Non-Final Rejection
Acknowledgements
1. Claims 1-9 were presented for examination on Sept. 29, 2022. These claims are grouped as follows:
claims 1-6;
claim 7; and
claims 8-9.
2. Applicant claims foreign priority to JAPAN 2021-203275, which was filed Dec. 15, 2021. The foreign priority documents have been received.
3. The presumed effective filing date is Sept. 29, 2022, which is the filing date of U.S. App. No. 17/955,593.
Claim Objections
4. Claim 5 is objected to for a minor typographical error. It appears that “an other” should be “another.” CORRECTION IS SUGGESTED.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
5. Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 10,992,374 to Miedema et al. published Apr. 27, 2021 (“Miedema”). This is a single reference §013 rejection because the claims are made obvious over the embodiment of figure 7 (i.e., the 3rd embodiment) in view of the controller of figure 6 (i.e., the 2nd embodiment).
Miedema teaches “an optical amplification apparats,” e.g., at figure 7, which is reproduced below.
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Figure 7 discloses “a 1st light source that outputs to an optical transmission path incoherent pump light which amplifies signal light propagating through the optical transmission path and which is of a first wavelength band” via pump (#206c) that outputs light at 1426nm.
Figure 7 discloses “a 2nd light source that outputs to the optical transmission path pump light which Raman amplifies the incoherent pump light and which is of a second wavelength band different from the first wavelength band” via pumps (#206b and #206) at 1454nm.
Figure 7 discloses “a filter that blocks reflected light of the signal light input from the optical transmission path and that transmits scattered light input from the optical transmission path in accordance with output of one of the incoherent pump light and the pump light” via filter (#216).
Figure 7 discloses “a detector that detects input of the scattered light” via ASE detector (#220d).
Figure 7 does not specifically disclose “a processor that performs safety light control on each of the 1st light source and the 2nd light source in a case where the input of the scattered light is not detected”. Figure 6, however, teaches a controller (#1914) connected to the OTDR and configured to control the operations of the Raman amplifier and figure 7’s pump module include laser safety mechanisms based on automatic power reduction (“APR”). See col.14:30-47.
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Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art (e.g., an optical engineer), that the controller like the controller of the 2nd embodiment of the Raman amplifier would be used to employ mechanisms such as APR for laser safety.
Allowable Subject Matter
6. Claims 1-6 and 8-9 are allowed.
As to claims 1-6, the prior art does not disclose or suggest “a first detector that detects input, from the optical transmission path, of second pump light of a second wavelength band which is different from the first wavelength band; and a processor that performs safety light control on the light source in a case where the input of the second pump light is not detected” in combination with the other limitations of the claims.
As to claims 8-9, the prior art does not disclose or suggest “the second optical amplification apparatus includes a third light source that outputs to the optical transmission path pump light which Raman amplifies the signal light input from the optical transmission path and which is of the first wavelength band, a pump light detector that detects input, from the optical transmission path, of the pump light of the second wavelength band, and a first processor that performs safety light control on the third light source in a case where the input of the pump light of the second wavelength band is not detected” in combination with the other limitations of the claims.
Conclusion
7. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DEANDRA M HUGHES whose telephone number is (571)272-6982. The examiner can normally be reached Generally M-Th 8AM-6PM.
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Signed:
/DEANDRA M HUGHES/Reexamination Specialist, Art Unit 3992
Conferees: