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 § 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 1-3 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Su et al (USPGPub 2012/0196488).
Regarding claim 1, Su network cable, comprising:
a plurality of network cable conductors (Fig. 2, 41 and Paragraph 20) comprising a first end and a second end;
a connector (Fig. 2, RJ connector 1) coupled to the first end of the network cable conductors, the connector configured to engage with a jack (Paragraph 17); and
a fiber-optic cable (Fig. 2, 42 and 21) attached to the plurality of network cable conductors along a length of the plurality of network cable conductors, the fiber-optic cable comprising a first end positioned on the connector to align with a light source adjacent to the jack, wherein light from the light source is transmitted within the fiber-optic cable to a second end of the fiber-optic cable opposite to the first end.
Regarding claim 2, Su teaches that the fiber-optic cable is a first fiber-optic cable; the light source is a first light source; and the network cable further comprises a second fiber-optic cable (Fig. 2, multiple optic cable 42) attached to the plurality of network cable conductors, the second fiber-optic cable comprising a first end positioned on the connector to align with a second light source adjacent to the jack, wherein light from the light source is transmitted within the second fiber-optic cable to a second end of the second fiber-optic cable opposite to the first end.
Regarding claim 3, Su teaches that the first end of the first fiber-optic cable is positioned to align with the first light source with a first raised section (Fig. 2, 1322) of the connector and the first end of the second fiber-optic cable is positioned to align with the second light source with a second raised section (Fig. 2, 1322) of the connector, and wherein the connector further comprises a tab (Fig. 2, 131) configured to release the connector from the jack and positioned between the first and second raised sections, the tab extending beyond the first and second raised sections.
With respect to claim 10, Su teaches that the light source is offset from the jack and wherein the connector further comprises a raised section (fig. 2, 132) configured to maintain the first end of the fiber-optic cable aligned with the light source.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claims 9 and 11-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Su, in view of Munn (USPGPub 2009/0060418).
With respect to claim 9 and 11, Su teaches a plurality of network cable conductors (Fig. 2, 41 and Paragraph 20) comprising a first end and a second end;
a connector (Fig. 2, RJ connector 1) coupled to the first end of the network cable conductors, the connector configured to engage with a jack (Paragraph 17); and
a fiber-optic cable (Fig. 2, 42 and 21) attached to the plurality of network cable conductors along a length of the plurality of network cable conductors, the fiber-optic cable comprising a first end positioned on the connector to align with a light source adjacent to the jack, wherein light from the light source is transmitted within the fiber-optic cable to a second end of the fiber-optic cable opposite to the first end.
Su does not teach a cable testing apparatus comprising: a jack; and a light source adjacent to the jack, and its further configurations in dependent claims 12-15.
Regarding claims 9 and 11, Munn teaches a cable testing apparatus (Fig. 1, 100 and Paragraph 22) comprising: a jack; and a light source adjacent to the jack (Paragraph 28).
With respect to claim 12, Munn teaches that the cable testing apparatus is portable and the jack is configured to receive the connector without forming an electrical connection between the network cable and the cable testing apparatus (see paragraph 28, wherein the test connector 206 can be easily inserted with the bare fiber adapter 200 for testing of the fiber optic).
With respect to claim 13, Munn teaches a computing device (Fig. 1, 100) that comprises the cable testing apparatus and utilizes the network cable for network communications (see paragraph 31, wherein the test adapter 302 may be inserted into the test port of the bare fiber adapter 300. The test jumper 304 may be of any length and may be connected to other testing equipment, communications equipment, or other ports as necessary for testing the fiber optic).
With respect to claim 14, Munn teaches the cable test apparatus further comprises a controller configured to activate and/or deactivate the light source (Fig. 1, 104 paragraph 31), wherein the test adapter 302 may be inserted into the test port of the bare fiber adapter 300. The test jumper 304 may be of any length and may be connected to other testing equipment, communications equipment, or other ports as necessary for testing the fiber optic.
With respect to claim 15, Munn teaches a graphical user interface (“GUI”), the GUI configured to receive user input to activate and/or deactivate the light source via the controller (Paragraph 31).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide a cable testing apparatus as taught by Munn with Su in order to send/receive a test signal with illumination, as well as to have different configurations for attachment for ease of use and controllers to be able to enter input and different configurations as desired (see Paragraphs 22 and 31).
