DETAILED ACTION
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments with respect to claim 1, filed on 6/15/2026, have been fully considered. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Boone et al (US 2004/0258415) and Walther et al (US 2004/0081466).
Terminal Disclaimer
The terminal disclaimer was filed on 6/23/2026. However, (1). reference application filing date is incorrect; (2). the title of the person signing on behalf of the applicant is missing. Please resubmit the TD.
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, 16-17, 21, 25, 30, 40 and 43 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tsunemachi et al (US 2023/0421244) in view of Hand et al (US 2022/0014269) and Boone et al (US 2004/0258415) and Walther et al (US 2004/0081466).
1). With regard to claim 1, Tsunemachi et al discloses an optical router (e.g., relay satellite 2 in Figure 1, and Figure 2) configured to facilitate communication between a satellite communication constellation ([0173], “other satellite”) and a plurality of satellite nodes (user satellites 3A-3C in Figure 1. In Figure 1, Tsunemachi shows that the relay satellite 2 facilitates communication between the ground station 4 and satellites nodes 3A-3C; and Figure 2 does not expressly show “a satellite communication constellation”. However, Tsunemachi also discloses “Although examples in which the communication relay satellite 2 relays communication between the plural user satellites 3 and the ground station 4 have been described in the above exemplary embodiments, there is no limitation thereto. Another Earth station that performs wireless communication with the communication relay satellite (such as a wireless station established on the ground or in the Earth's atmosphere that may be mobile) may be employed instead of the ground station 4. In such cases, the communication relay satellite 2 relays communication between the plural user satellites 3 and the Earth station. For example, employing an Earth station established in the stratosphere has merits such that a timespan for optical communication from the communication relay satellite 2 to the Earth station can be stably secured without being affected by the communication environment on the ground, such as the weather. Alternatively, another user satellite or another communication relay satellite may be employed instead of the ground station 4. In such cases, the communication relay satellite 2 relays communication between the plural user satellites 3 and the other user satellite or the other communication relay satellite. Note that this communication may be by optical communication, in which case the relay communication unit is an optical communication unit”, [0173]. That is, the “other user satellite” can be viewed as “a satellite communication constellation”; and the communication relay satellite 2 facilitate communication between the other satellite and the plural user satellites nodes 3A-3C), the optical router comprising:
an upstream interface (e.g., Relay Optical Communication Unit 21 in Figure 8B) configured to facilitate communication over an upstream communication link (from the ground station or “other satellite” to the relay satellite 2) to the satellite communication constellation (“the other user satellite”; [0095], “An optical transmitter 201 and an optical telescope 203 of a relay optical communication unit 21 then transfers the data that has been multiplexed by the data multiplexer circuit 19A to the ground station 4 using optical communication”, as discussed above, “other satellite” can be used replace the ground station 4; [0183], “a control section configured to control communication between a communication relay satellite and plural satellites such that, when the communication relay satellite relays communication between the plural satellites and other equipment”); and
a downstream interface (“Communication Unit 14” in Figure 2; or 14A in Figure 8B) configured to simultaneously communicate with the satellite nodes (user satellites 3A-3C) over a plurality of downstream optical communication links (from the relay satellite to the user satellites 3A-3C) in different directions (as shown in Figure 1, each of the user satellites is at different positions, or in different directions relative to the relay satellite 2; [0125]-[0134]), the plurality of optical communication links being established via a single optical aperture (Figure 1 and Figures 11-13 show that the relay satellite has one optical aperture, shown as a circle in these figures); and
a controller (Figure 2) to direct operation of the optical router (Abstract, [0045]-[0064] and [0122]-[0171] etc.).
But, in Figure 1 etc., Tsunemachi et al does not expressly show a plurality of other user satellites (or a satellite communication constellation), and Figure 1 and Figures 11-13 show a big circle aperture, but Tsunemachi et al does not expressly show how a single optical aperture handles the plurality of optical communication links in different directions simultaneously.
Regarding the satellite communication constellation, however, first, as shown in Figures 1-2, a plurality of optical transceiver can be used for downstream communications (between the relay satellite and the user satellite nodes 3A-3C), it is obvious to one skilled in the art that similar structure can be used for upstream communications (between relay satellite and a plurality of “other satellites”). E.g., Hand et al discloses an optical satellite communications system (Figure 6), as shown in Figure 6, the satellite A is a relay satellite or optical router, which facilitates communication between a satellite communication constellation (satellite constellation B-E) and a plurality of satellite nodes (satellite nodes F-I. [0002], “data packets can be relayed between multiple different satellites before being forwarded to its destination”, and [0155]-[0159], “FIG. 6 shows an exchange of data between 9 satellites, in practice, data can be exchanged between any number of satellites. Further, in turn, each of the satellites can exchange data with one or more additional satellites (e.g., to form a chain of communicatively interlinked satellites or a mesh network). For example, the configuration shown in FIG. 6 can be repeated one or more times to form a mesh network of satellites”).
