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 § 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(s) 1-2, 7-10, 16-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable Boyd et al. (2020/0120408) in view of Kim et al. (20070274339)
With regards to claims 1, Boyd teaches a system for controlling communication, comprising: a passive optical network(Fig. 2); and a cluster manager(Fig. 2@202), linked to a set of communication devices(Fig 2@204-208, ONUs) including at least one Input/Output module via the passive optical network(Fig 2, PON) wherein the passive optical network includes a passive optical splitter for transmitting data from the cluster manager to the communication devices(Fig 2@210), wherein the passive optical network includes a passive optical coupler(Fig 2@ 210 functions as a splitter/coupler because it supports 2-way communications) for transmitting data from the communication devices(ONU) to the cluster manager(OLT), wherein the communication devices are plugged into passive base plates forming a backbone (par 0004). Boyd fails to teach and
wherein the communication devices are synchronized in time with the cluster manager and configured to send data via the passive optical network at respective scheduled time windows. This is taught by Kim (par. 0032, TDM), it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine Kim with Boyd for the purpose of implementing TDM in a PON network. The motivation is that by assigning each ONU a dedicated time slot via Dynamic Bandwidth Allocation (DBA), TDM-PON avoids upstream collisions that can occur in shared-channel PONs This deterministic approach provides predictable performance, which is important for applications requiring consistent latency and throughput.
Claim 16 is rejected for the same reasons as claim 1 because a passive optical bus is synonymous with a passive optical network in (Boyd Fig 2, Kim Fig.1@103).
Claim 2, 17 are rejected because Kim teaches the system according to claim 1, wherein the data are sent in ethernet frames. (E-PONs transmit ethernet frames, par 0009)
Claim 7 is rejected because Kim teaches the system according to claim 1, wherein the cluster manager (Fig. 1@OLT) transmits data in frames on. transmission line of the passive optical network at scheduled time windows to all communication devices. (Fig. 1@103, TDM, time slots)
Claim 8 is rejected because Kim teaches a system, wherein each communication device (ONU) only processes data addressed to it in a frame and drops other data of the frame. (par 0010).
With regards to claim 9, Kim fails to teach a system according to claim 1, wherein data can be Input/Output data or service data, wherein Input/Output data correspond to machine data comprising values of inputs and outputs of a communication device, and service data relate to information on a service coming from a device connected to the communication device. However official notice is taken that it is well known in the art that a PON can be used to transmit user data as well as control data. With regards to claim 10, Kim teaches the system according to claim 9, wherein Input/Output (ONU) data are sent in a deterministic latency way to the cluster manager (TDMA protocol for uplink transmission from ONU to OLT) in static time windows (fixed time slots).
Claim(s) 4, 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over
Boyd et al. (2020/0120408) in view of Kim et al. (20070274339) and view of Ohlen (2011/0236017).
With regards to claim 4, 19 Boyd in view of Kim fails to teach the system wherein the cluster manager and each of the communication devices comprise respective switches to transmit and receive data on the passive optical network. Ohlen (Fig 1@13, 33, par 0063) teaches each OLT and ONU having a 1X2 optical diplexer or coupler that is used to transmit and receive data.
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Boyd et al. (2020/0120408) in view Kim et al. (2007/0274339) and further view of Moore et al (10,812,325)
With regards to claim 11, Boyd in view of Kim fails to teach a system according to claim 9, wherein service data are sent in a best effort way to the cluster manager in dynamic time windows. Moore teaches different types of upstream bandwidth allocation (col 3 lines 15-23). It would have been obvious to combine Moore with Kim for the purpose of using a dynamic bandwidth allocation scheme to prioritize transmission of time sensitive data
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 21 is allowed.
Claims 3, 5-6, 12, 14-15 18, 20 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.
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/KENNETH N VANDERPUYE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2634
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