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 .
Joint Inventors
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Response to Amendments
Applicant’s amendment filed 07/13/2026 has been considered and entered.
The rejection under 35 USC 112 set forth in the office action received 06/12/2026 is withdrawn in view of the applicant’s amendment.
Response to Arguments
The applicant’s arguments filed 07/13/2026 have been fully considered but are moot in view of the modified grounds for rejection. The limitations of amended claims 1, 7, and 14 are now disclosed by Iwama (US 20200026010 A1).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-20 are 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.
With regards to claims 1, 7, and 14, the claims each recite “…herein the extension device chassis is provided with a length between the computing device connector and the transceiver connector…”. It is unclear if the “length” refers to a numerical distance ascribed to the extension device chassis, a physical portion of the extension device chassis, or another interpretation. The claims are indefinite because the limitations create confusion regarding the claimed structure and claimed method steps.
For the purposes of further examination of claims, examiner has interpreted claims 1, 7, and 14 as generally requiring that overall geometry of the extension device chassis is such that the cable is positioned out of the extension device. However, examiner notes that the confusion created by the above limitations is of particular significance when considering claims 5, 11-12, and 18-19. Thus, claims 5, 11-12, and 18-19 have not been further treated on the merits because there is a great deal of confusion and uncertainty as to the proper interpretation of the limitations of the claims. This is NOT an indication that the claims are allowable under 35 U.S.C. 102 and 35 U.S.C. 103. The scope of the claim is unclear as discussed above. As a result, a meaningful formulation of art rejections cannot be done at this time. See MPEP § 2173.06 II, 2nd paragraph (“…where there is a great deal of confusion and uncertainty as to the proper interpretation of the limitations of a claim, it would not be proper to reject such a claim on the basis of prior art… a rejection under 35 U.S.C. 103 should not be based on considerable speculation about the meaning of terms employed in a claim or assumptions that must be made as to the scope of the claims…”).
Claims 2-6, 8-13, and 15-20 inherit the indefiniteness of claims 1, 7, and 14 on which they respectively depend.
With regards to claim 7, the claim recites “…the computing device connector…” in lines 15-16 and 21. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Examiner’s note: For purposes of further examination, examiner will interpret the first instance of the above limitations as introducing the computing device connector.
Claims 8-13 inherit the indefiniteness of claim 7 on which they depend.
With regards to claim 14, the claim recites “…connecting, by a transceiver connector extension device via a computing device connector that is included on a first end of a board that is housed in an extension device chassis housing defined by an extension device chassis of the transceiver connector extension device, to a computing device that is provided in an immersion fluid…”. Examiner understands that a transceiver connector extension device and a computing device connector and used to connect a component to a computing device, but it unclear what component is being connected to the computing device. Similarly, the claim recites “…connecting, by the transceiver connector extension device via a transceiver connector that is included on a second end of the board that is opposite the first end of the board and coupled to the computing device connector via the signal transmission lines, to a transceiver device that is separate from the transceiver connector extension device…” Examiner understands that a transceiver connector extension device and a transceiver connector are used to connect a component to a transceiver device, but it unclear what component is being connected to the transceiver device. The claim is indefinite because the limitations create confusion regarding the steps required by the claimed method.
Examiner’s note: For the purposes of further examination, examiner will generally interpret all components as being physically coupled to one another (directly or indirectly).
Claims 15-20 inherit the indefiniteness of claim 14 on which they depend.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-4, 6-10, 13-17, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Iwama (US 20200026010 A1).
With regards to claim 1, Iwama discloses a transceiver connector extension device, comprising:
an extension device chassis that defines an extension device chassis housing (Fig2/Extension device chassis 120);
a board that is housed by the extension device chassis housing and that includes signal transmission lines (Fig2/Board 101 [“…printed circuit board”…]);
a computing device connector that is included on a first end of the board, that is coupled to the signal transmission lines, that extends out of the extension device chassis housing, and that is configured to connect to a computing device that is provided in an immersion fluid (Fig2/Computing device connector 102); and
a transceiver connector that is included on a second end of the board that is opposite the first end of the board, that is coupled to the computing device connector via the signal transmission lines, and that is configured to connect to a transceiver device that is separate from the transceiver connector extension device (Fig8/Transceiver connector 125A),
wherein the extension device chassis is provided with a length between the computing device connector and the transceiver connector that is configured, when the computing device connector is connected to the computing device that is provided in the immersion fluid and the transceiver device is connected to the transceiver connector, to position a cable coupled to the transceiver device out of the immersion fluid (Fig9/Cable 112).
With regards to claim 2, Iwama discloses the transceiver connector extension device of claim 1, further comprising: a transceiver cage that extends from the extension device chassis and that includes cage walls defining a transceiver housing configured to house the transceiver device (Fig2/Cage walls [as outlined below]/Transceiver housing [area within cage walls]).
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With regards to claim 3, Iwama discloses the transceiver connector extension device of claim 2 further comprising: a plurality of immersion fluid slots extending through the transceiver cage to the transceiver housing, wherein the immersion fluid slots are configured to allow immersion fluid to enter the transceiver housing when the computing device connector is connected to the computing device that is provided in the immersion fluid (Figs2&3/Plurality of immersion slots 140 and 122b-d; Paragraph 75).
With regards to claim 4, Iwama discloses the transceiver connector extension device of claim 2, wherein the transceiver cage includes a first portion that is configured to be located in the immersion fluid when the computing device connector is connected to the computing device that is provided in the immersion fluid, and a second portion that is configured to be located out of the immersion fluid when the computing device connector is connected to the computing device that is provided in the immersion fluid (Fig2/First portion [region below range 202] and second portion [region above range 202]).
