-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kues et al (US 2021/0174235).
1). With regard to claim 1, Kues et al discloses an encoder (Figure 2 etc.) for quantum communication ([0002] and [0052]-[0054] etc.), the encoder comprising a first dispersive element (fiber Bragg grating FBG array 12, in the Input direction, as shown in Figure 2A. Or, the combination of the input circulator and the FGB 12 forms a first dispersive element) and an encoder modulator (Phase Modulator 14), wherein the first dispersive element is arranged to obtain photonic output (the bottom part shown in Figure 2A) and is configured to time delay states of a d-dimensional frequency-binned single photon (time-bins are numbered with 1, 2, 3 and frequency modes with a, b, c; [0040]. Figure 2A, each photon, e.g., |1> has “frequency modes” |a>, |b> and |c>) comprised in said photonic output based on frequency (the output from the Input circulator, the output is the reflected results from the FBG, [0038]-[0040], “for the frequency-to-time mapping, a fiber Bragg grating (FBG) array 12 was used, formed by six individual fiber Bragg gratings 12a-12f separated by a distance selected to introduce a temporal delay on the reflected frequency components, in the present case 40 cm. Specifically, each fiber Bragg grating reflects a different frequency component at a different spatial position within the fiber, leading to frequency components exiting the fiber Bragg grating in reflection at different times. The reflected frequency components are then routed to an optical phase modulator 16 using a circulator 14.”), thereby time-binning the states of said single photon ([0038]-[0040]), and
wherein the encoder modulator (“Phase Modulator” shown in Figure 2A) is arranged to modulate time-binned states of the single photon by modulating individual time-bins of said single photon ([0037]-[0041]), using a predetermined modulation scheme ([0038], “Using a time-synchronized phase and/or amplitude modulation profile, generated for example by an arbitrary waveform generator, custom controlled amplitude/phase gates may then be implemented on the hyper-entangled product states”).
2). With regard to claim 2, Kues et al discloses the encoder according to claim 1, further comprising a second dispersive element (the combination of the output circulator and the FBG 12 forms a second dispersive element) arranged after the encoder modulator, and configured to time delay the states of said single photon based on frequency to reduce a temporal separation of the states of said single photon ([0038], “After the modulation step, the photons are sent back to the same fiber Bragg grating but from the opposite direction to reverse the frequency-to-time mapping. For the generation of cluster states only phase modulation is required, while for the generation of Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger states also amplitude modulation is required (not shown in FIG. 2 for clarity)”; also refer to Figure 2C).
3). With regard to claim 3, Kues et al discloses the encoder according to claim 2, wherein the second dispersive element is configured to time delay the modulated states of the single photon such that modulated time-binned states of the single photon have substantially the same spatiotemporal propagation after interaction with the second dispersive element (Figure 2C; [0038], “After the modulation step, the photons are sent back to the same fiber Bragg grating but from the opposite direction to reverse the frequency-to-time mapping. For the generation of cluster states only phase modulation is required, while for the generation of Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger states also amplitude modulation is required (not shown in FIG. 2 for clarity)”, [0041], “Since the quantum state passes through the same fiber Bragg gratings array from both directions, imperfections in the time or phase delay caused by the fiber Bragg gratings are intrinsically compensated. The full system is also intrinsically phase stable since the quantum state propagates within a single waveguide mode”).
4). With regard to claim 4, Kues et al discloses the encoder according to claim 1, further comprising a photon source arranged to provide the photonic output comprising the d-dimensional frequency-binned single photon (the photo source that generates the photos shown in Figure 1, and the “Input” of Figure 2).
