`
`EXPERT DECLARATION OF DR. FARAMARZ FARAHI
`IN SUPPORT OF
`INTER PARTES REVIEW OF U.S. PATENT NO. 7,030,971
`
`
`HALLIBURTON, Exh. 1003, p. 0001
`
`
`
`Expert Declaration of Dr. Faramarz Farahi for Inter Parties Review of US Patent No. 7,030,971
`
`TABLE OF CONTENTS
`
`INTRODUCTION......................................................................................... 3
`I.
`QUALIFICATIONS ..................................................................................... 5
`II.
`PERSON OF ORDINARY SKILL IN THE ART ........................................ 6
`III.
`LEGAL UNDERSTANDING ...................................................................... 7
`IV.
`THE ’971 PATENT ....................................................................................13
`V.
`CLAIM CONSTRUCTION ........................................................................24
`VI.
`STATE OF THE ART ................................................................................26
`VII.
`VIII. UNPATENTABILITY ANALYSIS OF THE ’971 PATENT ...................31
`IX.
`CONCLUSION ...........................................................................................92
`
`
`
`
`HALLIBURTON, Exh. 1003, p. 0002
`
`
`
`Expert Declaration of Dr. Faramarz Farahi for Inter Parties Review of US Patent No. 7,030,971
`
`I.
`
`INTRODUCTION
`
`1.
`
`I, Dr. Faramarz Farahi, submit this declaration in support of a Petition
`
`for Inter Partes Review of United States Patent No. 7,030,971 owned by The
`
`United States of America represented by the Secretary of the Navy. ( “Patent
`
`Owner”). I have been retained in this matter by Baker Botts L.L.P. (“Counsel”) on
`
`behalf of Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. (“Petitioner”).
`
`2.
`
`I make this declaration based upon my personal knowledge. I am over
`
`the age of 21 and am competent to make this declaration.
`
`3.
`
`The statements herein include my opinions and the bases for those
`
`opinions, which relate to at least the following documents of the pending inter
`
`partes review petition:
`
`(cid:1) U.S. Patent No. 7,030,971 by Robert Michael Payton entitled “Natural
`
`fiber span reflectometer providing a virtual signal sensing array
`
`capability” (“the ’971 Patent”) (Ex. 1001).
`
`(cid:1) File History for U.S. Patent No. 7,030,971 (Ex. 1002).
`
`(cid:1) UK Patent Application No. GB 2 190 186 A by Jeremy Kenneth Arthur
`
`Everard entitled “Greatly Enhanced Spatial Detection Of Optical
`
`Backscatter For Sensor Applications,” published November 11, 1987
`
`(Ex. 1004).
`
`(cid:1) U.S. Patent No. 6,285,806 by Alan D. Kersey, et al. entitled “Coherent
`
`- 3 -
`
`HALLIBURTON, Exh. 1003, p. 0003
`
`
`
`Expert Declaration of Dr. Faramarz Farahi for Inter Parties Review of US Patent No. 7,030,971
`
`Reflectometric Fiber Bragg Grating Sensor Array,” filed May 31, 1998,
`
`issued September 4, 2001 (Ex. 1005).
`
`(cid:1) U.S. Patent No. 4,794,249 by Friedrich-Karl Beckmann, et al. entitled
`
`“Optical Time Domain Reflectometer With Heterodyne Reception,” filed
`
`March 17, 1987, issued December 27, 1988 (Ex. 1006).
`
`(cid:1) Toshihiko Yoshino et al., “Common Path Heterodyne Optical Fiber
`
`Sensors,” Journal of Lightwave Technology, Vol. 10, No. 4, April 1992,
`
`pp. 503-513 (Ex. 1007).
`
`(cid:1) U.S. Patent No. 6,606,148 by Leif Fredin, et al. entitled “Method And
`
`System For Measuring Optical Scattering Characteristics,” filed April 23,
`
`2001, issued August 12, 2003 (Ex. 1008).
