Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
DETAILED ACTION
2. This office action is in response to preliminary amendment communication filed on 06/17/2024. Claims 1-15 have been amended. Claims 16-17 have been canceled. Claims 1-15 are pending on this application.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
3. The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
4. Claims 1-7 and 10-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hamilton et al. U. S patent 5,010,346.
Regarding claim 1. Fig. 4 of Hamilton et al. disclose a method of performing analogue to digital conversion (A/D 64a…64n) of an analogue input signal (Analog Signal 36), the method comprising: generating a first laser pulse train (Mode Locked Diode Laser 210a) having a first wavelength (ʎ1); generating a second laser pulse train (Mode Locked Diode Laser 210b) having a second wavelength (ʎ2), which is different (see Fig. 5 for discloses different phase of each pulse P1…P2) from the first wavelength (ʎ1); modulating (intensity modulator 104; col. 8 lines 28-29) , using an interferometric modulator (intensity modulator 104 modulates the first laser pulse train ʎ1 and the second laser pulse train ʎ2 based on analog signal 36) on the basis of the analogue input signal (Analog Signal 36), wherein the interferometric modulator (intensity modulator 104) is configured such that its response to the first laser pulse train (ʎ1) is not in phase (see Fig. 5 for discloses phase P1 is not in phase of P2) with its response to the second laser pulse train (ʎ2); determining (determining of A/D 64a…64n), on a basis of the modulated (modulated of modulator 104) first laser pulse train (ʎ1) and the modulated second laser pulse train (ʎ2), a voltage of the analogue input signal (Voltage of analog input signal of A/D 62a,…62n); and generating a digital signal (digital signal 66q….66b) indicative of the determined voltage (determining by A/D 64a…64n the voltage of analog input signal 62a,…62n).
Regarding claim 2. The method according to claim 1, Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 further disclose wherein the modulating (intensity modulator 104) comprises operating the interferometric modulator (intensity modulator 104) such that variation of the analogue input signal (variation of Analog Signal in Fig. 5) gives rise to a phase shift (rise of P1’ …P2’ based of phased shift ∆T in Fig. 5 ) greater than half a cycle (phased shift ∆T greater than cycle of P1 or P2 in Fig. 5) of one or both of the first wavelength (ʎ1) and the second wavelength (ʎ2).
Regarding claim 3. The method according to claim 2, Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 further discloses wherein the variation (variation of Analog Signal in Fig. 5) gives rise to a phase shift (rise of P1’ …P12’ phase shift of ∆T in Fig. 5) of greater than one cycle (cycle of P1 or P2 in Fig. 5) of one or both of the first wavelength (ʎ1) and the second wavelength (ʎ2).
Regarding claim 4. The method according to claim 3, Fig. 1 of Hamilton et al. further discloses wherein: the modulated first laser pulse train (46) of has a first modulation state (modulated state of 46), associated with the modulation (40) applied to the first laser pulse train (22) , and the modulated second laser pulse train (48) has a second modulation state (modulated state of 48), associated with the modulation (40) applied to the second laser pulse train (22) ; and the determining (determining of A/D 64a…66e) comprises evaluating the first modulation state (state of 46) and the second modulation state (state of 48).
Regarding claim 5. The method according to claim 4, Fig. 4 further discloses wherein at least one combination (combination of wavelength Division Multiplexed 214) of the first modulation state (modulation state of ʎ1) and the second modulation state (modulation state of ʎ2) is associated with a plurality of voltages of the analogue input signal (analog voltages of analog signal 36).
Regarding claim 6. The method according to claim 5, Fig. 4 further discloses wherein the determining (determining by A/D) comprises identifying a voltage (identifying voltage of 62a or 62b) in the plurality of voltages (voltages of analog signal 36) which has caused the first modulation state and the second modulation state (modulation states of ʎ1 and ʎ2).
Regarding claim 7. The method according to claim 6, Fig. 4 further discloses wherein the identifying (identifying voltage of 62a or 62b) is performed on a basis of one or more previously determined voltages (voltages of 62a is previous to voltage of 62b) of the analogue input signal (Analog signal 36).
Regarding claim 10. The method according to 1. Fig. 4 further discloses wherein: the method further comprises comprising combining (Wavelength Division Multiplexer 214 combining all wavelength ʎ1…ʎn) the first laser pulse train (ʎ1) and second laser pulse train (ʎ2); and the modulating (intensity modulator 104) is performed on the combined (Wavelength Division Multiplexer 214) laser pulse trains (216).
Regarding claim 11. The method according to claim 10, Fig. 4 further comprising performing wavelength dependent splitting (Wavelength Division Demultiplexer 220 splitting all wavelength ʎ1…ʎ2) of the modulated combined pulse trains (218) to generate the modulated first laser pulse train and the modulated second laser pulse train (ʎ1…ʎ2 from 220).
Regarding claim 12. The method according to claim 1, Fig. 4 further comprising: operating a first optical detector (Photo Detector PD 56a) to convert the modulated first laser pulse train (ʎ1 222a) into a first modulated analogue electrical signal (58a); and operating a second optical detector (Photo Detector PD 56b) to convert the modulated second laser pulse train (ʎ2 222b) into a second modulated analogue electrical signal (58b).
