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 .
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.
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after allowance or after an Office action under Ex Parte Quayle, 25 USPQ 74, 453 O.G. 213 (Comm'r Pat. 1935). Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, prosecution in this application has been reopened pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 5/27/2026 has been entered.
Allowable Subject Matter
The indicated allowability of claim 8, 11, 14-29 is withdrawn in view of the newly discovered reference to US 2008/0219299. Rejections based on the newly cited reference follow.
Claims 12-13 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.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 8, 11, 14, 16-24, 26-29 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2018/0246339 (Marciante) in view of and US 2009/0245303 (Shimotsu) and US 2008/0219299 (Lewis).
For claim 8, Marciante teaches a master oscillator power amplifier (fig. 3 and 4) (MOPA) system, comprising:
one or more pump laser sources (fig. 3, pump input; [0064]); and
an oscillator including an input side coupled to the one or more pump laser sources (fig. 3, FBG1) and an output side (fig. 3, FBG 2),
wherein the oscillator includes:
an active fiber (fig. 3, Tb-doped fiber and fig. 4) including:
an inner cladding (fig. 4, Cladding);
an outer cladding surrounding the inner cladding (fig. 4, Pump cladding); and
a plurality of active fiber cores, embedded in the inner cladding, configured to convert pump light into signal light (fig. 4, Tb-doped cores);
a plurality of first reflectors, wherein each first reflector of the plurality of first reflectors is associated with a respective active fiber core of the plurality of active fiber cores, and wherein each first reflector of the plurality of first reflectors is configured to operate as a high reflector (HR) on the input side of the oscillator (fig. 3, FBG1: HR at signal; [0063] separate FBGs in each core); and
a plurality of second reflectors, wherein each second reflector of the plurality of second reflectors is associated with a respective active fiber core of the plurality of active fiber cores, and wherein each second reflector of the plurality of second reflectors is configured to operate as an output coupler (OC) on the output side of the oscillator (fig. 3, FBG 2: Signal output coupler; [0063] separate FBGs in each core);
The combination of separate FBGs and single mode fiber cores [0063] results in the claimed limitation “for each active fiber core of the plurality of active fiber cores, a respective first reflector of the plurality of first reflectors and a respective second reflector of the plurality of second reflectors are configured to reflect a respective single mode of the signal light in the active fiber core” because the cores support a single mode and the first and second FBGs reflect the single modes of the signal light.
Marciante does not teach the output side of the oscillator is spliced to a passive bridge fiber; wherein the passive bridge fiber includes a single large core having a dimension that fully encircles the plurality of active fiber cores.
However, Shimotsu teaches the output side of multiple cores (fig. 5 and 6, 3i-3l) are spliced to a passive bridge fiber that includes a single large core (fig. 5 and 6, fiber 5 with core 5b) having a dimension that fully encircles the plurality of multiple cores (fig. 5 and 6, [0044]) in order to reduce coherence length and reduce speckle ([0055]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine a passive bridge fiber with a single large core as taught by Shimotsu with the device of Marciante such that the output side of the Marciante’s multiple cores (i.e. the output side of the multicore oscillator) are spliced to the single large core fiber with a dimension which fully encircles the plurality of multiple cores (i.e. the active fiber cores of the previous combination) in order to reduce coherence length and reduce speckle.
Neither Marciante nor Shimotsu teach the output side coupled to a power amplifier by the passive bridge fiber. However, Lewis teaches a master oscillator (fig. 1(a), 1) coupled to a power amplifier (fig. 1(a), 2) by a passive bridge fiber (fig. 1(a), 15) in order to provide amplified output where the passive bridge fiber has the additional benefit of improving efficiency ([0034]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the amplifier of Lewis with the previous combination in order to provide amplified output where the passive bridge fiber has the additional benefit of improving efficiency.
