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 .
Claim Objections
Claims 1, 6, 14, 16 and 18 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Regarding claim 1, the recitation of “a Rydberg sensor” line 4 refers to a prior limitation.
Regarding claim 6, the recitation of “a Rydberg sensor” lines 3-4 refers to a prior limitation.
Regarding claim 14, the recitation of “the active antenna radio system” lines 2-3 lacks antecedent basis.
Regarding claim 16, the recitation of “the modulated signal” line 3 lacks antecedent basis.
Regarding claim 18, the recitation of “one or more species of vaporized alkaline element atoms” lines 1-2 refers to a prior limitation.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
Claims 1-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to non-statutory subject matter. The claim(s) does/do not fall within at least one of the four categories of patent eligible subject matter because:
Regarding claim 1, the recitation of “one or more computer-readable media” in line 1 is non-statutory as it could include transitory media. The examiner recommends reciting the term non-transitory.
Claims 2-5 are rejected due to their dependency on claim 1.
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 and 3-5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Anderson et al. (US 2022/0196716 A1) in view of Bussey (US 2024/0204876 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Anderson et al. teach one or more computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon (embodiments of the disclosure may also be implemented as instructions stored on a machine-readable medium, which may be read and executed by one or more processors; [0118]; atomic receiver with antenna 700; FIG. 7) that, when executed, perform a method of utilizing a Rydberg sensor in an active antenna radio system (the laser fields that are modulated are employed in Rydberg atom RF sensing, e.g. atomic receiver 100; [0273]), the method comprising:
utilizing a Rydberg sensor to detect a modulated signal corresponding to radio frequency, RF, carrier signals, wherein the Rydberg sensor replaces receiver portions of an active antenna (unlike traditional antenna and receiver technology, atomic receivers include RF amplitude, frequency, and phase domains that are specific to the spectroscopic response of an atom to an incident EM wave; [0199], [0210], [0248]; modulated RF signal; [0210]-[0214]; oscillator 420 can be configured to form a PLL for synchronous frequency-modulated or phase-modulated signal reception; [0254]; FIG. 4).
Further regarding claim 1, Anderson et al. do not teach providing the modulated signal corresponding to the RF carrier signals from the Rydberg sensor to a base station.
Further regarding claim 1, Bussey teaches providing a modulated signal corresponding to RF carrier signals from a Rydberg sensor to a base station (the base station 100 to utilize a Rydberg-atom based RF receiver; [0053]; FIG. 2) for the purpose of transferring the information in the RF signals to a broadband ground network.
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to incorporate providing the modulated signal corresponding to the RF carrier signals from the Rydberg sensor to a base station, as taught by Bussey, into Anderson et al. for the purpose of transferring the information in the RF signals to a broadband ground network.
Regarding claim 3, Anderson et al. teach two RF phase-modulated coupler frequency components are coupled to different Rydberg levels (FIG. 32; [0503]). One of ordinary skill in the art would have known that the coupling of the two components in separate levels could serve as combining two components as in duplexing and extracting individual components as in filtering.
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify Anderson et al. in view of Bussey by incorporating removing duplexers and filters for dedicated transmitter and receiver paths in the active antenna radio system for the purpose of reducing the number of devices in the antenna radio system.
Regarding claim 4, Anderson et al. teach adjusting an orientation of the Rydberg sensor to correspond to a polarization of an arriving electromagnetic, EM, field (measurements can be taken with transmitting antenna 654 oriented so that the microwave polarization is both parallel and perpendicular to the axis of the atomic receiver 100; [0287]; FIG. 6A).
Regarding claim 5, Anderson et al. teach extracting, by the Rydberg sensor, an in-phase component and a quadrature-phase component, IQ, of the modulated signal (input signal 410 can be demodulated by atoms 107 with both in-phase and quadrature/out-of-phase waves generated by VCO 424; [0261]; Figs 4).
