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 .
Response to Amendment
Examiner acknowledges amending of claims 1-2, 11-12, cancellation of claims 8, 18, and addition of new claims 21-22. Drawing objections rendered moot. Claim objections withdrawn. 112a rejections rendered moot.
Response to Arguments
Applicant argues Blazo does not disclose the destination of the electrical current is the electrical component and is provided via the at least one semiconductor diode. Applicant points to the electrical current being provided by the inductor, not the SRD, as evidence (Remarks pgs. 9-10).
Applicant further argues Blazo does not disclose the “semiconductor diode … generating the short electrical pulse to the destination for the duration of the reverse recovery state” (Remarks pg. 10). Applicant contends that the “laser pulse” in Blazo is generated after the duration of the SRD reverse recovery state.
Examiner disagrees with both arguments. Examiner notes that the “electrical component” is the entire component within annotated fig. 1 box EC (including inductor L, capacitor C, resistor R2, and laser diode LD), not solely LD. During reverse recovery state, step recovery diode SRD provides current I2 to L, L being an element within the electrical component (Blazo col. 2 lines 40-45). Additionally, this current I2 represents the generic electrical pulse during the reverse recovery state. There is no requirement in the claims for this electrical pulse to be a laser pulse or one sent directly to a laser. The timing of the separate laser pulse from inductor L to laser LD is not relevant to the claim rejection.
def. component – a part that combines with other parts to form something bigger (Cambridge Dictionary)
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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(s) 1-2, 4, 9-12, 14, 19-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1/2 as being anticipated by Blazo US-4995044-A.
Regarding claim 1, Blazo discloses a method for providing a short electrical pulse using a switching circuit (fig. 1, Abstract), the method comprising: providing a forward current to at least one semiconductor diode electrically connected with and controlling electrical current to an electrical component within a circuit (annotated fig. 1 E-/R1/Ground provides forward current to semiconductor diode SRD electrically connected with and controlling electrical current to electrical component (everything within EC/to the right of SRD), col. 2 lines 35-50); and switching the at least one semiconductor diode into a reverse bias by applying a reverse voltage to the at least one semiconductor diode (annotated fig. 1 reverse current I1/voltage from Q2 switches SRD into reverse bias, col. 2 lines 35-50 + 60-65), thereby causing the at least one semiconductor diode to enter a reverse recovery state and controlling a destination of the electrical current to the electrical component and generating the short electrical pulse to the destination for the duration of the reverse recovery state (annotated fig. 1 SRD enters reverse recovery state after application of reverse voltage/current, electrical pulse I2 sent to destination inductor L (within EC) for duration of reverse recovery state, col. 2 lines 35-65, see also Lemmon US-3428857-A col. 3 lines 25-60 and “Physical principles” section of “Step Recovery Diode” Wikipedia article, both cited in PTO-892 as evidentiary support for operation of step recovery diode); the duration of the reverse recovery state being based upon a value of the forward current and a value of the reverse voltage (Lemmon col. 3 lines 35-50, based upon forward current and reverse current (and therefore, reverse voltage)).
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Annotated fig. 1
Regarding claim 2, Blazo discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the at least one semiconductor diode is electrically in-line with the electrical component (annotated fig. 1 SRD in-line with EC); wherein, during the reverse recovery state/”RRS”, the destination of the electrical current is the electrical component and the electrical current is provided via the at least one semiconductor diode (annotated fig. 1 during RRS, destination of current I2 is EC and provided via SRD, Blazo col. 2 lines 40-45); and wherein the duration of the electrical current provided to the electrical component is equal to the duration of the reverse recovery state, thereby providing the short electrical pulse to the electrical component (annotated fig. 1 I2 duration equal to RRS duration, occurs until SRD charge is depleted, pulse I2 sent to the inductor L within EC, Blazo col. 2 lines 40-65, Lemmon col. 3 lines 45-50, Wikipedia article “Anode current does not cease but reverses its polarity (i.e. the direction of its flow) and stored charge Qs starts to flow out of the device at an almost constant rate IR. All the stored charge is thus removed in a certain amount of time: this time is the storage time tS”, see also NPL Electrical Technology “What is Step Recovery Diode – SRD? Construction, Working & Applications” sections Working and Characteristics).
Regarding claim 4, Blazo discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the forward current is provided while a transistor electrically connected to the electrical component is switched off (annotated fig. 1 forward current via E-/R1/Ground provided while transistor Q1 electrically + indirectly connected to EC + switched off, Q1 off while SRD forward biased, Q1 not on until impulse trigger, col. 2 lines 15-25); and wherein the reverse voltage is provided while the transistor is switched on (fig. 1 reverse voltage/current to SRD provided while Q1 switched on, causing charge on SRD to transfer to inductor L because of reverse voltage, col. 2 lines 40-45 + 60-65).
