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
2. The Information disclosure Statement filed on 03/29/2024 has been considered.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1-3 are rejected under 35 USC 103 as being unpatentable over Doerr (US 12184333) in view of Miller ( Self-aligning universal beam coupler – March 2013 attached).
Regarding claim 1, Doerr discloses a method comprising: receiving a single optical data signal contained in a distorted wavefront, wherein a single optical signal is divided into a plurality of parts, each representing a unique propagation path through free space, ( At the receiver (118 and 168), the DP waveform enters a PBSR (120 and 162) which splits the DP waveform into two waveforms, h and v, which have orthogonal polarizations, see column 6, lines 66,67 and column 7, line 1 and figures 1A) wherein the plurality of parts of the single optical signal is received by a programmable optical processor consisting of each with a first phase shifter and a second phase shifter;( optical polarization demultiplexer 200 with two control signals. Demultiplexer 200 consists of a polarization splitter and rotator (PBSR) 202, two 50/50 couplers 204 and 206, and two phase shifters 208 and 210 and the two phase shifters 208 and 210 are controlled by separate control signals, see column 8, lines 35-41 and figure 2) and adjusting settings of each of the first phase shifter and the second phase shifter until the plurality of parts of the single optical signal are combined into one output of a last MZi,( The amount of this relative phase shift φ.sub.1 is controlled by the control signal 308. The phase-shifted light in the two optical transmission paths then enter a 2×2 coupler 322 which combines the relative phase-shifted light. This process repeats through the second stage 304 and the third stage 306, undergoing different phase shifts controlled by control signals φ.sub.2 (310) and φ.sub.3 (312), see column 18, lines 21-27 and figure 3) wherein the settings of the first phase shifter and the setting of the second phase shifter of each MZi are controlled by independent measurements; (the two phase shifters 208 and 210 are controlled by separate control signals, see column 8, lines 39-41 and figure 2).
However, Doerr does not explicitly disclose cascaded Mach-Zehnder Interferometers (MZi).
In a related field of endeavor, Miller discloses cascaded Mach-Zehnder Interferometers (MZi) ;( Mach-Zehnder interferometers (MZIs) with the adjustable “reflectors” and phase shifters, see figure 3a).
Thus, it would be obvious for one of the ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to combine the cascaded Mach-Zehnder Interferometers of Miller with Doerr to provide loss-less operation and the motivation is to provide large loss-less MZi arrays.
Regarding claim 2, Doerr discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the settings of the first phase shifter is controlled by balancing outputs of a first 2×2 coupler, and the settings of the second phase shifter are controlled, of a second 2×2 coupler; (the phase-shifted light in the two optical transmission paths then enter a 2×2 coupler 322 which combines the relative phase-shifted light. This process repeats through the second stage 304 and the third stage 306,(second 2x2 coupler 332 and third 2x2 coupler 342) undergoing different phase shifts controlled by control signals φ.sub.2 (310) and φ.sub.3 (312), see column 18, lines 21-27 and figure 3)
However, Doerr discloses by minimizing outputs of an undesired port.
In a related field of endeavor, Miller discloses by minimizing outputs of an undesired port ;( adjusting the dummy MZI reflectivities to minimize the signals in such detectors ensuring loss-less operations, page 5, paragraph 3 and figure 3c). Motivation same as claim 1.
Regarding claim 3, Doerr discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the first phase shifter and the second phase shifter are thermal phase shifters;( phase shifters 208 and 210 are implemented as thermo-optic phase shifters, see column 9, lines 14-16).
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 USC 103 as being unpatentable over Li et al; (US 2010/0080565) in view of Doerr (US 12184333).
