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 .
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities: “an upper sideband optical sideband signal”. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 2, 4-7, 16, 19 are 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.
Specifically, Claims 2, 4, 5, 6, 7 recites the limitation “the optical sideband signal.” There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Furthermore, Claim 6 recites the limitation "the first output of the dual polarization antenna" and “the second output of the dual polarization antenna”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Furthermore, Claim 16, recites the limitation “the second orthogonal component of the RF signal.” There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Furthermore, Claim 19, both recites “a first orthogonal component of the RF signal” but “a first orthogonal component of the RF signal” was already introduced in claim 16 which both of these claims depend upon. Therefore, there is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 1-6, 8-11, 13-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhao (CN 116359914 B) in light of Yang (CN 114584222 B).
Regarding Claim 1, Zhao teaches An apparatus for receiving radio signals of diverse polarization (FIG. 1), the apparatus comprising: a coherent light source configured to output an optical carrier signal (FIG. 1; “step 1: the optical signal output by the laser is input” (p. 3, ¶ 4)); a dual polarization antenna configured to receive an RF signal and output a first RF electrical signal based on a first polarization mode of the RF signal and a second RF electrical signal based on a second polarization mode of the RF signal that is orthogonal to the first polarization mode (FIG. 1: “RF”; “The LO signal is input to the power divider and divided into two parts, wherein one part passes through 90 ° HCl and then generates two parts of phase 0 and 90” (p. 3, ¶ 5); (by including an RF switch in the circuitry, Zhao makes clear that it is receiving an RF signal from a dual polarization antenna despite not including an antenna in the illustration)); and a nested Mach-Zehnder Modulator configured to receive the optical carrier signal (FIG. 1), the first RF electrical signal corresponding to a first polarization mode and the second RF electrical signal corresponding to a second polarization mode that is orthogonal to the first polarization mode (FIG. 1; “wherein the phase 0 is input to the upper arm of the X-DPMZM, and the phase 90 ° is input to the lower arm of the X-DPMZM” (p.3, ¶ 5)), modulate the optical carrier signal based on the first RF electrical signal and the second RF electrical signal to generate an upper optical sideband signal (FIG. 1; “making the upper X-DPMZM output signal as the carrier suppression + 1 order sideband state” (p. 3, ¶ 6)), a lower optical sideband signal (“the LO signal is input to the Y-DPMZM after passing through the 90 ° HC2, and at this time, the output signal of the LO signal is in a carrier-suppressed -1 - order sideband state by adjusting the Y-DPMZM bias voltage. As the Y-DPMZM branch contains 90 ° PR, the branch signal is orthogonal to the polarization of the + 1 order sideband signal of the upper branch X-DPMZM, and is output after PBC coupling” (p. 3, ¶ 7)), and output the optical carrier signal, an upper sideband optical sideband signal, and the lower optical sideband signal (FIG. 1: “PBC”),
Zhao does not teach wherein the optical carrier signal, the lower optical sideband signal, and the upper optical sideband signal are output separately.
Yang teaches wherein the optical carrier signal, the lower optical sideband signal, and the upper optical sideband signal are output separately. (FIG. 1: (circuitry to the right of “OBPF”))
Zhao and Yang both relate to receiving RF signals and converting to optical and are therefore analogous art.
Before the filing date of the instant application, it would have obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the output of the receiver in Zhao to follow Yang’s teaching of outputting the sidebands separately. By combining the output circuitry of Yang with that of Zhao, the combination predictably produced the result of outputting the sidebands separately instead of combined. Thus, each combined element merely performs the same function as it did previously.
Regarding Claim 2, the combination of Zhao and Yang teach The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a first photodetector configured to convert the optical sideband signal into an electrical signal. (Yang, FIG. 1: PD1, PD2)
Before the filing date of the instant application, it would have obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the output of the receiver in Zhao to follow Yang’s teaching of converting the final output signal to an electric signal by using a photodiode. By adding Yang’s photodiode to the end of Zhao’s output, the combination predictably produced the result of outputting an electric signal. Thus, each combined element merely performs the same function as it did previously.