Regarding claim 9, Blazo discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the providing a forward current is performed by a dedicated current source (annotated fig. 1 E-/R1/Ground provides forward current to semiconductor diode SRD, col. 2 lines 35-50).
“Dedicated current source” is combination of E-/R1/Ground.
Regarding claim 10, Blazo discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the electrical component comprises a light emitting device (annotated fig. 1 EC comprises light emitting device LD, col. 2 lines 25-30).
Regarding claim 11, Blazo discloses a device for providing a short electrical pulse using a switching circuit (fig. 1, Abstract), the device comprising: an electrical component receiving an electrical current (annotated fig. 1 EC receives electrical current I2, col. 2 lines 35-65); and at least one semiconductor diode electrically connected with the electrical component (annotated fig. 1 SRD electrically connected with EC), wherein the at least one semiconductor diode controls electrical current to the electrical component and wherein control of the at least one semiconductor diode controls a duration of the electrical current (annotated fig. 1 SRD controls current to EC and duration via operation of SRD, duration and amount of forward current and reverse current applied to SRD controls duration and amount of current from SRD to EC, col. 2 lines 35-65, see Lemmon US-3428857-A col. 3 lines 25-60, and “Physical principles” section of “Step Recovery Diode” Wikipedia article, both cited in PTO-892 as evidentiary support for operation of step recovery diode); wherein the control of the at least one semiconductor diode comprises providing a forward current to at least one semiconductor diode electrically connected with and controlling electrical current to an electrical component within a circuit (annotated fig. 1 control of SRD comprises providing forward current via E-/R1/Ground to SRD, SRD electrically connected with and controlling electrical current to EC) and switching the at least one semiconductor diode into a reverse bias by applying a reverse voltage to the at least one semiconductor diode (annotated fig. 1 switch SRD into reverse bias by applying reverse voltage via current I1 from Q2 to SRD, col. 2 lines 35-50 + 60-65), thereby causing the at least one semiconductor diode to enter a reverse recovery state and controlling a destination of the electrical current to the electrical component and generating the short electrical pulse to the destination for the duration of the reverse recovery state (annotated fig. 1 SRD enters reverse recovery state after application of reverse voltage/current, electrical pulse I2 sent to destination inductor L (within EC) for duration of reverse recovery state); the duration of the reverse recovery state being based upon the value of the forward current and a value of a reverse voltage applied during the reverse bias (Lemmon col. 3 lines 35-50, based upon forward current and reverse current (and therefore, reverse voltage)).
Regarding claim 12, Blazo discloses the device of claim 11, wherein the at least one semiconductor diode is electrically in-line with the electrical component (annotated fig. 1 SRD in-line with EC); wherein, during the reverse recovery state/”RRS”, the destination of the electrical current is the electrical component and the electrical current is provided via the at least one semiconductor diode (annotated fig. 1 during RRS, destination of current I2 is EC and provided via SRD, Blazo col. 2 lines 40-45); and wherein the duration of the electrical current provided to the electrical component is equal to the duration of the reverse recovery state, thereby providing the short electrical pulse to the electrical component (annotated fig. 1 I2 duration equal to RRS duration, occurs until SRD charge is depleted, pulse I2 sent to the inductor L within EC, Blazo col. 2 lines 40-65, Lemmon col. 3 lines 45-50, Wikipedia article “Anode current does not cease but reverses its polarity (i.e. the direction of its flow) and stored charge Qs starts to flow out of the device at an almost constant rate IR. All the stored charge is thus removed in a certain amount of time: this time is the storage time tS”, see also (evidentiary support for SRD principles/operation) NPL Electrical Technology “What is Step Recovery Diode – SRD? Construction, Working & Applications” sections Working and Characteristics).
Regarding claim 14, Blazo discloses the device of claim 11, further comprising a transistor electrically connected to the electrical component (annotated fig. 1 transistor Q1 electrically + indirectly connected to EC, col. 2 lines 15-25); wherein the forward current is provided while the transistor is switched off (Q1 off while SRD forward biased, Q1 not on until impulse trigger, col. 2 lines 15-25), and wherein the reverse voltage is provided while the transistor is switched on (fig. 1 reverse voltage/current to SRD provided while Q1 switched on, causing charge on SRD to transfer to inductor L because of reverse voltage, col. 2 lines 40-45 + 60-65).
