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
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 of this title, 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 1,5-7,9-14,16,17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chandrasekhar et al.(US 2005/0058459) in view of Hung et al.(US 2022/0320814).
Considering Claim 1 Chandrasekhar discloses a device comprising: an optical modulator to modulate light to generate a modulated signal(See Paragraph 55,63, fig. 1,4 i.e. an optical modulator which is Mach-Zehnder interferometer(MZI)(403) to modulate light to generate a modulated signal); and an optical equalizer circuit comprising: a power splitter to receive the modulated signal, couple a first portion of the modulated signal onto a direct path, and couple a second portion of the modulated signal onto a delay path(See Paragraph 55, fig. 1 i.e. an optical equalizer circuit comprising: a power splitter(101) to receive the modulated signal(100), couple a first portion of the modulated signal onto a direct path(103), and couple a second portion of the modulated signal onto a delay path(102)); a delay line to introduce a delay into the second portion of the modulated signal traversing the delay path, thereby generating a delayed modulated signal(See Paragraph 55, fig. 1 i.e. a delay line(102) to introduce a delay into the second portion of the modulated signal(100) traversing the delay path(102), thereby generating a delayed modulated signal); a phase shifter to shift a phase of the delayed modulated signal, thereby generating a phase-shifted modulated signal(See Paragraph 55, fig. 1 i.e. a phase shifter(104) to shift a phase of the delayed modulated signal from link(102), thereby generating a phase-shifted modulated signal); and a combiner to combine the first portion of the modulated signal received from the direct path and the phase-shifted modulated signal received from the delay path to generate a combined modulated signal(See Paragraph 55, fig. 1 i.e. a combiner(105) to combine the first portion of the modulated signal received from the direct path(103) and the phase-shifted modulated signal received from the delay path(102) to generate a combined modulated signal(106)).
Chandrasekhar does not explicitly disclose an optical amplifier comprising one of: a direct path amplifier to amplify the first portion of the modulated signal traversing the direct path; or a delay path amplifier to amplify the second portion of the modulated signal traversing the delay path.
Hung teaches an optical amplifier comprising one of: a direct path amplifier to amplify the first portion of the modulated signal traversing the direct path; or a delay path amplifier to amplify the second portion of the modulated signal traversing the delay path(See Paragraph 50, fig. 5 i.e. a direct path amplifier(SOA1) to amplify the first portion of the modulated signal traversing the direct path; or a delay path amplifier(SOA2) to amplify the second portion of the modulated signal traversing the delay path).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the invention of Chandrasekhar, and have an optical amplifier to comprising one of: a direct path amplifier to amplify the first portion of the modulated signal traversing the direct path; or a delay path amplifier to amplify the second portion of the modulated signal traversing the delay path, as taught by Hung, thus improving transmission signal quality by flexibly compensating chromatic dispersion using semiconductor optical amplifiers, as discussed by Hung (Paragraph 2,11).
Considering claim 5 Chandrasekhar and Hung disclose the device of claim 1, wherein: the optical modulator comprises an electro-absorption modulator or a Mach-Zehnder modulator(See Chandrasekhar: Paragraph 64,67,85, fig. 4 i.e. the optical modulator comprises an electro-absorption modulator or a Mach-Zehnder modulator(404,406,407)).
Considering claim 6 Chandrasekhar and Hung disclose the device of claim 1, wherein: the optical equalizer circuit comprises a Mach-Zehnder interferometer structure comprising: a first arm comprising the direct path; and a second arm comprising the delay path(See Chandrasekhar: Paragraph 64, fig. 4 i.e. a Mach-Zehnder interferometer structure(404,406,407) comprising: a first arm comprising the direct path(405a); and a second arm comprising the delay path(405)).
Considering claim 7 Chandrasekhar and Hung disclose the device of claim 1, wherein: the optical amplifier comprises a semiconductor optical amplifier(See Hung: Paragraph 50, fig. 5 i.e. the optical amplifier comprises a semiconductor optical amplifier(SOA)(SOA1,SOA2,…SOAN)).
Considering claim 9 Chandrasekhar and Hung disclose the device of claim 1, wherein; the optical amplifier comprises a delay path amplifier; and the delay path amplifier amplifies the delayed modulated signal before the delayed modulated signal is received by the phase shifter(See Hung: Paragraph 50,51, fig. 5 i.e. the optical amplifier comprises a delay path amplifier(SOA)(SOA2,SOA3,…SOAN); and the delay path amplifier amplifies the delayed modulated signal before the delayed modulated signal is received by the phase shifter(90)).
