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.
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 5-7, 9-14, 16-18 and 20-22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Baiden (US 2018/0082578) in view of Pavelchek (US 2002/0071160).
Regarding claim 1 and similar claim 12, Baiden teaches a system (Figs. 13/14), comprising: a support structure having a surface (Fig. 13, 53 with support base 12; Fig. 2 also shows the support structure 12); a set of optical transmitters (Fig. 13/14, set of transmitters 63; paragraph [0069]) perforating the surface of the support structure (Figs. 13/14 perforation shown at 63), wherein each optical transmitter of the set of optical transmitters is oriented in a different direction relative to each other optical transmitter of the set of optical transmitters (paragraph [0069], 360 degree array of lights…); and an optical receiver (Fig. 13/14, receiver 53) comprising: a luminescence wavelength-converting fiber (paragraph [0044]) disposed on the surface of the support structure (Fig. 2, structure 12), wherein the luminescence wavelength-converting fiber is wrapped at least partially around the support structure (paragraph [0046], FIG. 3 is a sectional front view of the optical sensor 10 of one embodiment. As can be seen in both FIGS. 2 and 3, a support base 12 may also be provided. In forming the toroid, the WS fibres 11, mounted in the support base 12, bound away from the support base and loop around to travel through an aperture 13 formed in the centre of the support base 12 and then to a detector such as a lens assembly 14. The WS fibres 11 may be substantially equally spaced around all or a portion of the support base 12. The support base 12 may provide structure to the WS fibres 11 and may further hold the light pump 117 to pump light through the fibres), and wherein the luminescence wavelength-converting fiber is configured to absorb light at a first wavelength and emit light within a channel of the luminescence wavelength- converting fiber at a second wavelength (paragraph [0040]); and a detector coupled with at least one end of the luminescence wavelength-converting fiber, wherein the detector is configured to convert the light at the second wavelength to an electrical signal (Fig. 3 shows detector 15).
Although Figs. 14 shows the layout of the transmitters and receiver, Baiden doesn’t show the receiver is located between at least two pairs of the set of optical transmitters.
Pavelchek teaches a layout wherein a receiver is located between two transmitters (Fig. 2, a node head 204 between two other node heads 204; paragraph [0040], a node head 204 has just a transmitter or just a receiver, thereby providing one-way communications. Additionally, it is possible for one or more node head 204 to include…an additional receiver or transmitter to provide additional capabilities).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the layout of the transmitter and receiver as taught by Fig. 14 of Baiden and incorporate the receiver in between transmitters as taught by Pavelchek in order to enhance the network capacity and also facilitate communication with multiple other communication systems (Pavelchek: paragraph [0039]).
Regarding claim 2 and similar claim 13, Baiden in view of Pavelchek teaches the system of claim 1, wherein Baiden teaches further comprising: a set of lenses or a set of mirrors covering a perforated portion of the surface of the support structure, wherein each lens of the set of lenses or each mirror of the set of mirrors is associated with a respective optical transmitter of the set of optical transmitters (paragraph [0084], in the transmitter the radiant power and emission divergence are the main design parameters for selection to obtain the desired range and omnidirectional coverage. The choice for the light beam spreading varies between a low divergence laser and 180 degrees uncollimated, with intermediary divergences obtained using refractive or reflective optics).
Regarding claim 3 and similar claim 14, Baiden in view of Pavelchek teaches the system of claim 1, wherein Baiden teaches the luminescence wavelength-converting fiber is wrapped multiple times around the support structure (Fig. 2 shows fiber 11 wrapping around the structure).
Regarding claim 4 and similar claim 15, The system of claim 3, wherein the luminescence wavelength-converting fiber is wrapped around the support structure such that a perforated portion of the surface of the support structure associated with the set of optical transmitters is not covered by the luminescence wavelength-converting fiber and at least one quarter of a remaining portion of the surface of the support structure is covered by the luminescence wavelength-converting fiber.
Regarding claim 5 and similar claim 16, Baiden in view of Pavelchek teaches the system of claim 1, wherein Baiden teaches the support structure is formed in a shape of a sphere, a spheroid, or a polyhedron (see Fig. 5 which shows a spheroid shape).
Regarding claim 6 and similar claim 17, Baiden in view of Pavelchek teaches the system of claim 1, wherein Baiden teaches the support structure is formed in a shape of at least a quarter of a sphere, at least a quarter of an ellipsoid, or at least a quarter of a polyhedron (see Fig. 5 which shows a spheroid shape).
Regarding claim 7 and similar claim 18, Baiden in view of Pavelchek teaches the system of claim 1, wherein Baiden teaches the detector is coupled with each end of the luminescence wavelength- converting fiber (Fig. 3 shows detector 15 coupled to each end).
Regarding claim 8 and similar claim 19, The system of claim 1, wherein the luminescence wavelength-converting fiber comprises a single optical fiber.
Regarding claim 9 and similar claim 20, Baiden in view of Pavelchek teaches the system of claim 1, wherein Baiden teaches the luminescence wavelength-converting fiber comprises more than one optical fiber (as shown in Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 10 and similar claim 21, Baiden in view of Pavelchek teaches the system of claim 1, wherein Baiden teaches each optical transmitter is configured to emit light at the first wavelength (paragraph [0084], The specification of the wavelength for light emission in vacuum (outer space) is restricted by the Photodetector colour responsivity (A/W), its Quantum efficiency (%), the LED or Laser diode (LD) radiometric power, and other electro-mechanical parameters. Choosing the wavelength of emission for atmosphere or underwater OWC may be more involved, because the characteristics of the medium are important, followed by customized optoelectronic design i.e. the wavelength can be selected based on design choice).
Regarding claim 11 and similar claim 22, Baiden in view of Pavelchek teaches the system of claim 1, wherein Baiden teaches the first wavelength has a value outside of a visible spectrum of light (paragraph [0084], The specification of the wavelength for light emission in vacuum (outer space) is restricted by the Photodetector colour responsivity (A/W), its Quantum efficiency (%), the LED or Laser diode (LD) radiometric power, and other electro-mechanical parameters. Choosing the wavelength of emission for atmosphere or underwater OWC may be more involved, because the characteristics of the medium are important, followed by customized optoelectronic design i.e. the wavelength can be selected based on design choice).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4, 8, 15 and 19 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
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See the notice of reference cited (PTO-892).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PRANESH K BARUA whose telephone number is (571)270-1017. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon-Sat: 11-8pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, David Payne can be reached on 5712723024. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/PRANESH K BARUA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2635