Regarding the single aperture for plurality of optical communication links, it is common in the free-space optical (FSO) communications that a single aperture is used for plurality of optical communication links. E.g., Boone et al discloses a free-space optical communication system/method (Figures 1-2 and 5A-5B etc.), which can be used for “one or more unmanned aircraft (including satellites and unmanned airborne vehicles, UAVs), as well as personal communications terminals and land vehicle communications terminals” ([0035], [0037] and [0046], “Source 321 is a desired source for communications purposes, e.g., it is an earth-orbit satellite terminal for the network. Source 322 is a competing source for communications purposes, e.g. it is a more distant earth-orbit satellite terminal for the network (such as remote terminal 113 in FIG. 1)”), and as shown in Figure 5B, an interface (550 and 530 etc.) configured to simultaneously communicate with multiple remote nodes (Figures 1-3, double arrowheads in Figures 1 and 5B; [0038], [0064] and [0069], “A free-space optical link between two transceivers is depicted with a double arrowhead in both directions, and is capable of full duplex communications”; and [0010], [0084]) over a plurality of optical communication links in different directions (“double arrowhead”; [0029]-[0031], “FIG. 4 is a flow diagram that illustrates a method for using micromechanical mirrors to steer optical beams for optical links”, “FIG. 5A is a block diagram that illustrates an apparatus for independently steering multiple optical links with micro-mechanical mirrors, according to an embodiment”, and “FIG. 5B is a block diagram that illustrates an apparatus for independently steering multiple optical links with micro-mechanical mirrors, according to a more detailed embodiment”; and [0042]-[0044], [0064], [0069], [0074], [0076], [0080] and [0092], “there is one mirror in the MEMS mirror array 542 for each channel in the multi-channel apparatus 501. Each mirror in MEMS mirror array 542 is on an optical path established by one GRIN collimator 517 in the multi-channel transceiver board 510. The multi-channel steering board 530 also includes a MEMS controller 544, a steering processor 538 and components of a tracking sensor.”, “The mirrors in the MEMS array are independently steered in one or more directions by electrical signals received from MEMS controller 544. For example, micromechanical mirrors in MEMS mirror array 542 are steered by changing a tip angle and a tilt angle. The tip and tilt angle determine the vertical and horizontal angular position of the specular reflection point in the middle of the mirror field of view”, “The electrical signals sent to the MEMS controller 544 indicate that one or more mirrors of the MEMS mirror array 542 should be pointed in one or more corresponding directions to include one or more desired source in the mirrors' fields of view”), the plurality of optical communication links being established via a single optical aperture (lens and pupil 554/552 in the telescopic optics 550 in Figure 5B); and controller (511/538/544 in Figure 5B) to direct operation of the optical communication system. Boone et al uses MEMS to direct different optical channel to different directions. Another prior art, Walther et al, discloses a similar optical free space communication device/method (Figures 5-6 and 11-13 etc.), in which reflective deflectors (61-68 shown in Figures 6-8) or holographic optical elements (HOE deflector, 55-60 in Figures 10-12) can be used to direct/receive different wavelength channels to/from different directions; that is, Walther et al discloses an interface (3 in Figure 5, and Figure 6-8 and 11-14) configured to simultaneously communicate with the multiple nodes over a plurality of optical communication links in different directions ([0047]-[0050], [0056] and [0069]), the plurality of optical communication links being established via a single optical aperture ([0047], “FIG. 5 schematically shows functioning of an embodiment of this invention. The device 3 transmits electromagnetic signals 1 and receives electromagnetic signals 2 via a single aperture structure 4. The aperture structure 4 allows transmission and receiving of electromagnetic waves 5, 6 from and to multiple directions and with multiple wavelengths l. The directions of electromagnetic waves 5, 6 can be changed using steerable deflectors within the device 3”; and [0056], “the deflectors 61-68 are used to direct two signals each (received and transmitted), the embodiment on FIG. 6 then may handle up to 16 independent signals traveling to and from 8 different directions. These reflectors may be movable to allow steering of signals in different directions outside the device or fixed for a set of predetermined directions of communications. The movement of the reflectors may be achieved by placing each detector in a electronic motor-controlled mount that can steer the deflected beam in at least the two directions of pitch and yaw”); and a controller to direct operation of the optical communication device (it is obvious to one skilled in the art that a controller is in the device so to control the movement of the deflectors). Walther et al also teaches “use a single aperture to provide significant size, weight, power, and cost reductions for airborne, spacecraft, and terrestrial applications. … In all these cases aperture sharing has the advantages of reduced cost, rapid provisioning, and more efficient utilization of size, weight, and power.”
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 Hand et al and Boone et al and Walther et al to the system/method of Tsunemachi et al so that the relay satellite can relay signals between one group of satellites (satellite constellation) and another group of satellites (satellite nodes), and signals over a plurality of optical communication links can be transmitted/received simultaneously via a single aperture of the relay satellite with the “advantages of reduced cost, rapid provisioning, and more efficient utilization of size, weight, and power”, and the function of the relay is enhanced.