Regarding Claim 3, the combination of Zhao and Yang teach The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the nested Mach-Zehnder modulator comprises: an input optical coupler configured to split the optical carrier signal into a first optical carrier signal and a second optical carrier signal (Zhao, FIG. 1); a first inner Mach-Zehnder modulator configured to receive the first optical carrier signal and a first RF electrical signal from a dual-polarization antenna (Zhao, FIG. 1: “X-DPMZM), split the first optical carrier signal into a first internal light signal and a second internal light signal (Id.), modulate at least one of the first and second internal light signals based on the first RF electrical signal (Id.), selectively shift the relative phase between the first internal light signal and the second internal light signal (Id.), combine the first internal light signal and the second internal light signal after modulating at least one of the first and second optical carrier signals to produce a first sideband light signal(Id.), and output the first sideband light signal; (Zhao, FIG. 1; “making the upper X-DPMZM output signal as the carrier suppression + 1 order sideband state” (p. 3, ¶ 6)) a second inner Mach-Zehnder modulator configured to receive the second optical carrier signal and a second RF electrical signal (Zhao, FIG. 1: Y-DPMZM), split the second optical carrier signal into a third internal light signal and a fourth internal light signal (Id.), modulate at least one of the third and fourth internal light signals based on the second RF electrical signal (Id.), selectively shift the relative phase between the third internal light signal and the fourth internal light signal (Id.), combine the third internal light signal and the fourth internal light signal after modulating at least one of the third and fourth internal light signal to produce a second sideband light signal (Id.), and output the second sideband light signal; (Zhao, FIG. 1; “the LO signal is input to the Y-DPMZM after passing through the 90 ° HC2, and at this time, the output signal of the LO signal is in a carrier-suppressed -1 - order sideband state by adjusting the Y-DPMZM bias voltage” (p. 3, ¶ 7)) an optical phase shifter configured to shift the relative phase between the first sideband light signal and the second sideband light signal (FIG. 1: “90° PR”); and an output optical coupler configured to combine the first sideband light signal and the second sideband light signal to generate a combined optical sideband signal and output the combined optical sideband signal (FIG. 1: “PBC”).
Before the filing date of the instant application, it would have obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the output of the receiver in Zhao to follow Yang’s teaching of outputting the sidebands separately. By combining the output circuitry of Yang with that of Zhao, the combination predictably produced the result of outputting the sidebands separately instead of combined. Thus, each combined element merely performs the same function as it did previously.
Regarding Claim 4, the combination of Zhao and Yang teach The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an optical filter configured to filter the optical sideband signal to remove a portion of the optical sideband signal. (Yang, FIG. 1: “OBPF”)
Before the filing date of the instant application, it would have obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the circuitry taught in Zhao by adding the OBPF taught in Yang. By adding the Yang’s filter to the output of Zhao, the combination merely alters the output by removing a portion of the optical sideband signal as claimed. Thus, each combined element merely performs the same function as it did previously.
Regarding Claim 5, the combination of Zhao and Yang teach The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising an optical local oscillator for heterodyning the optical sideband signal. (Yang, FIG. 1: “LO”)
Before the filing date of the instant application, it would have obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the output of the receiver in Zhao to follow Yang’s teaching of including a local oscillator. By combining Yang’s local oscillator with Zhao’s receiver circuitry, the combination predictably produced the result of heterodyning the optical sideband signal as claimed. Thus, each combined element merely performs the same function as it did previously.
Regarding Claim 6, the combination of Zhao and Yang teach The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an RF transmitter electrically connected to the first output of the dual polarization antenna and the second output of the dual polarization antenna. (Zhao, FIG. 1; Yang, FIG. 1 (both teaching an RF transmitter for outputting the modulated signal))
Before the filing date of the instant application, it would have obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the output of the receiver in Zhao to follow Yang’s teaching of outputting the sidebands separately. By combining the output circuitry of Yang with that of Zhao, the combination predictably produced the result of outputting the sidebands separately instead of combined. Thus, each combined element merely performs the same function as it did previously.
