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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
2. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ),
second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding claim 1, lines 3-4, the phrase “determining, according to a number of first-stage optical interconnection units in the switching device …” is unclear or undefined. What element to determine a connection.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claims 1, 8-13 and 24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being
anticipated by Konda (US Patent No. 7,378,938).
Regarding claim 1, as it is understood in view of the above 112 problem, referring to Figures 1A-1B, 2A-2B, and 5A-5B. Konda teaches a method for determining a connection relationship in a switching device (i.e., switching device, Figs. 5A-5B), comprising:
determining (i.e., controller, Figs. 5A-5B), according to a number of first-stage optical interconnection units (i.e., input stage 110, Figs. 5A-5B) in the switching device and a number of first-stage access points (i.e., switches MIS1-MIS3, Figs. 5A-5B) in each optical cross interconnection unit (i.e., middle stage 130, Figs. 5A-5B), optical cross interconnection units (i.e., middle stage 130, Figs. 5A-5B) and first target access points (i.e., switches MIS1-MIS3, Figs. 5A-5B) corresponding to a plurality of first-stage optical interconnection units (i.e., input stage 110, Figs. 5A-5B), wherein each first target access point is a first-stage access point in the optical cross interconnection unit for communicative connection with a corresponding first-stage optical interconnection unit (i.e., Figs. 5A-5B, col. 17, lines 9-61); and
determining (i.e., controller, Figs. 5A-5B), according to a number of second-stage optical interconnection units (i.e., output stage 120, Figs. 5A-5B) in the switching device and a number of second-stage access points (i.e., switches MOS1-MOS3, Figs. 5A-5B) in each optical cross interconnection unit (i.e., middle stage 130, Figs. 5A-5B), optical cross interconnection units and second target access points (i.e., switches MOS1-MOS3, Figs. 5A-5B) corresponding to a plurality of second-stage optical interconnection units (i.e., output stage 120, Figs. 5A-5B), wherein each second target access point is a second-stage access point in the optical cross interconnection unit for communicative connection with a corresponding second-stage optical interconnection unit (i.e., Figs. 5A-5B, col. 17, lines 9-61);
wherein the switching device (i.e., switching device, Figs. 5A-5B) comprises a plurality of first-stage optical interconnection units (i.e., input stage 110, Figs. 5A-5B), a plurality of second-stage optical interconnection units (i.e., output stage 120, Figs. 5A-5B), and a plurality of optical cross interconnection units (i.e., middle stage 130, Figs. 5A-5B), each optical cross interconnection unit comprises a plurality of first-stage access points (i.e., switches MIS1-MIS3, Figs. 5A-5B) and a
plurality of second-stage access points (i.e., switches MOS1-MOS3, Figs. 5A-5B), and each of the first-stage access points in the optical cross interconnection unit is in communicative connection with the respective second-stage access points, so that each of the first-stage optical interconnection units (i.e., input stage 110, Figs. 5A-5B) is in communicative connection with the respective second-
stage optical interconnection units (i.e., output stage 120, Figs. %a-5B) via the optical cross interconnection unit (i.e., middle stage 130, Figs. 5A-5B)(i.e., Figures 5A-5B, col. 18, lines 27-67, and col. 19, lines 1-14).
Regarding claim 8, referring to Figures 1A-1B, 2A-2B, and 5A-5B, Konda teaches an optical cross interconnection unit (i.e., optical cross interconnect unit 130, Figs. 5A-5B), comprising:
a plurality of first-stage access points (i.e., switches MIS1-MIS3, Figs. 5A-5B) and a plurality of second-stage access points (i.e., switches MOS1-MOS3, Figs. 5A-5B);
wherein each of the first-stage access points (i.e., switches MIS1-MIS3, Figs. 5A-5B) is in communicative connection with the respective second-stage access points (i.e., switches MOS1-MOS3, Figs. 5A-5B), the first-stage access
points (i.e., switches MIS1-MIS3, Figs. 5A-5B) are configured for communicative connection with first-stage optical interconnection units (i.e., input stage 110, Figs. 5A-5B) in a switching device, and the second-stage access points (i.e., switches MOS1-MOS3, Figs. 5A-5B) are configured for communicative connection with second-stage optical interconnection units (i.e., output stage 120, Figs. 5A-5B) in the switching device (i.e., Figures 5A-5B, col. 17, lines 9-61, col. 18, lines 27-67, and col. 19, lines 1-14).
