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 Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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 1-8, 13, and 16-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2024/0022248 A1 [hereinafter Pellerano] in view of US 2011/0151816 A1 [hereinafter Wu].
Regarding Claims 1:
Pellerano teaches an information processing apparatus (a quantum computing apparatus) comprising:
a quantum bit (Fig. 10 and paras. [0051- 0094]: “a qubit 1050 on a quantum processor chip 1051”; and “the quantum execution engine generates control signals to manipulate the state of the qubits within the quantum processor.”);
a digital circuit configured to generate a digital signal (Fig. 10 and paras. [0093]: “digital-to-analog (D/A) converters 1004 generate analog waveforms using a baseband signal from a digital baseband generator 1002”);
a conversion circuit configured to convert the digital signal into a microwave to be transmitted to the quantum bit (Fig. 10 and paras. [0093-0094]: “digital-to-analog (D/A) converters 1004 generate analog waveforms using a baseband signal from a digital baseband generator 1002. Low pass filters 1006 filter frequencies above a specified threshold (i.e., D/A images), and I/Q mixers 1008 perform a frequency up-conversion of the filtered analog baseband signal to a microwave frequency… The microwave pulse is transmitted through an electron spin resonance (ESR) line 1025 … [and then] The pulse is delivered to a qubit 1050 on a quantum processor chip 1051”).
Pellerano teaches performing “advanced frequency planning … in combination with synchronous clock control to ensure that any unwanted harmonics generated by system components fall within the filtering range of one or more low pass filters or other signal filtering circuitry” and “ with advanced frequency planning and synchronous clocking spanning the qubit control chip 1400, including the digital baseband 1102, readout detector 1172 and stimulus generator 1771, spurious mixing tones and LO harmonics are removed, mitigating the need for components that would otherwise consume additional power and produce additional noise” (paras. [0141 and 0153]).
However, Pellerano does not specially teach an adjustment circuit configured to set a first frequency of a clock used in the digital circuit such that a harmonic frequency of the first frequency differs from a second frequency of the microwave.
Wu teaches a “frequency planning algorithm” in which a controller sets or changes a clock frequency by a digital processor so that the clock frequency and its harmonics avoid a protected RF channel (paras. [0035-0036]). In particular, Wu teaches that the digital processor operates in synchronization with
f
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, that
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and its harmonics can direct coupled to other circuits and cause spurs, and that the MCU performs frequency planning by providing a clock-control signal to the clock synthesizer (paras. [0021-0024]). Because harmonics of a clock frequency are integer multiples of the clock frequency, Wu’s teaching of avoiding
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and it is harmonics from the selected RF channel teaches avoiding frequencies such as
f
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K
, 2
f
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, 3
f
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, etc., from the protected RF channel, e.g., a microwave channel.
As such, the frequency planning algorithm taught by Wu can be applied to Pellerano’s quantum apparatus by treating Pellerano’s qubit-control microwave frequency/channel as Wu’s protected RF channel. In the modified apparatus, the controller applies Wu’s frequency planning algorithm by determining whether the clock frequency used by Pellerano’s digital baseband circuitry (“first frequency”) or any harmonic thereof falls within the qubit-control microwave sequence /channel (“second frequency”), and if so, the controller changes the clock frequency to another frequency. As a result, in the modified apparatus, the harmonic frequency of the clock used by the digital baseband circuitry does not fall within, and therefore differs from, the microwave frequency transmitted to the qubits, as claimed.
Therefore, it would have been obvious for an ordinary skilled person in the art, before the effective time of filing, to apply the frequency planning algorithm taught by Wu to Pellerano’s quantum apparatus, since Pellerano already recognizes that unwanted harmonics and spurious tones in the qubit-control chip are undesirable and teaches using frequency planning and synchronous clock control to remove such harmonics/spurious tones, and Wu provides a known implementation of such frequency planning by changing the digital clock frequency so that clock harmonics avoid a protected RF channel, thereby improving signal quality and reducing unwanted noise in the qubit-control circuitry.
Regarding Claim 2:
Pellerano in view of Wu teaches the information processing apparatus of claim 1. the combined references further teach wherein the adjustment circuit is configured to set the second frequency to a predetermined frequency, and set the first frequency such that an integral multiple of the first frequency differs from the predetermined frequency (Pellerano teaches setting the microwave signal (“second frequency”) to a specified microwave frequency [0093-0094]. Wu teaches changing digital clock frequency
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when
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or its harmonics fall within a selected RF channel [0021-0024]. Because harmonics are integer multiples of
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, Wu teaches selecting
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K
so its integral multiples avoid the selected RF channels. In the modified apparatus, applying the frequency planning technique to Pellerano, to set its clock digital signal frequency (“first frequency”) so that its integral multiple differs from the predetermined microwave frequency).