Regarding Claim 8, the combination of Zhao and Yang teach The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one photodetector is located remotely from the nested Mach-Zehnder modulator and is optically connected to the nested Mach-Zehnder modulator by an optical fiber. (Yang, FIG. 1: PD1, PD2)
Before the filing date of the instant application, it would have obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the output of the receiver in Zhao to follow Yang’s teaching of converting the final output signal to an electric signal by using a photodiode. By adding Yang’s photodiode to the end of Zhao’s output, the combination predictably produced the result of outputting an electric signal. Thus, each combined element merely performs the same function as it did previously.
Regarding Claim 9, the combination of Zhao and Yang teach The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first polarization mode is a linear polarization mode, and the second polarization mode is a linear polarization mode orthogonal to the first polarization mode. (Zhao, FIG. 1: “RF”; “The LO signal is input to the power divider and divided into two parts, wherein one part passes through 90 ° HCl and then generates two parts of phase 0 and 90” (p. 3, ¶ 5)
Before the filing date of the instant application, it would have obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the output of the receiver in Zhao to follow Yang’s teaching of outputting the sidebands separately. By combining the output circuitry of Yang with that of Zhao, the combination predictably produced the result of outputting the sidebands separately instead of combined. Thus, each combined element merely performs the same function as it did previously.
Regarding Claim 10, the combination of Zhao and Yang teach The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first polarization mode is a right-handed circular polarization mode, and the second polarization mode is a left-handed circular polarization mode. (Zhao, FIG. 1: “RF”; “The LO signal is input to the power divider and divided into two parts, wherein one part passes through 90 ° HCl and then generates two parts of phase 0 and 90” (p. 3, ¶ 5)
Before the filing date of the instant application, it would have obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the output of the receiver in Zhao to follow Yang’s teaching of outputting the sidebands separately. By combining the output circuitry of Yang with that of Zhao, the combination predictably produced the result of outputting the sidebands separately instead of combined. Thus, each combined element merely performs the same function as it did previously.
Regarding Claim 11, the combination of Zhao and Yang teach The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a circulator configured to cause a transmission signal to have circular polarization. (Zhao, FIG. 1: “PBC”)
Before the filing date of the instant application, it would have obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the output of the receiver in Zhao to follow Yang’s teaching of outputting the sidebands separately. By combining the output circuitry of Yang with that of Zhao, the combination predictably produced the result of outputting the sidebands separately instead of combined. Thus, each combined element merely performs the same function as it did previously.
Regarding Claim 13, the combination of Zhao and Yang teach apparatuses according to claim 1
the combination of Zhao and Yang do not teach A system for receiving radio signals of diverse polarization, the system comprising: a plurality of dual polarization antennas arranged in an array; and a plurality of apparatuses according to claim 1 with each dual polarization antenna electrically connected to a corresponding apparatus of the plurality of apparatuses.
In accordance with MPEP 2144.03, official notice is being taken that it would be common knowledge for a person of ordinary skill in the art to integrate the receiver taught by Zhao into a system of transmitters, receivers, and antennas for the purpose communicating information between locations.
Regarding Claim 14, The combination of Zhao and Yang teach The system of claim 13, further comprising: an optical local oscillator configured to heterodyne at least one of the upper optical sideband or the lower optical sideband. (Yang, FIG. 1: “LO”)
Before the filing date of the instant application, it would have obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art to add the local oscillator taught in Yang to the circuitry taught in Zhao. By adding the local oscillator from Yang to Zhao, previously known elements are merely being combined to produce predictable results with the predictable result being that Zhao’s signal is now heterodyned.
Regarding Claim 15, The combination of Zhao and Yang teach The system of claim 13, further comprising: an optical processing unit connected to the plurality of apparatuses and the optical local oscillator. (Zhao, FIG. 1: “PDC-PM”)
Before the filing date of the instant application, it would have obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the output of the receiver in Zhao to follow Yang’s teaching of outputting the sidebands separately. By combining the output circuitry of Yang with that of Zhao, the combination predictably produced the result of outputting the sidebands separately instead of combined. Thus, each combined element merely performs the same function as it did previously.