2). With regard to claim 16, Tsunemachi et al and Hand et al and Boone et al and Walther et al disclose all of the subject matter as applied to claim 1 above. And the combination of Tsunemachi et al and Hand et al and Boone et al and Walther et al further discloses wherein each of the downstream optical communication links comprises a modulated beam (Tsunemachi: [0049] etc.; Hand: Abstract etc., “modulated optical signals”. Boone: modulator/demodulator 512), the downstream interface comprising a transmitting array (Tsunemachi: optical transmitters 144 in optical communication units 14A-14C and beam steering mirror, [0046]-[0047] etc; Hand: the transmitters with steering mechanisms for transmitting signals to other satellite nodes; [0060] etc.. Boone: the combination of laser diodes 514, fibers 515, circulators 516, grin collimators 517 and MEMS mirror array 542; Walther: Tx1 to Txn with the Mux 3 in Figure 5, or the combination of the transmitters T1 to T8, PBS 22, PBS 21, QWP(FR) 14/18, deflectors 61-68, QWP 19, in Figure 6, or PBS 54/82, HWP/FR 52/53/80/81, HOE 55-60, PBS 83, and QWP 51 in Figure 12, also refer Figure 13) comprising a plurality of transmission assemblies (Tsunemachi: 144A, 144B and 144C and beam steering mirror, [0046]-[0047] etc. Hand: [0060], optical transmitters and “a plurality of steering mechanisms operable to direct, through free-space, a corresponding one of a plurality of optical beams to a corresponding one of a plurality transceivers”, and [0202].; Boone: Laser Diodes 514, fibers 515, circulators 516, grin collimators 517 and MEMS mirror array 542; Walther: Tx1 to Txn with the Mux 3 in Figure 5, or the transmitters T1 to T8, PBS 22, PBS 21, QWP(FR) 14/18, deflectors 61-68, QWP 19, in Figure 6, or PBS 54/82, HWP/FR 52/53/80/81, HOE 55-60, PBS 83, and QWP 51 in Figure 12, also refer Figure 13) each configured to produce an outgoing one of the beams for transmission over its respective optical communication link (Tsunemachi: channels from the Communication Units 14A – 14C, [0045]-[0049]; Boone: Laser Diodes 514 for multiple channels/links, Figure 5B, each mirror in the MEMS mirror array with one of the collimators and one of the fibers is responsible for one channel/beam; Walther: Tx1 - Txn for different wavelength channels/links, each deflector is for a specific wavelength channel/link), and an aperture assembly defining the optical aperture (e.g., Boone: telescope optics 550; Walther: aperture structure 4).
3). With regard to claim 17, Tsunemachi et al and Hand et al and Boone et al and Walther et al disclose all of the subject matter as applied to claims 1 and 16 above. And the combination of Tsunemachi et al and Hand et al and Boone et al and Walther et al further discloses the optical router according to claim 16, each of the transmission assemblies comprising a laser configured to produce one of the outgoing beams along an outgoing beam path (Tsunemachi: [0046]-[0049]; Hand: [0056] etc.; Boone: Laser Diodes 514; Walther: Tx1 - Txn; [0072], “Laser beams”), and a transmission lens assembly configured to adjust parameters of the outgoing beam (Tsunemachi: lens in telescope 140. Hand: Abstract, and [0052]. Boone: 554/552, [0081]-[0084]; Walther: telescope/aperture 4 in Figure 5).
4). With regard to claim 21, Tsunemachi et al and Hand et al and Boone et al and Walther et al disclose all of the subject matter as applied to claims 1 and 16 above. And the combination of Tsunemachi et al and Hand et al and Boone et al and Walther et al further discloses optical router according to claim 16, the downstream interface further comprising a transmitting steering arrangement configured to facilitate determination of positions of the outgoing beams (Tsunemachi: [0046]-[0047], “The optical telescope 140A also includes a beam steering mirror (not illustrated in the drawings). The path of light is adjusted by the beam steering mirror. The optical telescope 140A outputs laser light received from another satellite to the optical receiver 142A through the beam steering mirror. The optical telescope 140A also outputs laser light output from the optical transmitter 144A, described below, to another satellite through the beam steering mirror”; Hand: [0202]-[0203]; Boone: 542, [0074]-[0078]; Walther: reflective deflectors 61-68 and HOE deflectors 55-60), the controller being configured to operate one or more of the transmission assemblies to adjust the position of its respective outgoing beam based on information provided by the transmitting steering arrangement (Tsunemachi: control device 14. Boone: [0074]-[0078]; Walther: [0056] etc.).
5). With regard to claim 25, Tsunemachi et al and Hand et al and Boone et al and Walther et al disclose all of the subject matter as applied to claim 1 above. And the combination of Tsunemachi et al and Hand et al and Boone et al and Walther et al further discloses the optical router according to claim 1, the downstream interface further comprising a receiving array (Tsunemachi: optical receivers 142 in the optical communication unit 14 and beam steering mirror, [0046]-[0047] etc. Hand: the receivers with steering mechanisms for receiving signals from satellite nodes 3A-3C; [0060] etc.. Boone: the combination of photodiodes 518, fibers 515, circulators 516, grin collimators 517 and MEMS mirror array 542; Walther: Rx1 to Rxn with the Mux 3 in Figure 5, or the combination of QWP 19, PBS 21, QWP(FR) 14/18, deflectors 61-68, PBS 22, reception paths 110/112, to the receivers R1 to Rn in Figure 6, or HOE 55-60 and HWP/FR 52/53/80/81 and PBS 54/82 and “To Fiber Rx” in Figure 12, also refer Figure 13) comprising a plurality of receptor assemblies (Tsunemachi: optical receivers 142 and beam steering mirror etc., [0046]-[0047] etc.. Hand: [0060], optical receivers and “a plurality of steering mechanisms operable to direct, through free-space, a corresponding one of a plurality of optical beams to a corresponding one of a plurality transceivers”, and [0202]. Boone: MEMS mirror array and collimators and circulators and photodidoes; Walther: or QWP 19, PPS 21, QWP(FR) 14/18, deflectors 61-68, PBS 22, reception paths 110/112 in Figure 6, or HOE 55-60 and HWP/FR 52/53/80/81 and PBS 54/82 and “To Fiber Rx” in Figure 12) each configured to receive an incoming one of the beams, for receiving a transmission sent over its respective optical communication link (Tsunemachi: “The path of light is adjusted by the beam steering mirror” and “The optical telescope 140A outputs laser light received from another satellite to the optical receiver 142A through the beam steering mirror”. Hand: “one or more motors for controlling the position and orientation of the mirrors, and an electronic control system for controlling the motors” and “the steering mechanisms 1112 can direct incoming free-space optical beams to respective sets of reception optics 1114. Each of the sets of reception optics 1114 can include one or more lens (e.g., culminating and/or focusing lenses), mirrors, and/or other optical components that focus, modify, and/or direct light such that is suitable for interpretation by the transceiver 1102”. Boone: Figure 5B, each mirror in the MEMS mirror array with one of the collimators and one of the fibers is responsible for one channel/beam; Walther: each deflector is for a specific wavelength channel/link).