5). With regard to claim 9, Kues et al discloses a method for single photon quantum communication ([0002], [0043]and [0052]-[0054] etc.), the method comprising
obtaining a photonic output from a photon source (the photo source that generates the photos shown in Figure 1, and the “Input” of Figure 2. Figures 1-2, and [0038] and [0043] etc.), the photonic output comprising a d-dimensional frequency-binned single photon (time-bins are numbered with 1, 2, 3 and frequency modes with a, b, c; [0040]. Figure 2A, each photon, e.g., |1> has “frequency modes” |a>, |b> and |c>) in a superposition of states with different frequencies (Figures 2A-2C);
time-binning the states of the single photon by time-delaying the states of the single photon using a first frequency dispersion (Figure 2, the dispersive element, fiber Bragg grating FBG array 12, time-binning the states of the single photon by time-delaying the states of the single photon using a first frequency dispersion; [0038]-[0040]);
modulating the time-binned states of the single photon by modulating individual time-bins of said single photon ([0037]-[0041], “Phase Modulator” modulating the time-binned states of the single photon by modulating individual time-bins of said single photon, using a predetermined modulation scheme), using a predetermined modulation scheme ([0038], “Using a time-synchronized phase and/or amplitude modulation profile, generated for example by an arbitrary waveform generator, custom controlled amplitude/phase gates may then be implemented on the hyper-entangled product states”); and
transmitting the modulated single photon (the “Output” shown Figure 2A) via a quantum channel; [0043], a detector “detects the presence of a specific type of entanglement”; that is, a quantum channel is between the transmitter/encoder and receiver/decoder).
6). With regard to claim 10, Kues et al discloses the method according to claim 9, further comprising
reducing a temporal separation of the modulated states of the single photon, after modulating the states of the photon and before transmitting the single photon, by time delaying the states of the single photon using a second frequency dispersion, wherein the second frequency dispersion corresponds to an inverse group velocity dispersion of the first frequency dispersion (the combination of the output circulator and the FBG 12 forms a second dispersive element, which time delaying the states of the single photon using a second frequency dispersion, wherein the second frequency dispersion corresponds to an inverse group velocity dispersion of the first frequency dispersion. [0038], “After the modulation step, the photons are sent back to the same fiber Bragg grating but from the opposite direction to reverse the frequency-to-time mapping. For the generation of cluster states only phase modulation is required, while for the generation of Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger states also amplitude modulation is required (not shown in FIG. 2 for clarity)”; also refer to Figure 2C).
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 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kues et al (US 2021/0174235) in view of Bersin et al (US 2023/0344516).
Kues et al discloses all of the subject matter as applied to claim 1 above. And Kues et al discloses the encoder according to claim 1, comprising a dispersive element (FBR array 12) connected to an amplitude modulator ([0040], “Time-dependent phase patterns are then implemented using an electrooptic amplitude/phase modulator 16”), wherein the amplitude modulator is arranged to modulate the frequency-binned and time-binned photon states received from the dispersive element to output one frequency state and/or to output two frequency states (Figure 2, and [0038]-[0041]).
wherein the frequency modulator is arranged to upon receiving a photon state output at least two photon states with different frequency, wherein the dispersive element is arranged to time delay photon states based on frequency utilizing dispersion, and
But, Kues et al does not expressly disclose the encoder comprising a frequency shifter comprising a frequency modulator connected to the dispersive element, wherein the frequency modulator is arranged to upon receiving a photon state output at least two photon states with different frequency.
However, in quantum communications, use a frequency shifter/modulator to generate more frequency components (dimensions) is known in the art. E.g., Bersin et al discloses a frequency shifter/modulator (534 in Figure 5A; or 1002 in Figure 10A) so to obtain a desired frequency components, or the frequency shifter/modulator receives a photon state and outputs two photon states with different frequency (Figure 10A). 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 the frequency shifter as taught by Bersin et al to the system/method of Kues et al so that more frequency components (dimensions) can be generated, or desired frequency components can be obtained; and functions of the system/method is enhanced.
Claims 6-7 and 11-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kues et al (US 2021/0174235) in view of Cho (US 2015/0226609).
1). With regard to claim 6, Kues et al discloses a decoder for quantum communication ([0043], “Cluster state witness measurements were performed, which confirmed that the product states were successfully turned into duster states. Such a witness provides a measure that detects the presence of a specific type of entanglement. As the measured expectation value of the duster state witness operator was negative, a duster state was confirmed”. And [0002] and [0052]-[0054] etc.), the decoder comprising a decoder dispersive element (Kues discloses that transmitter has a dispersive element, FBG array 12, then it is obvious to one skilled in the art that a decoder dispersive element is in the receiver side so to separate different frequency modes similar to the operation that the transmitter performed, [0038], “The temporal separation of the different frequency modes… , so that each individual photon temporal and frequency mode may be mapped to a specific arrival time at the modulator 16”), a decoder modulator (Kues uses an encoder modulator in the transmitter, it is obvious to one skilled in the art that a decoder modulator is in the receiver side so to demodulate the encoded signal), and a photon detector (it is inherent that a photon detector is used so to “detect[s] the presence of a specific type of entanglement”),
wherein the decoder is arranged to receive photonic output comprising a d-dimensional frequency-binned single photon (Figures 1 and 2, multi-dimensional frequency-binned single photon is generated, then the decoder receives photonic output comprising a d-dimensional frequency-binned single photon) via a quantum channel (the “Output” shown in Figure 2 has quantum states, and detector “detects the presence of a specific type of entanglement”; that is, a quantum channel is between the transmitter and receiver).