Regarding claim 4, Li discloses a method comprising: receiving a single optical signal contained in a distorted wavefront,(optical receiver 120 for receiving the optical signal 210, see figure 5) wherein the single optical signal is divided into a plurality of parts and then mixed with a coherent local oscillator or is mixed with a common local oscillator and then further divided into a plurality of parts,(the beam produced by local optical oscillator 230 is provided to an optical hybrid 510. Optical hybrid 510 mixes, in the complex-field space, received optical signal 210 with the four quadrature states associated with the oscillator signal, producing four different vectorial additions of the reference oscillator signal and the signal to be detected, see paragraph 26 and figure 5) each representing a unique propagation path through free space, wherein the plurality of parts after mixing are photo detected to yield a plurality of electrical signals preserving complex amplitudes of the plurality of parts of the single optical signal;(the levels of the four optical signals are detected by two pairs of detectors (520 and 530; 540 and 550). In this embodiment, single-ended detectors are used, but other variations are contemplated, such as balanced detectors, see paragraph 27 ad figure 5) and wherein the plurality of electrical signals preserving the complex amplitudes of the plurality of parts of the single optical signal is received by a digital signal processing (DSP) unit; (The four detected (electrical) signals are supplied to digital signal processor 560, which performs wavefront correction in the electronic domain, see paragraph 27 and figure 5).
However, Li does not explicitly disclose representing a unitary matrix wherein the plurality of electrical signals preserving the complex amplitudes of the plurality of parts of the single optical signal are combined into one signal.
In a related field of endeavor, Doerr discloses representing a unitary matrix (unitary system (lossless scenario), the optical demultiplexer (i.e., the matrix D above) requires a theoretical minimum of at least two phase control signals to reverse the effects of the channel matrix F and demultiplex, see column 8, lines 17-20) wherein the plurality of electrical signals preserving the complex amplitudes of the plurality of parts of the single optical signal are combined into one signal;(for estimating the original signals x and y from the received signals h and v, an optical demultiplexer D is applied at the receiver, to generate estimates x′ and y′ and, as long as x′=ax and y′=bx (where “a” and “b” are complex constants), then the receiver will have successfully demultiplexed the polarizations, see column 7, lines 58-61 and column 8, lines 1-3).
Thus, it would be obvious for one of the ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to combine the unitary matrix of Doerr with Li to provide transformation that preserves the orthogonality and normalization of the signal vectors, and the motivation is to provide reversible and decorrelated signal transformations after signal processing.
Claim 17 and 18 are rejected under 35 USC 103 as being unpatentable over Li et al; (US 2010/0080565) in view of Doerr (US 12184333) further in view of Miller ( Self-aligning universal beam coupler – March 2013 attached).
Regarding claim 17, Li discloses an apparatus comprising: an optical receiver,(optical receiver 120 for receiving the optical signal 210, see figure 5) configured to coherently receive an optical wavefront of a single optical signal traveling along a plurality of propagation paths through free space, the optical wavefront representing a data signal (the beam produced by local optical oscillator 230 is provided to an optical hybrid 510. Optical hybrid 510 mixes, in the complex-field space, received optical signal 210 with the four quadrature states associated with the oscillator signal, producing four different vectorial additions of the reference oscillator signal and the signal to be detected, see paragraph 26 and figure 5), the optical receiver comprising an array of detectors, each detector configured to receive the wavefront of the single optical signal along a corresponding one of the propagation paths; (the levels of the four optical signals are detected by two pairs of detectors (520 and 530; 540 and 550). In this embodiment, single-ended detectors are used, but other variations are contemplated, such as balanced detectors, see paragraph 27 ad figure 5) and an electronic wavefront corrector; (wavefront correction unit 560, see figure 5) configured to correct relative phase differences between the wavefronts of the single optical signal received at the array of detectors, wherein the electronic wavefront corrector is further configured to, for each propagation path received by a programmable optical processor ;( wavefront traveling along a plurality of propagation paths, and electronically correcting distortion in the wavefront. The electronic wavefront corrector is configured to correct phase distortion in the wavefront traveling along a plurality of propagation paths, see Abstract)
However, Li does not explicitly disclose consisting of cascaded Mach-Zehnder Interferometers (MZi) each with a first phase shifter and a second phase shifter; and adjusting settings of each of the first phase shifter and the second phase shifter until the plurality of paths of the single optical signal are combined into one output of a last MZi, wherein the settings of the first phase shifter and the setting of the second phase shifter of each MZi are controlled by independent measurements.
