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 § 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, 7 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.
Specifically, Claims 1, 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being incomplete for omitting essential structural cooperative relationships of elements, such omission amounting to a gap between the necessary structural connections. See MPEP § 2172.01.
In both claims, it is unclear how the optical switch “receives an optical signal from the connector and outputs an optical signal to the connector.” A switch, by its very nature, must switch between two separate channels, but in the present case, no switching appears to take place with the current recitation of the claims.
Both claims also describes a connector as being “able to be connected”. This language is unclear and does not sufficiently describe how to connector fits with the other parts of the claimed invention.
Both claims further recites the limitation "an optical signal" twice. There is insufficient antecedent basis for the limitation in the claim.
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) 1-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by 202’ (WO2021131202A1).
Regarding Claim 1, 202’ teaches An optical transmission device comprising: a connector (FIG. 35: 522, 521; FIG. 2: 11-1-1) that is able to be connected to an accommodation module (FIG. 35: 220) accommodating an optical fiber such that optical communication is performed (Id.); an optical switch that receives an optical signal from the connector and outputs an optical signal to the connector (FIG. 2: 10a; FIG. 35: 210); an optical switch controller that controls the optical switch (FIG. 2: 20; FIG. 35: 300); an up wavelength multiplexer/demultiplexer that multiplexes light of a plurality of wavelengths output from the optical switch and outputs the multiplexed light to a transmission line (FIG. 35: 244); and a down wavelength multiplexer/demultiplexer that demultiplexes light input from the transmission line and outputs the demultiplexed light to the optical switch (FIG. 35: 245), wherein the connector is able to be connected to any one of a one-core accommodation module (FIG. 35: 220) and a two-core accommodation module as the accommodation module. (FIG. 2: 11-1-1; FIG. 1: 40 (While FIG. 2 does not show two cores passing through the 11-1-1, it is clear from FIG. 1 that the transceiver is two-core and is connected to the switch via two cores. This arrangement is structurally identical to the claimed “two-core accommodation module” as can be seen by reviewing FIG. 3 of the instant application)).
Regarding Claim 2, 202’ teaches The optical transmission device according to claim 1, wherein the connector is able to directly connect an optical fiber without passing through the accommodation module. (FIG. 2: 11-1-1).
Regarding Claim 3, 202’ teaches The optical transmission device according to claim 1, wherein the connector is connected to the accommodation module through one port (FIG. 35: 220)
Regarding Claim 4, 202’ teaches The optical transmission device according to claim 1, further comprising a wavelength management controller that dynamically allocates a wavelength to be used by a communication destination connected via the accommodation module. (FIG. 52: 335)
Regarding Claim 5, 202’ teaches The optical transmission device according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of connectors (FIG. 2; FIG. 35); and an identification part that is able to identify the connector to which the accommodation module connecting an optical fiber is connected, among the plurality of connectors. (p. 5, ¶ 11)
Regarding Claim 6, 202’ teaches The optical transmission device according to claim 5, wherein the identification part is an LED lamp, and a state of the LED lamp is remotely controllable.
Regarding Claim 7, 202’ teaches An optical transmission device comprising: a connector (FIG. 35: 522, 521; FIG. 2: 11-1-1) that is able to be connected to an accommodation module (FIG. 35: 220) accommodating an optical fiber such that optical communication is performed (Id.); an optical switch that receives an optical signal from the connector and outputs an optical signal to the connector (FIG. 2: 10a; FIG. 35: 210); an up wavelength multiplexer/demultiplexer that multiplexes light of a plurality of wavelengths output from the optical switch and outputs the multiplexed light to a transmission line (FIG. 35: 244); and a down wavelength multiplexer/demultiplexer that demultiplexes light input from the transmission line and outputs the demultiplexed light to the optical switch (FIG. 35: 245), wherein the connector is able to be connected to any one of a one-core accommodation module (FIG. 35: 220) and a two-core accommodation module as the accommodation module. (FIG. 2: 11-1-1; FIG. 1: 40 (While FIG. 2 does not show two cores passing through the 11-1-1, it is clear from FIG. 1 that the transceiver is two-core and it connected to the switch via two cores. This arrangement is structurally identical to the claimed “two-core accommodation module” as can be seen by reviewing FIG. 3 of the instant application)).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PAUL M BROCK whose telephone number is (571)272-7257. The examiner can normally be reached 8-4:30pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kenneth Vanderpuye can be reached at (571) 272-3078. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/PAUL MORGAN BROCK/
Examiner, Art Unit 2634 2/26/2025
/KENNETH N VANDERPUYE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2634