Claim 4, 6, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Su, in view of Lee (USPGPub 2015/0003793).
Regarding claim 4, Su does not teach that the jack comprises a first jack, the connector is a first connector and further comprising a second connector at the second end of the plurality of network cable conductors, wherein, when the second connector is plugged into a second jack, the second end of the second fiber-optic cable is positioned to align with the first light source with a first raised section of the second connector and the second end of the first fiber-optic cable is positioned to align with the second light source with a second raised section of the second connector.
Lee teaches a network cable (Fig. 1, 16) having first and second connectors at respective first and second ends (Fig. 1, 100 and 140). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide a second connector at the second end of the cable of Su as taught by Lee in order to achieve the predictable result of making RJ connections to equipment at each end (Paragraph 8 and 29).
With respect to claim 6, Su does not teach that the connector is a first connector and further comprising a second connector coupled to the second end of the network cable conductors, wherein the second end of the fiber-optic cable is positioned to illuminate the second connector.
Lee teaches a network cable (Fig. 1, 16) having first and second connectors at respective first and second ends (Fig. 1, 100 and 140). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide a second connector at the second end of the cable of Su as taught by Lee in order to achieve the predictable result of making RJ connections to equipment at each end (Paragraph 8 and 29).
Regarding claim 20, Su teaches a network cable, comprising:
a plurality of network cable conductors (Fig. 2, 41 and Paragraph 20) comprising a first end and a second end;
a connector (Fig. 2, RJ connector 1) coupled to the first end of the network cable conductors, the connector configured to engage with a jack (Paragraph 17); and
a fiber-optic cable (Fig. 2, 42 and 21) attached to the plurality of network cable conductors along a length of the plurality of network cable conductors, the fiber-optic cable comprising a first end positioned on the connector to align with a light source adjacent to the jack, wherein light from the light source is transmitted within the fiber-optic cable to a second end of the fiber-optic cable opposite to the first end;
a second fiber-optic cable (Fig. 2, 42) attached to the plurality of network cable conductors, the second fiber-optic cable comprising a first end positioned on the first connector to align with a second light source adjacent to the jack with a second raised section of the first connector, wherein light from the second light source is transmitted within the second fiber-optic cable to a second end of the second fiber-optic cable opposite to the first end; and
Su does not teach
a second connector at the second end of the plurality of network cable conductors, wherein when the second connector is plugged into the jack, the second end of the second fiber-optic cable is positioned to align with the first light source with a first raised section of the second connector and the second end of the first fiber-optic cable is positioned to align with the second light source with a second raised section of the second connector.
Lee teaches a network cable (Fig. 1, 16) having first and second connectors at respective first and second ends (Fig. 1, 100 and 140). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide a second connector at the second end of the cable of Su as taught by Lee in order to achieve the predictable result of making RJ connections to equipment at each end (Paragraph 8 and 29).
Claim 17 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Su and Munn, in view of Lee (USPGPub 2015/0003793).
Regarding claim 17, Su and Munn fail to teach that the jack comprises a first jack, the connector is a first connector and further comprising a second connector at the second end of the plurality of network cable conductors, wherein, when the second connector is plugged into a second jack, the second end of the second fiber-optic cable is positioned to align with the first light source with a first raised section of the second connector and the second end of the first fiber-optic cable is positioned to align with the second light source with a second raised section of the second connector.
Lee teaches a network cable (Fig. 1, 16) having first and second connectors at respective first and second ends (Fig. 1, 100 and 140). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide a second connector at the second end of the cable of Su/Munn as taught by Lee in order to achieve the predictable result of making RJ connections to equipment at each end (Paragraph 8 and 29).
With respect to claim 18, Su and Munn fails to teach that the connector is a first connector and further comprising a second connector coupled to the second end of the network cable conductors, wherein the second end of the fiber-optic cable is positioned to illuminate the second connector.
Lee teaches a network cable (Fig. 1, 16) having first and second connectors at respective first and second ends (Fig. 1, 100 and 140). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide a second connector at the second end of the cable of Su/Munn as taught by Lee in order to achieve the predictable result of making RJ connections to equipment at each end (Paragraph 8 and 29).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5, 7, 8, 16, 19 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: US-6577243-B1 to Dannenmann et al.
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/LISA M CAPUTO/Primary Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2874