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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant's election with traverse of Species F, Figure 10, claims 1-3, 8, 13-20 in the reply filed on June 11, 2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that the subject matter of all claims and species is sufficiently related that a thorough search of any one Group of claims or species would encompass a search for the subject matter of the remaining claims and species. This is not found persuasive because each Species requires mutually exclusive structure and therefore divergent and different search strategies. A thorough search of all Species would place an undue burden on the examiner due to the diverse structure and overwhelming amount of art in the relevant search areas.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
Claims 4-7 and 9-12 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected Species A, B, C, D, and/or E, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Applicant timely traversed the restriction (election) requirement in the reply filed on June 11, 2026.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The prior art documents submitted by applicant in the Information Disclosure Statements filed on September 19, 2025 and November 20, 2023 have all been considered and made of record (note the attached copies of form PTO-1449).
Drawings
Twelve (12) sheets of drawings were filed on November 20, 2023 and have been accepted by the examiner.
Specification
Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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, 8, 16, 19 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Gniadek (US 2018/0356601 A1).
Regarding claims 1-3, 16, and 19; Gniadek discloses an optical wiring component (100, 400; see Figures 2-5) comprising:
an optical fiber (102, 402) having a first end portion (the first end portion is in ferrule 120, 420, 520) and a second end portion (the second end portion is connected to optical component 103, 403), the optical fiber (102, 402) including one or a plurality of optical fibers;
an optical connector (the optical connector includes ferrule alignment housing 170, 470, 570 and other illustrated elements) configured to be provided on a base (101, 401) and configured to hold the first end portion (the first end portion of fiber 102, 402 within the ferrule 120, 420, 520), the optical connector (170, 470, 570) including one or a plurality of optical connectors; and
an optical connection member (103, 403) configured to hold the second end portion,
wherein the optical connector (170, 470, 570) includes a terminal member (ferrule 120, 420, 520) configured to expose the first end portion (the end portions of fibers 102, 402 are exposed at the end of the ferrule (120, 420, 520 for coupling to fibers within second ferrule 160, 460, 560), and
a changing mechanism (110, 410, 510) configured to restrict movement of the optical connector (170, 470, 570) with respect to the base (101, 401) in a first direction and enable movement of the optical connector (170; 470, 570) with respect to the base (101, 401) in a second direction intersecting the first direction (see Figures 2-5; brackets 110, 410, 410 form a changing mechanism that receives connectors 170, 470, 570 and restricts movement of the connector in a first direction extending along the length of the base, while allow the connectors to move in a second direction as the connectors are rotated into a fixed position, this is illustrated in Figures 3A-3E and 4A-4E);
further comprising:
a positioning member (121, 171, 151, 172, 162, 152; 421, 451, 452, 461; 521, 525, 562, 565) configured to engage with the changing mechanism (110, 410, 510) of the optical connector (170, 470, 570) and position the optical connector with respect to the base (101, 401),
wherein the changing mechanism (110, 410, 510) is configured to restrict movement of the optical connector (170, 470, 570) with respect to the positioning member (121, 171, 151; 421, 451; 521, 525) in the first direction and enable relative movement of the optical connector (170, 470, 570) with respect to the positioning member (121, 171, 151; 421, 451; 521, 525) in the second direction (see Figures 2-5);
wherein the changing mechanism (110, 410, 510) and the positioning member (121, 171, 151, 172, 162, 152; 421, 451, 452, 461; 521, 525, 562, 565) further include a locking mechanism (resilient arms 112, 412, 512) configured to lock movement of the optical connector (170, 470, 570) with respect to the positioning member, and wherein the locking mechanism (110, 410, 510) is configured to lock movement of the optical connector toward the optical connection member (103, 403) in the second direction (see Figures 2-5);
wherein the optical connector (170, 470, 570) is configured to hold the first end portion of the optical fiber (portion of optical fiber in ferrule 120, 420, 520) such that the first end portion extends in the second direction in the optical connector (see Figures 2B, 3B, 3C, 4B, 4C);
an optical integrated circuit (see Figures 4A and 4B, the optical connection provided to by the second ends of the optical fibers is to an integrated optical circuit; including a board mounted active or passive optical component; see paragraph 29) optically connected to the optical connection member; and
a base (401) at which the optical integrated circuit and the optical wiring component are disposed (see Figure 4A).
Regarding claim 8; Gniadek discloses the optical wiring component according to claim 2 as applied above, further comprising:
a locking member (resilient arms 112, 412, 512) configured to lock movement of the optical connector (170, 470, 570) with respect to the positioning member (121, 171, 151, 172, 162, 152; 421, 451, 452, 461; 521, 525, 562, 565), wherein the locking member (112, 412, 512) is configured to lock movement of the optical connector (170, 470, 570) toward the optical connection member (103, 403) in the second direction.
Regarding claim 20; Gniadek discloses the method of assembling the optical device, the method comprising attaching the optical wiring component according to claim 1 to the base (see Figures 2-5 and the rejection of claims 1 and 8 above).
Claims 1-3, 8, 16, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ogawa et al. (US 6,632,023 B1), hereafter Ogawa.
