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 § 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 1-12 & 18-20 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.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the first port" in line 16, “the first input signal” in line 18 & 20, “the second port” in line 18, and “the third port” in line 20. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, examiner has interpreted “the first port” to read “the first circulator port”, “the first input signal” to read “the input signal”, “the second port” to read “the second circulator port”, and “the third port” to read “the third circulator port”.
By virtue of their dependency on claim 1, claims 2-12 are also rejected.
Claim 18 recites the limitation “the superconducting magnet-less circulator device” in lines 1-2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, examiner has interpreted “the superconducting magnet-less circulator device” to read “the magnet-less circulator device”.
By virtue of their dependency on claim 18, claims 19-20 are also rejected.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the quantum memory devices must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
The filing of a terminal disclaimer by itself is not a complete reply to a nonstatutory double patenting (NSDP) rejection. A complete reply requires that the terminal disclaimer be accompanied by a reply requesting reconsideration of the prior Office action. Even where the NSDP rejection is provisional the reply must be complete. See MPEP § 804, subsection I.B.1. For a reply to a non-final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.111(a). For a reply to final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.113(c). A request for reconsideration while not provided for in 37 CFR 1.113(c) may be filed after final for consideration. See MPEP §§ 706.07(e) and 714.13.
The USPTO Internet website contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit www.uspto.gov/patent/patents-forms. The actual filing date of the application in which the form is filed determines what form (e.g., PTO/SB/25, PTO/SB/26, PTO/AIA /25, or PTO/AIA /26) should be used. A web-based eTerminal Disclaimer may be filled out completely online using web-screens. An eTerminal Disclaimer that meets all requirements is auto-processed and approved immediately upon submission. For more information about eTerminal Disclaimers, refer to www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/applying-online/eterminal-disclaimer.
Claims 1-20 are provisionally rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-20 of copending Application No. 18/919,198 (reference application). Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because all of the claimed limitations from the instant application are taught by the reference application. Although only claim 1 is presented below, it can be understood that similar reasons apply for the remaining claims.
Instant Application 18/967,611
Reference Application 18/919,198
Claim 1. a system, comprising:
a superconducting magnet-less circulator device, comprising:
a first circulator port coupled to a first tank circuit, the first tank circuit comprising a first inductor and a first capacitor resonating at a first resonant frequency, as controlled by a first modulated microwave frequency control signal coupled to a first radio frequency-superconducting quantum interference device (rf-SQUID) set inductively coupled to the first tank circuit,
a second circulator port coupled to a second tank circuit, the second tank circuit comprising a second inductor and a second capacitor resonating at a second resonant frequency as controlled by a second modulated microwave frequency control signal coupled to a second rf-SQUID set inductively coupled to the second tank circuit; and
a third circulator port coupled to a third tank circuit, the third tank circuit comprising a third inductor and a third capacitor resonating at a third resonant frequency as controlled by a third modulated microwave frequency control signal coupled to a third rf-SQUID set inductively coupled to the third tank circuit,
wherein, for an input signal obtained at the first port,
the first resonant frequency and the second resonant frequency interfere constructively to facilitate a flow of the first input signal to the second port, and
the first resonant frequency and the third resonant frequency interfere destructively to impede the flow of the first input signal to the third port.
Claim 1. A system, comprising:
a magnet-less circulator device, comprising:
a first circulator port coupled to a first resonator, the first resonator inductively resonating at a first resonant frequency, based on a first modulated microwave frequency control signal having a first phase;
a second circulator port coupled to a second resonator, the second resonator inductively resonating at a second resonant frequency, based on a second modulated microwave frequency control signal having a second phase that is phase-shifted relative to the first phase; and
a third circulator port coupled to a third resonator, the third resonator inductively resonating at a third resonant frequency, based on a third modulated microwave frequency control signal having a third phase that is phase-shifted relative to the first phase and phase-shifted relative to the second phase,
wherein, for an input signal obtained at the first circulator port,
the first resonant frequency and the second resonant frequency interfere constructively to facilitate a flow of the input signal to the second circulator port, and
the first resonant frequency and the third resonant frequency interfere destructively to impede the flow of the input signal to the third circulator port
Claim 4. wherein the first tank circuit is inductively coupled to the first modulated microwave frequency control signal by a first radio frequency-superconducting quantum interference device (rf-SQUID) set corresponding to the first phase, wherein the second tank circuit is inductively coupled to the second modulated microwave frequency control signal by a second rf-SQUID set, corresponding to the second phase, that is different from the first rf-SQUID set, and wherein the third tank circuit is inductively coupled to the third modulated microwave frequency control signal by a third rf-SQUID set, corresponding to the third phase, that is different from the first rf-SQUID set and different from the second rf-SQUID set.
