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) 1-5, 8-9, 12, 13, 15-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over by Zhang et al. (2009/0028550) in view of Okamoto et al. (US 2022/0326005 A1)
With regards to claim 1 Zhang teaches, a method of dynamic change
Detection (fault in a system) using an optical fiber arrangement (Fig. 1@12), the optical fiber arrangement comprising a forward optical path and a second optical path(Fig 1@ 28-29, par 21-23) , the optical fiber arrangement being configured into a plurality of spans by a plurality of nodes(optical repeaters 36-1….36-n), the plurality of nodes being between first and second ends of the optical fiber arrangement, a first span having a first node at a first end and a second node at a second end, each of the first and second nodes including a feed from the forward optical path to the second optical path such that forward propagation of a light signal from the forward optical path feeds the second optical path(pa 30-32), the method comprising: transmitting said light signal(Laser 30/coupler 34) into the forward optical path(fiber 29); receiving a response signal from the second optical path(fiber 28), wherein the response signal comprises a first loop back signal and a second loop back signal, the first loop back signal (LME test signals 18 return by loop back paths 41-2, 42-2) comprising said light signal fed into the second optical path via the feed of the first node, the second loop back signal comprising said light signal fed into the second optical path via the feed of the second node)par 30-31); obtaining from the response signal a first signal element and a second signal element(loop gain data associated with each repeater 36-1 to 36-n) relating to, respectively, the first loop back signal and the second loop back signa(par 35)l; and detecting dynamic changes along the first span from dynamic changes(predetermined fault signatures/ other faults may be detected) in a difference between the first signal element and the second signal element.(loop gain data for repeater 36-2 minus loop gain data for repeater 36-1, par 35-37, 41; Fig 1@10). Zheng fails to teach wherein the frequency of the light signal is swept such that the light signal includes at least one frequency sweep. Okamoto teaches the use of a frequency sweep light source (Fig. 1@1) the light source is, a laser capable of the frequency sweep at high speed. It would have been obvious to use a swept frequency light source (also called a wavelength-swept laser) because it is well known in the art that it can rapidly and precisely tune its output wavelength over a defined range, enabling high-speed, high-precision optical measurements that conventional tunable lasers cannot achieve. It would have been obvious to combine Okamoto with Zheng, the motivation is that using a swept frequency light source will enable fast, linear, and mode-hop-free wavelength sweeps over tens to hundreds of nanometers, often at sweep rates from tens of kHz to over 1 MHz
Claims 13, 17 are rejected for the same reasons as claim 1
With regards to claim 2, Zhang teaches the method of claim 1, wherein dynamic changes along the first span are detected from phase changes and/or frequency changes in the first signal element and/or the second signal element (see time delays ts1, ts2 par.32-35).
With regards to claim 3, Zhang fails to teach the method of claim 1 wherein the first signal element and the second signal element are obtained on frequency of the first loop back signal and the second loop back signal. This is inherently taught because Okamoto teaches use of a swept frequency source. It would have been obvious to combine Zheng with Okamoto for the same reasons as stated in claim 1.
With regards to claim 4, Zheng in view of Okamoto fails to teach the method of claim 1, wherein each of the at least on frequency sweep has a continuously varying frequency. Official notice is taken that it is well known in the art that a continuously varying frequency means the frequency changes smoothly over time, without abrupt jumps. This is often achieved by modulating a laser’s drive current or using intracavity filtering to shift the output wavelength.
With regards to claim 5, Zhang teaches the method of claim 1, wherein the first signal element and the second signal element are the first and second loop back signals respectively. (42-1, 42-2 loopbacks)
With regards to claims 8, Okamoto teaches the method of claim 1, further comprising detecting vibrations, temperature, and pressure perturbations along fiber but not humidity. Official notice is taken that sensors are routinely used to detect natural phenomena. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine these sensors with the teaching in Zheng in view of Okamoto in order to detect phenomena that can affect fiber traffic,
Claim 9,15 are rejected as being taught by Zheng (see rejection of claim 1).
With regards to claim 11 Zheng in view of Okamoto teaches the method of claim 1, wherein detecting dynamic changes along the first span comprises OFDR (Okamoto par 0004)
With regards to claims 12, 16, Zheng teaches the method of claim 1, wherein a plurality of spans are each configured as recited for the first span and result in the response signal comprising respective loop back signals for each span as recited for the first span, the steps for detecting dynamic changes along the respective span from the respective loop back signals being as recited for the first span. (Zheng Fig 1 multiple spans and loopback signals)
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over by Zhang et al. (2009/0028550) in view of Mansouri Rad (2021/0013962)
With regards to claims 10, Zhang fails to teach a method according to claim 1
further comprising performing seismic detection. This is taught by Mansouri Rad (Col 1. Par 4). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine Zhang with Rad for the purpose of being able to monitor/detect seismic phenomena that may damage fibers.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-7 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.
Conclusion
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/KENNETH N VANDERPUYE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2634
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