Regarding claim 19, Blazo discloses the device of claim 11, wherein the providing a forward current is performed by a dedicated current source (annotated fig. 1 E-/R1/Ground provides forward current to semiconductor diode SRD, col. 2 lines 35-50).
“Dedicated current source” is combination of E-/R1/Ground.
Regarding claim 20, Blazo discloses the device of claim 11, wherein the electrical component comprises a light emitting device (annotated fig. 1 EC comprises light emitting device LD, col. 2 lines 25-30).
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.
Claim(s) 5, 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Blazo in view of NPL Hewlett Packard "Pulse and Waveform Generation with Step Recovery Diodes"/”HP”.
Regarding claim 5, Blazo discloses the method of claim 1.
Blazo does not disclose further comprising controlling at least one of a pulse intensity, pulse width, and pulse duration by adjusting the value of the forward current.
Blazo discloses a desire to provide short optical pulses (e.g. less than 40 ps) (col. 1 lines 10-20).
HP discloses the storage time required to remove the charge stored on the SRD (i.e. pulse time) depends on the forward current (pg. 2, section 1. Ideal Dynamic Characteristics, formulas 2 + 3, and fig. 1).
It is well known to optimize values to achieve desired results (MPEP 2144.05 II A/B).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to control at least one of a pulse intensity, pulse width, and pulse duration by adjusting the value of the forward current to decrease pulse width/duration to make device more suitable for photodiode risetime testing, high resolution time domain reflectometry and dispersion and bandwidth testing on optical fiber (Blazo col. 1 lines 10-20) or to increase pulse/width duration for other purposes.
Regarding claim 15, Blazo discloses the device of claim 11.
Blazo does not disclose wherein the control further comprises controlling at least one of a pulse intensity, pulse width, and pulse duration by adjusting the value of the forward current.
Blazo discloses a desire to provide short optical pulses (e.g. less than 40 ps) (col. 1 lines 10-20).
HP discloses the storage time required to remove the charge stored on the SRD (i.e. pulse time) depends on the forward current (pg. 2, section 1. Ideal Dynamic Characteristics, formulas 2 + 3, and fig. 1).
It is well known to optimize values to achieve desired results (MPEP 2144.05 II A/B).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to control at least one of a pulse intensity, pulse width, and pulse duration by adjusting the value of the forward current to decrease pulse width/duration to make device more suitable for photodiode risetime testing, high resolution time domain reflectometry and dispersion and bandwidth testing on optical fiber (Blazo col. 1 lines 10-20) or to increase pulse/width duration for other purposes.
Claim(s) 6, 8, 16, 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Blazo in view of Boenigk US-20230417881-A.
Regarding claim 6, Blazo discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the semiconductor diode is connected in series to and controls the channel of the single channel electrical component (annotated fig. 1 SRD connected in series to and controls EC, col. 2 lines 35-65).
Blazo does not disclose wherein the at least one semiconductor diode comprises a plurality of semiconductor diodes; wherein the electrical component comprises a multichannel electrical component; and wherein each of the plurality of semiconductor diodes is connected in series to and controls at least one channel of the multichannel electrical component.
Boenigk discloses a light emitting device with a plurality of semiconductor diodes, each semiconductor diode used to drive an associated light emitting diode of a plurality of light emitting diodes within a multichannel electrical component (fig. 1A plurality of diodes within 106-X, each diode in a 106-X drives associated 102-X of plurality of 102-X within multichannel electrical component 102, 0026-0031, 0085).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have a plurality of semiconductor diodes, wherein the electrical component comprises a multichannel electrical component; and wherein each of the plurality of semiconductor diodes is connected in series to and controls at least one channel of the multichannel electrical component to provide more complex pulse signals by overlapping/combining individual emitter pulses in the electrical component. Also allows for continued use in case one emitter fails.
Regarding claim 16, Blazo discloses the device of claim 11, wherein the semiconductor diode is connected in series to and controls the channel of the single channel electrical component (annotated fig. 1 SRD connected in series to and controls EC, col. 2 lines 35-65).
Blazo does not disclose wherein the at least one semiconductor diode comprises a plurality of semiconductor diodes; wherein the electrical component comprises a multichannel electrical component; and wherein each of the plurality of semiconductor diodes is connected in series to and controls at least one channel of the multichannel electrical component.
Boenigk discloses a light emitting device with a plurality of semiconductor diodes, each semiconductor diode used to drive an associated light emitting diode of a plurality of light emitting diodes within a multichannel electrical component (fig. 1A plurality of diodes within 106-X, each diode in a 106-X drives associated 102-X of plurality of 102-X within multichannel electrical component 102, 0026-0031, 0085).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have a plurality of semiconductor diodes, wherein the electrical component comprises a multichannel electrical component; and wherein each of the plurality of semiconductor diodes is connected in series to and controls at least one channel of the multichannel electrical component to provide more complex pulse signals by overlapping/combining individual emitter pulses in the electrical component. Also allows for continued use in case one emitter fails.