But, Kues et al does not expressly show the details of the decoder; or Kues et al does not expressly show: wherein the decoder dispersive element is arranged to time-bin states of the received single photon by time delaying the states of the received single photon based on frequency, wherein the decoder modulator is arranged to modulate time-binned states of the single photon by modulating individual time-bins of said single photon using a predetermined modulation scheme, and wherein the photon detector is arranged to detect the single photon and determine the time-bin it was detected in.
However, as disclosed by Cho, the receiver side has corresponding components for the components of the transmitter side: Figures 1-2 and 7, the photodetector corresponds photoemitter (light source or single-photon pulses), optical phase modulator at the receiver side corresponds to the optical phase modulator at the transmitter side, and optical interferometer at the receiver side corresponds to the optical interferometer at the transmitter side. Therefore, for the system disclosed by Kues et al, the decoder at the receiver side also has a decoder dispersive element, decoder modulator. As shown in Figure 2, Kues et al discloses that the dispersive element is used to obtain photonic output and time delay states of a d-dimensional frequency-binned single photon in the photonic output based on frequency, thereby time-binning the states of said single photon, and the encoder modulator modulates time-binned states of the single photon by modulating individual time-bins of the single photon, using a predetermined modulation scheme; then at the receiver side, the corresponding components perform similar operations so to decode the encoded signals, that is, the decoder dispersive element needs to time-bin states of the received single photon by time delaying the states of the received single photon based on frequency, and the decoder modulator modulate time-binned states of the single photon by modulating individual time-bins of said single photon using a predetermined modulation scheme, and the photon detector detects the single photon and determine the time-bin it was detected in, and then the received signals can be decoded.
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 the teachings of Cho to the system/method of Kues et al so that similar components, e.g., dispersion element and decoder modulator etc., are used in the decoder so to decode the information carried in the encoded photons.
2). With regard to claim 7, Kues et al discloses all of the subject matter as applied to claims 1 and 2 above. And Kues et al discloses a system for single photon quantum communication (Figures 1 and 2, and [0038] and [0043] etc.), the system comprising the encoder according to claim 2 and a decoder ([0043], “Cluster state witness measurements were performed, which confirmed that the product states were successfully turned into duster states. Such a witness provides a measure that detects the presence of a specific type of entanglement. As the measured expectation value of the duster state witness operator was negative, a duster state was confirmed”) comprising a decoder dispersive element (Kues discloses that transmitter has a dispersive element, FBG array 12, then it is obvious to one skilled in the art that a decoder dispersive element is in the receiver side so to separate different frequency modes similar to the operation that the transmitter performed, [0038], “The temporal separation of the different frequency modes… , so that each individual photon temporal and frequency mode may be mapped to a specific arrival time at the modulator 16”), a decoder modulator (Kues uses an encoder modulator in the transmitter, it is obvious to one skilled in the art that a decoder modulator is in the receiver side so to demodulate the encoded signal), and a photon detector (it is inherent that a photon detector is used so to “detect[s] the presence of a specific type of entanglement”), wherein the decoder is arranged to receive photonic output comprising a d-dimensional frequency-binned single photon (Figures 1 and 2, multi-dimensional frequency-binned single photon is generated, then the decoder receives photonic output comprising a d-dimensional frequency-binned single photon) via a quantum channel (the “Output” shown in Figure 2 has quantum states, and detector “detects the presence of a specific type of entanglement”; that is, a quantum channel is between the transmitter and receiver).
But, Kues et al does not expressly show the details of the decoder; or Kues et al does not expressly show: wherein the decoder dispersive element is arranged to time-bin states of the received single photon by time delaying the states of the received single photon based on frequency, wherein the decoder modulator is arranged to modulate time-binned states of the single photon by modulating individual time-bins of said single photon using a predetermined modulation scheme, and wherein the photon detector is arranged to detect the single photon and determine the time-bin it was detected in.