Claim(s) 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Anderson et al. (US 2022/0196716 A1) as modified by Bussey (US 2024/0204876 A1) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Anderson et al. (US 2024/0413829 A1).
Regarding claim 2, Anderson et al. ‘716 as modified by Bussey do not teach selecting a wavelength of a laser in the Rydberg sensor to correspond to an RF operating frequency.
Further regarding claim 2, Anderson et al. ‘829 teach selecting a wavelength of a laser in a Rydberg sensor to correspond to an RF operating frequency (laser wavelength coupling and RF carrier frequency resonant Rydberg transition; [0128]-[0129]; Figs 8-9) for the purpose of selecting the laser wavelength for a corresponding RF frequency to achieve the highest signal-to-noise ratio.
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to incorporate selecting a wavelength of a laser in the Rydberg sensor to correspond to an RF operating frequency, as taught by Anderson et al. ‘829, into Anderson et al. ‘716 as modified by Bussey for the purpose of selecting the laser wavelength for a corresponding RF frequency to achieve the highest signal-to-noise ratio.
Claim(s) 6, 8-11, 14-16 and 19-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Anderson et al. (US 2022/0196716 A1).
Regarding claim 6, Anderson et al. teach a method of utilizing a Rydberg sensor in an active antenna radio system (the laser fields that are modulated are employed in Rydberg atom RF sensing, e.g. atomic receiver 100; [0273]; atomic receiver with antenna 700; FIG. 7), the method comprising:
replacing receiver portions of the active antenna radio system with a Rydberg sensor (unlike traditional antenna and receiver technology, atomic receivers include RF amplitude, frequency, and phase domains that are specific to the spectroscopic response of an atom to an incident EM wave; [0199], [0210], [0248]); and
utilizing the Rydberg sensor to detect a modulated signal corresponding to radio frequency, RF, carrier signals (modulated RF signal; [0210]-[0214]; oscillator 420 can be configured to form a PLL for synchronous frequency-modulated or phase-modulated signal reception; [0254]; FIG. 4).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify Anderson et al. by incorporating different exemplary embodiments of Anderson et al. for the purpose of combining multiple functions in an antenna system.
Regarding claim 8, Anderson et al. teach two RF phase-modulated coupler frequency components are coupled to different Rydberg levels (FIG. 32; [0503]). One of ordinary skill in the art would have known that the coupling of the two components in separate levels could serve as combining two components as in duplexing and extracting individual components as in filtering.
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify Anderson et al. by incorporating removing duplexers and filters for dedicated transmitter and receiver paths in the active antenna radio system for the purpose of reducing the number of devices in the antenna radio system.
Regarding claim 9, Anderson et al. teach adjusting an orientation of the Rydberg sensor to correspond to a polarization of an arriving electromagnetic, EM, field (measurements can be taken with transmitting antenna 654 oriented so that the microwave polarization is both parallel and perpendicular to the axis of the atomic receiver 100; [0287]; FIG. 6A).
Regarding claim 10, Anderson et al. teach extracting, by the Rydberg sensor, an in-phase component and a quadrature-phase component, IQ, of the modulated signal (input signal 410 can be demodulated by atoms 107 with both in-phase and quadrature/out-of-phase waves generated by VCO 424; [0261]; Figs 4).
Regarding claim 11, Anderson et al. teach a Rydberg sensor active antenna array system (phased-array antenna characterization; [0272]; the laser fields that are modulated are employed in Rydberg atom RF sensing, e.g. atomic receiver 100; [0273]; atomic receiver with antenna 700; FIG. 7; one or more RF-EM fields emitted from one or more sources, e.g. an antenna array; [0327]; phased-array antennas in 5G; [0488], [0515], [0525]; antenna array; [0614]), comprising:
an antenna array aperture comprising one or more radiating elements (microwaves 652 can be generated by signal generator 632 and transmitted by microwave horn antenna 654; [0279]; FIG. 6A), one or more power amplifiers (microwave amplifier 634; FIG. 6A), a beam former (the microwave horn antenna 654 forms the microwave beam 652; FIG. 6A), and a radio frequency, RF, control component configured to transmit an outgoing RF signal (signal generator 632; FIG. 6A); and
one or more Rydberg sensors configured to receive an incoming RF signal (atomic receiver 100; Figs 6A-6B; atomic receiver 100 can be configured to detect an incident EM field and output a readout signal based on an interaction of the incident EM field with one or more atoms, e.g. Rydberg atom, in atomic receiver 100; [0229], [0248]-[0249], [0273], [0315]-[0316]).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify Anderson et al. by incorporating different exemplary embodiments of Anderson et al. for the purpose of combining multiple functions in an antenna array system.