`
`(cid:1) UK Patent Application No. GB 2 197 953 A by Michael Laurence
`
`Henning et al. entitled “Acoustic Sensor,” published June 2, 1988 (Ex.
`
`1009).
`
`(cid:1) U.S. Patent No. 4,596,052 by Stephen Wright et al. entitled “Coherent
`
`Optical Receiver,” filed May 20, 1983, issued June 17, 1986 (Ex. 1010).
`
`(cid:1) U.S. Patent No. 6,043,921 by Robert M. Payton entitled “Fading-Free
`
`Optical Phase Rate Receiver,” filed August 12, 1997, issued March 28,
`
`2000 (Ex. 1011).
`
`(cid:1) Portions of McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms,
`
`- 4 -
`
`HALLIBURTON, Exh. 1003, p. 0004
`
`
`
`Expert Declaration of Dr. Faramarz Farahi for Inter Parties Review of US Patent No. 7,030,971
`
`Second Edition, 1978 (Ex. 1015).
`
`(cid:1) Portions of McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms,
`
`Fourth Edition, 1989 (Ex. 1016).
`
`(cid:1) Portions of IEEE Standard Dictionary of Electrical and Electronics
`
`Terms (4th Ed.) (Ex. 1017).
`
`4.
`
`I am being compensated for my time in preparing this declaration. The
`
`opinions herein are my own, and I have no stake in the outcome of the review
`
`proceeding. My compensation does not depend in any way on the outcome of the
`
`Petitioner’s petition.
`
`II. QUALIFICATIONS
`
`5.
`
`I am qualified by education and experience to testify as an expert in
`
`the field of fiber optic measurement systems. Attached, as Attachment A, is a copy
`
`of my resume detailing my experience and education. Additionally, I provide the
`
`following overview of my background as it pertains to my qualifications for
`
`providing expert testimony in this matter.
`
`6.
`
`I am qualified both by education and experience to testify in the field
`
`of fiber optic measurement systems, and in particular, as it pertains to the ’971
`
`Patent.
`
`7.
`
`I have been a Professor of Physics and Optics at the University of
`
`North Carolina - Charlotte since 2002, including being chairman of Physics and
`
`- 5 -
`
`HALLIBURTON, Exh. 1003, p. 0005
`
`
`
`Expert Declaration of Dr. Faramarz Farahi for Inter Parties Review of US Patent No. 7,030,971
`
`Optics from 2002-2009. I was a Professor of Physics at the same institution from
`
`1994-2002, and an Associate Professor of Physics from 1990-1994. I mentor,
`
`teach, and supervise undergraduate and graduate physics and engineering students
`
`in the areas of fiber optic sensors and applied optics, and am a co-author of the
`
`“Handbook of Optical Sensors.” I have ten patents issued over the period from
`
`1995-2016. I am a sole- or co-author of more than two hundred publications in my
`
`field.
`
`8.
`
`In 1988, I received my Ph.D. in Physics, Fiber Optic Sensors from
`
`University of Kent in Canterbury, England. My Ph.D. research focused on
`
`interferometric fiber optic sensors.
`
`9.
`
`In 1976, I received a B.S. degree in Physics from Aryamehr (Sharif)
`
`University of Technology in Tehran, Iran. In 1978, I received a M.S. degree in
`
`Applied Mathematics & Theoretical Physics from University of Southampton in
`
`England.
`
`III. PERSON OF ORDINARY SKILL IN THE ART
`
`10.
`
`I understand that the content of a patent (including its claims) and
`
`prior art should be interpreted the way a person of ordinary skill in the art would
`
`have interpreted the material at the time of invention.
`
`11.
`
`I understand that at this time the Petitioners make no assertion as to
`
`the proper “time of invention” as all of the cited prior art references would be
`
`- 6 -
`
`HALLIBURTON, Exh. 1003, p. 0006
`
`
`
`Expert Declaration of Dr. Faramarz Farahi for Inter Parties Review of US Patent No. 7,030,971
`
`considered prior art even as to the earliest priority application (U.S. Application
`
`No. 60/599,437) in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, namely, August
`
`6, 2004.