With regards to claim 6, Iwama discloses the transceiver connector extension device of claim 1, wherein computing device connector is a male Quad Small Form-factor Pluggable (QSFP) connector, and the transceiver connector is a female QSFP connector (Figs1&9; Paragraph 32/“…QSFP connector…”).
With regards to claim 7, Iwama discloses an Information Handling System (IHS), comprising:
an Information Handling System (IHS) chassis that is immersed in an immersion fluid (Fig14/IHS chassis [Lower half of element 1303]);
a port that is accessible on the IHS chassis (Paragraph 114 [location into which element 1302 is inserted]);
a processing system that is housed in the IHS chassis and coupled to the port (Fig14/Processing system 1304);
a transceiver connector extension device that includes (Fig2/Transceiver connector extension device 100):
an extension device chassis that defines an extension device chassis housing (Fig2/Extension device chassis 120);
a board that is housed by the extension device chassis housing and that includes signal transmission lines (Fig2/Board 101 [“…printed circuit board”…]);
an IHS connector that is included on a first end of the board, that is coupled to the signal transmission lines, that extends out of the extension device chassis housing, and that is connected to the port (Fig2/IHS connector 102); and
a transceiver connector that is included on a second end of the board that is opposite the first end of the board and that is coupled to the computing device connector via the signal transmission lines (Fig8/Transceiver connector 125A);
a transceiver device that is separate from the transceiver connector extension device and that is connected to the transceiver connector (Fig9/Transceiver device 110); and
a cable that is coupled to the transceiver device, wherein the extension device chassis is provided with a length between the computing device connector and the transceiver connector that positions the cable out of the immersion fluid (Fig9/Cable 112).
With regards to claim 8, Iwama discloses the IHS of claim 7, further comprising: a transceiver cage that extends from the extension device chassis and that includes cage walls defining a transceiver housing configured to house the transceiver device (Fig2/Cage walls [as outlined below]/Transceiver housing [area within cage walls]).
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With regards to claim 9, Iwama discloses the IHS of claim 8, further comprising: a plurality of immersion fluid slots extending through the transceiver cage to the transceiver housing and configured to allow immersion fluid to enter the transceiver housing (Figs2&3/Plurality of immersion slots 140 and 122b-d; Paragraph 75).
With regards to claim 10, Iwama discloses the IHS of claim 8, wherein the transceiver cage includes a first portion that is located in the immersion fluid, and a second portion that is located out of the immersion fluid (Fig2/First portion [region below range 202] and second portion [region above range 202]).
With regards to claim 13, Iwama discloses the IHS of claim 7, wherein the IHS connector is a male Quad Small Form-factor Pluggable (QSFP) connector, and the transceiver connector is a female QSFP connector (Figs1&9; Paragraph 32/“…QSFP connector…”).
With regards to claim 14, Iwama discloses a method for preventing immersion fluid cable damage using a transceiver connector extension device, comprising:
connecting, by a transceiver connector extension device via a computing device connector that is included on a first end of a board that is housed in an extension device chassis housing defined by an extension device chassis of the transceiver connector extension device, to a computing device that is provided in an immersion fluid, wherein the computing device connector is coupled to signal transmission lines included in the board and extends out of the extension device chassis housing (Fig2/Transceiver connector extension device 100, board 101 [“…printed circuit board”…], extension device chassis 120, and computing device connector 102);
connecting, by the transceiver connector extension device via a transceiver connector that is included on a second end of the board that is opposite the first end of the board and coupled to the computing device connector via the signal transmission lines, to a transceiver device that is separate from the transceiver connector extension device (Fig9/Transceiver device 110 and transceiver connector 125A);
coupling, by the transceiver connector extension device to the computing device, a cable that is coupled to the transceiver device, wherein the extension device chassis is provided with a length between the computing device connector and the transceiver connector that positions the cable coupled to the transceiver device out of the immersion fluid (Fig9/Cable 112).
With regards to claim 15, Iwama discloses the method of claim 14, further comprising: receiving, by a transceiver cage that extends from the extension device chassis, the transceiver device in a transceiver housing defined by cage walls of the transceiver cage (Fig2/Cage walls [as outlined below]/Transceiver housing [area within cage walls]).
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With regards to claim 16, Iwama discloses the method of claim 15, further comprising: allowing, via a plurality of immersion fluid slots
With regards to claim 17, Iwama discloses the method of claim 15, wherein the transceiver cage includes a first portion that is located in the immersion fluid, and a second portion that is located out of the immersion fluid (Fig2/First portion [region below range 202] and second portion [region above range 202]).
With regards to claim 20, Iwama discloses the method of claim 14, wherein computing device connector is a male Quad Small Form-factor Pluggable (QSFP) connector, and the transceiver connector is a female QSFP connector (Figs2&9; Paragraph 32/“…QSFP connector…”).
Conclusion
This prior art, made of record, but not relied upon, is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure since the following references have similar structure and/or use similar structure and/or similar optical elements to what is disclosed and/or claimed in the instant application:
Sun (US 20240241331 A1) [Figure 5]
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any extension fee pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Marc E Manheim whose telephone number is (703)756-1873. The examiner can normally be reached 6:30am - 5pm E.T., Monday - Tuesday and Thursday - Friday.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Thomas A Hollweg can be reached at (571) 270-1739. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MARC E MANHEIM/Examiner, Art Unit 2874
/THOMAS A HOLLWEG/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2874
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