Claim(s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhao (CN 116359914 B) in light of Yang (CN 114584222 B) and in further light of Schuetz (US Pat. 9,525,489).
Regarding Claim 7, the combination of Zhao and Yang teach The apparatus of claim 1,
the combination of Zhao and Yang does not teach further comprising a photonic image rejection photonic circuit configured to receive the optical sideband signal.
Schuetz teaches further comprising a photonic image rejection photonic circuit configured to receive the optical sideband signal. (FIG. 1)
Schuetz and Zhao both teach processing optical signals and are therefore analogous art.
Before the filing date of the instant application, it would have obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the circuitry taught in Zhao by adding the rejection photonic circuit taught in Schuetz. By adding the rejection photonic circuit taught in Schuetz to Zhao, the circuitry in Zhao would then be capable of extracting non-spatial information from the optical sideband signal. Thus, known elements are being combined and each element is merely performing the same function as it did previously.
Claim(s) 12, 16-22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhao (CN 116359914 B) in light of Yang (CN 114584222 B) and in further light of Krasulick (US Pat. App. Pub. 2014/0037286 A1).
Regarding Claim 12, The combination of Zhao and Yang teach The apparatus of claim 1,
The combination of Zhao and Yang do not teach wherein no RF phase shifters are employed between the dual polarization antenna and the nested Mach-Zehnder modulator.
Krasulick teaches wherein no RF phase shifters are employed between the dual polarization antenna and the nested Mach-Zehnder modulator. (FIG. 7: “RF-I,” “RF – Q”)
Zhao and Krasulick both relate to the optical conversion of an RF signal and are therefore analogous to each other.
Before the filing date of the instant application, it would have obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the arrangement taught by Zhao by not placing any RF phase shifters between the antenna and the modulators as is taught by Krasulick. By applying a known technique that is taught by Krasulick to Zhao, Zhao is capable of receiving dual-polarized RF signals while not requiring RF phase shifters to be placed between the antenna and the modulators.
Regarding Claim 16, Zhao teaches A method for receiving radio signals of diverse polarization (FIG. 1), comprising: receiving two orthogonal components of an RF signal having a 90-degree phase difference directly from a dual-polarization antenna; (FIG. 1: “RF”; “The LO signal is input to the power divider and divided into two parts, wherein one part passes through 90 ° HCl and then generates two parts of phase 0 and 90” (p. 3, ¶ 5); (by including an RF switch in the circuitry, Zhao makes clear that it is receiving an RF signal from dual a polarization antenna despite not including an antenna in the illustration)) modulating an optical carrier signal with the two orthogonal components of the RF signal to produce a first modulated light signal corresponding to a first orthogonal component of the RF signal and a second modulated light signal corresponding to the second orthogonal component of the RF signal (FIG. 1; “wherein the phase 0 is input to the upper arm of the X-DPMZM, and the phase 90 ° is input to the lower arm of the X-DPMZM” (p.3, ¶ 5)); combining the first modulated light signal and the second modulated light signal to produce an upper sideband light signal corresponding to the RF signal (FIG. 1; “making the upper X-DPMZM output signal as the carrier suppression + 1 order sideband state” (p. 3, ¶ 6)) and a lower sideband light signal corresponding to the RF signal; (“the LO signal is input to the Y-DPMZM after passing through the 90 ° HC2, and at this time, the output signal of the LO signal is in a carrier-suppressed -1 - order sideband state by adjusting the Y-DPMZM bias voltage. As the Y-DPMZM branch contains 90 ° PR, the branch signal is orthogonal to the polarization of the + 1 order sideband signal of the upper branch X-DPMZM, and is output after PBC coupling” (p. 3, ¶ 7); FIG.1: “PBC”)
Zhao does not teach without any intervening RF phase shifters; outputting the upper sideband light signal corresponding to the RF signal to a first port and the lower sideband light signal corresponding to the RF signal to a second port.