Regarding Claim 3:
Pellerano in view of Wu teaches the information processing apparatus of claim 2. Pellerano further teaches the conversion circuit includes: a converter configured to convert the digital signal into an analog signal, and a mixer configured to up-convert the analog signal into the microwave (para. [0093]: “digital-to-analog (D/A) converters 1004 generate analog waveforms using a baseband signal from a digital baseband generator 1002… and I/Q mixers 1008 perform a frequency up-conversion of the filtered analog baseband signal to a microwave frequency”).
The combined references teach the second frequency changes with a change of the first frequency, and the adjustment circuit adjusts the first frequency such that the integral multiple of the first frequency differs from the predetermined frequency (apply Wu’s frequency planning algorithm to Pellerano to set/change the clock frequency used by the digital baseband circuitry so harmonics avoid the specified microwave channel, and in the modified apparatus, changing the digital-baseband/DAC clock affects the generated waveform/frequency planning).
Regarding Claim 4:
Pellerano in view of Wu teaches the information processing apparatus of claim 3. Pellerano further teaches wherein the adjustment circuit is configured to adjust a frequency of a local oscillation signal to be input to the mixer such that the second frequency matches the predetermined frequency (paras. [0093, 0024, 0229]: because “I/Q mixers 1008 perform a frequency up-conversion of the filtered analog baseband signal to a microwave frequency” and “a mixer operable at a local oscillator (LO) frequency to frequency-convert the reflected signal to generate a frequency-converted signal” and the mixer “is capable of changing its operating frequency from a nominal operating frequency to frequencies within an available frequency range,” i.e., the local-oscillation frequency determines the resulting microwave frequency and local-oscillation frequency can be changed by the mixer, the local oscillator frequency can be set/adjusted so that the mixer output has the specified/predetermined microwave frequency)
Regarding Claim 5:
Pellerano in view of Wu teaches the information processing apparatus of claim 1.
Pellerano further teaches the adjustment circuit includes a first adjustment circuit configured to adjust the second frequency (para. [0195]: mixers (“first circuit”) to “generate a microwave waveform at a specified microwave frequency based on the filtered waveform”); and
Wu further teaches a second adjustment circuit configured to adjust the first frequency, (para. [0024]:” “clock synthesizer 126 (“second adjustment circuit”) “is capable of changing its operating frequency … In this way MCU 132…is able to change
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to a frequency that reduces undesired coupling”); and
the combined references further teach the adjustment circuit performs adjustment such that an integral multiple of the first frequency differs from the second frequency by using at least one of the first adjustment circuit or the second adjustment circuit (in the modified apparatus, at least the second adjustment circuit is used to perform adjustment so that an integral multiple of the adjusted digital signal frequency differs from the microwave signal frequency).
Regarding Claim 6:
Pellerano in view of Wu teaches the information processing apparatus of claim 5.
Pellerano further teaches the first adjustment circuit is configured to adjust the second frequency to a predetermined frequency (para. [0195]: mixers (“first circuit”) to “generate a microwave waveform at a specified microwave frequency based on the filtered waveform”); and
The combined reference further teaches the second adjustment circuit is configured to adjust the first frequency such that the integral multiple of the first frequency differs from the predetermined frequency (Wu teaches “clock synthesizer 126 (“second adjustment circuit”) “is capable of changing its operating frequency … In this way MCU 132…is able to change
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K
to a frequency that reduces undesired coupling”, so in the modified apparatus, the second adjustment circuit is used to perform adjustment so that an integral multiple of the adjusted digital signal frequency differs from the microwave signal frequency).
Regarding Claim 7:
Pellerano in view of Wu teaches the information processing apparatus of claim 1. The combined references further teach wherein the adjustment circuit is configured to adjust the first frequency such that a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the microwave that has been looped back satisfies a reference value (paras. [0137, 0153]: Pellerano teaches that LO harmonics and digital processor clock spurs may saturate the RF/baseband amplifier or act as blockers, and that added filtering can produce additional noise. Pellerano also teaches removing spurious tones and LO harmonics by frequency planning and synchronous clocking. In the modified apparatus, applying Wu’s clock-frequency adjustment to Pellerano reduces harmonic/spur noise in the looped-back microwave, thereby causing it SNR to satisfy the reference value.
Regarding Claim 8:
Pellerano in view of Wu teaches the information processing apparatus of claim 2. Pellerano further teaches wherein the predetermined frequency includes a resonance frequency of the quantum bit (Fig. 10 and para. [0094]: the microwave pulse generated by the mixer “is transmitted through an electron spin resonance (ESR) line 1025… [and then] delivered to a qubit 1050 on a quantum processor chip 1051… The ESR line 1025 is… to convert the microwave voltage pulse to a microwave current pulse, generating a magnetic field to manipulate the qubit 1050”, since ESR line applies the resonant microwave control field to the qubit, the specified microwave frequency transmitted through that line corresponding to a resonance frequency of the quantum bit).
