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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 09/18/2025 was being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 1-3, 9, 16 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Muta et al. (US Pub. No. 2020/0217789 A1) in view of Mahajan et al. (US Pub. No. 2013/0342841 A1).
With regards to claim 1, Muta teaches a terahertz electromagnetic wave detection apparatus having first and second transceiver paths and circuitry that detects characteristics using received portions of first and second terahertz waves having different polarization directions. (Muta [0024]-[0038], [0042], claims 1 and 10, Figs. 1-2).
Muta further teaches that the first and second polarization directions may be perpendicular, that first and second receivers receive respective portions of the terahertz waves, and that plural reception elements/channels are arrayed (Muta [0029]-[0033], [0074]-[0078], Fig. 6).
Muta does not expressly teach replacing the separate channel polarizers with a single interposed polarizing plate that passes one polarization and reflects the other to separate detector arrays.
Mahajan teaches the missing polarizing-beamsplitter structure. Mahajan discloses a polarizing beamsplitter that splits a detected polarized beam into first and second components having orthogonal polarizations, with first and second detectors receiving the first and second components (Mahajan [0018]-[0019], Figs. 1a-1b).
In view of the utility of obtaining two orthogonal polarization measurements from the same radiation path without taking separate measurements, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify Muta with the teachings such as that taught by Mahajan so that a single polarizing beamsplitter/polarizing plate routes one polarization component to the first receiver array and another polarization component to the second receiver array.
With regards to claim 2, Muta teaches that a wire grid polarizer is adopted as the polarizer for the terahertz transmitter-side and receiver-side polarizer units (Muta [0059]-[0064], Fig. 6).
Mahajan teaches the polarizing beamsplitter function used in the modified Muta system (Mahajan [0018], Fig. 1a).
Muta and Mahajan do not expressly recite the exact phrase "wire grid at a 45-degree angle to the first and second detector arrays." However, once a wire-grid polarizing beamsplitter is selected to split orthogonal polarization components to two receiver paths, placing the grid at the conventional split orientation relative to the two paths is a predictable design choice as one of ordinary skill in the art would have understood as where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, it is not inventive to discover the optimum or workable positions by routine experimentation.
In view of the utility of splitting one incoming beam into transmitted and reflected orthogonal polarization outputs, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to combine teachings of Muta and Mahajan to orient the wire-grid plate at 45 degrees relative to the receiver-array paths.
Therefore, the claim would have been obvious to one skilled in the art at the time the invention was made because the technique for improving a particular class of devices was part of the ordinary capabilities of a person of ordinary skill in the art and the known technique is recognized as part of the ordinary capabilities of one skilled in the art.
With regards to claim 3, Muta expressly teaches a first terahertz wave having a first polarization direction and a second terahertz wave having a second polarization direction different from, and perpendicular to, the first polarization direction [0029]-[0033], (claims 1, 10, 13, Fig. 6).
Muta also teaches X-axis and Y-axis polarization directions in the measurement plane [0060]-[0064], [0080]-[0081], (Fig. 6).
In view of the utility of using ordinary orthogonal polarization labels in a receiver coordinate system, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify Muta modified to designate orthogonal polarizations as vertical and horizontal polarizations.
With regards to claim 9, Muta modified, as in with the rejection combination applied to claim 1, and further teaches that the base detection system and the polarizing beamsplitter split. Muta further shows using condenser/polarizer optics in its full channel embodiment [0078] - [0080], (Figure 6).
Muta does not teach the claimed optical elements between the polarizing plate and the first or second detector arrays.
Mahajan places first and second detectors to receive the two components output by the polarizing beamsplitter [0018]-[0020], (Fig. 1a).
Mahajan also shows the cleaner detector-side split in which no further optical element is required between the beamsplitter outputs and the first/second detectors [0018]-[0020], (Fig. 1a).
In view of the utility of reducing optical loss, alignment burden, and package size after the beamsplitter, it would have been obvious to omit unnecessary optical elements between the polarizing plate and the detector arrays as needed where the beamsplitter outputs are already directed to the detectors.