However, as disclosed by Cho, the receiver side has corresponding components for the components of the transmitter side: Figures 1-2 and 7, the photodetector corresponds photoemitter (light source or single-photon pulses), optical phase modulator at the receiver side corresponds to the optical phase modulator at the transmitter side, and optical interferometer at the receiver side corresponds to the optical interferometer at the transmitter side. Therefore, for the system disclosed by Kues et al, the decoder at the receiver side also has a decoder dispersive element, decoder modulator. As shown in Figure 2, Kues et al discloses that the dispersive element is used to obtain photonic output and time delay states of a d-dimensional frequency-binned single photon in the photonic output based on frequency, thereby time-binning the states of said single photon, and the encoder modulator modulates time-binned states of the single photon by modulating individual time-bins of the single photon, using a predetermined modulation scheme; then at the receiver side, the corresponding components perform similar operations so to decode the encoded signals, that is, the decoder dispersive element needs to time-bin states of the received single photon by time delaying the states of the received single photon based on frequency, and the decoder modulator modulate time-binned states of the single photon by modulating individual time-bins of said single photon using a predetermined modulation scheme, and the photon detector detects the single photon and determine the time-bin it was detected in, and then the received signals can be decoded.
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 the teachings of Cho to the system/method of Kues et al so that similar components, e.g., dispersion element and decoder modulator etc., are used in the decoder so to decode the information carried in the encoded photons.
3). With regard to claim 11, Kues et al discloses all of the subject matter as applied to claim 9 above. And Kues et al discloses the method according to claim 9, further comprising
receiving the transmitted single photon via the quantum channel ([0043]; “Cluster state witness measurements were performed, which confirmed that the product states were successfully turned into duster states. Such a witness provides a measure that detects the presence of a specific type of entanglement. As the measured expectation value of the duster state witness operator was negative, a duster state was confirmed”); and detecting the single photon ([0043]).
But, Kues does not expressly show the details of the receiving processing; or Kues does not expressly show: modulating the states of the received single photon by modulating individual time-bins of said single photon, using the predetermined modulation scheme; and detecting the single photon and determining the time-bin the single photon was detected in.
However, as disclosed by Cho, the receiver side has corresponding components for the components of the transmitter side: Figures 1-2 and 7, the photodetector corresponds photoemitter (light source or single-photon pulses), optical phase modulator at the receiver side corresponds to the optical phase modulator at the transmitter side, and optical interferometer at the receiver side corresponds to the optical interferometer at the transmitter side. Therefore, for the system disclosed by Kues et al, the decoder at the receiver side also has a decoder dispersive element, decoder modulator. As shown in Figure 2, Kues et al discloses that the dispersive element is used to obtain photonic output and time delay states of a d-dimensional frequency-binned single photon in the photonic output based on frequency, thereby time-binning the states of said single photon, and the encoder modulator modulates time-binned states of the single photon by modulating individual time-bins of the single photon, using a predetermined modulation scheme; then at the receiver side, the corresponding components perform similar operations so to modulate the states of the received single photon by modulating individual time-bins of said single photon, using the predetermined modulation scheme; and detecting the single photon and determining the time-bin the single photon was detected in.
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 the teachings of Cho to the system/method of Kues et al so that similar components, e.g., dispersion element and decoder modulator etc., are used in the decoder so to decode the information carried in the encoded photons
4). With regard to claim 12, Kues et al and Cho disclose all of the subject matter as applied to claims 9 and 11 above. And the combination of Kues et al and Cho further discloses the method according to claim 11, further comprising time-binning states of the received single photon, after receiving the single photon and before modulating the states of the single photon, by time delaying the states of the received single photon using a first receiver frequency dispersion (as discussed in claim 10 rejection, Cho discloses that the receiver side has corresponding components for the components of the transmitter side: Figures 1-2 and 7, the photodetector corresponds photoemitter (light source or single-photon pulses), optical phase modulator at the receiver side corresponds to the optical phase modulator at the transmitter side, and optical interferometer at the receiver side corresponds to the optical interferometer at the transmitter side. Therefore, for the system disclosed by Kues et al, the transmitter has a dispersion element and encoder modulator, and then based on Cho’s teaching, the decoder at the receiver side also has a decoder dispersive element, decoder modulator. As shown in Figure 2, Kues et al discloses that the dispersive element time-binning states of the single photon time by delaying the states of the photon; and then based on Cho, the decoder dispersion element is needed for time-binning states of the received single photon, after receiving the single photon and before modulating the states of the single photon, by time delaying the states of the received single photon using a first receiver frequency dispersion).