This is a provisional nonstatutory double patenting rejection because the patentably indistinct claims have not in fact been patented. Although not explicitly disclosed in the reference applications claims 1-16, a tank circuit is well-known to be constructed utilizing an inductor and a capacitor.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Mueller (US 2019/0372192 A1).
Regarding claim 13, Mueller discloses, in figure 1 & 2, a method, comprising:
routing, by a system comprising at least one processor (Para [0002], “quantum computing…connecting the different qubits devices…for this…circulators may be used”…includes the superconducting magnet-less circulator device coupled to the quantum computing system including a processor), a qubit obtained at a first circulator port of a magnet-less circulator device to a second circulator port of the magnet-less circulator device (Para [0002], “quantum computing…connecting the different qubits devices…for this…circulators may be used…a specific port is unidirectional matched to its neighbor port on the left or right”…i.e., routing from a first port to a second port of respective ports P1, P2, P3), in conjunction with impeding signal flow of the qubit from the first circulator port to a third circulator port of the magnet-less circulator device (Para [0002], “quantum computing…connecting the different qubits devices…for this…circulators may be used…a specific port is unidirectional matched to its neighbor port on the left or right, but not to any other port (non-reciprocity)”…i.e., routing from a first port to a second port of respective ports P1, P2, P3, but impeding flow to the corresponding third port), comprising:
outputting, via the system, a first modulated control signal (from M1) to a first radio frequency-superconducting quantum interference device (rf-SQUID) set (Para [0049], “each one of the adjustable inductors of the superconducting circulator device may comprise at least one Josephson junctions. Thus, this structure may basically be built like a SQUID”) inductively coupled to a first tank circuit (resonator 102), to resonate, based on a first phase, the first tank circuit (Para [0045], “superconducting circulator device with its resonators is parametrically tunable by incorporated variable inductors, based on superconducting Josephson junction technology. The variable inductors may allow to be controlled by a field of a DC bias current through the modulators to adjust the resonators resonance frequency”…inductive coupling from ports M1, M2, M3 via 120 [208 of FIG.2] to respective resonators 102, 104, 106…at a respective phase);
outputting, via the system, a second modulated control signal (from M2) to a second rf-SQUID set (Para [0049], “each one of the adjustable inductors of the superconducting circulator device may comprise at least one Josephson junctions. Thus, this structure may basically be built like a SQUID”) inductively coupled to a second tank circuit (resonator 104), to resonate, based on a second phase that is different from the first phase, the second tank circuit (Para [0045], “superconducting circulator device with its resonators is parametrically tunable by incorporated variable inductors, based on superconducting Josephson junction technology. The variable inductors may allow to be controlled by a field of a DC bias current through the modulators to adjust the resonators resonance frequency”…inductive coupling from ports M1, M2, M3 via 120 [208 of FIG.2] to respective resonators 102, 104, 106…at a respective phase that are each 120 degrees shifted); and
outputting, via the system, a third modulated control signal (from M3) to a third rf-SQUID set (Para [0049], “each one of the adjustable inductors of the superconducting circulator device may comprise at least one Josephson junctions. Thus, this structure may basically be built like a SQUID”) inductively coupled to the third tank circuit (resonator 106), to resonate, based on a third phase that is different from the first phase, and different from the second phase, the third tank circuit (Para [0045], “superconducting circulator device with its resonators is parametrically tunable by incorporated variable inductors, based on superconducting Josephson junction technology. The variable inductors may allow to be controlled by a field of a DC bias current through the modulators to adjust the resonators resonance frequency”…inductive coupling from ports M1, M2, M3 via 120 [208 of FIG.2] to respective resonators 102, 104, 106…at a respective phase that are each 120 degrees shifted),
wherein respective resonations of the first tank circuit, of the second tank circuit, and the third tank circuit result in an electronic angular momentum being imparted to the magnet-less circulator device (Para [0045], “The AC modulation of the resonators is relatively phase shifted to its neighbors, which equally distributes them over the 360°. This may impart an angular momentum”), and wherein the electronic angular momentum being imparted to the magnet-less circulator device results in constructive interference of a first resonance frequency of the tank circuit and a second resonance frequency of the second tank circuit that routes the qubit signal flow from the first circulator port to the second circulator port (Para [0045], “This may impart an angular momentum in the ring structure which may create the necessary non-reciprocity to transfer signals from one resonator to one of its neighbors but not to the other neighbor. This is the function of a circulator which may be modified to behave as isolator—in the three port case—by terminating one of the ports”), and further results in destructive interference of the first frequency and a third frequency of the third tank circuit that impedes the qubit signal flow from the first circulator port to the third circulator port (Para [0045], “This may impart an angular momentum in the ring structure which may create the necessary non-reciprocity to transfer signals from one resonator to one of its neighbors but not to the other neighbor. This is the function of a circulator which may be modified to behave as isolator—in the three port case—by terminating one of the ports.”).