`
`12.
`
`It is my opinion that one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the
`
`filing date of the patent would have had at least (1) a Bachelor of Science in
`
`Physics or a relevant Engineering field and 4 years of fiber optics industry
`
`experience or (2) a Masters or Doctorate in Physics or a relevant Engineering field
`
`and 2 years of fiber optics industry experience.
`
`13.
`
`In addition to my testimony as an expert, I am prepared to testify as
`
`someone who actually designed fiber optic sensor systems from 1988 to present,
`
`who actually possessed at least the knowledge of a person of ordinary skill in the
`
`art in that time period, and who actually worked with others possessing at least the
`
`knowledge of a person of ordinary skill in the art in that time period.
`
`14.
`
`I understand that the person of ordinary skill is a hypothetical person
`
`who is assumed to be aware of all the pertinent information that qualifies as prior
`
`art. In addition, the person of ordinary skill in the art makes inferences and takes
`
`creative steps.
`
`IV. LEGAL UNDERSTANDING
`
`15.
`
`I have a general understanding of validity based on my experience
`
`with patents and my discussions with counsel.
`
`- 7 -
`
`HALLIBURTON, Exh. 1003, p. 0007
`
`
`
`Expert Declaration of Dr. Faramarz Farahi for Inter Parties Review of US Patent No. 7,030,971
`
`16.
`
`I have a general understanding of prior art and priority date based on
`
`my experience with patents and my discussions with counsel.
`
`17.
`
`I understand that the ’971 Patent should be evaluated under the Pre-
`
`AIA laws as the ’971 Patent was filed on February 7, 2005. I understand that the
`
`inventors are entitled to a priority date up to one year earlier than the date of filing
`
`to the extent that they can show complete possession of particular claimed
`
`inventions at such an earlier priority date and reasonable diligence to reduce the
`
`claims to practice between such an earlier priority date and the date of filing of the
`
`patent. I understand that if the patent holder contends that particular claims are
`
`entitled to an earlier priority date than the date of filing of the patent, then the
`
`patent holder has the burden to prove this contention with specificity.
`
`18.
`
`I understand that an invention by another must be made before the
`
`priority date of a particular patent claim in order to qualify as “prior art” under 35
`
`U.S.C. § 102 or § 103, that a printed publication or patent must be publicly
`
`available more than one year prior to the date of the application for patent in the
`
`United States in order to qualify as “prior art” under 35 U.S.C. § 102(b), or that the
`
`invention by another must be described in an application for patent filed in the
`
`United States before the priority date of a particular patent claim in order to qualify
`
`as “prior art” under 35 U.S.C. § 102(e). I understand that the Defendants have the
`
`burden of proving that any particular publication or patent is prior art.
`
`- 8 -
`
`HALLIBURTON, Exh. 1003, p. 0008
`
`
`
`Expert Declaration of Dr. Faramarz Farahi for Inter Parties Review of US Patent No. 7,030,971
`
`19.
`
`I have a general understanding of anticipation based on my experience
`
`with patents and my discussions with counsel.
`
`20.
`
`I understand that anticipation analysis is a two-step process. The first
`
`step is to determine the meaning and scope of the asserted claims. Each claim
`
`must be viewed as a whole, and it is improper to ignore any element of the claim.
`
`For a claim to be anticipated under U.S. patent law: (1) each and every claim
`
`element must be identically disclosed, either explicitly or inherently, in a single
`
`prior art reference; (2) the claim elements disclosed in the single prior art reference
`
`must be arranged in the same way as in the claim; and (3) the identical invention
`
`must be disclosed in the single prior art reference, in as complete detail as set forth
`
`in the claim. Where even one element is not disclosed in a reference, the
`
`anticipation contention fails. Moreover, to serve as an anticipatory reference, the
`
`reference itself must be enabled, i.e., it must provide enough information so that a
`
`person of ordinary skill in the art can practice the subject matter of the reference
`
`without undue experimentation.