Regarding claim 14, Anderson et al. teach two RF phase-modulated coupler frequency components are coupled to different Rydberg levels (FIG. 32; [0503]). One of ordinary skill in the art would have known that the coupling of the two components in separate levels could serve as combining two components as in duplexing and extracting individual components as in filtering.
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify Anderson et al. by incorporating wherein duplexers and filters are removed for dedicated transmitter and receiver paths in the active antenna radio system for the purpose of reducing the number of devices in the antenna radio system.
Regarding claim 15, Anderson et al. teach wherein an orientation of the one or more Rydberg sensors is adjusted to correspond to a polarization of an arriving electromagnetic, EM, field (measurements can be taken with transmitting antenna 654 oriented so that the microwave polarization is both parallel and perpendicular to the axis of the atomic receiver 100; [0287]; FIG. 6A).
Regarding claim 16, Anderson et al. teach wherein the one or more Rydberg sensors extract an in-phase component and a quadrature-phase component, IQ, of the modulated signal (input signal 410 can be demodulated by atoms 107 with both in-phase and quadrature/out-of-phase waves generated by VCO 424; [0261]; FIG. 4).
Regarding claim 19, Anderson et al. teach wherein the one or more Rydberg sensors comprise a probe laser, a coupling laser, and a photo-detector (probe laser beam 103, coupler laser beam 104, detector 160; FIG. 1; probing laser and coupler laser; [0320]).
Regarding claim 20, Anderson et al. teach wherein the photo-detector is configured to read data from an RF carrier signal when the probe laser and the coupling laser are passed through the one or more species of vaporized alkaline element atoms in the glass cell (detector 160 can receive signal beam 134 and output an electrical signal 162 based on the received optical signal; [0232]; FIG. 1; optical readout 134 from atoms 107 containing the I/Q demodulated signals can be detected by photodetector 160; [0261]-[0262]).
Claim(s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Anderson et al. (US 2022/0196716 A1) in view of Anderson et al. (US 2024/0413829 A1).
Regarding claim 7, Anderson et al. ‘716 do not teach selecting a wavelength of a laser in the Rydberg sensor to correspond to an RF operating frequency.
Further regarding claim 7, Anderson et al. ‘829 teach selecting a wavelength of a laser in a Rydberg sensor to correspond to an RF operating frequency (laser wavelength coupling and RF carrier frequency resonant Rydberg transition; [0128]-[0129]; Figs 8-9) for the purpose of selecting the laser wavelength for a corresponding RF frequency to achieve the highest signal-to-noise ratio.
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to incorporate selecting a wavelength of a laser in the Rydberg sensor to correspond to an RF operating frequency, as taught by Anderson et al. ‘829, into Anderson et al. ‘716 for the purpose of selecting the laser wavelength for a corresponding RF frequency to achieve the highest signal-to-noise ratio.
Claim(s) 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Anderson et al. (US 2022/0196716 A1) in view of Jehle et al. (US 5,095,312).
Regarding claim 12, Anderson et al. do not teach an antenna power supply configured to provide power to the antenna array aperture and the one or more Rydberg sensors.