In a related field of endeavor, Doerr discloses each with a first phase shifter and a second phase shifter; (demultiplexer 200 consists of a polarization splitter and rotator (PBSR) 202, two 50/50 couplers 204 and 206, and two phase shifters 208 and 210 and the two phase shifters 208 and 210 are controlled by separate control signals, see column 8, lines 35-41 and figure 2) and adjusting settings of each of the first phase shifter and the second phase shifter until the plurality of paths of the single optical signal are combined into one output of a last MZi, ( The amount of this relative phase shift φ.sub.1 is controlled by the control signal 308. The phase-shifted light in the two optical transmission paths then enter a 2×2 coupler 322 which combines the relative phase-shifted light. This process repeats through the second stage 304 and the third stage 306, undergoing different phase shifts controlled by control signals φ.sub.2 (310) and φ.sub.3 (312), see column 18, lines 21-27 and figure 3) wherein the settings of the first phase shifter and the setting of the second phase shifter of each MZi are controlled by independent measurements (the two phase shifters 208 and 210 are controlled by separate control signals, see column 8, lines 39-41 and figure 2).
However, the combination of Li and Doerr does not explicitly disclose cascaded Mach-Zehnder Interferometers (MZi).
In a related field of endeavor, Miller discloses cascaded Mach-Zehnder Interferometers (MZi) ;( Mach-Zehnder interferometers (MZIs) with the adjustable “reflectors” and phase shifters, see figure 3a).
Thus, it would be obvious for one of the ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to combine the cascaded Mach-Zehnder Interferometers of Miller with Li and Doerr to provide loss-less operation and the motivation is to provide large loss-less MZi arrays.
Regarding claim 18, Doerr discloses the apparatus of claim 17, wherein the settings of the first phase shifter are controlled by balancing outputs of a first 2×2 coupler and the settings of the second phase shifter is controlled by, of a second 2×2 coupler (the phase-shifted light in the two optical transmission paths then enter a 2×2 coupler 322 which combines the relative phase-shifted light. This process repeats through the second stage 304 and the third stage 306,(second 2x2 coupler 332 and third 2x2 coupler 342) undergoing different phase shifts controlled by control signals φ.sub.2 (310) and φ.sub.3 (312), see column 18, lines 21-27 and figure 3)
However, Doerr discloses by minimizing outputs of an undesired port.
In a related field of endeavor, Miller discloses by minimizing outputs of an undesired port ;( adjusting the dummy MZI reflectivities to minimize the signals in such detectors ensuring loss-less operations, page 5, paragraph 3 and figure 3c). Motivation same as claim 1.
minimizing outputs of an undesired port.
Regarding claim 2, Doerr discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the settings of the first phase shifter is controlled by balancing outputs of a first 2×2 coupler, and the settings of the second phase shifter are controlled, of a second 2×2 coupler; (the phase-shifted light in the two optical transmission paths then enter a 2×2 coupler 322 which combines the relative phase-shifted light. This process repeats through the second stage 304 and the third stage 306,(second 2x2 coupler 332 and third 2x2 coupler 342) undergoing different phase shifts controlled by control signals φ.sub.2 (310) and φ.sub.3 (312), see column 18, lines 21-27 and figure 3)
However, the combination of Li and Doerr does not explicitly disclose by minimizing outputs of an undesired port.
In a related field of endeavor, Miller discloses by minimizing outputs of an undesired port ;( adjusting the dummy MZI reflectivities to minimize the signals in such detectors ensuring loss-less operations, page 5, paragraph 3 and figure 3c). Motivation same as claim 17.
Claim 19 is rejected under 35 USC 103 as being unpatentable over Li et al; (US 2010/0080565) in view of Doerr (US 12184333).
