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
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 11/2/23 and 12/11/24 were filed in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
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.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 1-7 and 9-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Enbutsu et al. (JP 2019-105796 A), Nishida et al. (JP 2003-140214 A), and Hirakazu et al. (JP 2014-081578 A). See the IDS and corresponding English translations of the documents filed 11/2/23.
Re. Claim 1, Enbutsu et al. discloses a wavelength conversion apparatus comprising:
a wavelength conversion element 517 for converting a wavelength of a signal light; wherein
an excitation light of the wavelength of the signal light (e.g., wavelength of 1.55 µm band) and n1 (n1 being zero and a positive integer) excitation lights (e.g., n1= 1 of the excitation light 502 of the 0.78 µm band) that differ from the wavelength of the signal lights are inputted when one or more m1 (m1 being a positive integer) signal lights are inputted (e.g., m1 = 1 of the signal light 501),
an excitation light of the wavelength of the signal light and n2 (n2 being zero and a positive integer) excitation lights (n2=1 of the excitation light 503 of the 0.78 µm band) that differ from the wavelength of the signal lights are inputted when one or more m2 (m2 being a positive integer) signal lights are outputted (e.g., m2=1 of the signal light 504), and
in a wavelength conversion apparatus that generates a light of differential frequency wavelength, the signal light and the excitation light are inputted from one side of a housing adjacent to and opposite optical input and output of the wavelength conversion element, and the signal light and the excitation light are outputted from the other side of the opposite housing (Fig. 5; [0031], [0038], and [0039]).
However, Enbutsu et al. does not disclose the wavelength conversion element having an optical waveguide core and a substrate having a lower refractive index for the signal light and the excitation light than the optical waveguide core. Enbutsu et al. also fails to disclose a temperature control element for controlling temperature of the wavelength conversion element.
Nishida et al. discloses a wavelength conversion element having a ridge optical waveguide manufactured using thin film substrate obtained by diffusion bonding a crystal substrate onto a lithium niobate substrate with periodic domain inverted structure, and the refractive index of the crystal is smaller than the refractive index of the lithium niobate, thereby creating an optical waveguiding structure ([0041]-[0047]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide an optical waveguide core and a substrate having a lower refractive index for the signal light and the excitation light than the optical waveguide core, for the purpose of providing a structure capable of propagating the optical signal for wavelength conversion.
Hirakazu et al. discloses wavelength conversion element comprising a periodically domain-inverted lithium niobate waveguide, wherein a phase-matching condition of the element is adjusted with a temperature control element for controlling temperature of the wavelength conversion element ([0058]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide a temperature control element for controlling temperature of the wavelength conversion element for the purpose of providing a tunable conversion element, where the phase matching condition of the conversion element is adjustable.
Re. Claim 2, Enbutsu et al., Nishida et al., and Hirakazu et al. render obvious the wavelength conversion apparatus as discussed above.
However, Enbutsu et al. does not disclose a telescopic mechanism to vary the propagation path distance of light input of the optical input to the wavelength conversion element of at least any one of the respective optical inputs and outputs of the signal light or the excitation light is provided, or at least any one of a polarization separation element and a polarization rotation element is provided on the way of the propagation path of the optical input to at least one of the wavelength conversion elements.
Hirakazu et al. discloses a wavelength conversion element comprising a periodic domain inverted lithium niobate used for phase-sensitive amplification, wherein an optical fiber stretcher is used to synchronize the phase of the signal light with the phase of the excitation light ([0057]-[0060]).
Varying the optical propagation distance with a telescopic mechanism as required by the claim would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for the purpose of synchronizing the phase of the signal light with the phase of the excitation light.
Re. Claim 3, Enbutsu et al., Nishida et al., and Hirakazu et al. render obvious the wavelength conversion apparatus as discussed above. Enbutsu et al. discloses an output that outputs the signal light and the excitation light from the other side of a housing facing the side when the signal light and the excitation light are inputted from one side of a housing that is adjacent to the optical input and output of the wavelength conversion element (Fig. 5). The claimed arrangement would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for the reasons discussed above.
Re. Claim 4, Enbutsu et al., Nishida et al., and Hirakazu et al. render obvious the wavelength conversion apparatus as discussed above. Enbutsu et al. discloses the wavelength conversion apparatus includes an input and output unit for the excitation light on a side of the housing other than the side surface (Fig. 3; [0032]-[0035]). The claimed arrangement would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for the reasons discussed above.
Re. Claims 5 and 9, Enbutsu et al., Nishida et al., and Hirakazu et al. render obvious the wavelength conversion apparatus as discussed above. Enbutsu et al. discloses the signal light and the excitation light have the same number of optical input and output respectively (Fig. 5). The claimed arrangement would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for the reasons discussed above.
Re. Claims 6 and 10, Enbutsu et al., Nishida et al., and Hirakazu et al. render obvious the wavelength conversion apparatus as discussed above. Enbutsu et al. discloses an optical fiber is provided for each of the optical inputs and outputs of the signal light or the excitation light (Fig. 5). The claimed arrangement would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for the reasons discussed above.
Re. Claims 7 and 11, Enbutsu et al., Nishida et al., and Hirakazu et al. render obvious the wavelength conversion apparatus as discussed above. Enbutsu et al. discloses the optical waveguide core or the substrate contains LiNbO3 (lithium niobate), KNbO3 (potassium niobate), LiTaO3 (lithium tantalate), LiNb(x)Ta(1-x)03 (0 (lithium tantalate with indefinite composition), or KTiOPO4 (potassium titanate phosphate), and at least one selected from Mg (magnesium), Zn (zinc), Sc (scandium), or In (indium) as an additive thereto ([0045]).
Claim(s) 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Enbutsu et al. (JP 2019-105796 A), Nishida et al. (JP 2003-140214 A), and Hirakazu et al. (JP 2014-081578 A), in further view of Okamura et al. (US 2015/0378237 A1).
Re. Claim 8, Enbutsu et al., Nishida et al., and Hirakazu et al. render obvious the wavelength conversion apparatus as discussed above. Enbutsu et al. discloses the wavelength conversion apparatus includes one input and output for each of the signal lights and one input and output for each of the excitation lights (Fig. 5).
Enbutsu et al. does not disclose a terminal that is inputted and outputted an electrical signal input from a different side from a side of an opposite housing when the signal light and excitation light are inputted from one side of the opposite housing adjacent to the optical input and output of the wavelength conversion element, and the signal light and excitation light are outputted from the other side of the opposite housing.
Okamura et al. discloses a housing for accommodating optical elements comprising a terminal in which an electric signal input is caused to be inputted and outputted from a surface other than the opposing side surface of the housing at which an optical input and output are provided (Fig. 1; [0034]).
The inclusion of a terminal as required by the claimed invention would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for the purpose of maintaining the quality of the optical signal (Okamura et al.: [0008]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See the attached PTO-892.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to R. PEACE whose telephone number is (571)272-8580. The examiner can normally be reached 9-5 pm.
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, Uyen-Chau Le can be reached at (571) 272-2397. 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.
/RHONDA S PEACE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2874 11/17/25