Yang teaches outputting the upper sideband light signal corresponding to the RF signal to a first port and the lower sideband light signal corresponding to the RF signal to a second port. (Yang, FIG. 1 (outputting both sidebands and their respective orthogonal components separately after being converted by the photodetectors))
Before the filing date of the instant application, it would have obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the output of the receiver in Zhao to follow Yang’s teaching of outputting the sidebands separately. By combining the output circuitry of Yang with that of Zhao, the combination predictably produced the result of outputting the sidebands separately instead of combined. Thus, each combined element merely performs the same function as it did previously.
Yang does not teach without any intervening RF phase shifters
Krasulick teaches without any intervening RF phase shifters (FIG. 7: “RF-I,” “RF – Q”)
Before the filing date of the instant application, it would have obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art to further modify the arrangement taught by Zhao by not placing any RF phase shifters between the antenna and the modulators as is taught by Krasulick. By applying a known technique that is taught by Krasulick to Zhao, Zhao is capable of receiving dual-polarized RF signals while not requiring RF phase shifters to be placed between the antenna and the modulators.
Regarding Claim 17, the combination of Zhao, Yang, and Krasulick teach The method of claim 16, further comprising heterodyning at least one of the lower sideband light signal or the upper sideband light signal with the optical carrier signal. (Yang, FIG. 1: “LO”)
Before the filing date of the instant application, it would have obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art to add the local oscillator taught in Yang to the circuitry taught in Zhao. By adding the local oscillator from Yang to Zhao, previously known elements are merely being combined to produce predictable results with the predictable result being that the signal Zhao is now heterodyned.
Regarding Claim 18, the combination of Zhao, Yang, and Krasulick teach The method of claim 17, further comprising outputting a heterodyned lower sideband light signal or a heterodyned upper sideband light signal to a photodetector to produce an RF signal. (Yang, FIG. 1: PD1, PD2)
Before the filing date of the instant application, it would have obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the output of the receiver in Zhao to follow Yang’s teaching of converting the final output signal to an electric signal by using a photodiode. By adding Yang’s photodiode to the end of Zhao’s output, the combination predictably produced the result of outputting an electric signal. Thus, each combined element merely performs the same function as it did previously.
Regarding Claim 19, the combination of Zhao, Yang, and Krasulick teach The method of claim 16, wherein modulating the optical carrier signal comprises: splitting the optical carrier signal into a first optical carrier signal and a second optical carrier signal (Zhao, FIG. 1 (illustrating that the optical signal from the laser driver is split before going to the nested MZM loops)); modulating the first optical carrier signal with a first orthogonal component of the RF signal to produce a first sideband light signal (Zhao, FIG. 1; “making the upper X-DPMZM output signal as the carrier suppression + 1 order sideband state” (p. 3, ¶ 6)); modulating the second optical carrier signal with the second orthogonal component of the RF signal to produce a second sideband light signal (Zhao, “the LO signal is input to the Y-DPMZM after passing through the 90 ° HC2, and at this time, the output signal of the LO signal is in a carrier-suppressed -1 - order sideband state by adjusting the Y-DPMZM bias voltage. As the Y-DPMZM branch contains 90 ° PR, the branch signal is orthogonal to the polarization of the + 1 order sideband signal of the upper branch X-DPMZM, and is output after PBC coupling” (Zhao, p. 3, ¶ 7)); and combining the first sideband light signal and the second sideband light signal to produce the modulated light signal. (Zhao, FIG. 1: “PBC”)
Before the filing date of the instant application, it would have obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the output of the receiver in Zhao to follow Yang’s teaching of converting the final output signal to an electric signal by using a photodiode. By adding Yang’s photodiode to the end of Zhao’s output, the combination predictably produced the result of outputting an electric signal. Thus, each combined element merely performs the same function as it did previously.
Regarding Claim 20, the combination of Zhao, Yang, and Krasulick teach The method of claim 19, wherein modulating the optical carrier signal further comprises: shifting the relative phase of the first sideband light signal and the second sideband light signal to bias an upper sideband at a first output port and a lower sideband at a second output port. (Yang, FIG. 1 (outputting both sidebands and their respective orthogonal components separately after being converted by the photodetectors))
Before the filing date of the instant application, it would have obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the output of the receiver in Zhao to follow Yang’s teaching of outputting the sidebands separately. By combining the output circuitry of Yang with that of Zhao, the combination predictably produced the result of outputting the sidebands separately instead of combined. Thus, each combined element merely performs the same function as it did previously.
