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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
Information disclosure statements filed 9/15/2025, 6/30/2025, 3/10/2025, 2/01/2024 have been considered.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Patent No. 8,961,039 B2 to Sano et al. (hereinafter “Sano”).
Sano discloses a transceiver comprising: a transceiver housing (1 in Fig. 1) defining a first side and a second side opposite the first side along a lateral direction (see annotated Fig. 1 below), a first end and a second end opposite the first end along a longitudinal direction that is perpendicular to the lateral direction (see annotated Fig. 1 below), and a first surface (top surface of 1 in Fig. 1 shown below) and a second surface opposite the first surface along a transverse direction that is perpendicular to each of the longitudinal direction and the lateral direction (second surface is shown at the top of the figure in Fig. 2), wherein the transceiver is configured to be mated with an electrical connector in a direction defined from the second surface toward the first surface (see Fig.1 and Fig. 4(a)); and a plurality of electrical contacts supported by the transceiver housing (41, 42 in Fig. 1), the electrical contacts including mating ends disposed at the first side of the transceiver housing (Fig. 1), and mating ends disposed at the second side of the transceiver housing (Fig. 2), wherein the transceiver includes a pocket (portion above 32A as shown in Fig. 1), the pocket configured to receive a latch of the electrical connector (101A in Fig. 1) when the transceiver is mated with the electrical connector, thereby releasably securing the transceiver to the electrical connector (col. 11, ll. 39-49).
Although Sano discloses the pocket being disposed on at least one of the first side and the second side of the transceiver housing, it does not explicitly disclose that the pocket is disposed on one of the first end and the second end of the transceiver housing as claimed in the present application. On the other hand, the courts have decided that rearrangement of parts disclosed by the prior art would be an obvious matter of design choice. In re Japikse, 181 F.2d 1019, 86 USPQ 70 (CCPA 1950). MPEP 2144.04. In the present application, the pocket as claimed performs the same function as the pocket of the cited prior art, and its location on the first end or the second end of the transceiver housing as claimed would have the same functionality as the pocket disposed on the first or the second sides of the transceiver housing as taught by Sano. One of ordinary skill in the art would readily recognize that disposing the pockets on the first or second ends of the transceiver housing, or disposed the pockets on the first or the second sides of the transceiver housing would securely anchor the transceiver housing against the electrical connector for secure coupling. Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the present application to modify the invention of Sano to have the pocket disposed on at least one of the first end and the second end of the transceiver housing, in the manner claimed in the present application.
[AltContent: textbox (second end)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (first end)][AltContent: connector][AltContent: connector][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (second side)][AltContent: textbox (first side)][AltContent: connector][AltContent: connector]
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Fig. 1 of Sano
Regarding claim 2, Sano disclose wherein the pocket extends into the transceiver housing (see Fig. 1 above).
Regarding claim 3, Sano discloses wherein the pocket is a first motion limiter element that limits motion of the transceiver in the transverse direction with respect to the electrical connector when the transceiver is mated to the electrical connector (col. 11, ll. 45-49: coupling of the edge portion 32A and the locking piece 101A limits the motion in the transverse direction).
Regarding claim 4, Sano discloses wherein the pocket does not disrupt the plurality of electrical contacts of the transceiver (Fig. 1 clearly shows that the pocket does not disrupt the electrical contacts).
Regarding claim 5, Sano renders the claimed limitations regarding the pocket position obvious for the same reasons as those discussed above regarding claim 1.
Regarding claim 6, Sano discloses wherein a cable (“C” in Fig. 1) exits from the first end of the transceiver (see annotated Fig. 1 above).
Regarding claim 7, Sano discloses wherein the cable is an optical fiber cable (col. 8, ll. 5-6).
Regarding claim 8, Sano renders obvious the transceiver according to claim 1 as already discussed above. However, it does not explicitly disclose that the transceiver is detachably coupled to the optical fiber cable in the manner claimed in the present application. On the other hand, removably or detachably coupling optical cables to optical transceiver assembly is well known and common in the art. Such a feature would allow for customizable, modular solution that makes it possible to match different fiber types, lengths and specification to specific network needs and environment. In addition, detachable cable would allow for easier maintenance and upgrades of the transceiver components. Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the present application to modify the device of Sano to have the transceiver detachably coupled to the optical fiber cable in the manner claimed in the present application.
Regarding claim 9, Sano discloses wherein the transceiver includes one optical engine that is configured as an optical transmitter (col. 9, ll. 6-12).
Regarding claim 10, Sano discloses wherein the transceiver includes one optical engine that is configured as an optical receiver (col. 9, ll. 3-6).
