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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
Claims 1-3 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention. Claims 1-3 stated N-channels. However, the value or range of N is not defined in the claims or in the specification making the claims indefinite.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Akimoto et al.(US 2003/0039010 A1).
Considering claim 1 Akimoto discloses an optical communication system comprising: a multi-channel light source device configured to provide light source signals of N channels by splitting a non-modulated light signal with a first carrier wavelength of one laser diode (LD) into N channels(See Paragraph 87,140, fig. 9,15 i.e. a multi-channel light source device(which is multi-wavelength light source (28 of fig. 9) and arrayed waveguide grating filter(27-2 of fig. 9)) configured to provide light source signals of N channels(λd1….λdn of fig. 9) by splitting a non-modulated light signal(continuous waves) with a first carrier wavelength of one laser diode (LD)(fig. 15 further illustrates the multi-wavelength light source(28) has multiple lasers(232 of fig. 15)) into N channels(λd1….λdn of fig. 9); and an optical communication device comprising a light signal receiver configured to photoelectrically convert a reception light signal received from an external light signal interface device through an optical fiber and transmit the converted signal to a communication signal processor(See Paragraph 89,90,97 fig. 9 i.e. an optical communication device which is an optical transceiver package(61) comprising a light signal receiver(23 of fig. 9) configured to photoelectrically convert a reception light signal received from an external light signal interface device(25) through an optical fiber(32 of fig. 9) and transmit the converted signal to a communication signal processor(21,24 of fig. 9)) and a light signal transmitter configured to modulate a data signal received from the communication signal processor into transmission light signals of N channels using the light source signals of N channels received from the external multi-channel light source device and transmit the modulated transmission light signals of N channels to the external light signal interface device through optical fibers (See Paragraph 90,93,97, fig. 9 i.e. a light signal transmitter which is optical modulator(26) configured to modulate a data signal received from the communication signal processor(21,24) into transmission light signals of N channels using the light source signals of N channels received from the external multi-channel light source device(28,27-2) and transmit the modulated transmission light signals of N channels to the external light signal interface device(25) through optical fibers(32)).
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 of this title, 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.
Claims 2,3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Akimoto et al.(US 2003/0039010).
Considering claim 2 Akimoto discloses the optical communication system of claim 1, wherein the multi-channel light source device(230) provides the light source signals of N channels(λd1…λdn) by splitting using AWG(27-2) non-modulated light signals (CW lights output from light sources(232)) with different carrier wavelengths output from a plurality of LDs which are light sources(232) into N channels(λd1…λdn) (See Paragraph 138, fig. 15).
Akimoto does not explicitly disclose wavelengths output from two LDs into N/2 channels.
However, It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have modified Akimoto such that wavelengths output from two LDs into N/2 channels or any number of channels because such a modification would have been considered a mere design consideration which fails to patentably distinguish over Akimoto.
Considering claim 3 Akimoto discloses the optical communication system of claim 1, wherein the multi-channel light source device(230) provides the light source signals of N channels(λd1…λdn) by splitting using AWG(27-2) non-modulated light signals (CW lights output from light sources(232)) with different carrier wavelengths output from a plurality of LDs which are light sources(232) into N channels(λd1…λdn) (See Paragraph 138, fig. 15).
Akimoto does not explicitly disclose wavelengths output from four LDs into N/4 channels.
However, It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have modified Akimoto such that wavelengths output from four LDs into N/4 channels or any number of channels because such a modification would have been considered a mere design consideration which fails to patentably distinguish over Akimoto.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HIBRET A WOLDEKIDAN whose telephone number is (571)270-5145. The examiner can normally be reached 9-5:30.
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/HIBRET A WOLDEKIDAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2635