Regarding Claim 21, the combination of Zhao, Yang, and Krasulick teach The method of claim 20, wherein the RF signal is a first RF signal, the method further comprising: receiving two orthogonal components of a second RF signal having a 90-degree phase difference directly from the dual-polarization antenna without any intervening RF phase shifters simultaneously with receiving the first RF signal (Zhao, FIG. 1: “RF”; “The LO signal is input to the power divider and divided into two parts, wherein one part passes through 90 ° HCl and then generates two parts of phase 0 and 90” (p. 3, ¶ 5); (by including an RF switch in the circuitry, Zhao makes clear that it is receiving an RF signal from dual a polarization antenna despite not including an antenna in the illustration)); modulating the optical carrier signal with the two orthogonal components of the second RF signal such that the first modulated light signal additionally corresponds to a first orthogonal component of the second RF signal and the second modulated light signal additionally corresponds to a second orthogonal component of the second RF signal (Zhao, FIG. 1; “wherein the phase 0 is input to the upper arm of the X-DPMZM, and the phase 90 ° is input to the lower arm of the X-DPMZM” (p.3, ¶ 5)); wherein combining the first modulated light signal and the second modulated light signal produces an upper sideband light signal corresponding to the second RF signal (FIG. 1; “making the upper X-DPMZM output signal as the carrier suppression + 1 order sideband state” (p. 3, ¶ 6) and a lower sideband light signal corresponding to the second RF signal (“the LO signal is input to the Y-DPMZM after passing through the 90 ° HC2, and at this time, the output signal of the LO signal is in a carrier-suppressed -1 - order sideband state by adjusting the Y-DPMZM bias voltage. As the Y-DPMZM branch contains 90 ° PR, the branch signal is orthogonal to the polarization of the + 1 order sideband signal of the upper branch X-DPMZM, and is output after PBC coupling” (p. 3, ¶ 7)); and outputting the lower sideband light signal corresponding to the second RF signal to the first port and the upper sideband light signal corresponding to the second RF signal to the second port. (Yang, FIG. 1 (outputting both sidebands and their respective orthogonal components separately after being converted by the photodetectors)).
Before the filing date of the instant application, it would have obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the output of the receiver in Zhao to follow Yang’s teaching of outputting the sidebands separately. By combining the output circuitry of Yang with that of Zhao, the combination predictably produced the result of outputting the sidebands separately instead of combined. Thus, each combined element merely performs the same function as it did previously.
Regarding Claim 22, the combination of Zhao, Yang, and Krasulick teach The method of claim 21, wherein shifting the relative phase of the first sideband light signal and the second sideband light signal biases an upper sideband corresponding to the first RF signal (FIG. 1; “making the upper X-DPMZM output signal as the carrier suppression + 1 order sideband state” (p. 3, ¶ 6)) and a lower sideband corresponding to the second RF signal at a first output port and an upper sideband corresponding to the second RF signal and a lower sideband corresponding to the first RF signal at a second output port (“the LO signal is input to the Y-DPMZM after passing through the 90 ° HC2, and at this time, the output signal of the LO signal is in a carrier-suppressed -1 - order sideband state by adjusting the Y-DPMZM bias voltage. As the Y-DPMZM branch contains 90 ° PR, the branch signal is orthogonal to the polarization of the + 1 order sideband signal of the upper branch X-DPMZM, and is output after PBC coupling” (p. 3, ¶ 7)).
Before the filing date of the instant application, it would have obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the output of the receiver in Zhao to follow Yang’s teaching of outputting the sidebands separately. By combining the output circuitry of Yang with that of Zhao, the combination predictably produced the result of outputting the sidebands separately instead of combined. Thus, each combined element merely performs the same function as it did previously.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PAUL M BROCK whose telephone number is (571)272-7257. The examiner can normally be reached 8-4:30pm.
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/PAUL MORGAN BROCK/Examiner, Art Unit 2634 February 18, 2026
/KENNETH N VANDERPUYE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2634