5). With regard to claim 13, Kues et al and Cho disclose all of the subject matter as applied to claims 9 and 11-12 above. And the combination of Kues et al and Cho further discloses the method of claim 12, wherein the first receiver frequency dispersion substantially counteracts the second and inversed frequency dispersion such that the temporal separation of the time-binned states of the single photon during modulation substantially corresponds to the temporal separation of the time-binned states of the single photon during the modulation performed before transmission (refer to 112 rejection above, it seems the claim 13 should depend from claim 10. In claim 10, the second frequency dispersion is used for reducing a temporal separation of the modulated states of the single photon, after modulating the states of the photon and before transmitting the single photon, by time delaying the states of the single photon. Then at the receiver side, based on the teachings of Cho, it is obvious that the first receiver frequency dispersion needs to reverse the process performed by the frequency dispersion at the transmitter side; that is, the first receiver frequency dispersion needs to substantially counteracts the second and inversed frequency dispersion such that the temporal separation of the time-binned states of the single photon during modulation substantially corresponds to the temporal separation of the time-binned states of the single photon during the modulation performed before transmission).
6). With regard to claim 14, Kues et al discloses a method for single photon quantum communication ([0043], “Cluster state witness measurements were performed, which confirmed that the product states were successfully turned into duster states. Such a witness provides a measure that detects the presence of a specific type of entanglement. As the measured expectation value of the duster state witness operator was negative, a duster state was confirmed”. And [0002] and [0052]-[0054] etc.), the method comprising
receiving a photonic output ([0043]) via a quantum channel (the “Output” shown in Figure 2 has quantum states, and detector “detects the presence of a specific type of entanglement”; that is, a quantum channel is between the transmitter and receiver), wherein said photonic output comprises a d-dimensional frequency-binned single photon in a superposition of states with different frequencies (Figures 1-2, time-bins are numbered with 1, 2, 3 and frequency modes with a, b, c; [0040]. Figure 2A, each photon, e.g., |1> has “frequency modes” |a>, |b> and |c>); and
detecting the single photon ([0043])..
But, Kues does not expressly show the details of the receiving processing; or Kues does not expressly show: time-binning the received single photon by time delaying the states of said single photon using a first receiver frequency dispersion; modulating the states of the single photon by modulating individual time-bins of said single photon, using a predetermined modulation scheme; and detecting the single photon and determining the time-bin the single photon was detected in.
However, as disclosed by Cho, the receiver side has corresponding components for the components of the transmitter side: Figures 1-2 and 7, the photodetector corresponds photoemitter (light source or single-photon pulses), optical phase modulator at the receiver side corresponds to the optical phase modulator at the transmitter side, and optical interferometer at the receiver side corresponds to the optical interferometer at the transmitter side. Therefore, for the system disclosed by Kues et al, the decoder at the receiver side also has a decoder dispersive element, decoder modulator. As shown in Figure 2, Kues et al discloses that the dispersive element is used to obtain photonic output and time delay states of a d-dimensional frequency-binned single photon in the photonic output based on frequency, thereby time-binning the states of said single photon, and the encoder modulator modulates time-binned states of the single photon by modulating individual time-bins of the single photon, using a predetermined modulation scheme; then at the receiver side, the corresponding components perform similar operations so to decode the encoded signals, that is, the decoder dispersive element needs to time-bin states of the received single photon by time delaying the states of the received single photon based on frequency, and the decoder modulator modulate time-binned states of the single photon by modulating individual time-bins of said single photon using a predetermined modulation scheme, and the photon detector detects the single photon and determine the time-bin it was detected in, and then the received signals can be decoded.
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 the teachings of Cho to the system/method of Kues et al so that similar components, e.g., dispersion element and decoder modulator etc., are used in the decoder so to decode the information carried in the encoded photons.