Further regarding claim 12, Jehle et al. teach an antenna power supply configured to provide power to an antenna aperture and one or more Rydberg sensors (the pulse 28 is accordingly applied to the base of a transistor 56 in an emitter-follower circuit arrangement between power line 58 and ground through series connection of the transistor collector and emitter to load resistor 60 and interconnected resistors 62 and 64; Figs 1-2; column 3, lines 30-54; the timing pulse generator 94 is operated by a master oscillator 96 connected to the power supply to also produce the timing pu.se signal 40 fed to the laser trigger 42 and to the data bus 38 for time control of the readout display and equipment; FIG. 3; column 3, line 55 to column 4, line 7) for the purpose of powering an antenna array system.
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to incorporate an antenna power supply configured to provide power to the antenna array aperture and the one or more Rydberg sensors, as taught by Jehle et al., into Anderson et al. for the purpose of powering an antenna array system.
Claim(s) 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Anderson et al. (US 2022/0196716 A1) in view of Anderson et al. (US 2024/0413829 A1).
Regarding claim 13, Anderson et al. ‘716 do not teach a wavelength of a laser in the one or more Rydberg sensors is selected to correspond to an RF operating frequency.
Further regarding claim 13, Anderson et al. ‘829 teach a wavelength of a laser in one or more Rydberg sensors is selected to correspond to an RF operating frequency (laser wavelength coupling and RF carrier frequency resonant Rydberg transition; [0128]-[0129]; Figs 8-9) for the purpose of selecting the laser wavelength for a corresponding RF frequency to achieve the highest signal-to-noise ratio.
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to incorporate a wavelength of a laser in the one or more Rydberg sensors is selected to correspond to an RF operating frequency, as taught by Anderson et al. ‘829, into Anderson et al. ‘716 for the purpose of selecting the laser wavelength for a corresponding RF frequency to achieve the highest signal-to-noise ratio.
Claim(s) 17-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Anderson et al. (US 2022/0196716 A1) in view of Prajapati et al. (US 2025/0330243 A1).
Regarding claim 17, Anderson et al. do not teach wherein the one or more Rydberg sensors comprise a glass cell containing one or more species of vaporized alkaline element atoms.
Further regarding claim 17, Prajapati et al. teach one or more Rydberg sensors comprise a glass cell containing one or more species of vaporized alkaline element atoms (Rydberg atom receiver cell 011 can be a cylindrical chamber made of an optically transparent and radiofrequency transparent material, such as glass or quartz; the chamber has a selected length and diameter that is suitable for containing a gas, e.g. an alkali metal at a selected pressure for interaction of probe laser light 005, coupling laser light 027, and radio frequency field 028; [0050]-[0051]; FIG. 1) for the purpose of using atoms having a large number of electronic energy levels that are accessible at reasonable optical wavelengths.
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to incorporate wherein the one or more Rydberg sensors comprise a glass cell containing one or more species of vaporized alkaline element atoms, as taught by Prajapati et al., into Anderson et al. for the purpose of using atoms having a large number of electronic energy levels that are accessible at reasonable optical wavelengths.
Regarding claim 18, Anderson et al. do not teach wherein one or more species of vaporized alkaline element atoms are utilized as sensors to detect modulated information on RF carrier signals.
Further regarding claim 18, Prajapati et al. teach one or more species of vaporized alkaline element atoms are utilized as sensors to detect modulated information on RF carrier signals (Rydberg atom television receiver 200 receives video and data in an arbitrary analog or digital modulation form; [0019]) for the purpose of receiving data with high-quality and a high data rate.
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to incorporate wherein one or more species of vaporized alkaline element atoms are utilized as sensors to detect modulated information on RF carrier signals, as taught by Prajapati et al., into Anderson et al. for the purpose of receiving data with high-quality and a high data rate.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KENDRICK X LIU whose telephone number is (571)270-3798. The examiner can normally be reached MWFSa 10am-8pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Douglas X Rodriguez can be reached at (571) 431-0716. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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8 January 2026
/KENDRICK X LIU/Examiner, Art Unit 2853
/DOUGLAS X RODRIGUEZ/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2853