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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in present Application No. 18/668,711, filed on May 20, 2024.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement filed May 20, 2024 has been submitted for consideration by the Office. It has been placed in the application file and the information referred to therein has been considered.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because Figure 1 lacks the proper cross-hatching which indicates the type of materials, which may be in an invention. Specifically, the cross hatching to indicate the conductor and insulative materials is improper. The applicant should refer to MPEP Section 608.02 for the proper cross-hatching of materials. Correction is required.
In addition to Replacement Sheets containing the corrected drawing figure(s), applicant is required to submit a marked-up copy of each Replacement Sheet including annotations indicating the changes made to the previous version. The marked-up copy must be clearly labeled as “Annotated Sheets” and must be presented in the amendment or remarks section that explains the change(s) to the drawings. See 37 CFR 1.121(d)(1). Failure to timely submit the proposed drawing and marked-up copy will result in the abandonment of the application.
Specification
Applicant is reminded of the proper language and format for an abstract of the disclosure.
The abstract should be in narrative form and generally limited to a single paragraph on a separate sheet within the range of 50 to 150 words. It is important that the abstract not exceed 150 words in length since the space provided for the abstract on the computer tape used by the printer is limited. The form and legal phraseology often used in patent claims, such as "means" and "said," should be avoided. The abstract should describe the disclosure sufficiently to assist readers in deciding whether there is a need for consulting the full patent text for details.
The language should be clear and concise and should not repeat information given in the title. It should avoid using phrases which can be implied, such as, "The disclosure concerns," "The disclosure defined by this invention," "The disclosure describes," etc.
Extensive mechanical and design details of apparatus should not be given.
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because throughout the abstract, it contains run on sentences, which are improper language for the abstract. The applicant should correct all instances of run on sentences, to provide the abstract with proper language. Correction is required. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
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.
Claim(s) 1-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Oh et al (Pub Num 2008/0247715, herein referred to as Oh) in view of Yano et al (Pub Num 2022/0252818, herein referred to as Yano). Oh discloses a known power cable system (Figs 1-3), capable of conducting direct current (i.e. DC, has an insulated conductor 10) and monitoring under installation environments for the operation of electricity utilizing temperature distribution (Paragraph 2). Specifically, with respect to claim 1, Oh discloses a known DC power cable system (Figs 1-3) comprising a power cable (Fig 1) having a conductor (10), an insulation system (11-13) surrounding the conductor (10, Paragraph 3), wherein the insulation system (11-13) includes an inner semiconducting layer (11), an insulation layer (12) arranged around the inner semiconducting layer 911), and an outer semiconducting layer (13) arranged around the insulation layer (12), and an optical fiber cable (14) extending along the power cable (Fig 1, Paragraph 3). With respect to claim 2, Oh discloses the optical fiber cable (14) comprises two optical fiber cable sections (located at both 20, Fig 2), and wherein a first of the optical fiber cable sections (located at left 20) is connected to a second of the optical fiber cable sections (located at right 20) via the connection box (21). With respect to claim 3, Oh discloses that the power cable (Fig 2) comprises a joint (20) and two power cable sections (left and right 10) connected to each other by the joint (20, Paragraph 4). With respect to claims 5-6, Oh discloses that the power cable system (Fig 1) comprises an armor layer (17) arranged around the insulation system (11-13), wherein the optical fiber cable (14) is arranged in the armor layer (17, Fig 1). With respect to claim 13, Oh discloses a known DC power cable system (Figs 1-3) comprising a power cable (Fig 1) having a conductor (10), an insulation system (11-13) surrounding the conductor (10, Paragraph 3), wherein the insulation system (11-13) includes an inner semiconducting layer (11), an insulation layer (12) arranged around the inner semiconducting layer 911), and an outer semiconducting layer (13) arranged around the insulation layer (12), and an optical fiber cable (14) extending along the power cable (Fig 1, Paragraph 3). With respect to claim 14, Oh discloses that the power cable (Fig 2) comprises a joint (20) and two power cable sections (left and right 10) connected to each other by the joint (20, Paragraph 4). With respect to claim 15, Oh discloses that the power cable system (Fig 1) comprises an armor layer (17) arranged around the insulation system (11-13), wherein the optical fiber cable (14) is arranged in the armor layer (17, Fig 1). a power supply lead extending along the power cable; and a repeater powered by the power supply lead and connected to the optical fiber cable, wherein the repeater is arranged to amplify an optical signal propagating in the optical fiber cable; wherein the optical fiber cable is arranged to transmit telecommunication data. 14. The DC power cable system according to claim 2, wherein the power cable comprises a joint and two power cable sections connected to each other by the joint. 15. The DC power cable system according to claim 2, wherein the DC power cable system comprises an armor layer arranged around the insulation system, and the power supply lead is arranged in the armor layer. 16. The DC power cable system according to claim 2, wherein the power cable is an HVDC or UHVDC power cable. 17. The DC power cable system according to claim 2, wherein the power supply lead is a low voltage power supply lead. 18. The DC power cable system according to claim 2, wherein the power cable is a submarine power cable.
