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 § 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(s) 1, 3. 5-11, 13-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Dyke (US Pat. 6,351,582).
Regarding Claim 1, Dyke teaches A system comprising a network of connected apparatus (FIG. 2), comprising: a first apparatus (FIG. 2: 200), a second apparatus (FIG. 2: 224) and a third apparatus (FIG. 2: 223) connected in series to establish a fiber optic bus (FIG. 2); wherein the second apparatus comprises a first port connected to the first apparatus (FIG. 2: 226, 201); a second port connected to a node (FIG. 2: 225, 274); a third port connected to the third apparatus (FIG. 2: 227, 223); and a passive device configured to divide an input fiber optic signal received at one of the first port or the second port into output signals to be transmitted from the one of the first or second port and from the third port. (FIG. 2: 224; Col. 5, l. 48-59)
Regarding Claim 3, Dyke teaches The system of claim 1, wherein the node is a master device comprising at least one of: a passive optical network optical network unit (PON ONU), a fixed wireless access customer premise equipment (FWA CPE), a modem, a router and a residential gateway (RGW). (FIG. 2: 224; Col. 5, l. 48-59)
Regarding Claim 5, Dyke teaches The system of claim 1, wherein the passive device comprises a symmetric coupling configuration with a coupling ratio of 50:50. (FIG. 2: 224; Col. 5, l. 48-59)
Regarding Claim 6, Dyke teaches The system of claim 1, wherein the passive device comprises an asymmetric coupling configuration with a coupling ratio within a range of 90:10 to 50:50. (FIG. 2: 224; Col. 5, l. 48-59)
Regarding Claim 7, Dyke teaches The system of claim 1, wherein the passive device comprises a coupling configuration comprising a first asymmetric coupler connected to the first port (FIG. 2: 226) and a second asymmetric coupler connected to the third port (FIG. 2: 227) and a coupler connected to the second port. (FIG. 2: 225)
Regarding Claim 8, Dyke teaches The system of claim 1, wherein the second apparatus further comprises a fourth port connected to a second node or a fourth apparatus, and the passive device comprises a coupling configuration comprising at least four couplers. (FIG. 2; Col. 7, l. 3-18 (envisioning expanding the arrangement illustrated in FIG. 2 to include more connection points beyond what is shown))
Regarding Claim 9, Dyke teaches The system of claim 1, wherein the passive device comprises a switch configured to turn on and/or off at least one of the first, second, third or fourth ports. (Col. 8, l. 60-65)
Regarding Claim 10, Dyke teaches The system of claim 1, wherein the wavelength of the fiber optic signal transmitted on the second port is different from the wavelength of the fiber optic signal received on the second port. (Col. 6, l. 41-49)
Regarding Claim 11, Dyke teaches The system of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is further configured to perform, transmitting a first fiber optic signal from the second port at a first time; receiving a second fiber optic signal at the second port at a second time; wherein first and second fiber optic signals have a same wavelength and the second time is later than the first time. (Col. 5, l. 48-59)
Regarding Claim 13, Dyke teaches The system of claim 1, wherein the second port comprises a colour, form factor or unique identifier which is different from those of the first and third ports. (Col. 5, l. 15-34)
Regarding Claim 14, Dyke teaches A method of using a network of connected apparatus, comprising: configuring a system according to claim 1; receiving the input fiber optic signal at the second port; dividing the input fiber optic signal into a first output signal and a second output signal; transmitting the first output signal from the first port; transmitting the second output signal from the third port. (Col. 5, l. 48-59)
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) 4, 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Dyke (US Pat. 6,351,582) in view of Hantschmann (WIPO Pub. 2022/223092).
Regarding Claim 4, Dyke teaches The system of claim 1,
Dyke does not teach wherein at least one of the first, second and third apparatus are connected to a client device or peripheral device comprising at least one of: a Wi-Fi beacon, set top box, a television, a network attached storage, a computer and a smart home device. (FIG. 2: 264, 263; Col. 7, l. 3-18)
Hantschmann teaches wherein at least one of the first, second and third apparatus are connected to a client device or peripheral device comprising at least one of: a Wi-Fi beacon, set top box, a television, a network attached storage, a computer and a smart home device. (p. 39, l. 17-29)
Dyke and Hantschmann are analogous to each other as both teach PON network arrangements.
Before the filing date of the instant application, it would have obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art to combine the PON system taught in Dyke with the fiber to the room implementation taught in Hantschmann. The known technique of fiber to the room was applied to a known apparatus — a passive optical network — to yield the predictable result of allowing devices within a particular room to connect directly to a fiber network.
Regarding Claim 12, Dyke teaches The system of claim 1,
Dyke does not teach wherein the connected apparatus is distributed throughout a building and wherein the first, second and third apparatus are built into wall sockets or wall mounted.
Hantschmann teaches wherein the connected apparatus is distributed throughout a building and wherein the first, second and third apparatus are built into wall sockets or wall mounted. (p. 39, l. 9-16).
Before the filing date of the instant application, it would have obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art to combine the PON system taught in Dyke with the fiber to the room implementation taught in Hantschmann. The known technique of fiber to the room was applied to a known apparatus — a passive optical network — to yield the predictable result of allowing devices within a particular room to connect directly to a fiber network.
Conclusion
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/PAUL MORGAN BROCK/Examiner, Art Unit 2634 February 10, 2026
/KENNETH N VANDERPUYE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2634