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 Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed June 25, 2026, have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument. Specifically, previously cited US 7,136,588 (“ISLAM”) teaches a polarization controller arranged to adjust a polarization of a plurality of attenuated optical signals to produce an output optical signal (col. 23, lines 24-40).
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.
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.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over
US 2023/0358970 (“MONE”) in view of ISLAM.
Regarding claims 1 and 4, MONE teaches an optical module (16; FIG. 3) comprising: an optical connector port (95a, 95b; par. [0065]) arranged to connect to an optical port on a line card and to receive an input optical signal from the line card when the optical connector port is connected to the optical port on the line card (par. [0067]); a plurality of variable optical attenuators (64; pars. [0076], [0077]) arranged to produce a plurality of attenuated optical signals based on the input optical signal; a first polarization controller (275; FIG. 4B; par. [0085]) arranged to produce an output optical signal based on the plurality of attenuated optical signals; and an output port (24; par. [0061]) arranged to output the output optical signal.
MONE does not explicitly teach a first polarization controller arranged to adjust a polarization of the plurality of attenuated optical signals; and a second polarization controller arranged to adjust a polarization of the input optical signal to produce an adjusted input optical signal, wherein producing the plurality of attenuated optical signals is based on the adjusted input optical signal. ISLAM teaches a polarization controllers arranged to adjust a polarization of an input optical signal to produce an adjusted input optical signal, wherein producing a plurality of attenuated optical signals is based on the adjusted input optical signal (col. 23, lines 24-40). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date to modify the optical module of MONE with the first and second polarization controllers as taught by ISLAM. The motivation would have been to generate a control signal (col. 23, lines 24-40).
Regarding claims 9 and 12, MONE teaches a method comprising: connecting, by an optical connector port (95a, 95b; FIG. 3; par. [0065]), an optical module (16) to an optical port on a line card; receiving, at the optical module and through the optical connector port, an input optical signal from the line card when the optical connector port is connected to the optical port on the line card (par. [0067]); producing, by a plurality of variable optical attenuators (64; pars. [0076], [0077]) of the optical module, a plurality of attenuated optical signals based on the input optical signal; producing, by a first polarization controller (275; FIG. 4B; par. [0085]) of the optical module, an output optical signal based on the plurality of attenuated optical signals; and outputting, by an output port (24; par. [0061]) of the optical module, the output optical signal.
MONE does not explicitly teach a first polarization controller arranged to adjust a polarization of the plurality of attenuated optical signals; and a second polarization controller arranged to adjust a polarization of the input optical signal to produce an adjusted input optical signal, wherein producing the plurality of attenuated optical signals is based on the adjusted input optical signal. ISLAM teaches a polarization controllers arranged to adjust a polarization of an input optical signal to produce an adjusted input optical signal, wherein producing a plurality of attenuated optical signals is based on the adjusted input optical signal (col. 23, lines 24-40). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date to modify the optical module of MONE with the first and second polarization controllers as taught by ISLAM. The motivation would have been to generate a control signal (col. 23, lines 24-40).
Regarding claims 17 and 18, MONE teaches an optical module (16; FIG. 3) comprising: an optical connector port (95a, 95b; par. [0065]) arranged to connect to an optical port on a line card and to receive an input optical signal from the line card when the optical connector port is connected to the optical port on the line card (par. [0067]); a wavelength division multiplexing filter (78; pars. 0073], [0075]) arranged to pass a plurality of wavelengths of the input optical signal; a plurality of variable optical attenuators (64; pars. [0076], [0077]) arranged to produce a plurality of attenuated optical signals based on the passed plurality of wavelengths of the input optical signal; a multiplexer (82) arranged to produce an intermediate optical signal based on the plurality of attenuated optical signals (pars. [0062]-[0065]); and a first polarization controller (275; FIG. 4B; par. [0085]) arranged to produce an output optical signal based on the intermediate optical signal.
MONE does not explicitly teach a first polarization controller arranged to adjust a polarization of the plurality of attenuated optical signals; and a second polarization controller arranged to adjust a polarization of the input optical signal to produce an adjusted input optical signal, wherein producing the plurality of attenuated optical signals is based on the adjusted input optical signal. ISLAM teaches a polarization controllers arranged to adjust a polarization of an input optical signal to produce an adjusted input optical signal, wherein producing a plurality of attenuated optical signals is based on the adjusted input optical signal (col. 23, lines 24-40). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date to modify the optical module of MONE with the first and second polarization controllers as taught by ISLAM. The motivation would have been to generate a control signal (col. 23, lines 24-40).
Regarding claims 2 and 10, MONE teaches a wavelength division multiplexing filter (82) arranged to pass a plurality of wavelengths of the input optical signal, wherein producing the plurality of attenuated optical signals is based on the plurality of wavelengths (pars. [0062]-[0065]).
Regarding claims 3 and 11, MONE teaches a multiplexer (82) arranged to produce an intermediate optical signal based on the plurality of attenuated optical signals, wherein producing the output optical signal is based on the intermediate optical signal (pars. [0062]-[0065]).
Regarding claims 5, 13, and 19, MONE teaches a plurality of photodiodes (276; FIG. 4B) arranged to produce a plurality of electrical signals based on the plurality of attenuated optical signals (pars. [0085], [0086]).
Regarding claims 6, 14, and 20, MONE teaches a photodiode (276; FIG. 4B) arranged to produce an electrical signal based on the output optical signal (pars. [0085], [0086]).
Regarding claims 7 and 15, MONE teaches that the optical connector port comprises a fiber array unit (94) arranged to receive the input optical signal when the optical connector port is connected to the optical port on the line card (par. [0065]).
Regarding claims 8 and 16, MONE teaches that the output port is arranged to connect to a receiver circuit (277; FIG. 4B) that tests the output optical signal (pars. [0085]-[0087]).
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JERRY M BLEVINS whose telephone number is (571)272-8581. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
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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/JERRY M BLEVINS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2874
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