Regarding claims 1-3, 8, and 16; Ogawa discloses an optical wiring component (see Figures 1-5) comprising:
an optical fiber (3) having a first end portion (the first end portion is in connector 4) and a second end portion (the second end portion is connected to optical module 2), the optical fiber (3) including one or a plurality of optical fibers;
an optical connector (guide member 53) configured to be provided on a base (substrate 10) and configured to hold the first end portion (end portion in connector 4), the optical connector (53) including one or a plurality of optical connectors (see Figures 1 and 13); and
an optical connection member (22) configured to hold the second end portion,
wherein the optical connector (53) includes a terminal member (4) configured to expose the first end portion (the end portions of fibers 3 are exposed at the end of the ferrule 4 for coupling to fibers within a second connector 70), and
a changing mechanism (52) configured to restrict movement of the optical connector (53) with respect to the base (10) in a first direction (see Figures 3A and 3B; engaging portions 52a, 52b restrict movement in a sideways direction), and enable movement of the optical connector (53) with respect to the base (10) in a second direction intersecting the first direction (a forward to backward direction);
further comprising:
a positioning member (55) configured to engage with the changing mechanism (positioning portions 55e are configured to engage portions 52a, 52b of changing mechanism 52) of the optical connector (53) and position the optical connector (53) with respect to the base (10),
wherein the changing mechanism (52) is configured to restrict movement of the optical connector (53) with respect to the positioning member (55) in the first direction and enable relative movement of the optical connector (53) with respect to the positioning member (55) in the second direction (see Figures 2-5);
wherein the changing mechanism (52) and the positioning member (55) further include a locking mechanism (6A) configured to lock movement of the optical connector (53) with respect to the positioning member (55), and wherein the locking mechanism (6A) is configured to lock movement of the optical connector (53) toward the optical connection member in the second direction (the locking mechanism 6A includes latches 64a configured to lock all of the elements in place such that the position cannot be adjusted);
a locking member (6A) configured to lock movement of the optical connector (53) with respect to the positioning member (55), wherein the locking member (6A) is configured to lock movement of the optical connector (53) toward the optical connection member (22) in the second direction;
wherein the optical connector (53) is configured to hold the first end portion of the optical fiber (portion of optical fiber in connector 4) such that the first end portion extends in the second direction in the optical connector (see Figures 2-5);
Regarding claim 20; Ogawa discloses a method of assembling an optical device (see Figures 1-5), the method comprising attaching the optical wiring component according to claim 1 to the base (see the rejection of claim 1 above and Figures 1-5).
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.
Claim 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ogawa et al. (US 6,632,023 B1), hereafter Ogawa in view of Xu et al. (US 2021/0373255 A1), hereafter Xu.
Regarding claim 17; Ogawa discloses the optical wiring component according to claim 1 as applied above, wherein the one or plurality of optical fibers include a first optical fiber, wherein the one or plurality of optical connectors include a first optical connector configured to hold the first end portion of the first optical fiber, and wherein the optical connection member is configured to hold the second end portion of first optical fiber, but fails to disclose a second optical fiber and a second optical connector configured to hold the first end portion of the second optical fiber, wherein the optical connection member is configured to also hold the second end portion of the second optical fiber.
Xu teaches that first optical fibers and second optical fibers (162; see Figure 12) may be terminated with first and second connectors (112) at a first end portion of the fibers (162), and an optical connection member may (166) may be configured to hold the second ends of the first and second optical fibers (162), and the arrangement may be connected to a base (see Figure 26).
Before the effective filing date of the present invention, a person of ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to provide a second optical fiber and a second optical connector configured to hold the first end portion of the second optical fiber, wherein the optical connection member is configured to also hold the second end portion of the second optical fiber for the purpose of providing a greater number of optical fibers to increase the optical transmission capacity of the device in a known alternative configuration of prior art, since one of ordinary skill could have combined the elements by known coupling methods with no change in their respective functions to yield predictable results. KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 82 USPQ2d 1385 (2007).
Claim 18 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ogawa et al. (US 6,632,023 B1), hereafter Ogawa.
Regarding claim 18; before the effective filing date of the present invention, a person of ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to adjust the length of the optical fiber to any length necessary to establish a connection between a desired optical component and a desired connection location, including a length of 20 mm to 100 mm, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art (In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233), since it has been held that discovering an optimum value of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art (In re Boesch, 617 F.2d 272, 205 USPQ 215 (CCPA 1980)), and since such a modification would have involved a mere change in the size of a component and it has been held that a change in size is generally recognized in as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art (In re Rose, 105 USPQ 237 (CCPA 1955)) and that, where the only difference between the prior art and the claims is a recitation of relative dimensions of the claimed device and a device having the claimed relative dimensions would not perform differently than the prior art device, the claimed device is not patentably distinct from the prior art device (In re Gardner v. TEC Systems, Inc., 725 F.2d 1338, 220 USPQ 777 (Fed. Cir. 1984), cert. denied, 469 U.S. 830, 225 USPQ 232 (1984)).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 13-15 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The prior art of record, which is the most relevant prior art known, does not disclose or render obvious the optical wiring component defined by claim 13, wherein the locking member includes an urging member fixed to one of the positioning member and the optical connector, and wherein the urging member is configured to urge the optical connector in a direction in which the optical connection member and the optical connector separate from each other in the second direction in combination with all of the limitations of base claim 1 and all of the limitations of intervening claims 2 and 8. Claims 14 and 15 are allowable by virtue of dependency from claim 13.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHELLE R CONNELLY whose telephone number is (571)272-2345. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM.
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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.
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/MICHELLE R CONNELLY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2874
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