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.
Claims 1-3, 6-12, 16-18, & 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mueller in view of Abdo (US 2017/0091648 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Mueller discloses, in figure 1 & 2, A system, comprising:
a superconducting magnet-less circulator device (Para [0047], “superconducting circulator device…no longer based on a magnetic field”), comprising:
a first circulator port (P1) coupled to a first tank circuit (resonator 102), the first tank circuit resonating at a first resonant frequency (Para [0035], “resonance frequency of the related resonators [102, 104, 106]”…LC structure of a resonator), as controlled by a first modulated microwave frequency control signal coupled to a first radio frequency-superconducting quantum interference device (rf-SQUID) set (Para [0049], “each one of the adjustable inductors of the superconducting circulator device may comprise at least one Josephson junctions. Thus, this structure may basically be built like a SQUID (superconducting quantum interference device)”) inductively coupled to the first tank circuit (Para [0045], “superconducting circulator device with its resonators is parametrically tunable by incorporated variable inductors, based on superconducting Josephson junction technology. The variable inductors may allow to be controlled by a field of a DC bias current through the modulators to adjust the resonators resonance frequency”…inductive coupling from ports M1, M2, M3 via 120 [208 of FIG.2] to respective resonators 102, 104, 106),
a second circulator port (P2) coupled to a second tank circuit (resonator 104), the second tank circuit resonating at a second resonant frequency (Para [0035], “resonance frequency of the related resonators [102, 104, 106]”…LC structure of a resonator) as controlled by a second modulated microwave frequency control signal coupled to a second rf-SQUID set (Para [0049], “each one of the adjustable inductors of the superconducting circulator device may comprise at least one Josephson junctions. Thus, this structure may basically be built like a SQUID (superconducting quantum interference device)”) inductively coupled to the second tank circuit (Para [0045], “superconducting circulator device with its resonators is parametrically tunable by incorporated variable inductors, based on superconducting Josephson junction technology. The variable inductors may allow to be controlled by a field of a DC bias current through the modulators to adjust the resonators resonance frequency”…inductive coupling from ports M1, M2, M3 via 120 [208 of FIG.2] to respective resonators 102, 104, 106); and
a third circulator port (P3) coupled to a third tank circuit (resonator 106), the third tank circuit resonating at a third resonant frequency (Para [0035], “resonance frequency of the related resonators [102, 104, 106]”…LC structure of a resonator) as controlled by a third modulated microwave frequency control signal coupled to a third rf-SQUID set inductively coupled to the third tank circuit (Para [0045], “superconducting circulator device with its resonators is parametrically tunable by incorporated variable inductors, based on superconducting Josephson junction technology. The variable inductors may allow to be controlled by a field of a DC bias current through the modulators to adjust the resonators resonance frequency”…inductive coupling from ports M1, M2, M3 via 120 [208 of FIG.2] to respective resonators 102, 104, 106),
wherein, for an input signal obtained at the first port (for a signal obtained at port P1),
the first resonant frequency and the second resonant frequency interfere constructively to facilitate a flow of the first input signal to the second port (Para [0002], “A circulator is a three (or more) port device with the unique characteristics that a specific port is unidirectional matched to its neighbor port on the left or right, but not to any other port (non-reciprocity)”…with port P1 matched to port P2, flow is facilitated between the ports), and
the first resonant frequency and the third resonant frequency interfere destructively to impede the flow of the first input signal to the third port (Para [0002], “A circulator is a three (or more) port device with the unique characteristics that a specific port is unidirectional matched to its neighbor port on the left or right, but not to any other port (non-reciprocity)”…with port P1 matched to port P2, flow is impeded between port P1 and port P3 (the unmatched port)), but fails to disclose an inductor-capacitor structure for the tank circuits.