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kues et al and Cho as applied to claim 6 above, and further in view of Englund et al (US 2016/0234017) and Arahira (US 2015/0036819).
Kues et al and Cho disclose all of the subject matter as applied to claim 6 above. And the combination of Kues et al and Cho further discloses the system comprising an entangled photon pair source (the photo source that generates the photos shown in Figure 1, and the “Input” of Figure 2; Abstract etc., “hyper-entangled”), and one decoder according to claim 6, wherein the entangled photon pair source is arranged to transmit to the decoder via a quantum channel photonic output, wherein said entangled photons are a d-dimensional frequency-bin entangled photon pair, and wherein the decoder modulator of the decoder is configured to modulate the states of the received photon utilizing the same predetermined modulation scheme (refer claim 6 rejection above).
But, Kues et al and Cho do not expressly discloses the system comprising two decoders according to claim 6, wherein the entangled photon pair source is arranged to transmit to each decoder via a respective quantum channel photonic output comprising one photon of one pair of entangled photons, wherein said entangled photons are a d-dimensional frequency-bin entangled photon pair, and wherein the decoder modulator of each decoder is configured to modulate the states of the received photon utilizing the same predetermined modulation scheme.
However, for a quantum communication, the system to transmit entangled photo pair to two decoders are known in the art. E.g., Englund et al discloses a system for entangled photon pair quantum communication (Figures 1-2 and 7 etc.), the system comprising an entangled photon pair source (SPDC 105 in Figures 1-2; and SPDC in Figure 7), and two decoders (Figures 1-2, 110 Alice and Bob 120; or computer Alice and computer Bob in Figure 7), wherein the entangled photon pair source is arranged to transmit to each decoder via a respective quantum channel photonic output comprising one photon of one pair of entangled photons (quantum channel from the SPDC to Alice , and quantum channel from the SPDC to Bob; [0050]-[0053] and [0081] etc.; “Alice 110 and Bob 120 can each measure one photon of a photon pair generated by the photon pair source 105, with photon detectors 115 and 125 randomly in one of two conjugate bases (i.e., bases that represent time states or superpositions of those time states) corresponding to measurements with and without dispersion. That is, for example Alice 110 and Bob 120 can measure the arrival time of photons from the photon pair source 105, switching randomly between bases”), wherein said entangled photons are a d-dimensional frequency-bin entangled photon pair (Figure 1A and Figure 7, frequency bins and time bins), and wherein the decoder modulator of each decoder is configured to modulate the states of the received photon utilizing the same predetermined modulation scheme (MZI modulators are used in both Alice and Bob). Another prior art, Arahira, discloses a similar quantum communication system (Figure 1 etc.), which utilizes a pair of quantum-entangled photons including a signal photon and an idler photon, and an entangled photon pair source (110) transmits entangled photons to two single-photon detectors (120 and 130) to realize secure encrypted communication without information leakage.
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 the teachings of Englund et al and Arahira to the system/method of Kues et al and Cho so that a secure encrypted communication can be realized.
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kues et al (US 2021/0174235) in view of Englund et al (US 2016/0234017) and Arahira (US 2015/0036819) and Cho (US 2015/0226609).
Kues et al discloses a method for entangled photon pair quantum communication (Figures 1-2, and Abstract etc., “hyper-entangled”), the method comprises
transmitting a photonic output (Figure 1, “two-photon time-bin entangled states”), via a quantum channel ([0043], a detector “detects the presence of a specific type of entanglement”; that is, a quantum channel is between the transmitter/encoder and receiver/decoder), wherein the photonic output comprises one photon of one pair of entangled photons (Figure 2, and [0043]), wherein said entangled photons are a d-dimensional frequency-bin entangled photon pair (time-bins are numbered with 1, 2, 3 and frequency modes with a, b, c; [0040]. Figure 2A, each photon, e.g., |1> has “frequency modes” |a>, |b> and |c>), and wherein each photon is in a superposition of states with different frequencies (Figures 2A-2C);
receiving, in a decoder, one photon of entangled photons ([0043]), and, in the decoder: detecting the photon ([0043]).
But, Kues et al does not expressly discloses: transmitting two photonic outputs, each via a respective quantum channel, wherein each photonic output comprises one photon of one pair of entangled photons; receiving, in two decoders, one photon each of the pair of entangled photons, and, in each of the decoders: time-binning the states of the received photon using frequency dispersion to time-bin the states of the received photon; modulating the time-binned states of the photon by modulating individual time-bins of said photon, using a predetermined modulation scheme; and detecting the photon and determining the time-bin said photon was detected in.