6). With regard to claim 30, Tsunemachi et al and Hand et al and Boone et al and Walther et al disclose all of the subject matter as applied to claims 1 and 25 above. And the combination of Tsunemachi et al and Hand et al and Boone et al and Walther et al further discloses the optical router according to claim 25, the downstream interface further comprising a receiving steering arrangement (Boone: focal plane CCD array 536; or the combination of beam splitter 532 and lenslet relay doublet array 535 and focal plane ccd array 536 and steering processor 538 and MEMS controller 544) configured to facilitate determination of positions of the incoming beams (Boone: [0078]), the controller being configured to operate one or more of the receptor assemblies to adjust the position of its respective incoming beam based on information provided by the receiving steering arrangement (Boone: [0076]-[0080], and [0020]-[0023]. Also refer to Figure 13 and [0077] of Walther, the quad-area detectors 205 and 206, and wide area detector 208 for acquisition).
7). With regard to claim 40, Tsunemachi et al and Hand et al and Boone et al and Walther et al disclose all of the subject matter as applied to claim 1 above. And the combination of Tsunemachi et al and Hand et al and Boone et al and Walther et al further discloses the optical router according to claim 1, configured to define a hotspot within which the downstream optical communication links are established (the plurality of user satellites 3A-3C in Figure 1 form a “hotspot”; and the downstream optical communication links are established between the relay satellite 2 and the user satellites 3A-3C within the “hotspot”).
8). With regard to claim 43, Tsunemachi et al and Hand et al and Boone et al and Walther et al disclose all of the subject matter as applied to claim 1 above. And the combination of Tsunemachi et al and Hand et al and Boone et al and Walther et al further discloses the optical router according to claim 1, being configured to orbit the Earth and remain within a predefined maximum distance of each of the plurality of satellite nodes (Tsunemachi: [0041] etc.).
Claims 2-3, 5-8 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tsunemachi et al and Hand et al and Boone et al and Walther et al as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Cahoy et al (US 2020/0007232).
1). With regard to claim 2, Tsunemachi et al and Hand et al and Boone et al and Walther et al disclose all of the subject matter as applied to claim 1 above. And the combination of Tsunemachi et al and Hand et al and Boone et al and Walther et al further discloses wherein each of the downstream optical communication links comprises a modulated beam (Tsunemachi: [0049] etc.; Hand: Abstract etc., “modulated optical signals”; Boone: modulator/demodulator 512) the downstream interface comprising:
a transmitting array (Tsunemachi: optical transmitters 144 in optical communication units 14A-14C and beam steering mirror, [0046]-[0047] etc; Hand: the transmitters with steering mechanisms for transmitting signals to other satellite nodes; [0060] etc.. Boone: the combination of laser diodes 514, fibers 515, circulators 516, grin collimators 517 and MEMS mirror array 542; Walther: Tx1 to Txn with the Mux 3 in Figure 5, or the combination of the transmitters T1 to T8, PBS 22, PBS 21, QWP(FR) 14/18, deflectors 61-68, QWP 19, in Figure 6, or PBS 54/82, HWP/FR 52/53/80/81, HOE 55-60, PBS 83, and QWP 51 in Figure 12, also refer Figure 13) comprising one or more transmission assemblies array (Tsunemachi: 144A, 144B and 144C and beam steering mirror, [0046]-[0047] etc. Hand: [0060], optical transmitters and “a plurality of steering mechanisms operable to direct, through free-space, a corresponding one of a plurality of optical beams to a corresponding one of a plurality transceivers”, and [0202].; Boone: Laser Diodes 514, fibers 515, circulators 516, grin collimators 517 and MEMS mirror array 542; Walther: Tx1 to Txn with the Mux 3 in Figure 5, or the transmitters T1 to T8, PBS 22, PBS 21, QWP(FR) 14/18, deflectors 61-68, QWP 19, in Figure 6, or PBS 54/82, HWP/FR 52/53/80/81, HOE 55-60, PBS 83, and QWP 51 in Figure 12, also refer Figure 13) each configured to produce an outgoing one of the beams for transmission over its respective optical communication link (Tsunemachi: channels from the Communication Units 14A – 14C, [0045]-[0049]; Boone: Laser Diodes 514 for multiple channels/links, Figure 5B, each mirror in the MEMS mirror array with one of the collimators and one of the fibers is responsible for one channel/beam; Walther: Tx1 - Txn for different wavelength channels/links, each deflector is for a specific wavelength channel/link);
an aperture assembly defining the optical aperture (e.g., Boone: telescope optics 550; Walther: aperture structure 4).
But, Tsunemachi et al and Hand et al and Boone et al and Walther et al do not expressly disclose: a diffusive device comprising an incident surface and a transmission surface, the diffusive device being configured to transmit each of the outgoing beams from its transmission surface toward a predetermined location of the optical aperture, wherein the predetermined location is dependent on the location at which the outgoing beam impinges on the incident surface.