`
`21.
`
`I further understand that where a prior art reference fails to explicitly
`
`disclose a claim element, the prior art reference inherently discloses the claim
`
`element only if the prior art reference must necessarily include the undisclosed
`
`claim element. Inherency may not be established by probabilities or possibilities.
`
`The fact that an element may result from a given set of circumstances is not
`
`- 9 -
`
`HALLIBURTON, Exh. 1003, p. 0009
`
`
`
`Expert Declaration of Dr. Faramarz Farahi for Inter Parties Review of US Patent No. 7,030,971
`
`sufficient to prove inherency. I have applied these principles in forming my
`
`opinions in this matter.
`
`22.
`
`I have a general understanding of obviousness based on my
`
`experience with patents and my discussions with counsel.
`
`23.
`
`I understand that a patent claim is invalid under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as
`
`being obvious only if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior
`
`art are such that the subject matter as a whole would have been obvious at the time
`
`the invention was made to a person of ordinary skill in that art. An obviousness
`
`analysis requires consideration of four factors: (1) scope and content of the prior
`
`art relied upon to challenge patentability; (2) differences between the prior art and
`
`the claimed invention; (3) the level of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the
`
`invention; and (4) the objective evidence of non-obviousness, such as commercial
`
`success, unexpected results, the failure of others to achieve the results of the
`
`invention, a long-felt need which the invention fills, copying of the invention by
`
`competitors, praise for the invention, skepticism for the invention, or independent
`
`development.
`
`24.
`
`I understand that a prior art reference is proper to use in an
`
`obviousness determination if the prior art reference is analogous art to the claimed
`
`invention. I understand that a prior art reference is analogous art if at least one of
`
`the following two considerations is met. First a prior art reference is analogous art
`
`- 10 -
`
`HALLIBURTON, Exh. 1003, p. 0010
`
`
`
`Expert Declaration of Dr. Faramarz Farahi for Inter Parties Review of US Patent No. 7,030,971
`
`if it is from the same field of endeavor as the claimed invention, even if the prior
`
`art reference addresses a different problem and/or arrives at a different solution.
`
`Second, a prior art reference is analogous art if the prior art reference is reasonably
`
`pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor, even if it is not in the same field of
`
`endeavor as the claimed invention.
`
`25.
`
`I understand that it must be shown that one having ordinary skill in
`
`the art at the time of the invention would have had a reasonable expectation that a
`
`modification or combination of one or more prior art references would have
`
`succeeded. Furthermore, I understand that a claim may be obvious in view of a
`
`single prior art reference, without the need to combine references, if the elements
`
`of the claim that are not found in the reference can be supplied by the knowledge
`
`or common sense of one of ordinary skill in the relevant art. However, I
`
`understand that it is inappropriate to resolve obviousness issues by a retrospective
`
`analysis or hindsight reconstruction of the prior art and that the use of “hindsight
`
`reconstruction” is improper in analyzing the obviousness of a patent claim.
`
`26.