With regards to claim 16, Muta teaches applying first and second terahertz electromagnetic waves having different polarization directions and using circuitry to detect characteristics from portions of those waves received by first and second transceivers/receivers [0024]-[0038], [0042]-[0045], [0078]-[0082]. [0092]-[0094] (Figures 1, 6, 8 and 9), (claims 1, 10, 19-20).
Muta does not expressly disclose the combination of the through and reflected limitations of the claim as claimed.
Mahajan teaches using a polarizing beamsplitter to provide the claimed plate function, namely splitting a polarized beam into two orthogonal polarizations components received by first and second detectors
a polarizing beamsplitter that splits a detected polarized beam into first and second orthogonal components for first and second detectors. (Mahajan [0018]-[0019], Fig. 1a and 1b).
In view of the utility, to combine the simultaneous X/Y polarization detection of Muta with the known beamsplitter routing such as that taught by Mahajan in order to meet the needs of a predefined coordinate system and/or pulse or beam parameters.
With regards to claim 20, see the rejections of claims 3 and 16. Notice that the method of claim 16 uses the same first/second polarization framework discussed for claim 3. Additionally, Muta teaches perpendicular X-axis and Y-axis polarization directions [0031], [0060]-[0064], [0080]-[0081], (Fig. 6).
Mahajan teaches orthogonal polarization components [0018]-[0019], (Fig. 1a).
In view of the utility of using ordinary orthogonal polarization labels, it would have been obvious to treat those orthogonal components as vertical and horizontal polarizations.
Claim(s) 4, 7, 10, 11 and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Muta et al. in view of Mahajan et al., and further in view of Castiglione et al. (US Pub. No. 2006/0111619 A1).
With regards to claim 4, Muta modified teach the base dual-polarization receiver system [0074] – [0079]. Muta fails to expressly teach feedhorn detector arrays and the detailed feedhorn spacings/frequency architecture.
Castiglione teaches a sub-millimeter camera detector having horn antennae, waveguides, mixers, local oscillator feeds, IF outputs, and rows of horn antennae [0029]-[0036], (Figs. 1-5).
Castiglione also teaches a two-color detector with one set of eight antennae detecting a first terahertz frequency and a parallel second set of eight antennae detecting a second, different terahertz frequency [0034]-[0035], (Figs. 3-5).
In view of the utility of using known feedhorn detector rows to obtain spatially resolved THz images at different frequencies, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify Muta to include the teachings such as that taught by Castiglione to implement the first and second detector arrays of Muta with first and second pluralities of feedhorns sized for first and second detection frequencies as taught by Castiglione.
With regards to claim 7, Muta modified discloses the claimed invention according to claim 1, but fails to teaches that first and second detector arrays comprises a plurality of feedhorns sixed for a single detecting center frequency.
Castiglione teaches that each row/set of horn antennae detects a respective terahertz frequency and that the two-color detector has parallel sets of antennae for first and second frequencies [0034]-[0035], (Fig. 5).
In view of the utility, to simplify channel calibration and maintaining matched coupling within a given receiver row, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify Muta to include the teachings such as that taught by Castiglione for a single detection center frequency,
With regards to claim 10, Muta modified discloses the claimed invention according to claim 1, but fails to expressly teach the first detector array comprises a first plurality of feedhorns having a first width and having a spacing equal to or greater than the first width.
Castiglione teaches horn-aperture dimensions for two antenna rows and teaches that dimensions differ depending on frequencies of the input signal and local oscillator signal [0035], (Fig. 5). For example, Castiglione teaches that the illustrated detector 4, see Figures 1, 2 and 5, is comprised for example of sixteen separate horn antenna providing a two-color, eight-pixel array. The size of the aperture of the detector 4 required to generate images at terahertz frequencies is such that the spacing between the individual horn antennae is limited to approximately 2.5 mm in the illustrated example, thus teachings or at least suggesting a first plurality of feedhorns having a first width and spacing equal to or greater than the first width [0031] – [0035].