Regarding claim 19, Li does not explicitly disclose an apparatus,(optical receiver 120 for receiving the optical signal 210, see figure 5) comprising: an optical receiver configured to coherently receive an optical wavefront of a single optical signal traveling along a plurality of propagation paths through free space, the optical wavefront representing a data signal ,(the beam produced by local optical oscillator 230 is provided to an optical hybrid 510. Optical hybrid 510 mixes, in the complex-field space, received optical signal 210 with the four quadrature states associated with the oscillator signal, producing four different vectorial additions of the reference oscillator signal and the signal to be detected, see paragraph 26 and figure 5) the optical receiver comprising an array of detectors, each detector configured to receive the wavefront of the single optical signal along a corresponding one of the propagation paths ;(the levels of the four optical signals are detected by two pairs of detectors (520 and 530; 540 and 550). In this embodiment, single-ended detectors are used, but other variations are contemplated, such as balanced detectors, see paragraph 27 ad figure 5) and an electronic wavefront corrector configured to ; (wavefront correction unit 560, see figure 5) correct relative phase differences between the wavefronts of the single optical signal received at the array of detectors, ;( wavefront traveling along a plurality of propagation paths, and electronically correcting distortion in the wavefront. The electronic wavefront corrector is configured to correct phase distortion in the wavefront traveling along a plurality of propagation paths, see Abstract) wherein the electronic wavefront corrector is further configured to, for each propagation path mix with a common local oscillator and then further divided into a plurality of parts, each representing a unique propagation path through free space, wherein the plurality of parts after mixing are photo detected to yield a plurality of electrical signals; (the beam produced by local optical oscillator 230 is provided to an optical hybrid 510. Optical hybrid 510 mixes, in the complex-field space, received optical signal 210 with the four quadrature states associated with the oscillator signal, producing four different vectorial additions of the reference oscillator signal and the signal to be detected, see paragraph 26 and figure 5)
However, Li does not explicitly disclose preserving complex amplitudes of the plurality of parts of the single optical signal; and wherein the plurality of electrical signals preserving the complex amplitudes of the plurality of parts of the single optical signal is received by a digital signal processing (DSP) unit representing a unitary matrix, wherein the plurality of electrical signals preserving the complex amplitudes of the plurality of parts of the single optical signal are combined into one signal.
In a related field of endeavor, Doerr discloses preserving complex amplitudes of the plurality of parts of the single optical signal; and wherein the plurality of electrical signals preserving the complex amplitudes of the plurality of parts of the single optical signal is received by a digital signal processing (DSP) unit representing a unitary matrix, (unitary system (lossless scenario), the optical demultiplexer (i.e., the matrix D above) requires a theoretical minimum of at least two phase control signals to reverse the effects of the channel matrix F and demultiplex, see column 8, lines 17-20) wherein the plurality of electrical signals preserving the complex amplitudes of the plurality of parts of the single optical signal are combined into one signal ;(for estimating the original signals x and y from the received signals h and v, an optical demultiplexer D is applied at the receiver, to generate estimates x′ and y′ and, as long as x′=ax and y′=bx (where “a” and “b” are complex constants), then the receiver will have successfully demultiplexed the polarizations, see column 7, lines 58-61 and column 8, lines 1-3).
Thus, it would be obvious for one of the ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to combine the unitary matrix of Doerr with Li to provide transformation that preserves the orthogonality and normalization of the signal vectors, and the motivation is to provide reversible and decorrelated signal transformations after signal processing.
Allowable Subject Matter
3. Claims 5,6 and 20 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
4. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure is reproduced below.
a. Xie et al;(US 2011/0255858) discloses a method for converting the polarization-multiplexed optical signal to a corresponding polarization-multiplexed electrical signal and applies the inverse transformation matrix to the polarization-multiplexed electrical signal, which produces a polarization-demultiplexed electrical signal and further estimates the polarization-demultiplexed electrical signal to recover the data stream.
b. Doerr (WO 2013/025403) discloses an endless phase shifting apparatus comprising a first Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) switch includes a phase shifter, a second MZI switch includes a phase shifter, and a line phase shifter structure optically connects the first MZI to the second MZI. The line phase shifter structure includes two waveguides, at least one of the waveguides having a phase shifter.
c. Lorenzo et al; (A Silicon Photonic 32-Input Coherent Combiner for Turbulence Mitigation in Free Space Optics Links – February 2025 attached) discloses photonic integrated circuit (PIC) for turbulence mitigation is reported and characterized, which coherently combines 32 input optical signals into a single output fiber. The PIC was fabricated using a low-loss, and high integration density, thick silicon-on-insulator (SOI) process and packaged with 32 input fibers and 1 output fiber and using block is a 2×2 Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) with an external (to the MZI branches) and an internal thermal phase shifter, see Abstract and figures 1 and 2b
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/AMRITBIR K SANDHU/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2634
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