For claim 18, Marciante teaches a method (fig. 3 and 4), comprising:
providing an input light by a pump laser source that includes one or more pump laser diodes (fig. 3, pump input; [0064]);
converting the input light into signal light by an oscillator that includes an input side coupled to the pump laser source (fig. 3, FBG1), wherein the oscillator includes:
an active fiber (fig. 3, Tb-doped fiber and fig. 4) including:
an inner cladding (fig. 4, Cladding);
an outer cladding surrounding the inner cladding (fig. 4, Pump cladding); and
a plurality of active fiber cores, embedded in the inner cladding, configured to convert the input light into the signal light (fig. 4, Tb-doped cores),
wherein, for each active fiber core of the plurality of active fiber cores, a respective first reflector (fig. 3, FBG1: HR at signal; [0063] separate FBGs in each core) and a respective second reflector (fig. 3, FBG 2: Signal output coupler; [0063] separate FBGs in each core) are configured to reflect a respective single mode of the signal light in the active fiber core ([0063], cores are single mode).
Marciante does not teach amplifying the signal light by a power amplifier coupled to an output side of the oscillator, wherein the output side of the oscillator is spliced to a passive bridge fiber that couples the oscillator and the power amplifier, and wherein the passive bridge fiber includes a single large core having a dimension that fully encircles the plurality of active fiber cores.
However, Shimotsu teaches the output side of multiple cores (fig. 5 and 6, 3i-3l) are spliced to a passive bridge fiber that includes a single large core (fig. 5 and 6, fiber 5 with core 5b) having a dimension that fully encircles the plurality of multiple cores (fig. 5 and 6, [0044]) in order to reduce coherence length and reduce speckle ([0055]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine a passive bridge fiber with a single large core as taught by Shimotsu with the device of Marciante such that the output side of the Marciante’s multiple cores (i.e. the output side of the multicore oscillator) are spliced to the single large core fiber with a dimension which fully encircles the plurality of multiple cores (i.e. the active fiber cores of the previous combination) in order to reduce coherence length and reduce speckle.
Neither Marciante nor Shimotsu teach the output side coupled to a power amplifier by the passive bridge fiber. However, Lewis teaches a master oscillator (fig. 1(a), 1) coupled to a power amplifier (fig. 1(a), 2) by a passive bridge fiber (fig. 1(a), 15) in order to provide amplified output where the passive bridge fiber has the additional benefit of improving efficiency ([0034]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the amplifier of Lewis with the previous combination in order to provide amplified output where the passive bridge fiber has the additional benefit of improving efficiency.
For claim 23, Marciante teaches a master oscillator power amplifier (fig. 3 and 4) (MOPA) system, comprising:
one or more pump laser sources (fig. 3, pump input; [0064]); and
a multicore (fig. 4) oscillator including an input side coupled to the one or more pump laser sources (fig. 3, FBG1) and an output side (fig. 3, FBG 2),
wherein the multicore oscillator includes:
an active fiber (fig. 3, Tb-doped fiber and fig. 4) including:
an inner cladding (fig. 4, Cladding);
an outer cladding surrounding the inner cladding (fig. 4, Pump cladding); and
a plurality of active fiber cores, embedded in the inner cladding, configured to convert pump light into signal light (fig. 4, Tb-doped cores);
a plurality of first fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs), wherein each first FBG of the plurality of first FBGs is configured to operate as a high reflector (HR) on an input side of a respective active fiber core of the plurality of active fiber cores (fig. 3, FBG1: HR at signal; [0063] separate FBGs in each core); and
a plurality of second FBGs, wherein each second FBG of the plurality of second FBGs is configured to operate as an output coupler (OC) on an output side of a respective active fiber core of the plurality of active fiber cores (fig. 3, FBG 2: Signal output coupler; [0063] separate FBGs in each core); and
wherein for each active fiber core of the plurality of active fiber cores, a respective first FBG of the plurality of first FBGs (fig. 3, FBG1: HR at signal; [0063] separate FBGs in each core) and a respective second FBG of the plurality of second FBGs (fig. 3, FBG 2: Signal output coupler; [0063] separate FBGs in each core) are configured to reflect a respective single mode of the signal light in the active fiber core ([0063], cores are single mode).
Marciante does not teach the output side of the multicore oscillator is spliced to a passive bridge fiber; wherein the passive bridge fiber includes a single large core having a dimension that fully encircles the plurality of active fiber cores.
However, Shimotsu teaches the output side of multiple cores (fig. 5 and 6, 3i-3l) are spliced to a passive bridge fiber that includes a single large core (fig. 5 and 6, fiber 5 with core 5b) having a dimension that fully encircles the plurality of multiple cores (fig. 5 and 6, [0044]) in order to reduce coherence length and reduce speckle ([0055]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine a passive bridge fiber with a single large core as taught by Shimotsu with the device of Marciante such that the output side of the Marciante’s multiple cores (i.e. the output side of the multicore oscillator) are spliced to the single large core fiber with a dimension which fully encircles the plurality of multiple cores (i.e. the active fiber cores of the previous combination) in order to reduce coherence length and reduce speckle.