Regarding claim 9, Konda further teaches wherein the optical cross interconnection unit (i.e., optical cross interconnect unit 130, Figs. 5A-5B) comprises a plurality of interconnection fibers (i.e., fiber links, Figs. 5A-5B), and each of the first-stage access points (i.e., switches MIS1-MIS3, Figs. 5A-5B) is in communicative connection with the respective second-stage access points (i.e., switches MOS1-MOS3, Figs. 5A-5B) via the interconnection fibers.
Regarding claim 10, Konda further teaches wherein the optical cross interconnection unit (i.e., optical cross interconnect unit 130, Figs. 5A-5B) comprises an optical waveguide (i.e., fiber links, Figs. 5A-5B), and each of the first-stage access points (i.e., switches MIS1-MIS3, Figs. 5A-5B) is in communicative connection with the respective second-stage access points (i.e., switches MOS1-MOS3, Figs. 5A-5B) via the optical waveguide.
Regarding claim 11, Konda further teaches wherein the optical waveguide (i.e., fiber links, Figs. 5A-5B) comprises a glass-based optical waveguide.
Regarding claim 12, Konda further teaches wherein the first-stage access points (i.e., switches MIS1-MIS3, Figs. 5A-5B) and/or the second-stage access points (i.e., switches MOS1-MOS3, Figs. 5A-5B) comprise optical connectors (i.e., optical not shown, for connecting to switches MIS1-MIS3 to input stage 110, Figs. 5A-5B).
Regarding claim 13, Konda further teaches wherein the optical connectors are high-density optical connectors (i.e., Figs. 5A-5B).
Regarding claim 24, Konda further teaches a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a computer program thereon which, when executed by a processor (i.e., controller, Figs. 1A-1B and 5A-5B), causes the method for determining a connection relationship in a switching device (i.e., Figs. 1A-1B and 5A-5B).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-7 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 and overcome the 112 rejection above.
Claims 17-22 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Claims 17-22 are allowable because Konda (US patent No. 7,378,938),
Kuroyanagi et al (US Patent No. 6,154,583), and Yoshifuji (US Patent No. 5,450,074), takes alone or in combination, fails to teach a plurality of first-stage optical interconnection units, a plurality of second-stage optical interconnection units, a plurality of third-stage optical interconnection units, and a plurality of optical cross interconnection units; wherein each optical cross interconnection unit comprises a plurality of first-stage access points and a plurality of second-stage access points, and each of the first-stage access points is in communicative connection with the respective second-stage access points; the first-stage optical interconnection units are in communicative connection with the first-stage access points of optical cross interconnection units configured for connecting the first-stage optical interconnection units with the second-stage optical interconnection units; the second-stage optical interconnection units are in communicative
connection with the second-stage access points of optical cross interconnection
units configured for connecting the second-stage optical interconnection units
with the first-stage optical interconnection units; the second-stage optical interconnection units are in communicative connection with the second-stage access points of optical cross interconnection units configured for connecting the second-stage optical interconnection units with the third-stage optical interconnection units; and the third-stage optical interconnection units are in communicative connection with the first-stage access points of optical cross interconnection units configured for connecting the third-stage optical interconnection units with the second-stage optical interconnection units.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
9. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to
applicant's disclosure.
Kuroyanagi et al (US Patent No. 6,154,583) discloses optical switch.
Yoshifuji (US Patent No. 5,450,074) discloses method for setting branch routes in a three stage cross connect switch system.
10. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications
from the examiner should be directed to Hanh Phan whose telephone
number is (571)272-3035. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone
are unsuccessful the examiner's supervisor, Kenneth Vanderpuye, can be
reached on (571)272-3078. The fax phone number for the organization
where this application or proceeding is assigned is (571)273-8300. Any
inquiry of a general nature or relating to the status of this application or
proceeding should be directed to the receptionist whose telephone
number is (703)305-4700.
/HANH PHAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2634
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