Regarding Claim 13:
Pellerano in view of Wu teaches the information processing apparatus of claim 1. Pellerano further teaches wherein the microwave includes a signal to be used to control a state of the quantum bit (para. [0226]: “a stimulus generator to generate microwave pulses to control a state of a quantum bit (qubit) of a quantum processor”).
Regarding Claim 16:
Pellerano teaches:
generating a digital signal with a digital circuit (para. [0093]: a digital baseband generator generates digital baseband signal);
converting the digital signal into a microwave to be transmitted to a quantum bit with a conversion circuit (paras. [0093-0094]: the generated digital baseband signal passes through the D/A converter, a filter and then up-converted to a microwave signal by a mixer).
However, Pellerano does not specially note the claimed frequency adjustment method.
Wu teaches a frequency adjustment method (paras. [0021-0024, 0035-0036]: avoiding
f
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L
K
and it is harmonics from the selected RF channel teaches avoiding frequencies such as
f
C
L
K
, 2
f
C
L
K
, 3
f
C
L
K
, etc., from the protected RF channel, e.g., a microwave channel).
As such, Pellerano in view of Wu teaches adjusting, with an adjustment circuit, a first frequency such that an integral multiple of the first frequency of a clock used in the digital circuit differs from a second frequency of the microwave (In the modified apparatus, the controller applies Wu’s frequency planning algorithm by determining whether the clock frequency used by Pellerano’s digital baseband circuitry (“first frequency”) or any harmonic thereof falls within the qubit-control microwave sequence /channel (“second frequency”), and if so, the controller changes the clock frequency to another frequency. As a result, in the modified apparatus, the harmonic frequency of the clock used by the digital baseband circuitry does not fall within, and therefore differs from, the microwave frequency transmitted to the qubits, as claimed.
Therefore, it would have been obvious for an ordinary skilled person in the art, before the effective time of filing, to apply the frequency planning algorithm taught by Wu to Pellerano’s quantum apparatus, since Pellerano already recognizes that unwanted harmonics and spurious tones in the qubit-control chip are undesirable and teaches using frequency planning and synchronous clock control to remove such harmonics/spurious tones, and Wu provides a known implementation of such frequency planning by changing the digital clock frequency so that clock harmonics avoid a protected RF channel, thereby improving signal quality and reducing unwanted noise in the qubit-control circuitry.
Regarding Claim 17:
Pellerano teaches a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium (para. [0254]). As discussed in claim 16, Pellerano in view of Wu teaches the processing steps in claim 17 which are identical to those steps recited in claim 16. As such, Pellerano in view of Wu teaches a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing a frequency adjustment program for causing a computer to perform processing steps as recited.
Claims 9-10, 12, and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Pellerano in view of Wu, further in view of US 2018/0003753 Al [hereinafter Bishop].
Regarding Claim 9:
Pellerano in view of Wu teaches the information processing apparatus of claim 8. However, the combined references do not specially note wherein the adjustment circuit is configured to adjust the second frequency to the resonance frequency such that a state of the quantum bit is read from an output signal from the quantum bit or from an output signal from a cooler that cools the quantum bit. Bishop teaches wherein the adjustment circuit is configured to adjust the second frequency to the resonance frequency such that a state of the quantum bit is read from an output signal from the quantum bit (para. [0031]: “The microwave signal generator 20… is configured to generate a microwave signal… at the qubit resonant frequency (fq) of the microwave qubit 72, and this qubit signal (fq) is input into the quantum system 70… The output readout signal 11…after interacting dispersively with the qubit 72, carries (quantum) information about the qubit 72 state”).
Pellerano/Wu teaches a quantum apparatus that generates microwave signals for controlling a qubit. Bishop teaches generating a microwave signal at the qubit resonant frequency and using an output readout signal that carries information about the qubit state. Therefore, it would have been obvious for an ordinary skilled person in the art, before the effective time of filing, to modify Pellerano/Wu’s quantum apparatus with Bishop to adjust the qubit resonance frequency so that the qubit state is read from the output signal, because operating at the qubit/readout resonance improves the ability of the system to obtain a usable qubit-state readout signal.
Regarding Claim 10:
Pellerano in view of Wu, further in view of Bishop teaches the information processing apparatus of claim 9. Bishop further teaches wherein the adjustment circuit is configured to observe the output signal for each activation, and adjust the second frequency to the resonance frequency for each activation such that the state of the quantum bit is read from the output signal (para. [0031]: during the readout operation, the “input readout signal 21 is input into the readout resonator 74 at resonance (or close to resonance of the readout resonator 74) … such that the readout resonator 74 is excited. The readout resonator 74 generates (or resonates) an output readout signal 11 at the readout resonant frequency (fr). The output readout signal 11 leaving the readout resonator 74, after interacting dispersively with the qubit 72, carries (quantum) information about the qubit 72 state,” thus for each readout/activation, the output/readout signal is observed/used to determine the qubit state while the readout signal is set to the resonant frequency).