In view of the utility of avoiding coupling/crosstalk between adjacent feedhorns and leaving machining tolerance between apertures, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify Muta with the teachings such as that taught by Castiglione to space the first plurality of feedhorns at least equal to or greater than the feedhorn width.
With regards to claim 11, the same teachings applied to claim 10 apply to the second detector array.
With regards to claim 13, Muta modified discloses the claimed invention according to claim 1, and further teaches that a first terahertz wave having a first polarization direction and a second terahertz wave having a second polarization direction different from, and perpendicular to, the first polarization direction [0029]-[0033], (claims 1, 10, 13, Fig. 6). Muta also teaches X-axis and Y-axis polarization directions in the measurement plane [0060]-[0064], [0080]-[0081], (Fig. 6).
Muta fails to teaches the second detector array has more than two feedhorns in each direction.
Castiglione teaches further layers of patterned silicon may be added and that more than two rows of antenna may be provided and that the number of antennas in a row may differ from eight and may be more than eight [0039].
In view of the utility of scaling a detector from a row to a two-dimensional imaging array to increase field of view and pixel count, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify Muta to include the teachings such as that taught by Castiglione to arrange more than two feedhorns in both array directions.
Claim(s) 5, 6 and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Muta, Mahajan and Castiglione and further in view of Mann et al. (EP 2,861,964 B1), hereinafter, Mann-EP.
With regards to claim 5, Muta modified teaches the claimed invention according to claim 4 but fails to expressly teach a third plurality of feedhorns sixed for a third detection frequency.
Castiglione teaches that further layers of patterned silicon may be added where more than two rows of antenna are provided, and that the patterning for different antenna rows should be offset (Castiglione [0038]).
Mann-EP teaches using two, three, four, or more frequencies to provide different types of image information and gives representative frequency sets (Mann-EP [0026]-[0028], [0033]-[0035], Figs. 2A-3).
In view of the utility of adding spectral discrimination and reducing false alarms, it would have been obvious to add a third plurality of feedhorns or more sized for a third or more detection frequency to the first detector side or detector block.
With regards to claim 6, Muta modified teaches the claimed invention according to claim 4 but fails to expressly teach detection frequency of 250 GHz, 125 GHz and 375 GHz, respectfully.
Castiglione teaches passive radiation detection at 250 GHz. (Castiglione [0037]).
Mann-EP teaches representative multi-frequency imaging sets including 125, 250, 350, and 500 GHz, and also 60, 120, 240, 360, and 480 GHz (Mann-EP [0026]-[0028], [0033]-[0035], claims 5 and 8).
Mann-EP does not expressly recite exactly 375 GHz. The record supports 125 and 250 directly, and supports nearby 350/360 GHz submillimeter imaging bands. Notice that the mere scaling up or down of a prior art process capable of being scaled up or down would not establish patentability in a claim to an old process so scaled.
In view of the utility of selecting nearby known submillimeter imaging center frequencies for penetration, glint reduction, and spectral discrimination, it would have been obvious to select 375 GHz as a predictable nearby third detection frequency depending on the needs of the application at hand.
With regards to claim 18, Muta teaches circuitry that detects characteristics from received first and second terahertz waves [0024]-[0038], [0042]-[0045], but fails to expressly disclose combining the first and second detection information to form an image indicating one or more properties of the radiation source.
Castiglione teaches a processor that receives and synchronizes image data from a terahertz detector and builds an image of the scanned specimen [0026]-[0029].
Mann-EP teaches image data at different frequencies and a composite image generator that generates composite image data from the image data provided by an image processor [0007]-[0009], [0021]-[0028], [0048]-[0051].
In view of the utility of combining polarization/frequency information to indicate object or scene properties, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art the time the invention was made to modify Muta to include the teachings of Mahajan and Mann-EP to combine first and second detection information to form an image indicating one or more properties of the radiation source.
Claim(s) 8, 14, 15 and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Muta and Mahajan and further in view of Mann et al. (US Pub. No. 2007/0249292 A1).