Claim(s) 7, 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Blazo in view of Boenigk and Dolganov US-20220299610-A1.
Regarding claim 7, modified Blazo discloses the method of claim 6.
Modified Blazo does not disclose wherein the value of the forward current for each of the plurality of semiconductor diodes is set independently from other of the plurality of semiconductor diodes.
Dolganov discloses a driver circuit for an array of optical emitters with a separate/independent current source for each row of emitters and different peak currents for each column of emitters (fig. 1 separate current source 106 for each row of emitters 102, 0016-0017, different peak currents 0021, 0041).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to set the value of the forward current for each of the plurality of semiconductor diodes independently from other of the plurality of semiconductor diodes to achieve a desired peak power for an optical pulse from one or more of the emitters in Blazo (Dolganov 0041).
Regarding claim 17, modified Blazo discloses the device of claim 16.
Modified Blazo does not disclose wherein the value of the forward current for each of the plurality of semiconductor diodes is set independently from other of the plurality of semiconductor diodes.
Dolganov discloses a driver circuit for an array of optical emitters with a separate/independent current source for each row of emitters and different peak currents for each column of emitters (fig. 1 separate current source 106 for each row of emitters 102, 0016-0017, different peak currents 0021, 0041).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to set the value of the forward current for each of the plurality of semiconductor diodes independently from other of the plurality of semiconductor diodes to achieve a desired peak power for an optical pulse from one or more of the emitters in Blazo (Dolganov 0041).
Claim(s) 21-22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Blazo in view of Boenigk, HP (NPL), and Barnes (US-10158211-B2).
Regarding claim 21, modified Blazo discloses the method of claim 6.
Modified Blazo does not disclose wherein a characteristic of the electrical components within each of the channels of the multichannel component is controlled based upon an initial forward current value applied to one of the plurality of semiconductor diodes that controls a corresponding of the electrical components, wherein the initial forward current values for different of the plurality of semiconductor diodes is set independently from other of the plurality of semiconductor diodes.
HP discloses the storage time required to remove the charge stored on an SRD (i.e. pulse time) depends on the forward current (pg. 2, section 1. Ideal Dynamic Characteristics, formulas 2 + 3, and fig. 1).
Barnes discloses a pulsed laser diode driver with separate/independent supply voltage nodes for corresponding separate laser diodes (fig. 14 capacitors Vcc_x with separate voltages for laser diodes LDx, col. 10 line 40 – col. 11 line 35).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have a characteristic of the electrical components within each of the channels of the multichannel component is controlled based upon an initial forward current value applied to one of the plurality of semiconductor diodes that controls a corresponding of the electrical components, wherein the initial forward current values for different of the plurality of semiconductor diodes is set independently from other of the plurality of semiconductor diodes to better accommodate diodes with varying characteristics within the channels (i.e. do not need to use same exact SRD or laser diode for every channel), using different voltages allows for more flexibility in component/diode selection.
Regarding claim 22, modified Blazo discloses the device of claim 16.
Modified Blazo does not disclose wherein a characteristic of the electrical components within each of the channels of the multichannel component is controlled based upon an initial forward current value applied to one of the plurality of semiconductor diodes that controls a corresponding of the electrical components, wherein the initial forward current values for different of the plurality of semiconductor diodes is set independently from other of the plurality of semiconductor diodes.
HP discloses the storage time required to remove the charge stored on an SRD (i.e. pulse time) depends on the forward current (pg. 2, section 1. Ideal Dynamic Characteristics, formulas 2 + 3, and fig. 1).
Barnes discloses a pulsed laser diode driver with separate/independent supply voltage nodes for corresponding separate laser diodes (fig. 14 capacitors Vcc_x with separate voltages for laser diodes LDx, col. 10 line 40 – col. 11 line 35).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have a characteristic of the electrical components within each of the channels of the multichannel component is controlled based upon an initial forward current value applied to one of the plurality of semiconductor diodes that controls a corresponding of the electrical components, wherein the initial forward current values for different of the plurality of semiconductor diodes is set independently from other of the plurality of semiconductor diodes to better accommodate diodes with varying characteristics within the channels (i.e. do not need to use same exact SRD or laser diode for every channel), using different voltages allows for more flexibility in component/diode selection.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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/A.E./Examiner, Art Unit 2828
/MINSUN O HARVEY/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2828
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