However, first, for a quantum communication, the system to transmit entangled photo pair to two decoders are known in the art. E.g., Englund et al discloses a system/method for entangled photon pair quantum communication (Figures 1-2 and 7 etc.), the system comprising an entangled photon pair source (SPDC 105 in Figures 1-2; and SPDC in Figure 7), and two decoders (Figures 1-2, 110 Alice and Bob 120; or computer Alice and computer Bob in Figure 7), and the entangled photon pair source transmitts to each decoder via a respective quantum channel photonic output comprising one photon of one pair of entangled photons (quantum channel from the SPDC to Alice , and quantum channel from the SPDC to Bob; [0050]-[0053] and [0081] etc.), wherein said entangled photons are a d-dimensional frequency-bin entangled photon pair (Figure 1A and Figure 7, frequency bins and time bins), and a decoder modulator of each decoder is configured to modulate the states of the received photon utilizing the same predetermined modulation scheme (MZI modulators are used in both Alice and Bob).
Second, as disclosed by Cho, the receiver side has corresponding components for the components of the transmitter side: Figures 1-2 and 7, the photodetector corresponds photoemitter (light source or single-photon pulses), optical phase modulator at the receiver side corresponds to the optical phase modulator at the transmitter side, and optical interferometer at the receiver side corresponds to the optical interferometer at the transmitter side. Therefore, for the system disclosed by Kues et al, the decoder at the receiver side also has a decoder dispersive element, decoder modulator. As shown in Figure 2, Kues et al discloses that the dispersive element is used to obtain photonic output and time delay states of a d-dimensional frequency-binned single photon in the photonic output based on frequency, thereby time-binning the states of said single photon, and the encoder modulator modulates time-binned states of the single photon by modulating individual time-bins of the single photon, using a predetermined modulation scheme; then at the receiver side, the corresponding components perform similar operations so to decode the encoded signals, that is, the decoder dispersive element needs to time-bin the states of the received photon using frequency dispersion to time-bin the states of the received photon, modulate the time-binned states of the photon by modulating individual time-bins of said photon, using a predetermined modulation scheme, and detect the photon and determining the time-bin said photon was detected in.
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 the teachings of Englund et al and Arahira to the system/method of Kues et al so that similar components, e.g., dispersion element and decoder modulator etc., are used in the decoder so to decode the information carried in the encoded photons, and a secure encrypted communication can be realized.
Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kues et al (US 2021/0174235) in view of Bunandar et al (US 2016/0352515).
Kues et al discloses all of the subject matter as applied to claim 1. But, Kues et al does not expressly disclose a computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having thereon a computer program comprising program instructions, the computer program being loadable into a processor and configured to cause the processor to perform the methods for single photon quantum communication according to claim 9.
However, Bunandar et al discloses a method for quantum key distribution (Figures 6-13 etc.); and “various inventive concepts may be embodied as a computer readable storage medium (or multiple computer readable storage media) (e.g., a computer memory, one or more floppy discs, compact discs, optical discs, magnetic tapes, flash memories, circuit configurations in Field Programmable Gate Arrays or other semiconductor devices, or other non-transitory medium or tangible computer storage medium) encoded with one or more programs that, when executed on one or more computers or other processors, perform methods that implement the various embodiments of the invention discussed above. The computer readable medium or media can be transportable, such that the program or programs stored thereon can be loaded onto one or more different computers or other processors to implement various aspects of the present invention as discussed above” ([0156]). The computer-readable medium is an electronic, magnetic, optical, or other tangible physical device or means that can contain or store a computer program for use by or in connection with a computer-related system or method. One skilled in the art would have clearly recognized that the method of Kues et al would have been implemented in a computer program. The implemented software would perform same function of the hardware for less expense, adaptability, and flexibility. Therefore, it would have been obvious to use a computer program in Kues et al as taught by Bunandar et al in order to reduce cost and improve the adaptability and flexibility of the quantum communication system.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 20210099236 A1
US 20200409232 A1
US 9350461 B1
US 20130089206 A1
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US 6381053 B1
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/LI LIU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2634 December 27, 2025