DETAILED ACTION
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 final rejection. 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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 6/15/2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 6/15/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant has amended independent claim 1 with structural clarifications regarding the optical alignment through the components via an array of first and second curved surfaces. Applicant argues that the prior art lacks such an array of curved surfaces that expand or collimate light to an area within the component. Examiner respectfully disagrees. For example, viewing Witzens figure 9, shows an input array of curved lenses such as 602B which would expand or collimate light to within the associated body portion of 600B. The optical signal would then be directed towards the second body and second array of curved lens portions 602A to the unlabeled aperture opening (recess 608; figure 7) towards a PIC (100; figure 6). Therefore, Examiner maintains the prior rejection.
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) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WO 2021/170200 to Witzens et al. in view of US 2015/0212281 to McColloch.
Witzens discloses on figures 1-2, 9 and 12, an optical array connector comprising:
A first component (300A) configured to mechanically connect a first array of first waveguides (120A-D), the first component comprising a body including a first array of curved surfaces (602; figure 7), each curved surface corresponding to a respective first waveguide (figure 13), the second component comprising a body including curved surfaces like the first above (same surfaces shown as 602 in figure 7); and
A second component (300B) configured to mechanically connect to a second array of second waveguides (120E-H) wherein the second component comprises a housing (500) and a microlens array (portion 230) positioned within the housing;
Wherein the first and second components are configured to:
Removably connect to one another (The description for figure 7 describes how facets may be shaped to couple multiple blocks);
Connecting the first and second array and optically align the waveguides (when combined, the building blocks mechanically connect the arrays).
Optically align each of the first and second waveguides through an optical path that passes through the first and second bodies (figures 5 and 12) such that the beam travels through the first component via a first array of curved surfaces (602B) and through the body of the second to a second array of curved surfaces (602A).
Wherein the first and second components are configured to expand or focus, respectively, their light beams and direct to one another (lines 19-29; page 13).
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As to claim 2, waveguides may be affixed to a substrate portion such as 120A-D (figure 12) and coupled to an array of fibers (200; figure 1b). Further, grating couplers (112) and edge couplers (113) are disclosed.
As to claim 3, the second array of waveguides comprises at least one of an array of fibers fixed to the substrate (the fibers 200 in figure 1b are fixed to the substrate via the glass interposer 300).
As to claim 4, the component is configured to direct light via TIR (line 13; page 40).
As to claims 5-6, lenses (602) are disclosed and collimate light to their respective outputs.
As to claim 7, multiple surfaces are disclosed and shown in figure 7. These may be coupled to other components to create multiple redirections of paths (figure 9).
Claim 8 is similar to the above but discloses the arrays in a single plane (this is depicted in figure 12).
Claims 9 and 11-13 effectively recite a gap which is shown in Witzens figure 13.
As to claim 10, the components are fixed on a PIC (figure 1b).
As to claim 11, the other end is a fiber array (200; figure 1b).
Claim 14 is similar to the above but adds a third array of waveguides to couple (Witzens discloses multiple components of a PIC to be coupled (such as figures 3c, 11 or 19).
As to claim 15, light beams may be expanded or collimated depending on whether they are an input or output beam from the coupling blocks.
As to claim 16, the method of making structure is not a positive limitation in an apparatus claim.
As to claim 17, the device is a planar Lightwave circuit (PSM/WDM/PIC; figure 1b).
As to claims 18-19, these are similar to above disclosed features.
As to claim 20, there is an angle on surface 330 (figure 3a).
However, Witzens fails to explicitly disclose a “mechanical connection”. Witzens discloses connecting two disclosed blocks to one another, as well as the provisions of adapting the facet for such a placement. It is further noted that Applicant’s figures do not disclose any additional “mechanical” features such as alignment pins or structural connection means to define more than the mere placement of two components in contact with one another.
McColloch discloses connection alignment holes and pins to connect two bodies together (10, 21; figures 1-2) for securing two components to reduce misalignment.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to use additional mechanical coupling means as taught by McCollogh in Witzens to secure two optical components to one another to prevent optical misalignment.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Eric K Wong whose telephone number is (571)272-2363. The examiner can normally be reached M-Tu, Th-F 8A-6P.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Thomas Hollweg can be reached at 571-270-1739. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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ERIC K. WONG
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2874
/Eric Wong/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2874
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