But, a diffuser has been used in the art to control optical beam. E.g., Cahoy et al discloses a beam steering system for a free-space laser communication system in a satellite includes a laser that emits a laser beam, in which a diffusive device “diffuser” (44 in Figure 1A, 148 in Figures 2B and 3A-3B; “the amplifying optic 148 may include a relay lens, a diffuser lens”); as shown in Figures 1A and 3A-3B, the diffusive device has an incident surface and a transmission surface, and the diffuser combined with other components (20 etc.) is used to direct the optical beam to toward a predetermined location of an optical aperture, wherein the predetermined location is dependent on the location at which the outgoing beam impinges on the incident surface.
Also, in the system/device disclosed by Walther et al, the HOE deflector is a type of diffusive device, which can “be used to implement deflectors (HOE deflectors) as an alternative or in addition to wavelength selective reflectors in embodiments of this invention”), and the HOE comprising an incident surface and a transmission surface, the diffusive device (e.g., 55-57 in Figure 11; 55-57 and 58-60 in Figure 12 being configured to transmit each of the outgoing beams from its transmission surface toward a predetermined location of an optical aperture (e.g., “To Aperture” in Figure 12, or 19/20/210 in Figure 13) wherein the predetermined location is dependent on the location at which the outgoing beam impinges on the incident surface (Figures 10-12; [0070]-[0076], by steering).
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 a diffusive device as taught by Cahoy et al to the system/method of Tsunemachi et al and Hand et al and Boone et al and Walther et al so that the beam size and direction etc. can be conveniently and more precisely controlled.
2). With regard to claim 3, Tsunemachi et al and Hand et al and Boone et al and Walther et al and Cahoy et al disclose all of the subject matter as applied to claims 1-2 above. And the combination of Tsunemachi et al and Hand et al and Boone et al and Walther et al and Cahoy et al further discloses the optical router according to claim 2, the transmitting array being configured to produce a plurality of beams (Tsunemachi: Figure 1, beams for satellite nodes 3A-3C. Hand: Figure 6, the beams to satellite nodes F-I. Boone: a plurality beams from the MEMS mirror array in different direction as shown in Figure 5B etc. Walther: Figures 6, 11-13 etc., a plurality wavelength channels in multiple directinos), each in one of several directions (Tsunemachi: Figure 1; Hand: Figure 6; Boone: Figure 5B etc., multiple links in different directions; Walther: Figures 6, 11-13 etc.), the transmitting array comprising one or more transmission assemblies (Tsunemachi: 144A, 144B and 144C and beam steering mirror, [0046]-[0047] etc. Hand: [0060], optical transmitters and “a plurality of steering mechanisms operable to direct, through free-space, a corresponding one of a plurality of optical beams to a corresponding one of a plurality transceivers”, and [0202].; Boone: Laser Diodes 514, fibers 515, circulators 516, grin collimators 517 and MEMS mirror array 542; Walther: Tx1 to Txn with the Mux 3 in Figure 5, or the transmitters T1 to T8, PBS 22, PBS 21, QWP(FR) 14/18, deflectors 61-68, QWP 19, in Figure 6, or PBS 54/82, HWP/FR 52/53/80/81, HOE 55-60, PBS 83, and QWP 51 in Figure 12, also refer Figure 13), each configured to produce one or more of the beams (Tsunemachi: channels from the Communication Units 14A – 14C, [0045]-[0049]; Boone: Laser Diodes 514 for multiple channels/links, Figure 5B, each mirror in the MEMS mirror array with one of the collimators and one of the fibers is responsible for one channel/beam; Walther: Tx1 - Txn for different wavelength channels/links, each deflector is for a specific wavelength channel/link).
3). With regard to claim 5, Tsunemachi et al and Hand et al and Boone et al and Walther et al and Cahoy et al disclose all of the subject matter as applied to claims 1-2 above. And the combination of Tsunemachi et al and Hand et al and Boone et al and Walther et al and Cahoy et al further discloses the optical router according to claim 2, each of the transmission assemblies comprising a light source (Tsunemachi: 144A-144C etc.; Hand: the transceivers for communicating with the satellite nodes F-I; Boone: Laser Diodes 514 for multiple channels/links; Walther: Tx1 - Txn, Transmitters A and B in Figure 13) configured to produce one of the outgoing beams, and a steering mechanism (Tsunemachi: [0046]-[0047], “The optical telescope 140A also includes a beam steering mirror (not illustrated in the drawings). The path of light is adjusted by the beam steering mirror. The optical telescope 140A outputs laser light received from another satellite to the optical receiver 142A through the beam steering mirror. The optical telescope 140A also outputs laser light output from the optical transmitter 144A, described below, to another satellite through the beam steering mirror”; Hand: [0202]-[0203]; Boone: 542, [0074]-[0078]; Walther: reflective deflectors 61-68 and HOE deflectors 55-60; e.g., 55-57 in Figure 11, and 55-57 and 58-60 in Figure 12, and 61-64, 65-68 and 203/204/207 in Figure 13) configured to direct the outgoing beam in a predetermined direction.
4). With regard to claim 6, Tsunemachi et al and Hand et al and Boone et al and Walther et al and Cahoy et al disclose all of the subject matter as applied to claims 1-2 and 5 above. And the combination of Tsunemachi et al and Hand et al and Boone et al and Walther et al and Cahoy et al further discloses wherein the light source comprises a laser and/or an LED (Tsunemachi: [0046]-[0049]; Hand: [0056] etc.; Boone: Laser Diodes 514;; Cahoy: Abstract etc. Walther: [0072]).
