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) 1-2, 4-6, 9-12, and 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Takahashi (JP Pat. Pub. 2020/134602A).
Regarding Claim 1, Takahashi teaches A control device for an optical transmitter (FIG. 2; [0040]), comprising: a control signal generator configured to generate a control signal (Id.) specifying a power value to be consumed by a heating element (FIG. 11, 125, 126, 127) to be used for temperature control of an optical transmitter; ([0054]) and a generator configured to generate supply power being power of the power value, according to the control signal. ([0055])
Regarding Claim 2, Takahashi teaches The control device for an optical transmitter according to claim 1, wherein the power generator is configured to supply the supply power directly to the heating element. ([0055])
Regarding Claim 4, Takahashi teaches The control device for an optical transmitter according to claim 1, wherein the control signal generator is configured to generate, based n a relation between a wavelength of transmitted light being output from the optical transmitter and the power value, the control signal in such a way that the wavelength becomes a desired wavelength. ([0054])
Regarding Claim 5, Takahashi teaches An optical transceiver comprising: an optical transmitter (FIG. 11, 12; [0040]) including a heating element to be used for temperature control (FIG. 11, 125, 126, 127); and a control device configured to control the optical transmitter, ([0040]) wherein the control device includes control signal generator configured to generate a control signal specifying a power value to be consumed by the heating element, ([0054]) and power generator configured to generate supply power being power of the power value. ([0055])
Regarding Claim 6 Takahashi teaches The optical transceiver according to claim 5, wherein the power generator is configured to supply the supply power directly to the heating element. ([0055])
Regarding Claim 9 Takahashi teaches The optical transceiver according to claim 5, wherein the control signal generator is configured to generate, based on a relation between a wavelength of transmitted light being output from the optical transmitter and the power value, the control signal in such a way that the wavelength becomes a desired wavelength. ([0054])
Regarding Claim 10, Takahashi teaches The optical transceiver according to claim 5, wherein the optical transmitter further includes a wavelength-tunable light source and an optical modulator ([0054]), and at least the wavelength-tunable light source is placed in proximity to the heating element (FIG. 2, 121, 125).
Regarding Claim 11, Takahashi teaches A control method for an optical transmitter (FIG. 11, 12; [0040]), comprising: generating a control signal specifying a power value to be consumed by a heating element to be used for temperature control of an optical transmitter ([0054]); and generating supply power being power of the power value, according to the control signal. ([0055])
Regarding Claim 12, Takahashi teaches The control method for an optical transmitter according to claim 11, wherein the generating the supply power includes supplying the supply power directly to the heating element. ([0055])
Regarding Claim 14 Takahashi teaches the control method for an optical transmitter according to claim 11, wherein the generating the control signal includes generating, based on a relation between a wavelength of transmitted light being output from the optical transmitter and the power value, the control signal in such a way that the wavelength becomes a desired wavelength. ([0054])
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) 3, 7-8, and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takahashi (JP Pat. Pub. 2020/134602A) in light of Ishii (WIPO Pub. WO/2009/096431).
Regarding Claim 3, Takahashi teaches The control device for an optical transmitter according to claim 1,
Takahashi does not teach wherein the power generator includes digital-to-analog converter configured to convert the control signal being a digital signal into an analog signal of the power value.
Ishii teaches wherein the power generator includes digital-to-analog converter configured to convert the control signal being a digital signal into an analog signal of the power value. ([0056])
Takahashi and Ishii both disclose control devices for optical transmitters and are therefore analogous art.
Before the filing date of the instant application, it would have obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art to look to add the analog/digital converter taught in Ishii’s control system to the control device taught in Takahashi. The suggestion/motivation would have been to allow for digital control system such that a controller might produce to control heating elements that require an analog signal for control.
Regarding Claim 7 Takahashi teaches The optical transceiver according to claim 5,
Takahashi does not teach wherein the power generator includes digital-to-analog converter configured to convert the control signal being a digital signal into an analog signal of the power value.
Ishii teaches wherein the power generator includes digital-to-analog converter configured to convert the control signal being a digital signal into an analog signal of the power value. ([0056])
Before the filing date of the instant application, it would have obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art to look to add the analog/digital converter taught in Ishii’s control system to the control device taught in Takahashi. The suggestion/motivation would have been to allow for digital control system such that a controller might produce to control heating elements that require an analog signal for control.
Regarding Claim 8 the combination of Takahashi and Ishii teaches The optical transceiver according to claim 7, wherein the heating element includes a heater resistor, and a resistance value of the heater resistor is defined based on drive capacity of the digital-to-analog converter. ([0056])
Before the filing date of the instant application, it would have obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art to look to add the analog/digital converter taught in Ishii’s control system to the control device taught in Takahashi. The suggestion/motivation would have been to allow for digital control system such that a controller might produce to control heating elements that require an analog signal for control.
Regarding Claim 13, Takahashi teaches The control method for an optical transmitter according to claim 11,
Takahashi does not teach wherein the generating the supply power includes converting the control signal being a digital signal into an analog signal of the power value.
Ishii teaches wherein the generating the supply power includes converting the control signal being a digital signal into an analog signal of the power value ([0056])
Before the filing date of the instant application, it would have obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art to look to add the analog/digital converter taught in Ishii’s control system to the control device taught in Takahashi. The suggestion/motivation would have been to allow for digital control system such that a controller might produce to control heating elements that require an analog signal for control.
Conclusion
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/PAUL MORGAN BROCK/Examiner, Art Unit 2634 1/14/2026
/KENNETH N VANDERPUYE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2634