Considering claim 10 Chandrasekhar and Hung disclose the device of claim 1, wherein: the optical amplifier comprises a direct path amplifier; and the device further comprises a delay path amplifier(See Hung: Paragraph 50, fig. 5 i.e. the optical amplifier comprises a direct path amplifier(SOA1); and the device further comprises a delay path amplifier(SOA2,SOA3,…SOAN)).
Considering claim 11 Chandrasekhar and Hung disclose the device of claim 1, wherein: the optical equalizer circuit further comprises: an output amplifier to amplify the combined modulated signal(See Chandrasekhar: Paragraph 80, fig. 10 i.e. optical equalizer circuit(1004) further comprises: an output amplifier(1007 or 1107) to amplify the combined modulated signal).
Considering claim 12 Chandrasekhar and Hung disclose the device of claim 1, further comprising: one or more additional optical equalizer circuits arranged in series with the optical equalizer circuit to form a cascade of optical equalizer circuits, such that the combined modulated signal generated by each prior optical equalizer circuit in the cascade is received by a power splitter of a subsequent optical equalizer circuit in the cascade(See Chandrasekhar: Paragraph 63-65, fig. 4 i.e. one or more additional optical equalizer circuits(420) arranged in series with the optical equalizer circuit(400) to form a cascade of optical equalizer circuits, such that the combined modulated signal generated by each prior optical equalizer circuit(400) in the cascade is received by a power splitter(424) of a subsequent optical equalizer circuit(420) in the cascade).
Considering claim 13 Chandrasekhar and Hung disclose the device of claim 12, wherein: each optical equalizer circuit of the cascade has a delay line in its delay path introducing a delay that is different from the delay introduced by the delay line of each other optical equalizer circuit of the cascade(See Chandrasekhar: Paragraph 64,65, fig. 4 i.e. each optical equalizer circuit(420) of the cascade has a delay line(425) in its delay path introducing a delay that is different from the delay introduced by the delay line(405) of each other optical equalizer circuit(400) of the cascade).
Claim 14 is rejected for the same reason as in claim 1.
Considering claim 16 Chandrasekhar and Hung disclose the method of claim 14, wherein: the amplifying of the first portion of the modulated signal or the second portion of the modulated signal comprises: using a direct path amplifier to amplify the first portion of the modulated signal traversing the direct path(See Hung: Paragraph 50, fig. 5 i.e. using a direct path amplifier(SOA1) to amplify the first portion of the modulated signal traversing the direct path); and the method further comprises: using a delay path amplifier to amplify the second portion of the modulated signal traversing the delay path(See Hung: Paragraph 50, fig. 5 i.e. using a delay path amplifier(SOA2,SOA3…SOAN) to amplify the second portion of the modulated signal traversing the delay path).
Claim 17 is rejected for the same reason as in claim 11.
Claims 2,15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over
Chandrasekhar et al. (US 2005/0058459) in view of Hung et al.(US 2022/0320814) further in view of Agazzi et al.(US 2017/0317759).
Considering claim 2 the device of claim 1, wherein: the optical equalizer circuit compensates for frequency-dependent attenuation of the modulated signal caused by the optical modulator.
Agazzi teaches the device of claim 1, wherein: the optical equalizer circuit compensates for frequency-dependent attenuation of the modulated signal caused by the optical modulator(See Paragraph 30,33,1a i.e. the optical equalizer circuit(111) compensates for frequency-dependent attenuation of the modulated signal).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the invention of Chandrasekhar and Hung, and have the optical equalizer circuit to compensate for frequency-dependent attenuation of the modulated signal caused by the optical modulator, as taught by Agazzi, thus improving transmission signal quality by minimzing signal distortion by pre-compensating frequency-dependent attenuation.
Claim 15 is rejected for the same reason as in claim 2.
Claims 3,4,8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over
Chandrasekhar et al. (US 2005/0058459) in view of Hung et al.(US 2022/0320814) further in view of Yoo et al.(US 2022/0360339)
Considering Claim 3 Chandrasekhar and Hung disclose the device of claim 1, wherein: the device comprises a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) (See Hung: Paragraph 50,54, fig. 5 i.e. the device comprises a photonic integrated circuit (PIC)).
Chandrasekhar and Hung do not explicitly disclose the photonic integrated circuit (PIC) integrating the optical modulator and the optical equalizer circuit.
Yoo teaches the device of claim 1, wherein: the device comprises a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) integrating the optical modulator and the optical equalizer circuit(See Paragraph 70,83,84, fig. 7 i.e. a photonic integrated circuit (PIC)(300) integrating the optical modulator(333) and the optical equalizer circuit(332)).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the invention of Chandrasekhar and Hung, and have the device to comprises a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) integrating the optical modulator and the optical equalizer circuit, as taught by Yoo, thus providing an efficient transmission system by reducing power consumption and optimize transmission speed using a photonic integrated circuit.