5). With regard to claim 7, Tsunemachi et al and Hand et al and Boone et al and Walther et al and Cahoy et al disclose all of the subject matter as applied to claims 1-2 and 5 above. And the combination of Tsunemachi et al and Hand et al and Boone et al and Walther et al and Cahoy et al further discloses wherein the steering mechanism comprises a steering mirror, a mirror array, a microoptoelectromechanical system assembly, and/or a photonic steering arrangement (Tsunemachi: [0046]-[0047], “The optical telescope 140A also includes a beam steering mirror (not illustrated in the drawings). The path of light is adjusted by the beam steering mirror. The optical telescope 140A outputs laser light received from another satellite to the optical receiver 142A through the beam steering mirror. The optical telescope 140A also outputs laser light output from the optical transmitter 144A, described below, to another satellite through the beam steering mirror”; Hand: [0202]-[0203]; Boone: 542, [0042]-[0044], [0064], [0069], [0074], [0076], [0080] and [0092]; Walther: 55-57 in Figure 11, and 55-57 and 58-60 in Figure 12, and 61-64, 65-68 and 203/204/207 in Figure 13).
6). With regard to claim 8, Tsunemachi et al and Hand et al and Boone et al and Walther et al and Cahoy et al disclose all of the subject matter as applied to claims 1-2 above. And the combination of Tsunemachi et al and Hand et al and Boone et al and Walther et al and Cahoy et al further discloses wherein the diffusive device is configured to increase the diameter of the beam (Cahoy: Figure 1A, the diameter of the beam is increased after the diffuser 44).
7). With regard to claim 10, Tsunemachi et al and Hand et al and Boone et al and Walther et al and Cahoy et al disclose all of the subject matter as applied to claims 1-2 above. And the combination of Tsunemachi et al and Hand et al and Boone et al and Walther et al and Cahoy et al further discloses wherein the diffusive device comprises an optical diffuser, a holographic diffuser, a metasurface array, a microlens array, and/or ground glass (Cahoy: optical diffuser 44, or diffuser lens 148; Walther: holographic diffuser).
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tsunemachi et al and Hand et al and Boone et al and Walther et al and Cahoy et al as applied to claims 1-2 above, and further in view of Joseph et al (US 2021/0281320).
Tsunemachi et al and Hand et al and Boone et al and Walther et al and Cahoy et al disclose all of the subject matter as applied to claims 1-2 above. But, Tsunemachi et al and Hand et al and Boone et al and Walther et al and Cahoy et al do not expressly disclose wherein the diffusive device is configured to transmit a beam toward the optical aperture having near-field characteristics which produce a predetermined far-field pattern.
However, Joseph et al discloses an free-space optical communication system (Figures 1-2 etc.), which can be used for satellite ([0091]); as shown in Figure 1, a diffusive device (102; “such as a holographic optical diffuser”, [0018]-[0019]) is configured to transmit a beam (from VCSEL element 100) toward an optical aperture (lens aperture 104) having near-field characteristics (Figure 1, from the diffuser 102 to lens 104 is a near-field characteristics: diffuse cone, and the diffuser is near the focus of the lens 104, “whose focal length equals that of the distance from the diffusing surface to the principal plane of the lens”) which produce a predetermined far-field pattern (light 106 is a “semi-collimated disc of light”), and for Figure 2, “the transmitter lens is situated after the diffuser such that each different cluster will create its own semi-collimated beam bundle which is angularly shifted from the beam bundles from the other clusters” ([0023]). 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 Joseph et al to the system/method of Tsunemachi et al and Hand et al and Boone et al and Walther et al and Cahoy et al so that collimated beams can be obtained, and beam divergence and optical energy loss can be reduced.
Claim 26 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tsunemachi et al and Hand et al and Boone et al and Walther et al as applied to claims 1 and 25 above, and further in view of Cahoy et al (US 2020/0007232).
Tsunemachi et al and Hand et al and Boone et al and Walther et al disclose all of the subject matter as applied to claims 1 and 25 above. And the combination of Tsunemachi et al and Hand et al and Boone et al and Walther et al further discloses the optical router according to claim 25, each of the receptor assemblies comprising a receiver (Tsunemachi: receiver 142A-142C. Hand: receivers for receiving the incoming optical signals. Boone: photodiodes 518 and modulator/demodulator 512; Walther: Rx1 to Rxn, each for different wavelength channel/link) configured to receive one of the incoming beams along an incoming beam path (refer claim 25 rejection above, steering mechanism, e.g., mirror or reflector, are used to adjust the incoming beam).
But, Tsunemachi et al and Hand et al and Boone et al and Walther et al do not expressly disclose a receptor lens assembly configured to adjust parameters of the incoming beam.
However, to use a receptor lens assembly to adjust parameters of the incoming beam is known in the art. E.g., Cahoy et al discloses a receptor lens assembly (20 in Figure 1A, or 28/32/36 in Figure 1B; or 120 in Figures 2B and 3A-3B), which can be used to adjust parameters of the incoming (or output) beam ([0075]-[0081] etc.).
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 a receptor lens assembly as taught by Cahoy et al to the system/method of Tsunemachi et al and Hand et al and Boone et al and Walther et al so that the beam direction and diameter etc. can be more precisely controlled.
Claim 34 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tsunemachi et al and Hand et al and Boone et al and Walther et al as applied to claims 1 and 25 above, and further in view of Eichenbaum (US 6,252,719) and Cahoy et al (US 2020/0007232).
Tsunemachi et al and Hand et al and Boone et al and Walther et al disclose all of the subject matter as applied to claims 1 and 25 above. But, Tsunemachi et al and Hand et al and Boone et al and Walther et al do not expressly show wherein the receiving array comprises a receiving guiding assembly configured to direct each of a plurality of the incoming beams received via the optical aperture from an incoming beam corridor toward a respective one of the receptor assemblies. E.g., in Figures 6 and 13, Walther et al does not express show how the multiple incoming wavelengths (Multi l, or R1,3,5,7) are separated.