While Oh discloses the power cable system, Oh doesn’t necessarily disclose the DC power cable system comprising a power supply lead extending along the power cable; and a repeater powered by the power supply lead and connected to the optical fiber cable, wherein the repeater is arranged to amplify an optical signal propagating in the optical fiber cable (claim 1), nor a first of the optical fiber cable sections being connected to a second of the optical fiber cable sections via the repeater, and wherein the repeater is configured to amplify the optical signal received from the first optical fiber cable section and to transmit the amplified optical signal to the second optical fiber cable section (claim 2), nor the repeater is arranged in the joint (claim 4), nor the power supply lead is arranged in the armor layer (claims 5 & 15), nor the optical fiber cable being arranged in the conductor (claim 7), nor the power cable is an HVDC or UHVDC power cable (claims 8 & 16), nor the power supply lead is a low voltage power supply lead (claims 9 & 17), nor the power cable being a submarine power cable (claims 10 & 18), nor the optical fiber cable is arranged to transmit the optical signal amplified by the repeater in the submarine power cable to an onshore monitoring arrangement (claim 11), nor the power cable comprises a sensor, wherein the optical fiber cable is connected to the sensor and the optical signal includes sensor data (claim 12), nor a power supply lead extending along the power cable; and a repeater powered by the power supply lead and connected to the optical fiber cable, wherein the repeater is arranged to amplify an optical signal propagating in the optical fiber cable; wherein the optical fiber cable is arranged to transmit telecommunication data (claim 13).
Yano teaches a dc power cable system (Figs 1-17) having the effect of suppressing the occurrence of cable landing construction (Paragraph 81). Specifically, with respect to claims 1 & 13, Yano teaches a DC power cable system (100, Fig 1) comprising a cable (121) having an optical fiber cable (Paragraph 85) comprising a power supply lead (not numbered) extending along the power cable (121) and a repeater (11) powered by the power supply lead (not numbered) and connected to the optical fiber cable (Paragraph 85), wherein the repeater (11) is arranged to amplify an optical signal propagating in the optical fiber cable (Paragraph 36), wherein the optical fiber cable (not numbered) is capable of transmitting telecommunication data (Paragraph 47). With respect to claim 2, Yano teaches that a first of the optical fiber cable section (left side of 112 adjacent the first repeater 11, Fig 1) being connected to a second of the optical fiber cable sections (right side of 112 adjacent the first repeater 11) via the repeater (11), and wherein the repeater (11) is configured to amplify the optical signal received from the first optical fiber cable section (left side of 112 adjacent the first repeater 11, Fig 1) and to transmit the amplified optical signal to the second optical fiber cable section (right side of 112 adjacent the first repeater 11, Paragraph 36). With respect to claim 4, Yano teaches that the repeater (11) is arranged in the joint (located at 119, Fig 1). With respect to claims 5 & 15, Yano teaches that the power supply lead (54, Fig 4b) may be arranged in the armor layer (562, Fig 4B). With respect to claim 7, Yano teaches that the optical fiber cable (63, Fig 6A) may be arranged in the conductor (Fig 6a). With respect to claims 9 & 17, Yano teaches that the power supply lead (62) is a low voltage power supply lead (i.e. repeater require minimum voltage to operate, Paragraph 85). With respect to claims 10 & 18, Yano teaches that the power cable (121) is a submarine power cable (100, Fig 1). With respect to claim 11, Yano teaches that the optical fiber cable (63) is arranged to transmit the optical signal amplified by the repeater (11) in the submarine power cable (121) to an onshore monitoring arrangement (16, Fig 1). With respect to claim 12, Yano teaches that the power cable (121, Fig 10) may comprises a sensor (70), wherein the optical fiber cable (121) is connected to the sensor (70) and the optical signal includes sensor data (Paragraph 150 & 151).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art of cables at the time the invention was made to modify the DC power cable system of Oh to comprise a repeater powered by the power supply lead and connected to the optical fiber cable, wherein the repeater is arranged to amplify an optical signal propagating in the optical fiber cable configuration as taught by Yano because Yano teaches that such a configuration provides a dc power cable system (Figs 1-17) having the effect of suppressing the occurrence of cable landing construction (Paragraph 81).
Modified Oh also doesn’t disclose the power cable being an HVDC or UHVDC power cable (claims 8 & 16).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the power cable of modified Oh to be HVDC or UHVDC, since it is well known in the art of cables that high voltage direct current cables (HVDC) and/or ultra-high voltage direct current cables (UHVDC) are commonly utilized as submarine cable because of their capability to transmit long distance power efficiently, while being more compact, less expensive to produce, ease of installation, and its strength and reliability (Examiner Takes Official Notice).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Please refer to the enclosed PTO-892 form for the citation of pertinent art in the present case, all of which disclose various power cables comprising electrical conductors and optical fibers, while being used in power cable systems.
Communication
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WILLIAM H MAYO III whose telephone number is (571)272-1978. The examiner can normally be reached on M-Thurs (5:30a-3:00p) Fri 5:30a-2p (w/alternating Fridays off).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Imani Hayman can be reached on (571) 270-5528. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/William H. Mayo III/
William H. Mayo III
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2847
WHM III
February 5, 2026