However, Abdo discloses, in figure 3 & 4, an inductor-capacitor structure for the tank circuits (figure 4 discloses the LC tank circuits for the associated resonators of the multi-port superconducting system).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include the LC structure of Abdo in the resonators of Mueller, since all the claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions, and the combination yielded nothing more than predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art. [i.e., utilizing a well-known resonator configuration] (KSR Int'l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 415‐421, 82 USPQ2d 1385)
Regarding claim 2, Mueller in view of Abdo discloses the system of claim 1, and Mueller continues to disclose, in figure 1 & 2, the resonator first starting portion couplings to the respective ports of the circulator (resonators 102, 104, 106 coupled to ports P1, P2, P3, respectively), but fails to disclose wherein the first inductor comprises a first serpentine superconducting microstrip line comprising a first starting portion coupled to the first circulator port and a first ending portion coupled to the first capacitor, wherein the second inductor comprises a second serpentine superconducting microstrip line comprising a second starting portion coupled to the second circulator port and a second ending portion coupled to the second capacitor, and wherein the third inductor comprises a third serpentine superconducting microstrip line comprising a third starting portion coupled to the third circulator port and a third ending portion coupled to the third capacitor.
However, Abdo discloses, in figure 1 & 3, wherein the first inductor comprises a first serpentine superconducting microstrip line comprising a first starting portion coupled to the first circulator port and a first ending portion coupled to the first capacitor (Para [0030], [0060], & [0061], “microstrip resonators…lumped-element inductances and capacitances used in each multimode resonator…lumped-element inductances used in the design of the left-handed transmission lines of the multimode resonators, e.g. L.sub.a and L.sub.b, can be implemented using narrow superconducting wires in a meander configuration”…see figure 3 disclosing the couplings to respective ports), wherein the second inductor comprises a second serpentine superconducting microstrip line comprising a second starting portion coupled to the second circulator port and a second ending portion coupled to the second capacitor (Para [0030], [0060], & [0061], “microstrip resonators…lumped-element inductances and capacitances used in each multimode resonator…lumped-element inductances used in the design of the left-handed transmission lines of the multimode resonators, e.g. L.sub.a and L.sub.b, can be implemented using narrow superconducting wires in a meander configuration”…see figure 3 disclosing the couplings to respective ports), and wherein the third inductor comprises a third serpentine superconducting microstrip line comprising a third starting portion coupled to the third circulator port and a third ending portion coupled to the third capacitor (Para [0030], [0060], & [0061], “microstrip resonators…lumped-element inductances and capacitances used in each multimode resonator…lumped-element inductances used in the design of the left-handed transmission lines of the multimode resonators, e.g. L.sub.a and L.sub.b, can be implemented using narrow superconducting wires in a meander configuration”…see figure 3 disclosing the couplings to respective ports).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include the serpentine microstrip line of Abdo in the resonators of Mueller, since all the claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions, and the combination yielded nothing more than predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art. [i.e., utilizing a well-known microstrip resonator configuration] (KSR Int'l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 415‐421, 82 USPQ2d 1385).
Regarding claim 3, Mueller in view of Abdo discloses the system of claim 1, and Mueller continues to disclose, in figure 1 & 2, wherein a first phase of the first resonant frequency is one-hundred-and-twenty degrees phase-shifted relative to a second phase of the second resonant frequency (Para [0050], “superconducting circulator device may be…equally-phase-shifted over the chained resonators. The phase shift may, typically be 120 degrees for three resonators”), and wherein a third phase of the third resonant frequency is two-hundred-and-forty degrees phase-shifted relative to the first phase (Para [0050], “superconducting circulator device may be…equally-phase-shifted over the chained resonators. The phase shift may, typically be 120 degrees for three resonators”…i.e., 240 degrees phase-shifted between the first and third phase).