Considering Claim 4 Chandrasekhar, Hung and Yoo disclose the device of claim 3, wherein: the PIC comprises a hybrid Si-InP PIC comprising one or more silicon layers and one or more indium phosphide layers(See Hung: Paragraph 37 i.e. the PIC comprises a hybrid Si-InP PIC comprising one or more silicon layers(substrates) and one or more indium phosphide layers(substrates)).
Considering Claim 8 Chandrasekhar and Hung do not explicitly disclose the device of claim 1, wherein: the device is configured to operate at data rates of 400 Gigabits per second or higher.
Yoo teaches the device of claim 1, wherein: the device is configured to operate at data rates of 400 Gigabits per second or higher(See Paragraph 3,4 i.e. the device is configured to operate at data rates of 400 Gigabits per second or higher).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the invention of Chandrasekhar and Hung, and have the device to be configured to operate at data rates of 400 Gigabits per second or higher, as taught by Yoo, thus providing an efficient transmission system by optimizing transmission capacity by increasing device operating speed.
Claim 18 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chandrasekhar et al. (US 2005/0058459) in view of Hung et al.(US 2022/0320814) further in view of Masuda et al.(US 2012/0177363).
Considering Claim 18 Chandrasekhar discloses a method for calibrating an integrated optical modulator and optical equalizer circuit, the method comprising: applying a signal to the optical modulator(See Paragraph 64, fig. 4 i.e. applying a signal to the optical modulator(403)); detecting a combined modulated signal generated by the optical equalizer(See Paragraph 75, fig. 8a i.e. optical receiver(807) and error detector(806) for detecting a combined modulated signal generated by the optical equalizer(EQ)), the optical equalizer circuit generating the combined modulated signal by combining an output of a direct path with an output of a delay path, the output of the delay path being delayed, and phase shifted by a phase shifter(See Paragraph 64, fig. 4 i.e. the optical equalizer circuit(400) generating the combined modulated signal by combining an output of a direct path(405a) with an output of a delay path(405), the output of the delay path being delayed, and phase shifted by a phase shifter(406)); analyzing the combined modulated signal to determine at least one performance metric(See Paragraph 75, fig. 8a i.e. the error detector(806) and a controller(808) for analyzing the combined modulated signal to determine at least one performance metric(control signal)); based on at least one performance metric, adjusting at least one of: a gain of the optical amplifier; or a phase adjustment of the phase shifter (See Paragraph 66,75, fig. 8a,4 i.e. based on at least one performance metric(control signal), adjusting at least one of: a gain of the optical amplifier; or a phase adjustment of the phase shifter(406 of fig. 4)); and repeating the applying of the test signal, the detecting of the combined modulated signal, the analyzing of the combined modulated signal, and the adjusting of the at least one of the gain or phase adjustment until the performance metric meets a predetermined criterion(See Paragraph 66,75, fig. 8a i.e. a feedback loop for repeating the applying of the test signal, the detecting of the combined modulated signal via error detector(806), the analyzing of the combined modulated signal, and the adjusting of the at least one of the gain or phase adjustment of the equalizer(EQ) until the performance metric meets a predetermined criterion(by adaptively minimizing the error rate) via controller(808)).
Chandrasekhar does not explicitly disclose at least one of the outputs of the direct path or the output of the delay path being amplified by an optical amplifier.
Hung teaches at least one of the outputs of the direct path or the output of the delay path being amplified by an optical amplifier (See Paragraph 50, fig. 5 i.e. at least one of the outputs of the direct path or the output of the delay path being amplified by an optical amplifier(SOA)(SOA1,SOA2,…SOAN)).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the invention of Chandrasekhar, and have at least one of the outputs of the direct path or the output of the delay path to be amplified by an optical amplifier, as taught by Hung, thus improving transmission signal quality by flexibly compensating chromatic dispersion using semiconductor optical amplifiers, as discussed by Hung (Paragraph 2,11).
Chandrasekhar and Hung do not explicitly disclose the signal is a test signal and applying a test signal to the optical modulator.
Masuda teaches the signal is a test signal generated by a test signal generation unit(504) (See Paragraph 84, fig. 5); applying a test signal to the optical modulator(See Paragraph 84, fig. 5 i.e. applying a test signal from a test signal generation unit(504) to the optical modulator(220))
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the invention of Chandrasekhar and Hung, and have the signal to be a test signal and a test signal to be applied to the optical modulator, as taught by Yoo, thus improving a transmission system by minimizing errors and optimize device performances using a test signal that enable to measure transmission characteristics in the system.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 19,20 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HIBRET A WOLDEKIDAN whose telephone number is (571)270-5145. The examiner can normally be reached 9-5:30.
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/HIBRET A WOLDEKIDAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2635
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