Regarding claim 13. The method according to claim 12, Fig. 4 further comprising: operating a first analogue to digital converter (A/D 64a) to convert the first modulated analogue electrical signal (222a) into a first digital bitstream (66a); and operating a second analogue to digital converter (64b) to convert the second modulated analogue electrical signal (58b) into a second digital bitstream (66b) .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
5. 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.
6. Claims 8, 9, 14 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hamilton et al. applies to claims 6 and 1 above, in view of Shaver et al. Pub. No. 2013/0315597.
Regarding claim 8. Hamilton et al. applied to claim 6 above, Fig. 4 of Hamilton et al. further comprising comprises operating an analogue to digital converter (A/D 64a…64n) to convert the analogue input signal (Analog Signal 36) into a digitized signal (66a….66n); and the identifying (identifying of 62a….62n) is performed (Photo Diode PD 56a…56n) on the basis of the digitized signal (digital signals 66a…66n).
However, Hamilton et al. do not disclose the digital signal is digitized input signal; and the identifying is performed on the basis of the digitized input signal.
Fig. 4 of Shaver et al. discloses a method of performing optical analogue to digital conversion (ADC 465) of an analogue input signal (analog signal of Front-End system 440) comprising: an analogue to digital converter (ADC 465) to convert the analogue input signal (analog signal of Front-End system 440) into a digitized input signa (digitized signal of ADC 465 is input into DSP 470); and identifying is performed (identified output performed by DSP 470) on a basis of the digitized input signal (digitized signal of ADC is input into DSP 470).
Hamilton et al. and Shaver et al. are common subject matter of performing optical analog into digital signal; therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of claimed invention to one ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains to incorporate Shaver et al. into Hamilton et al. for the purpose achieve both sampling and compression, enabling relatively-few high bit-depth ADCs to efficiently cover a large surveillance bandwidth that is sparsely occupied with signals of interest at any given instant. The architecture is suitable for very high integration using photonic integrated circuit-based modules (paragraph 0009 of Shaver et al.).
Regarding claim 9. Hamilton et al. applied to claim 1 above, do not disclose wherein the interferometric modulator is configured such that its response to the first laser pulse train is substantially in quadrature with its response to the second laser pulse train.
Fig. 4 of Shaver et al. discloses a method of performing optical analogue to digital conversion (ADC 465) of an analogue input signal (analog signal of Front-End system 440) comprising: a interferometric modulator (MZM 435) is configured such that its response to a first laser pulse train (ʎ1) is substantially in quadrature (paragraph 0063 discloses “A Mach-Zehnder modulator implements amplitude modulation, though other forms of amplitude or quadrature modulation could also be use”) with its response to the second laser pulse train (ʎ2).
Hamilton et al. and Shaver et al. are common subject matter of performing optical analog into digital signal; therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of claimed invention to one ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains to incorporate Shaver et al. into Hamilton et al. for the purpose providing quadrature point that provides the most linear segment of the MZM's transfer function, crucial for transmitting complex analog signals without introducing unwanted harmonic distortion (AI Overview Purposes of MZM at Quadrature Bias: High Linearity & Low Distortion: The quadrature point provides the most linear segment of the MZM's transfer function, crucial for transmitting complex analog signals without introducing unwanted harmonic distortion (like second-order intermodulation).
Regarding claim 14. Hamilton et al. applied to claim 13 above do not disclose wherein the determining is performed on the basis of the first digital bitstream and the second digital bitstream.
Fig. 4 of Shaver et al. discloses a method of performing optical analogue to digital conversion (ADC 465) of an analogue input signal (analog signal of Front-End system 440) comprising: determining (determining to generate OUTPUT signals by DSP 470) is performed on the basis of the first digital bitstream and the second digital bitstream (first and second digital stream output from ADC 465).
Hamilton et al. and Shaver et al. are common subject matter of performing optical analog into digital signal; therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of claimed invention to one ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains to incorporate Shaver et al. into Hamilton et al. for the purpose achieve both sampling and compression, enabling relatively-few high bit-depth ADCs to efficiently cover a large surveillance bandwidth that is sparsely occupied with signals of interest at any given instant. The architecture is suitable for very high integration using photonic integrated circuit-based modules (paragraph 0009 of Shaver et al.).
Regarding claim 15. Hamilton et al. applied to claim 1 above do not discloses wherein the interferometric modulator (intensity modulator 104) comprises a Mach Zehnder modulator as claimed.
Fig. 4 of Shaver et al. discloses a method of performing optical analogue to digital conversion (ADC 465) of an analogue input signal (analog signal of Front-End system 440) comprising: an interferometric modulator (modulator 435) comprises a Mach Zehnder modulator (MZM).
Hamilton et al. and Shaver et al. are common subject matter of performing optical analog into digital signal; therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of claimed invention to one ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains to incorporate Shaver et al. into Hamilton et al. for the purpose achieve both sampling and compression, enabling relatively-few high bit-depth ADCs to efficiently cover a large surveillance bandwidth that is sparsely occupied with signals of interest at any given instant. The architecture is suitable for very high integration using photonic integrated circuit-based modules (paragraph 0009 of Shaver et al.).
Contact Information
7. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Linh Van Nguyen whose telephone number is (571) 272-1810. The examiner can normally be reached from 8:30 – 5:00 Monday-Friday.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Mr. Dameon E. Levi can be reached at (571) 272-2105. The fax phone numbers for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned are (571-273-8300) for regular communications and (571-273-8300) for After Final communications.
12/14/2025
/LINH V NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2845