With regards to claim 8, the combination applied to claim 1 teaches the base detection system. Muta teaches polarizers that align terahertz polarization directions in the receiver and transmitter paths [0059]-[0064], [0080]-[0081], but fails to expressly disclose one of the first or second detector arrays comprises a polarization rotation element disposed in a waveguide channel of the first or second detector arrays.
Mann-2007 teaches mode converters in the horn waveguide and LO waveguide that convert TEM waves to TE waves or vice versa, and teaches compact mixer/filter circuitry in the waveguide/mixer block [0046]-[0047], (Fig. 7).
In view of the utility of aligning the received polarization/mode before the high-frequency mixer and IF chain, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify Muta with the teachings such as that taught by Mann-2007 to include a polarization or mode-rotation element in a waveguide channel of the first or second detector array that improves the imaging by using image combinations as needed.
With regards to claim 14, Muta modified teaches the base dual-polarization detection system according to claim 1, but fails to expressly disclose one-equal power splitter. Notice that the court held that adjustability, where needed, is not a patentable advance, and because there was an art-recognized need for the adjustment.
Mann 2007 teaches local oscillator distribution to multiple feedhorn/mixer channels, a Y splitter, and a Magic-T / Rat Race Hybrid alternative for splitter imbalance in compact mixer arrays [0058]-[0060], (Figs. 2E-2G, 3D-3E).
Mann-2007 expressly recognizes that reflections and mismatch can send more power to one mixer than another, resulting in one mixer receiving insufficient LO power and another receiving too much LO power [0058]-[0060].
Mann-2007 does not use the exact phrase "non-equal power splitter."
In view of the utility of deliberately correcting unequal mixer/channel requirements and avoiding wasteful overdrive, it would have been obvious to use an intentionally non-equal splitter where the detector channels require different power levels according to the needs of the application at hand such as that taught by Muta modified and Mann-2007.
With regards to claims 15 and 17, see the rejection of claim 8.
Claim(s) 12 and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Muta, Mahajan, Castiglione in view of Mann et al. (US Pub. No. 2007/0249292 A1).
With regards to claim 12, Muta modified discloses the claimed invention according to claim 1, but fails to teaches a plurality of feedhorns in each direction and processors positioned as claimed.
Castiglione teaches plural horn antennae, waveguides, mixers, local oscillator feeds, IF outputs, amplifiers, an integrated detector, and a processor [0029]-[0037], (Figs. 1-5).
Castiglione also teaches that arranging the LO input and mixer at an acute angle reduces the space occupied by each detector allowing detectors to be placed closer together and improve camera resolution [0030], [0031] (Figure 2)
Castiglione lastly teaches a plural feedhorn detector channel as in sixteen separate horn antennae in a two-color, eight-pixel array. Castiglione further teaches eight horn antennae on one surface of the middle layer and second row of eight horn antennae on the opposed lower surface. Each horn antenna is individually connected to its respective waveguide and mixer and the IF outputs pas to amplifiers, an integrated detector, and the process [0031], [0034] – [0036] (Figures 3 – 5).
Mann confirms that claimed processing circuity in the same cub-millimeter/feedhorn context. Man states that processing includes manipulating signal amplitude, frequency, phase, or other characteristics and specifically includes receiving, transmitting, amplifying, mixing, filtering, detecting, analog-to-digital conversion, and digital signal processing [0040]-[0044] (Figure 1).
Mann teaches circuitry of any particular geometrical characteristics that allows the proper reception (e.g., proper filtering, tuning, mixing) of signals having sub-millimeter wavelengths (and/or signals having wavelengths of 1 millimeter or more) can be used in the transceiver of the present invention and discloses the strongest placement support, such as that between feedhorns [0045] – [0048], [0053] – [0057], [0064] –[0067] (Figures 1, 5 and 7).
In view of the utility of reducing RF path length and preserving signal integrity in compact THz arrays, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify Muta with the teachings such as that taught by Castiglione and Mann to locate first and second processing circuitry in spaces between adjacent feedhorns of the corresponding arrays.
With regards to claim 19, see the rejection of claim 12.
Conclusion
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/DJURA MALEVIC/Examiner, Art Unit 2884
/UZMA ALAM/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2884
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