Regarding Claim 12:
Pellerano in view of Wu teaches the information processing apparatus of claim 8. However, the combined references do not specially note wherein the resonance frequency includes a resonance frequency of a resonator to be used to read a state of the quantum bit. Bishop teaches wherein the resonance frequency includes a resonance frequency of a resonator to be used to read a state of the quantum bit (para. [0031]: teaches a microwave readout resonator 74 coupled to the qubit, an input readout signal at the readout resonant frequency fr, and the readout resonator generating/resonating an output readout signal at fr).
Pellerano/Wu teaches a quantum apparatus that generates microwave signals for controlling a qubit. Bishop teaches generating a microwave signal at the qubit resonant frequency and using an output readout signal that carries information about the qubit state. Therefore, it would have been obvious for an ordinary skilled person in the art, before the effective time of filing, to modify Pellerano/Wu’s quantum apparatus with Bishop to use the resonance frequency of a readout resonator to read the state of the qubit, because a readout resonator provides a known and reliable structure for converting the qubit state into a measurable microwave output signal.
Regarding Claim 14:
Pellerano in view of Wu teaches the information processing apparatus of claim 8. However, the combined references do not specially note wherein the microwave includes a signal to be used to read a state of the quantum bit. Bishop teaches wherein the microwave includes a signal to be used to read a state of the quantum bit (para. [0031]: the output readout signal is a microwave signal at or near the readout resonant frequency and carries qubit-state information).
Pellerano/Wu teaches a quantum apparatus that generates microwave signals for controlling a qubit. Bishop teaches generating a microwave signal at the qubit resonant frequency and using an output readout signal that carries information about the qubit state. Therefore, it would have been obvious for an ordinary skilled person in the art, before the effective time of filing, to modify Pellerano/Wu’s quantum apparatus with Bishop so that the microwave includes a readout signal used to read the qubit state, because using a microwave readout signal allows the qubit state to be detected through the frequency-dependent response of the readout resonator.
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Pellerano in view of Wu, further in view of US20230066365A1 [hereinafter Mitchell].
Regarding Claim 11:
Pellerano in view of Wu teaches the information processing apparatus of claim 1. However, the combined references do not specially note wherein the resonance frequency includes a resonance frequency of a resonator to be used to control a state of the quantum bit. Mitchell teaches wherein the resonance frequency includes a resonance frequency of a resonator to be used to control a state of the quantum bit (claim 1 and para. [0043]: a resonator creates a stress field at a mechanical resonance frequency that interacts with spin qubits).
Pellerano/Wu teaches a quantum apparatus that generates microwave signals for controlling a qubit. Michell teaches that a resonator can control spin-qubit states by generating a stress field at a mechanical resonance frequency, where the resonator oscillation drives the spins from one state to another. Therefore, it would have been obvious for an ordinary skilled person in the art, before the effective time of filing, to modify Pellerano/Wu with Mitchell to use the resonator resonance frequency for qubit control, because Mitchell identifies a problem with conventional microwave spin control and teaches resonator-based stress control as an alternative way to manipulate spin-qubit states.
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Pellerano in view of Wu, further in view of US20210265963A1 [hereinafter Kong].
Regarding Claim 15:
Pellerano in view of Wu teaches the information processing apparatus of claim 1. However, the combined references do not specially note wherein the microwave includes a pump signal to be used for an amplifier that parametrically amplifies a signal that represents a read result of a state of the quantum bit. Kong teaches wherein the microwave includes a pump signal to be used for an amplifier that parametrically amplifies a signal that represents a read result of a state of the quantum bit (para. [0045]: “In the quantum parameter amplifier according to this embodiment, the signal to be amplified and the pump signal are coupled into the first microwave resonant cavity 200; the signal to be amplified will be amplified under the action of the pump signal”).
Pellerano/Wu teaches a quantum apparatus that generates microwave signals for controlling a qubit. Kong teaches using a pump signal in a quantum parameter amplifier to amplify a weak quantum-bit read signal. Therefore, it would have been obvious for an ordinary skilled person in the art, before the effective time of filing, to modify Pellerano/Wu with Kong to use the microwave as a pump signal for readout-signal amplification, because Kong explains that quantum-bit read signals may be extremely weak and may be submerged in noise if directly transmitted, and that a quantum parameter amplifier improves extraction of effective quantum-state information from the weak read signal.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JING WANG whose telephone number is (571)272-2504. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30-17:00.
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/JING WANG/Examiner, Art Unit 2881
/MICHAEL J LOGIE/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2881
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