`
`I further understand that the law recognizes several specific guidelines
`
`that inform the obviousness analysis. First, I understand that a reconstructive
`
`hindsight approach to this analysis, i.e., the improper use of post-invention
`
`information to help perform the selection and combination, or the improper use of
`
`the listing of elements in a claim as a blueprint to identify selected portions of
`
`- 11 -
`
`HALLIBURTON, Exh. 1003, p. 0011
`
`
`
`Expert Declaration of Dr. Faramarz Farahi for Inter Parties Review of US Patent No. 7,030,971
`
`different prior art references in an attempt to show that the claim is obvious, is not
`
`permitted. Second, I understand that any prior art that specifically teaches away
`
`from the claimed subject matter, i.e., prior art that would lead a person of ordinary
`
`skill in the art to a specifically different solution than the claimed invention, points
`
`to non-obviousness, and conversely, that any prior art that contains any teaching,
`
`suggestion, or motivation to modify or combine such prior art reference(s) points
`
`to the obviousness of such a modification or combination. Third, while many
`
`combinations of the prior art might be “obvious to try,” I understand that any
`
`obvious to try analysis will not show a claim to be unpatentable unless it is shown
`
`that the possible combinations are: (1) sufficiently small in number so as to be
`
`reasonable to conclude that the combination would have been selected; and
`
`(2) such that the combination would have been believed to be one that would
`
`produce predictable and well understood results. Fourth, I understand that if a
`
`claimed invention that arises from the modification or combination of one or more
`
`prior art references uses known methods or techniques that yield predictable
`
`results, then that factor also points to obviousness. Fifth, I understand that if a
`
`claimed invention that arises from the modification or combination of one or more
`
`prior art references is the result of known work in one field prompting variations of
`
`the known work for use in the same field or a different one based on design
`
`incentives or other market forces that yields predicable variations, then that factor
`
`- 12 -
`
`HALLIBURTON, Exh. 1003, p. 0012
`
`
`
`Expert Declaration of Dr. Faramarz Farahi for Inter Parties Review of US Patent No. 7,030,971
`
`also points to obviousness. Sixth, I understand that if a claimed invention arises
`
`from the modification or combination of one or more prior art references is the
`
`result of routine optimization, then that factor also points to obviousness. Seventh,
`
`I understand that if a claimed invention that arises from the modification or
`
`combination of one or more prior art references is the result of a substitution of one
`
`known prior art element for another known prior art element to yield predictable
`
`results, then that factor also points to obviousness.
`
`27.
`
`I understand that a dependent claim incorporates each and every
`
`limitation of the claim from which it depends. Thus, my understanding is that if a
`
`prior art reference fails to anticipate an independent claim, then that prior art
`
`reference also necessarily fails to anticipate all dependent claims that depend from
`
`the independent claim. Similarly, my understanding is that if a prior art reference
`
`or combination of prior art references fails to render obvious an independent claim,
`
`then that prior art reference or combination of prior art references also necessarily
`
`fails to render obvious all dependent claims that depend from the independent
`
`claim.
`
`V. THE ’971 PATENT
`
`28. The ’971 Patent (Ex. 1001), entitled “Natural fiber span reflectometer
`
`providing a virtual signal sensing array capability” asserts that it enables virtual
`
`sensors along the span of fiber. Ex. 1001 at 1:45-46.
`
`- 13 -
`
`HALLIBURTON, Exh. 1003, p. 0013
`
`
`
`Expert Declaration of Dr. Faramarz Farahi for Inter Parties Review of US Patent No. 7,030,971
`
`29.
`
`I note that the ’971 Patent claims priority to a prior provisional
`
`application, U.S. Application No. 60/599,437 filed on August 6, 2004. I am not
`
`aware at this time of any basis for an assertion of a priority date earlier than August
`
`6, 2004.
`
`30. The ’971 Patent includes three independent system claims. Ex. 1001
`
`at claims 1, 21, and 22.
`
`31.