Neither Marciante nor Shimotsu teach the output side coupled to a power amplifier by the passive bridge fiber. However, Lewis teaches a master oscillator (fig. 1(a), 1) coupled to a power amplifier (fig. 1(a), 2) by a passive bridge fiber (fig. 1(a), 15) in order to provide amplified output where the passive bridge fiber has the additional benefit of improving efficiency ([0034]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the amplifier of Lewis with the previous combination in order to provide amplified output where the passive bridge fiber has the additional benefit of improving efficiency.
For claim 11, Lewis teaches the power amplifier includes a single large core ([0033]). The combination does not teach the single large core having a dimension that fully encircles the plurality of active fiber cores. However, the examiner takes official notice that core size was a well-known results effective variable in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention. For example, core size determines allowable power levels without introducing non-linear effects in a fiber. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to use a single large core having a dimension that fully encircles the plurality of active fiber cores, since it has been held that discovering an optimum value of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art. In re Boesch, 617 F.2d 272, 205 USPQ 215 (CCPA 1980).
For claim 14 Marciante teaches a respective first reflector of the plurality of first reflectors and a respective second reflector of the plurality of second reflectors are directly written into each active fiber core of the plurality of active fiber cores ([0057], directly written; [0064],separate FBGs).
For claim 16, Marciante teaches the plurality of first reflectors and the plurality of second reflectors are tuned to different wavelengths (fig. 18 and [0110]).
For claim 17, 21, and 27, Marciante teaches the plurality of active fiber cores are separated from one another within the inner cladding to satisfy a threshold level of crosstalk ([0060]).
For claim 19 and 28, Marciante teaches the plurality of active fiber cores are associated with one or more of a uniform separation, a uniform core size, or a uniform doping (fig. 4; cores are uniformly doped with Tb).
For claim 20 and 29, Marciante teaches the plurality of active fiber cores are associated with one or more of different separations, different core sizes, or different doping (fig. 4; the separation between the center Tb-doped an outer Tb-doped core is different than the separation between two outer Tb-doped cores on opposite sides of the center Tb-doped core).
For claim 22, Marciante teaches for each active fiber core of the plurality of active fiber cores, the respective first reflector and the respective second reflector are directly written into the active fiber core ([0057], directly written; [0064],separate FBGs).
For claim 24, Marciante teaches a respective first FBG of the plurality of first FBGs and a respective second FBG of the plurality of second FBGs are directly written into each active fiber core of the plurality of active fiber cores ([0057], directly written; [0064],separate FBGs).
For claim 26, Marciante teaches the plurality of first reflectors and the plurality of second reflectors are tuned to different wavelengths (fig. 18 and [0110]).
Claims 15 and 25 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2018/0246339 (Marciante) in view of and US 2009/0245303 (Shimotsu) and US 2008/0219299 (Lewis) and further in view of US 2009/0067453 (Mizuuchi).
For claim 15 Marciante teaches the plurality of first reflectors are included in a fiber spliced to the input side of the oscillator ([0057], spliced). Marciante does not explicitly teach the spliced fiber is passive. However, Mizuuchi teaches a passive spliced fiber (fig. 14(a), 123a and 123b) in order to prevent a change in oscillation wavelength due to temperature rise of the core ([0256]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to form the plurality of first reflectors in a passive fiber spliced to the input side of the oscillator in order to prevent a change in oscillation wavelength due to temperature rise of the core.
For claim 25 Marciante teaches each first FBG of the plurality of first FBGs is included in a respective core of a
Marciante does not explicitly teach the spliced fiber is passive. However, Mizuuchi teaches a passive spliced fiber with FBGs in respective cores (fig. 14(a), 123a and 123b) in order to prevent a change in oscillation wavelength due to temperature rise of the core ([0256]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to form the plurality of first FBGs in respective cores of a passive fiber spliced to the input side of the oscillator in order to prevent a change in oscillation wavelength due to temperature rise of the core.
Conclusion
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/Michael Carter/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2828
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