However, first, the steering mirror of Tsunemachi, the steering mechanisms of Hand, the circulator/fiber/collimator/mems mirror, 516/515/517/542 of Boone, and the mirrors 207/203/204 and PBS212/214 etc. in Walther, can also be viewed as receiving guiding assembly, since these steering mechanism, mirror and PBS etc. are used to direct each of a plurality of the incoming beams received via the optical aperture from an incoming beam corridor toward a respective one of the receivers. Second, when a plurality of incoming beams (e.g., with different wavelengths) are input, it is common in the art that a plurality of filters/mirrors are used to separate/guide the input beams to individual receiver. E.g., Eichenbaum discloses an optical signal multiplexing/demultiplexing mechanism, Figures 1-3 etc., in which a receiving guiding assembly (mirrors 12/14 etc.) configured to direct each of a plurality of the incoming beams (l1 and l2) received via the optical aperture (20) from an incoming beam corridor toward a respective one of the receiver assemblies (22/28 and 24/30 etc.). In Figure 1 etc., Eichenbaum shows that the individual beam is directed to the receiver via a lens (28/30); but, Eichenbaum does not expressly state that the lens (28/30) can be adjustable/controllable. However, Cahoy et al discloses that a lens assembly (20 in Figures 1A and 1B; or 120 in Figures 2B and 3A-3B) used in a receptor assembly (Figures 1A, 2A and 2B), and the lens assembly is used to adjust position/parameters of an incoming (or output) beam ([0075]-[0081] etc.).
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 Eichenbaum and Cahoy et al to the system/method of Tsunemachi et al and Hand et al and Boone et al and Walther et al so that the plurality input beams can be separated conveniently, and sent to individual optical receiver, and a receptor assembly can be used to adjust the individual beam so to impinge on the individual optical receiver accurately.
Claim 35 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tsunemachi et al and Hand et al and Boone et al and Walther et al as applied to claims 1 and 16 above, and further in view of Eichenbaum (US 6,252,719) and Kim et al (US 2018/0088280)
Tsunemachi et al and Hand et al and Boone et al and Walther et al disclose all of the subject matter as applied to claims 1 and 16 above. But, Tsunemachi et al and Hand et al and Boone et al and Walther et al do not expressly disclose wherein the transmitting array comprises a transmitting guiding assembly configured to direct a plurality of the outgoing beams emitted from the transmission assemblies toward substantially parallel paths along an outgoing beam corridor of a lateral size no larger than that of the optical aperture.
However, first, the steering mirror of Tsunemachi, the steering mechanisms of Hand, the circulator/fiber/collimator/mems mirror, 516/515/517/542 of Boone, and the mirrors 207 and PBS212/214 etc. in Walther, can also be viewed as receiving guiding assembly, since these steering mechanism, mirror and PBS etc. are used to direct each of a plurality of the outgoing beams emitted from the transmission assemblies toward the optical aperture (e.g., 550 in Figure 5B of Boone; or Aperture device of Walther). Second, when a plurality of optical channels/beams (e.g., with different wavelengths) are output, it is common in the art that a plurality of filters/mirrors are used to combine/guide the output beams to the optical aperture. E.g., Eichenbaum discloses an optical signal multiplexing/demultiplexing mechanism, Figures 1-3 etc., in which a transmitting guiding assembly (mirrors 12/14 etc.) configured to direct a plurality of the outgoing beams emitted from the transmission assemblies (28/22’ and 30/24’) toward an optical aperture (lens 20).
Regarding the lateral size being no larger than that of the optical aperture, first, it is obvious to one skilled in the art that the corridor of the outgoing beams emitted from the transmission assemblies needs to be smaller than the circle size of the optical aperture, otherwise power loss will occur; that is, to reduce energy/power loss, it is obvious to one skilled in the art that the transmitting guiding assembly needs to direct the plurality of the outgoing beams emitted from the transmission assemblies toward substantially parallel paths along an outgoing beam corridor of a lateral size no larger than that of the optical aperture. Second, as shown in Figure 3B of Boone, the MEMS mirror array 542 directs a plurality of the outgoing beams 545 emitted from the transmission assemblies (514 etc.) toward substantially parallel paths along an outgoing beam corridor (from MEMS to the telescopic optics 550) of a lateral size no larger than that of the optical aperture (550); and in Figure 5, Walther shows that the beam corridor from MUX 3 to aperture 4 is no larger than that of the optical aperture (4), or the MUX 3 directs a plurality of the outgoing beams emitted from the transmission assemblies (Tx1-Txn) toward substantially parallel paths along an outgoing beam corridor of a lateral size no larger than that of the optical aperture (4); and in Figures 6-8 and 11-12 etc., the deflectors and QWPs direct a plurality of the outgoing beams emitted from the transmission assemblies (Tx) toward substantially parallel paths along an outgoing beam corridor of a lateral size no larger than that of the optical aperture (4). (Note: as shown in Applicant’s Figures 4 and 5, the beams from different transmission assemblies have different angles relative to the center axis of the aperture assembly (106 or 206), and the Specification indicates that are “substantially parallel paths”; then in light of Applicant’s Specification and definition, for the systems disclosed by Boone and Walther, the outgoing beam from the transmission assemblies are also directed toward “substantially” parallel paths along an outgoing beam corridor of a lateral size no larger than that of the optical aperture).
