CTNF 18/444,287 CTNF 80571 DETAILED ACTION Election/Restrictions 08-25-01 AIA Applicant’s election without traverse of Species I, claims 1-11 in the reply filed on 04/14/2026 is acknowledged. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 1-3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. PGPub 2017/0160481 A1 by Ling et al. in view of U.S. PGPub 2020/0257054 A1 by Venkatesan et al . Regarding claim 1, Ling teaches an optical coupler (Fig. 5) comprising: a first tapered core segment (142) optically coupled to a first optical waveguide (a guide segment 141 that couples, via a mode size converter, to a single-mode fiber 140 disposed in a fiber-receiving channel 108 adjacent to 144, as seen in Figs. 1, 4) at a first end (left end) of the first tapered core segment (142), wherein: the first tapered core segment has a first taper angle, the first taper angle defining a first angle at which a sidewall of the first tapered core segment angles toward a central axis of the first tapered core segment (angle between the sidewall of 142 and the central axis of an intermediate waveguide 122), and the first tapered core segment and the first optical waveguide are integrated onto or within a first die (both disposed on a base substrate 130); and a second tapered core segment (144) optically coupled to the first tapered core segment (142) at a second end (right end) of the first tapered core segment (141) and integrated onto or within the first die (130), the second tapered core segment having a first terminating end (right end) that is not connected to another optical waveguide on the die (as shown in Fig. 5), wherein the second tapered core segment has a second taper angle that is different than the first taper angle (as illustrated in Fig. 5, more specifically, the first taper is from 1.0 µm/W1 to 0.7 µm/W2 over a length of 180 µm/174 and the second taper is from 0.7 µm/W2 to 0.6 µm/W3 over a length of 280 µm/175, see ¶[0048]), the second taper angle defining an angle at which a sidewall of the second tapered core segment angles toward a central axis of the second tapered core segment (angle between the sidewall of 144 and the central axis of an intermediate waveguide 122). Ling does not specify whether the first optical waveguide (141) is a single-mode waveguide. Venkatesan also teaches a mode size converter (Fig. 4) comprising first and second tapered segments (455, 457) coupled to a single-mode optical waveguide (upper core 454) and a single-mode optical fiber (480) on opposing ends. The stable, single mode propagation in waveguides such as that of the upper core is preferable for processing of the encoded optical signals in the PICs, and it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to use a single-mode optical waveguide as the first optical waveguide (141) in Ling’s invention, to couple with the single mode fiber on the opposite side of the tapered coupler, as suggested by Venkatesan, for the same reason. Regarding claim 2, Ling teaches the optical coupler as stated above in claim 1 but not the first die being an optical interposer. Venkatesan also teaches a mode size converter comprising first and second tapered segments (455, 457) integrated onto or within a first die (substrate, interposer or sub-mount assembly 410, equivalent to substrate, interposer or sub-mount 110, 210, 310 in Figs. 1-3). Interposers are typically used to route optical or electrical connections from various devices or die that are mounted on, or connected to, the interposer, and an “optical interposer” is an interposer that provides for the optical interfacing between optical devices mounted or connected thereon. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Ling’s invention, by disposing the optical coupler, and the tapered core segments therein, on the optical interposer, as suggested by Venkatesan, for the purpose of providing an optical interface for the optical coupler. Regarding claim 3, Ling further teaches the first die is a photonic integrated circuit die (100) . Allowable Subject Matter Claims 4-11 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. Regarding claims 4, 5, which further recites third and fourth tapered core segments substantially identical to the first and second tapered core segments, and arranged such that the fourth tapered core segment is in an evanescent optical coupling with the second tapered core segment and the fourth tapered core segment occurs when an optical mode propagates along the second tapered core segment. These features are not taught or fairly suggested by relevant prior art, when considered in view of the rest of the limitations of the claimed invention. Claims 6-11 are also considered allowable as being dependent claims of claim 5. Conclusion 07-96 AIA The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. USPub20020018507 discloses two tapers of different tapering angles (Fig. 3) . Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHARLIE PENG whose telephone number is (571)272-2177. The examiner can normally be reached 9AM - 6PM. 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. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /CHARLIE Y PENG/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2874 Application/Control Number: 18/444,287 Page 2 Art Unit: 2874 Application/Control Number: 18/444,287 Page 3 Art Unit: 2874 Application/Control Number: 18/444,287 Page 4 Art Unit: 2874 Application/Control Number: 18/444,287 Page 5 Art Unit: 2874
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