Regarding claim 6, Mueller in view of Abdo discloses the system of claim 1, and Mueller continues to disclose, in figure 1 & 2, wherein the first modulated microwave frequency control signal (Para [0035], “modulation control ports M1”), the second modulated microwave frequency control signal (Para [0035], “modulation control ports…M2”), and the third modulated microwave frequency control signal (Para [0035], “modulation control ports…M3”) are output via a computing device (Para [0029], “electrically connecting a controller to the modulators”).
Regarding claim 7, Mueller in view of Abdo discloses the system of claim 1, and Mueller continues to disclose, in figure 1 & 2, wherein the first modulated microwave frequency control signal, the second modulated microwave frequency control signal, and the third modulated microwave frequency control signal comprise a shared control signal inductively coupled to the first tank circuit via the first rf-SQUID set (Para [0049], “each one of the adjustable inductors of the superconducting circulator device may comprise at least one Josephson junctions. Thus, this structure may basically be built like a SQUID (superconducting quantum interference device)”), the second tank circuit via the second rf-SQUID set, and the third tank circuit via the third rf-SQUID set (Para [0056], “the plurality of adjustable inductors may be excited together by a corresponding modulator port”…i.e., the modulated microwave frequency control signals may comprise a shared corresponding modulator port inductively coupled to the resonators via the respective SQUID structures).
Regarding claim 8, Mueller in view of Abdo discloses the system of claim 1, but fails to disclose wherein the superconducting magnet-less circulator device is fabricated as a superconducting chip.
However, It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include the superconducting chip in the superconducting magnet-less circulator device of Mueller and Abdo, since all the claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions, and the combination yielded nothing more than predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art. [i.e., fabricating the superconducting circuit on a chip] (KSR Int'l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 415‐421, 82 USPQ2d 1385). Further, Mueller discloses that macroscopic magnets prevent the integration of circulators into chip designs and from further down-scaling (Para [0003]) and thus suggests the benefit of fabricating the superconducting chip utilizing the superconducting magnet-less circulator device as disclosed in figure 1.
Regarding claim 9, Mueller in view of Abdo discloses the system of claim 1, but fails to disclose wherein the superconducting magnet-less circulator device is fabricated as a layered superconducting chip.
However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include the layered superconducting chip in the superconducting magnet-less circulator device of Mueller and Abdo, since all the claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions, and the combination yielded nothing more than predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art. [i.e., fabricating the superconducting circuit on a layered chip] (KSR Int'l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 415‐421, 82 USPQ2d 1385). Further, Mueller discloses that macroscopic magnets prevent the integration of circulators into chip designs and from further down-scaling (Para [0003]) and thus suggests the benefit of fabricating the layered superconducting chip utilizing the superconducting magnet-less circulator device as disclosed in figure 1.
Regarding claim 10, Mueller in view of Abdo discloses the system of claim 9, and Mueller continues to disclose, in figure 1 & 2, wherein the first modulated microwave frequency control signal is coupled to a first control signal contact via a first group of interconnects (Para [0029], “‘modulation control port’ may denote electrical connections having contacts like terminal”…M1), wherein the second modulated microwave frequency control signal is coupled to a second control signal contact via a second group of interconnects (Para [0029], “‘modulation control port’ may denote electrical connections having contacts like terminal”…M2), and wherein the third modulated microwave frequency control signal is coupled to a third control signal contact via a third group of interconnects (Para [0029], “‘modulation control port’ may denote electrical connections having contacts like terminal”…M3).
Regarding claim 11, Mueller in view of Abdo discloses the system of claim 9, and Mueller continues to disclose, in figure 1 & 2, wherein the first rf-SQUID set is separated from the second rf-SQUID set by an electromagnetic shield (Para [0036], “In-between the ports P1…P3 and M1…M3 ground areas (Gnd) are visible for a proper electro-magnetic shielding”).
Regarding claim 12, Mueller in view of Abdo discloses the system of claim 9, but fails to disclose the superconducting magnet-less circulator device is coupled to a group of quantum memory devices.
However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include the group of quantum memory devices in the device of Mueller and Abdo, since all the claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions, and the combination yielded nothing more than predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art. [i.e., utilizing the memory of a quantum computer for the writing and reading of the qubit states] (KSR Int'l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 415‐421, 82 USPQ2d 1385). Further, Mueller discloses the use of quantum computing and its connection to a superconducting magnet-less circulator device (Para [0002]) and thus suggests the benefit of coupling the circulator device to a group of quantum memory devices of a quantum computing system.