`
`Independent reflectometer claim 1 from the ’971 Patent is presented
`
`below:
`
`1. A time-domain reflectometer for sensing at a desired set of n
`
`spaced sensing positions along an optical fiber span, said sensing
`
`positions being for sensing a type of external physical signal having
`
`the property of inducing light path changes within the optical fiber
`
`span at regions there along where the signal is coupled to the span,
`
`comprising: an optical fiber span having a first end which
`
`concurrently serves as both the interrogation signal input end and the
`
`back propagating signal output end for purposes of reflectometry, and
`
`having a second remote end; a first light source for producing a
`
`coherent carrier lightwave signal of a first predetermined wavelength;
`
`a binary pseudonoise code sequence modulator modulating said
`
`carrier signal for producing a pseudonoise code sequence modulated
`
`interrogation lightwave signal which continuously reiterates the
`
`binary pseudonoise code sequence, the reiterated sequences being
`
`executed in a fixed relationship to a predetermined timing base; a
`
`lightwave heterodyner having first and second inputs for receiving a
`
`- 14 -
`
`HALLIBURTON, Exh. 1003, p. 0014
`
`
`
`Expert Declaration of Dr. Faramarz Farahi for Inter Parties Review of US Patent No. 7,030,971
`
`primary signal and a local oscillator signal, respectively, and operative
`
`to produce the beat frequencies of their respective frequencies; a
`
`lightwave directional coupler having a first port which receives said
`
`binary pseudonoise code sequence modulated interrogation lightwave,
`
`a second port coupled to said first end of said optical fiber span, and a
`
`third port coupled to said primary signal input of the heterodyner; said
`
`directional coupler coupling said binary pseudonoise code sequence
`
`modulated interrogation lightwave to said second port where it is
`
`launched in a forwardly propagating direction along said optical fiber
`
`span causing the return to said second port of a composite back-
`
`propagating lightwave which is a summation of lightwave back-
`
`propagations from a continuum of locations along the length of the
`
`span, said composite back-propagating lightwave signal comprising a
`
`summation of multiple components including a first signal component
`
`comprising the summation of portions of the said pseudonoise code
`
`sequence modulated interrogation lightwave signal which the innate
`
`properties of the optical fiber cause to backpropagate at a continuum
`
`of locations along the span, and a second signal component
`
`comprising the modulation of said first signal component caused by
`
`longitudinal components of optical path changes induced into said
`
`span at a continuum of locations along said span by external physical
`
`signals, said second signal component further including a
`
`corresponding set of subcomponents comprising the modulation of
`
`said first signal component by optical path changes caused by said
`
`external signals at the respective sensing positions; said directional
`
`coupler coupling said composite back-propagating lightwave to said
`
`third port where it is applied to said first input of the heterodyner; a
`
`- 15 -
`
`HALLIBURTON, Exh. 1003, p. 0015
`
`
`
`Expert Declaration of Dr. Faramarz Farahi for Inter Parties Review of US Patent No. 7,030,971
`
`second light source coupled to said second input of the lightwave
`
`heterodyner, said second light source producing a coherent local
`
`oscillator lightwave signal in phase locked relation to said carrier
`
`lightwave signal, said local oscillator signal being of a second
`
`predetermined wavelength which differs from the first predetermined
`
`wavelength by an amount of difference small enough to produce at the
`
`output of the heterodyner a radio frequency (r.f.) composite difference
`
`beat signal, but by an amount large enough to cause said r.f.
`
`composite difference beat signal to have sufficient bandwidth to cause
`
`it to include r.f. counterparts of signal components and
`
`subcomponents of said composite back propagating lightwave signal;
`
`said r.f. composite difference beat frequency signal being coupled to
`
`an n-way splitter providing a corresponding set of n output channels,
`
`each transmitting said r.f. composite difference beat signal; a
`
`corresponding set of n correlation-type binary pseudonoise code
`
`sequence demodulators having their respective inputs connected to the
`
`corresponding output channels of said n-way splitter through a
`
`corresponding set of time delay circuits which respectively provide a
`
`corresponding set of predetermined time delays in relation to said
`
`predetermined timing base of the binary pseudonoise code sequence
`
`modulator, to establish said n desired sensing positions along said
`
`optical fiber span; and said set of correlation-type binary pseudonoise
`
`code sequence demodulators serving to conjunctively temporally and
`
`spatially de-multiplex said r.f. composite difference beat signal to
`
`provide at their respective outputs r.f. counterparts of the
`
`subcomponents of said second signal component of said composite
`
`back-propagating lightwave signal caused by changes in the optical
`
`- 16 -
`
`HALLIBURTON, Exh. 1003, p. 0016
`
`
`
`Expert Declaration of Dr. Faramarz Farahi for Inter Parties Review of US Patent No. 7,030,971
`
`path within said optical fiber span induced by external physical
`
`signals respectively coupled to the corresponding sensing positions.