Second, Eichenbaum discloses an optical signal multiplexing/demultiplexing mechanism, Figures 1-3 etc., in which a transmitting guiding assembly (mirrors 12 and 14 etc.) configured to direct a plurality of the outgoing beams (e.g., l1 and l2) emitted from the transmission assemblies (28/22’ and 30/24’) toward substantially parallel paths along an outgoing beam corridor (Figure 1) of a lateral size no larger than that of the optical aperture (aperture of the lens 20. Figure 1, the lateral size of the dotted line is no larger than that of the aperture of the lens 20). Also, another prior art, Kim et al, discloses a free-space optical communication (Figures 5-7), in which the transmitting array (526, 532, 542 and 544, respectively) comprises a transmitting guiding assembly (518) configured to direct a plurality of the outgoing beams (l1, l2) emitted from the transmission assemblies toward substantially parallel paths along an outgoing beam corridor (Figure 5-7) of a lateral size no larger than that of the optical aperture (the aperture of the relay optics 506; “collimated beams” are transmitted).
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 Eichenbaum and Kim et al to the system/method of Tsunemachi et al and Hand et al and Boone et al and Walther et al so that the plurality outgoing beams can be combined conveniently, and sent to the optical aperture with less loss.
Claim 41 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tsunemachi et al and Hand et al and Boone et al and Walther et al as applied to claims 1 and 40 above, and further in view of Segura et al (US 2018/0041279).
Tsunemachi et al and Hand et al and Boone et al and Walther et al disclose all of the subject matter as applied to claims 1 and 40 above. But, Tsunemachi et al and Hand et al and Boone et al and Walther et al do not expressly disclose the optical router according to claim 40, being further configured to define two or more zones within the hotspot, wherein the wavelength of each of the downstream optical communication links is unique within each of the zones.
However, first, as shown in Figures 2-3 and 6, Boone et al discloses that a wide field of view can be divided into several narrow field of view, and each narrow field of view can use different wavelength ([0045]-[0059], and Figure 4 etc.); and in Figure 5B, Boone et al discloses that the optical signals having different wavelengths from the laser diodes 513 are sent to the MEM mirror array 542, which controls the directions of the different wavelength channels output from the aperture 550, and the outputs from the aperture 550 are sent to different zones (or narrow field). Second, to divide a zone into a plurality of sub-zone is well known in the art, e.g., Segura et al discloses a free-space optical (FSO) communication system, Figures 1A-1B and 2, as shown in Figures 1A-1B, a plurality of transmit//receive targets 110 form a hotspot (e.g., Figure 1B, 102a), and each transmit/receive target 110 within the hotspot is a sub-zone, wherein the wavelength of each of the downstream optical communication links (20a – 20c, [0032]) is unique within each of the zones (Figure 2, and [0025] and [0031]-[0033]).
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 Segura et al to the system/method of Tsunemachi et al and Hand et al and Boone et al and Walther et al so that each of the plurality outgoing beams can be sent to a specific target satellite, and different wavelengths are for different sub-zones so to reduce interference.
Claim 42 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tsunemachi et al and Hand et al and Boone et al and Walther et al as applied to claims 1 and 40 above, and further in view of Segura et al (US 2018/0041279) and Koste (US 2021/0152248).
Tsunemachi et al and Hand et al and Boone et al and Walther et al disclose all of the subject matter as applied to claims 1 and 40 above. But, Tsunemachi et al and Hand et al and Boone et al and Walther et al do not expressly disclose the optical router according to claim 40, being further configured to define two or more zones within the hotspot, wherein the downstream optical communication links within each of the zones are time-division multiplexed.
However, first, as shown in Figures 2-3 and 6, Boone et al discloses that a wide field of view can be divided into several narrow field of view, and each narrow field of view can use different wavelength ([0045]-[0059], and Figure 4 etc.); and in Figure 5B, Boone et al discloses that the optical signals having different wavelengths from the laser diodes 513 are sent to the MEM mirror array 542, which controls the directions of the different wavelength channels output from the aperture 550, and the outputs from the aperture 550 are sent to different zones (or narrow field). Second, to divide a zone into a plurality of sub-zone is well known in the art, e.g., Segura et al discloses a free-space optical (FSO) communication system, Figures 1A-1B and 2, as shown in Figures 1A-1B, a plurality of transmit//receive targets 110 form a hotspot (e.g., Figure 1B, 102a), and each transmit/receive target 110 within the hotspot is a sub-zone, wherein the downstream optical communication links (20d – 20d in Figure 5) within each of the zones (110d – 110f) are time-division multiplexed ([0006], “the system assigns corresponding network interface terminals at the transmit/receive targets a corresponding time slot for transmitting/receiving the optical beams that each share the single wavelength”; and [0030], “the MP-FSO terminals 200 assign the corresponding NITs/ONTs 60 at the transmit/receive targets 110 a corresponding time slot for communicating (i.e., transmitting/receiving) optical signals 22 with the corresponding MP-FSO terminal 220 via the shared wavelength optical signal 20.”). Another prior art, Koste, also discloses an optical router (a central terminal 10 in Figures 1-6 and 10-12 etc.) in a satellite relay communication system (Figures 1-6 and 10-12 etc.), and the downstream optical communication links within each of the zones (12, 14, 16 and 18) are time-division multiplexed ([0033], [0039] and [0049]).
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 Segura et al and Koste to the system/method of Tsunemachi et al and Hand et al and Boone et al and Walther et al so that each of the plurality outgoing beams can be sent to a specific target satellite in time slot, and a shared wavelength can be used for the different zones, and required number of light sources can be reduced
Conclusion
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/LI LIU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2634
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