Regarding claim 16, Mueller discloses, in figure 1 & 2, a system, comprising:
a first magnet-less circulator device (Para [0047], “superconducting circulator device…no longer based on a magnetic field”), comprising:
a first circulator port (P1), a second circulator port (P2), and a third circulator port (P3), wherein the first circulator port is coupled to a qubit signal (Para [0002], “devices connecting the different qubits devices…for this…circulators may be used”…port P1 of the superconducting circulator device used as the input port for routing the signal with the qubits state);
a first tank circuit electrically coupled to the first circulator port (resonator 102 coupled to port P1), and inductively coupled (Para [0045], “superconducting circulator device with its resonators is parametrically tunable by incorporated variable inductors, based on superconducting Josephson junction technology. The variable inductors may allow to be controlled by a field of a DC bias current through the modulators to adjust the resonators resonance frequency”…inductive coupling from ports M1, M2, M3 via 120 [208 of FIG.2] to respective resonators 102, 104, 106) to a first radio frequency-superconducting quantum interference device (rf-SQUID) set (Para [0049], “each one of the adjustable inductors of the superconducting circulator device may comprise at least one Josephson junctions. Thus, this structure may basically be built like a SQUID (superconducting quantum interference device)”),
a second tank circuit electrically coupled to the second circulator port (resonator 104 coupled to port P2), and inductively coupled to a second rf-SQUID set (inductive coupling from port M2 to a second rf-SQUID set formed by the associated adjustable inductor and Josephson junction), and
a third tank circuit electrically coupled to the third circulator port (resonator 106 coupled to port P3), and inductively coupled to a third rf-SQUID set (inductive coupling from port M3 to a third rf-SQUID set formed by the associated adjustable inductor and Josephson junction);
a computing device (Para [0029], “electrical connections may connect the modulator with the connection terminals for, e.g., electrically connecting a controller to the modulators”) that outputs a first modulated control signal to the first rf-SQUID set corresponding to a first phase shift (Para [0045], “modulation of the resonators is relatively phase shifted to its neighbors, which equally distributes them over the 360°”…first phase shift of 120 degrees), a second modulated control signal to the second rf-SQUID set corresponding to a second phase shift (Para [0051], “ the superconducting circulator device may be operable as a left-directing or right-directing circulator depending on a direction of a phase shift—in particular + or −120° for three resonators”), and a third modulated control signal to the third rf-SQUID set corresponding to a third phase shift (Para [0051], “ the superconducting circulator device may be operable as a left-directing or right-directing circulator depending on a direction of a phase shift—in particular + or −120° for three resonators”), to respectively resonate:
the first tank circuit at a first frequency (Para [0054], “a static resonance frequency of each resonator of the superconducting circulator device may be adjustable by an application of a constant current to the modulation control ports”),
the second tank circuit at a second frequency that is different from the first frequency (Para [0054], “a static resonance frequency of each resonator of the superconducting circulator device may be adjustable by an application of a constant current to the modulation control ports”…a second resonant frequency may be different from the first resonant frequency), and
the third tank circuit at a third frequency that is different from the first frequency and different from the second frequency (Para [0054], “a static resonance frequency of each resonator of the superconducting circulator device may be adjustable by an application of a constant current to the modulation control ports”…a third resonant frequency may be different from the first and second resonant frequency),
wherein the first frequency, the second frequency and the third frequency impart a first electronic angular momentum to the first magnet-less circulator device (Para [0045], “the AC modulation of the resonators is relatively phase shifted to its neighbors, which equally distributes them over the 360°. This may impart an angular momentum”), that results in first constructive interference of the first frequency and the second frequency (Para [0045], “this may impart an angular momentum in the ring structure which may create the necessary non-reciprocity to transfer signals from one resonator to one of its neighbors”), and first destructive interference of the first frequency and the third frequency (Para [0045], “this may impart an angular momentum in the ring structure which may create the necessary non-reciprocity to transfer signals from one resonator to one of its neighbors but not to the other neighbor.”), that routes a qubit signal flow from the first circulator port to the second circulator port (flowing from port P1 to port P2), and impedes the qubit signal flow from the first circulator port to the third circulator (if flowing from port P1 to port P2, flow is impeded from port P1 to port P3), but fails to disclose an inductor-capacitor structure for the tank circuits.