`
`32.
`
`Independent system claim 21 from the ’971 Patent is presented below:
`
`21. A system wherein, at respective sensing stations of a
`
`plurality of sensing stations along a span of optical fiber, the system
`
`senses input signals of a type having a property of inducing light path
`
`changes at regions of the span influenced by such input signals,
`
`comprising: means for illuminating an optical fiber span with a CW
`
`optical signal; means for retrieving back-propagating portions of the
`
`illumination back propagating from a continuum of locations along
`
`the span; means for modulating said CW optical signal with a
`
`reiterative autocorrelatable form of modulation; means for picking off
`
`a radio frequency (r.f.) counterpart of the retrieved signal, wherein the
`
`r.f. counterpart is in phase locked synchronism with the CW optical
`
`signal; means for performing a corresponding plurality of
`
`autocorrelation detections upon said (r.f.) counterpart of the retrieved
`
`optical signal wherein said performing of the respective
`
`autocorrelation detections of the plurality of autocorrelation detection
`
`by said means for performing autocorrelation-detections are done in a
`
`corresponding plurality of different timed relationships with respect to
`
`the reiterative autocorrelatable form of modulation of the CW optical
`
`signal.
`
`33.
`
`Independent apparatus claim 22 from the ’971 Patent is presented
`
`below:
`
`- 17 -
`
`HALLIBURTON, Exh. 1003, p. 0017
`
`
`
`Expert Declaration of Dr. Faramarz Farahi for Inter Parties Review of US Patent No. 7,030,971
`
`22. Signal sensing apparatus for sensing input signals at an
`
`array of a plurality of sensing stations along an optical fiber span,
`
`wherein at respective sensing station of the array the apparatus senses
`
`input signals of a type having the property of inducing light path
`
`changes within regions influenced by such input signals, said
`
`apparatus comprising: an optical wave network comprising a
`
`transmitter laser and a lightwave directional coupler, said network
`
`being operative to illuminate an optical fiber span with a CW optical
`
`signal and to retrieve portions of the illumination back-propagating
`
`from a continuum of locations along the fiber span; a modulator
`
`operative to modulate the CW optical signal in accordance with a
`
`reiterative autocorrelatable form of modulation code; a heterodyner
`
`which, in phase locked synchronism with said transmitter laser,
`
`receives said retrieved back-propagated portions of illumination and
`
`derives therefrom a radio frequency (r.f.) counterpart; and a
`
`corresponding plurality of autocorrelation detectors operative upon
`
`said r.f. counterpart of the retrieved optical signal in respective timed
`
`relationships of a corresponding plurality of different timed
`
`relationsips with respect to said reiterative autocorrelatable form of
`
`modulation code.
`
`34. The ’971 Patent specification includes 13 figures. The ’971 Patent
`
`describes Figure 1 and Figure 2 as helpful in depicting concepts and underlying
`
`mechanisms of optical systems. Ex. 1001 at 4:25-31.
`
`35. The ’971 Patent describes Figure 3 as “a block diagram of a natural
`
`fiber span time-domain reflectometer system in accordance with the present
`
`- 18 -
`
`HALLIBURTON, Exh. 1003, p. 0018
`
`
`
`Expert Declaration of Dr. Faramarz Farahi for Inter Parties Review of US Patent No. 7,030,971
`
`invention.” Ex. 1001 at 4:32-34. It also describes Figure 12 as “a block diagram
`
`of a programmable routing and phase signal switching network which provides
`
`selective pairing of the outputs of the set of phase demodulators of FIG. 7 to
`
`provide differential phase signals across pairs of virtual sensors along the fiber
`
`span in accordance with the present invention” and Figure 13 as “a diagrammatic
`
`depiction of embodiment of invention [sic] of FIG. 3 in which portions of the
`
`optical fiber span are wound around a hollow mandrel.” Id. at 4:65-67. Those are
`
`the only three figures that are described with respect to the invention, though other
`
`figures reference particular portions of Figure 3. Figure 3 is reproduced below.
