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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Specification
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because a single paragraph format is required. A corrected abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 5, 7 and 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hashi (US 2016/0352345 )in view of Kasevich et al (US 0,018,579).
Re claim 1:
The reference to Hashi, see abstract figure below, shows an atomic cell(21) forming a
frequency Oscillator system (1)configured to output an oscillation signal; a light source(22)
configured to output laser light containing first light beam (L1)and second light beam(L2) having
frequencies different from each other based on modulation signal(via 51) as a function of the
oscillation signal; an atomic cell (21)configured to encapsulate alkali metal atoms.
PNG
media_image1.png
778
1406
media_image1.png
Greyscale
¶[0145] “The excitation light control unit 51 controls frequencies of the resonant light beams 1 and 2 emitted from the light emitting unit 22 on the basis of detection results of the light detection unit 24 mentioned above. More specifically, the excitation light control unit 51 controls frequencies of the resonant light beams 1 and 2 emitted from the light emitting unit 22 so that the frequency difference (ω.sub.1-ω.sub.2) is set to the above-mentioned frequency ω.sub.0 inherent in an alkali metal. In addition, the excitation light control unit 51 controls center frequencies of the resonant light beams 1 and 2 emitted from the light emitting unit 22.”
A photodetector (24)configured to detect the laser light passing through the atomic cell and
output a detection signal corresponding to an intensity of the detected laser light; and a
control circuit(51) configured to control operation of the frequency oscillator based on the
detection signal to adjust a frequency of the oscillation signal so that the alkali metal atoms
cause an electromagnetically induced transparency phenomenon to occur(inherently.)
PNG
media_image2.png
822
1420
media_image2.png
Greyscale
As shown by Hashi, figure 11a, this embodiment shows mirrors being implemented with atomic cells.
Re claim 7: as noted in ¶[0145] “The excitation light control unit 51 controls frequencies of the resonant light beams 1 and 2 emitted from the light emitting unit 22 on the basis of detection results of the light detection unit 24 mentioned above. More specifically, the excitation light control unit 51 controls frequencies of the resonant light beams 1 and 2 emitted from the light emitting unit 22 so that the frequency difference (ω.sub.1-ω.sub.2) is set to the above-mentioned frequency ω.sub.0 inherent in an alkali metal.” This is a function of the difference in energy between two ground levels of the alkali metal atoms.
Re claim 10:
The frequency signal generation, as above(Hashi), where a processor(5) is configured to process an output signal output from the atomic oscillator.
The reference to Hashi does not show, explicitly, adjusting mirror angle/tilt to affect the reflection of the laser light, however, as shown below in Kasevich et al, from a related field of endeavor, with mirror tilting about an axis as conventional.
The reference to Kasevich et al shows a laser and mirror system, see figure below, where
a light reflector (an adjustable tilt mirror) is shown.
As noted in specification col 10, lines 39-47,
“The mirror has three independent piezo actuators in a tripod configuration that allow arbitrary 2-axis tip-tilt control. We compensate for phase shifts arising from Earth's rotation by applying appropriate tilts for each of the three pulses, but additional mirror tilts can be used to induce shear for PSR.”
Thus, a change an angle of reflection of the laser light is produced and configured to cause the
laser light reflected off the mirror into the atomic cell at a predetermined cycle, i.e.
(operational cycle.)
Re claim 2:
The light reflector includes the mirror and a
mirror driver(piezo actuator) configured to change a posture of the mirror with respect to the
laser light.
PNG
media_image3.png
756
1176
media_image3.png
Greyscale
Re claim 5:
The mirror is configured to swing around an axis of pivotal motion to change the angle of reflection of the laser light as suggested above.
In light of the above it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have recognized that the atomic cell oscillator of Hashi may be enhanced by way of allowing the optics, mirror(s) used to affect the laser light angle, to be adjustable and thus reduce overall error in the system as shown by Kasevich et al.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3, 4, 6, 8 and 9 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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ARNOLD M KINKEAD whose telephone number is (571)272-1763. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7am-5:30pm(Fri-Flex).
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Menatoallah Youssef can be reached at 571-270-3684. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
ARNOLD M. KINKEAD
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2849
/ARNOLD M KINKEAD/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2849
Prosecution Insights