However, Abdo discloses, in figure 3 & 4, an inductor-capacitor structure for the tank circuits (figure 4 discloses the LC tank circuits for the associated resonators of the multi-port superconducting system).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include the LC structure of Abdo in the resonators of Mueller, since all the claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions, and the combination yielded nothing more than predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art. [i.e., utilizing a well-known resonator configuration] (KSR Int'l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 415‐421, 82 USPQ2d 1385)
Regarding claim 17, Mueller in view of Abdo discloses the system of claim 16, and Mueller continues to disclose, in figure 1 & 2, wherein the second phase shift is substantially one-hundred-and-twenty degrees phase-shifted relative to the first phase shift (Para [0050], “superconducting circulator device may be…equally-phase-shifted over the chained resonators. The phase shift may, typically be 120 degrees for three resonators”), and wherein the third phase shift is substantially two-hundred-and-forty degrees shifted relative to the first phase shift (Para [0050], “superconducting circulator device may be…equally-phase-shifted over the chained resonators. The phase shift may, typically be 120 degrees for three resonators”…i.e., 240 degrees phase-shifted between the first and third phase).
Regarding claim 18, Mueller in view of Abdo discloses the system of claim 16, but fails to disclose wherein the superconducting magnet-less circulator device is fabricated as a superconducting chip for coupling to one or more quantum memory cells.
However, It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include the superconducting chip coupled to memory in the superconducting magnet-less circulator device of Mueller, since all the claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions, and the combination yielded nothing more than predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art. [i.e., fabricating the superconducting circuit on a chip and connection to memory to facilitate the reading and writing of qubit states] (KSR Int'l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 415‐421, 82 USPQ2d 1385). Further, Mueller discloses that macroscopic magnets prevent the integration of circulators into chip designs and from further down-scaling (Para [0003]) and thus suggests the benefit of fabricating the superconducting chip utilizing the superconducting magnet-less circulator device as disclosed in figure 1. Further, Mueller discloses the use of quantum computing and its connection to a superconducting magnet-less circulator device (Para [0002]) and thus suggests the benefit of coupling the circulator device to a group of quantum memory devices of a quantum computing system.
Regarding claim 20, Mueller in view of Abdo discloses the system of claim 18, and Mueller continues to disclose, in figure 1 & 2, the first tank circuit magnetically coupled to the first rf-SQUID set (Para [0052], “a good effect of the adjustable inductors may be achieved if the adjustable inductors is positioned within the stripe shape of the resonator at a position where a minimum of the magnetic wave is positioned—i.e., the magnetic node”…i.e., each respective adjustable inductor magnetically coupled a portion of the respective resonator), the second tank circuit magnetically coupled to the second rf-SQUID set (Para [0052], “a good effect of the adjustable inductors may be achieved if the adjustable inductors is positioned within the stripe shape of the resonator at a position where a minimum of the magnetic wave is positioned—i.e., the magnetic node”…i.e., each respective adjustable inductor magnetically coupled a portion of the respective resonator), and the third tank circuit magnetically coupled to the third rf-SQUID set (Para [0052], “a good effect of the adjustable inductors may be achieved if the adjustable inductors is positioned within the stripe shape of the resonator at a position where a minimum of the magnetic wave is positioned—i.e., the magnetic node”…i.e., each respective adjustable inductor magnetically coupled a portion of the respective resonator), but fails to disclose the superconducting microstrip line structure of the LC tank circuits.
However, Abdo discloses, in figure 3 & 4, the superconducting microstrip line structure of the LC tank circuits (Para [0030], [0060], & [0061], “microstrip resonators…lumped-element inductances and capacitances used in each multimode resonator…lumped-element inductances used in the design of the left-handed transmission lines of the multimode resonators, e.g. L.sub.a and L.sub.b, can be implemented using narrow superconducting wires in a meander configuration”…see figure 3 disclosing the couplings to respective ports).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include the microstrip line of Abdo in the resonators of Mueller, since all the claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions, and the combination yielded nothing more than predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art. [i.e., utilizing a well-known microstrip resonator configuration] (KSR Int'l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 415‐421, 82 USPQ2d 1385).
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mueller in view of Abdo (US 2024/0372627 A1), hereinafter Abdo 627, and further in view of Shingo et al. (WO 2021/140995 A1), hereinafter Shingo.