`
`
`
`- 19 -
`
`HALLIBURTON, Exh. 1003, p. 0019
`
`
`
`Expert Declaration of Dr. Faramarz Farahi for Inter Parties Review of US Patent No. 7,030,971
`
`36. The ’971 Patent provides a “Description of the Preferred
`
`Embodiment” that includes the components of Figure 3. The transmitter laser (3),
`
`in the upper left, projects light through optical coupler or beamsplitter (4) and into
`
`optical modulator (5). The modulated light moves through optical coupler,
`
`beamsplitter, or circulator (7) and into optical fiber (9). Id. at 15:53-55; 15:58-61;
`
`and 16:1-5. The type of modulation applied is determined by master correlation
`
`code generator (53), which is connected to the modulator (5) by an amplifier 49.
`
`Id. at 15:62-63.
`
`37. The ’971 Patent explains that sending modulated light down an optical
`
`fiber span “causes a back-propagating composite optical signal, which is a linear
`
`summation, or integration spatially, of all the individual, continuous, or continuum
`
`of back-reflections along the span of fiber.” Id. at 16:21-24. That “composite
`
`signal” has several components according to the ’971 Patent, including at least the
`
`“naturally occurring continuum of optical back reflections” and “the continuum of
`
`modulations at locations along the span of the reflected signals due to longitudinal
`
`components of optical path length change.” Id. at 16:26, 36-38. The second
`
`component can be caused by many conditions along the fiber including acoustic
`
`pressure waves, mechanical strain or pressure, and thermal strain or pressure. Id.
`
`16:40-45. Put another way, there is always some backscattering, but the exact type
`
`of backscattering received can vary based on fiber conditions such as temperature
`
`- 20 -
`
`HALLIBURTON, Exh. 1003, p. 0020
`
`
`
`Expert Declaration of Dr. Faramarz Farahi for Inter Parties Review of US Patent No. 7,030,971
`
`and pressure. The ’971 Patent considers those variations separately though it is
`
`always the composite signal, including the natural continuum, that is received in
`
`any system.
`
`38. The system depicted in Figure 3 connects an optical pathway (11) to
`
`optical coupler, beamsplitter, or circulator (7) to receive the backscattered light
`
`from fiber (9) and relay it to optical receiver (15). Ex. 1001 at 17:10-14. Figures 4
`
`and 5 are schematics showing alternative arrangements of the internal components
`
`of the optical receiver (15). Id. at 4:36-39. Figure 4 shows the use of two photo-
`
`detectors (111) and (113), while in Figure 5 the optical receiver shows only one
`
`photodetector (111). Id. at Figs. 4 & 5. The optical receiver (15) also receives an
`
`input from local oscillator laser (45). Id. at 18:64-19:8. The transmitter laser (3)
`
`and local oscillator laser (45) are also connected to optical receiver (35) through
`
`optical couplers or beamsplitters (4) and (43) and optical pathways (49) and (41),
`
`respectively. Id. at 15:55-58, 18:67-19:4. Optical receiver (35) is then connected
`
`back to local oscillator laser (45) through phase locking circuitry (31), which
`
`employs “a conventional phase locked loop mechanism.” Id. at 19:14-22.
`
`39. Figure 3 of the ’971 patent also shows that the optical receiver (15) is
`
`connected through an amplifier (19) to a programmable correlator (23), which also
`
`receives an input from the master correlation code generator (53). Figure 6 shows
`
`- 21 -
`
`HALLIBURTON, Exh. 1003, p. 0021
`
`
`
`Expert Declaration of Dr. Faramarz Farahi for Inter Parties Review of US Patent No. 7,030,971
`
`a block diagram of the components inside programmable correlator (23). Ex. 1001
`
`at 4:40-42. Figure 6 is reproduced below:
`
`
`
`40. The input from the master correlation code generator (53) is provided
`
`to multiple programmable del