Regarding claim 11, Sano renders obvious the transceiver according to claim 1 as already discussed above. However, it does not explicitly disclose the transceiver including one optical engine that is configured as both an optical transmitter and an optical receiver. On the other hand, such optical engines are well known and common in the art. One of ordinary skill in the art would readily recognize the advantage of having an optical engine that is configured to act as both transmitter and receiver, since it would allow for a transceiver assembly with a compact footprint and enhanced versatility. Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the present application to modify the device of Sano to have an optical engine that is configured as both an optical transmitter and an optical receiver, in the manner claimed in the present application.
Regarding claim 12, Sano renders the claimed limitations regarding the pockets disposed at the first end and the second end obvious for the same reasons as those discussed above regarding claim 1.
Regarding claim 13, Sano discloses a communications system comprising the transceiver as discussed above regarding claim 1, and the electrical connector (shown as 2 in Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 14, Sano renders obvious the transceiver according to claim 1 as already discussed above. However, it does not explicitly disclose the electrical connector being a ring connector as claimed in the present application. On the other hand, a ring connector is well known and common in the art. One of ordinary skill in the art would readily recognize the advantage of choosing a ring connector as a matter of design choice since it would allow for plurality of connector orientations in mechanical coupling of the transceiver device, while being functionally equivalent in providing effective electrical connection. Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the present application to modify the device of Sano to have a ring connector in the manner claimed in the present application.
Regarding claim 15, Sano discloses wherein a latch is disposed in the electrical connector (101A in Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 16, Sano discloses wherein the latch is configured to extend into the pocket in a latched position so as to latch the transceiver to the electrical connector (Fig. 4(A)- Fig. 4 (B)).
Regarding claim 17, Sano discloses wherein the latch does not limit movement of the transceiver with respect to the electrical connector when the latch is in an unlatched position (Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 18, Sano discloses a method of installing a transceiver into an electrical connector (col. 3, ll. 58-60), the method comprising the steps of: inserting the transceiver into the electrical connector in a transverse direction (Fig. 1, Fig. 4(A); col. 16, ll. 14-16), wherein the transceiver comprises: a transceiver housing defining a first side and a second side opposite the first side along a lateral direction that is perpendicular to the transverse direction, a first end and a second end opposite the first end along a longitudinal direction that is perpendicular to each of the lateral direction and the transverse direction, and a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface along the transverse direction (see annotated Fig. 1 of Sano discussed regarding claim 1 above), wherein the transceiver housing defines a pocket (portion above 32A as shown in Fig. 1) disposed at one of the first side and the second side, and a plurality of electrical contacts (41, 42 in Fig. 1) having mating ends disposed at the first and second sides of the transceiver housing; and extending a motion limiter of the electrical connector (101A in Fig. 1) into the pocket from an unlocked position (Fig. 1) to a locked position (Fig. 4(A), Fig. 4(B)), thereby restricting motion of the transceiver relative to the electrical connector in the transverse direction (col. 11, ll. 45-49: coupling of the edge portion 32A and the locking piece 101A limits the motion in the transverse direction).
Although Sano discloses the pocket being disposed on at least one of the first side and the second side of the transceiver housing, it does not explicitly disclose that the pocket is disposed on one of the first end and the second end of the transceiver housing as claimed in the present application. On the other hand, the courts have decided that rearrangement of parts disclosed by the prior art would be an obvious matter of design choice. In re Japikse, 181 F.2d 1019, 86 USPQ 70 (CCPA 1950). MPEP 2144.04. In the present application, the pocket as claimed performs the same function as the pocket of the cited prior art, and its location on the first end or the second end of the transceiver housing as claimed would have the same functionality as the pocket disposed on the first or the second sides of the transceiver housing as taught by Sano. One of ordinary skill in the art would readily recognize that disposing the pockets on the first or second ends of the transceiver housing, or disposed the pockets on the first or the second sides of the transceiver housing would securely anchor the transceiver housing against the electrical connector for secure coupling. Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the present application to modify the invention of Sano to have the pocket disposed on at least one of the first end and the second end of the transceiver housing, in the manner claimed in the present application.
Regarding claim 19, Sano discloses wherein the extending step causes the transceiver to be latched to the electrical connector (Fig. 4(A)), thereby releasably securing the transceiver to the electrical connector.
Regarding claim 20, Sano discloses wherein the motion limiter is in the unlocked position during the inserting step (i.e. the unlocked position is clearly shown in Fig. 1).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SUNG H PAK whose telephone number is (571)272-2353. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 7AM- 5PM.
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/SUNG H PAK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2874