Regarding claim 14, Mueller discloses the method of claim 13, but fails to disclose writing, via the system, the qubit from the second circulator port to a quantum memory device.
However, Abdo 627 discloses, in figure 7, writing, via the system, the qubit from the second circulator port (Para [0003] & [0007], “quantum information is information that is held in the state of a quantum system…superconducting circulator…configured to operate in a first mode and a second mode…In the second mode, the output port is configured to output the reflected readout signal”…which includes quantum information of the qubit…i.e., the qubit state information from the second circulator port is held [i.e., written] in a second mode of operation).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include the writing operation of Abdo 627 in the superconducting system of Mueller, to achieve the benefit of implementing a lossless superconducting microwave switch by utilizing the quantum information of the qubit (Abdo 627, Para [0117]).
In combination, Mueller and Abdo 627 fail to disclose writing the quantum information to a quantum memory device.
However, Shingo discloses, in figure 11, writing the quantum information to a quantum memory device (pg. 10, paragraph 3-4, “In the quantum computer 3, a plurality of the above-mentioned microwave photon control devices 11 are arranged at the end of a quantum circuit module 60 equipped with a plurality of superconducting qubits 50, and quantum states are transmitted and received between the quantum circuit modules 60…writing to the superconducting qubit in the quantum state and reading from the superconducting qubit are performed by irradiating the superconducting qubit with microwaves”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include the quantum memory device of Shingo in the system of Mueller and Abdo 627, since all the claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions, and the combination yielded nothing more than predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art. [i.e., storing and utilizing the quantum information] (KSR Int'l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 415‐421, 82 USPQ2d 1385)
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mueller in view of Abdo 627.
Regarding claim 15, Mueller discloses the method of claim 13, but fails to disclose reading, via the system, the qubit from the third circulator port.
However, Abdo 627 discloses, in figure 7, reading, via the system, the qubit from the third circulator port (Para [0005], “superconducting circulator to receive a readout signal at an input port…the readout signal is to be transmitted through a common port to a quantum system”…at the third port).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include the reading operation of Abdo 627 in the superconducting system of Mueller, to achieve the benefit of determining the quantum information of the associated qubit for control of the superconducting magnet-less circulator device (Abdo 627, Para [0100]-[0102]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 4-5 & 19 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Khaira et al. (US 12,451,575 B2) [Figure 1. Discloses a magnetless cryogenic circulator is developed that has three identical resonators in three branches. Each branch connects two ports and each resonator has a capacitor connected across a tunable inductor. A set of tunable inductors modulated with modulation signals that have a relative phase of 0°, 120° and 240° provided through a circuit. A microstrip delay line for providing the modulation signal to the three resonators, wherein the resonators are modulated in time such that the degeneracy of the two inherent counter-rotating modes is lifted, achieving a non-reciprocal signal routing.]
Stace et al. (US 11,677,129 B2) [Figure 1. Discloses a microwave circulator including an integrated circuit having a number of ports and a respective ring segment coupled to each port to allow microwave frequency signals to be transferred between the port and the respective ring segment. The circulator includes multiple respective ring segments arranged to define multiple parallel circulator rings and at least one superconducting tunnel junction interconnecting each pair of adjacent ring segments and/or a plurality of superconducting tunnel junctions interconnecting each pair of adjacent ring segments to form a circulator ring. The ring segments are configured so that when a bias is applied to the tunnel junctions, signals undergo a phase shift as they traverse the tunnel junctions between ring segments, thereby propagating signals to an adjacent port in a propagation direction.]
Alu et al. (US 9,405,136 B2) [Figure 9. Discloses a non-reciprocal device incorporating metamaterials which exhibit non-reciprocity through angular momentum biasing. The metamaterial, such as a ring resonator, is angular-momentum biased. This is achieved by applying a suitable mechanical or spatio-temporal modulation to resonant inclusions of the metamaterial, thereby producing strong non-reciprocity. In this manner, non-reciprocity can be produced without requiring the use of large and bulky magnets to produce a static magnetic field. The metamaterials of the present invention can be realized by semiconducting and/or metallic materials which are widely used in integrated circuit technology, and therefore, contrary to magneto-optical materials, can be easily integrated into the non-reciprocal devices and large microwave or optical systems.]
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/TYLER J PERENY/ Examiner, Art Unit 2836
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