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 .
Claim Objections
Claim 3 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Regarding claim 3, “and sixth light” should perhaps read --and the sixth light--.
Appropriate correction is requested.
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.
Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 102(a)(2) as anticipated by Xu (US 20210028591 A1) and, alternatively, under 35 U.S.C. 103 as unpatentable over Xu in view of Sun (US 20180069370 A1).
The alternative grounds address whether a “brancher” may also combine another optical input. Under the anticipation construction, the mapped couplers of Xu split the designated multiplexed light into the recited excitation outputs while combining another input. This construction is consistent with the functional description of branching in Spec. ¶ 39 of the instant application. If “brancher” instead requires splitting without combining another input, as supported by Spec. ¶¶ 40-43, 52 and 55-57, the obviousness ground supplies the single input splitters of Sun at the designated mixer outputs of Xu. The anticipation rejection is presented below.
Regarding claim 1, Xu discloses an optical amplification system (Fig. 15, submarine optical repeater; ¶¶ 151, 153) comprising:
a first optical source (¶ 165, a first pump laser among the four pump lasers connected to CPL(1,1) in the four-pump alternative to the Fig. 15 arrangement, where CPL(a,b) identifies coupler b at level a) that outputs first light (¶¶ 47, 165, pumping light from that first pump laser);
a second optical source (¶ 165, a second, distinct pump laser among the same four pump lasers connected to CPL(1,1)) that outputs second light (¶¶ 47, 165, pumping light from that second pump laser);
a third optical source (¶ 165, a third, distinct pump laser among the same four pump lasers connected to CPL(1,1)) that outputs third light (¶¶ 47, 165, pumping light from that third pump laser);
a fourth optical source (¶ 165, the remaining pump laser among the same four pump lasers connected to CPL(1,1)) that outputs fourth light (¶¶ 47, 165, pumping light from that fourth pump laser);
an optical mixer that multiplexes the first light, the second light, the third light, and the fourth light, then splits the multiplexed light, and outputs first multiplexed light, second multiplexed light, third multiplexed light, and fourth multiplexed light (Fig. 15; ¶¶ 47, 153, 155-156, 165, CPL(1,1) combines the four pump inputs and supplies CPL(2,2) and CPL(2,9), where the four secondary outputs retain contributions from all four pumps and feed CPL(3,1), CPL(3,3), CPL(3,8), and CPL(3,10), respectively);
a first brancher that splits the first multiplexed light and outputs first excitation light and second excitation light (Fig. 15; ¶¶ 47, 153, 156-157, CPL(3,1) splits the input from CPL(2,2) into pumping outputs to A01 and A20, respectively);
a second brancher that splits the second multiplexed light and outputs third excitation light and fourth excitation light (Fig. 15; ¶¶ 47, 153, 156-157, CPL(3,3) splits the input from CPL(2,2) into pumping outputs to A04 and A05, respectively);
a third brancher that splits the third multiplexed light and outputs fifth excitation light and sixth excitation light (Fig. 15; ¶¶ 47, 153, 156-157, CPL(3,8) splits the input from CPL(2,9) into pumping outputs to A14 and A15, respectively);
a fourth brancher that splits the fourth multiplexed light and outputs seventh excitation light and eighth excitation light (Fig. 15; ¶¶ 47, 153, 156-157, CPL(3,10) splits the input from CPL(2,9) into pumping outputs to A18 and A19, respectively);
a first amplifier that amplifies a first optical signal by using the first excitation light and amplifies a second optical signal by using the second excitation light (Fig. 15; ¶¶ 2, 157-158, 164, EDFAs A01 and A20 receive the respective pumping outputs of CPL(3,1) and amplify the signals on the optical fibers of A01 and A20, respectively);
a second amplifier that amplifies a third optical signal by using the third excitation light and amplifies a fourth optical signal by using the fourth excitation light (Fig. 15; ¶¶ 2, 157-158, 164, EDFAs A04 and A05 receive the respective pumping outputs of CPL(3,3) and amplify the signals on the optical fibers of A04 and A05, respectively);
a third amplifier that amplifies a fifth optical signal by using the fifth excitation light and amplifies a sixth optical signal by using the sixth excitation light (Fig. 15; ¶¶ 2, 157-158, 164, EDFAs A14 and A15 receive the respective pumping outputs of CPL(3,8) and amplify the signals on the optical fibers of A14 and A15, respectively); and
a fourth amplifier that amplifies a seventh optical signal by using the seventh excitation light and amplifies an eighth optical signal by using the eighth excitation light (Fig. 15; ¶¶ 2, 157-158, 164, EDFAs A18 and A19 receive the respective pumping outputs of CPL(3,10) and amplify the signals on the optical fibers of A18 and A19, respectively).
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.
Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 102(a)(2) as anticipated by Xu and, alternatively, under 35 U.S.C. 103 as unpatentable over Xu in view of Sun.
The alternative grounds address whether a “brancher” may also combine another optical input. Under the anticipation construction, the mapped couplers of Xu split the designated multiplexed light into the recited excitation outputs while combining another input. This construction is consistent with the functional description of branching in Spec. ¶ 39 of the instant application. If “brancher” instead requires splitting without combining another input, as supported by Spec. ¶¶ 40-43, 52 and 55-57, the obviousness ground supplies the single input splitters of Sun at the designated mixer outputs of Xu. The obviousness rejection is presented below.
Regarding claim 1, Xu discloses an optical amplification system comprising (Fig. 15, submarine optical repeater; ¶¶ 151, 153);
a first optical source that outputs first light (Fig. 15; ¶¶ 153-154, 160, P01 connected to CPL(1,1) emits the corresponding pumping light);
a second optical source that outputs second light (Fig. 15; ¶¶ 153-154, 160, P02 connected to CPL(1,1) emits the corresponding pumping light);
a third optical source that outputs third light (Fig. 15; ¶¶ 153-154, 160, P07 connected to CPL(1,4) emits the corresponding pumping light);
a fourth optical source that outputs fourth light (Fig. 15; ¶¶ 153-154, 160, P08 connected to CPL(1,4) emits the corresponding pumping light);
an optical mixer that multiplexes the first light, the second light, the third light, and the fourth light, then splits the multiplexed light, and outputs first multiplexed light, second multiplexed light, third multiplexed light, and fourth multiplexed light (Fig. 15; ¶¶ 153-157, 160-162, the optical mixer corresponding to the assembly of CPL(1,1), CPL(1,4), CPL(1,8), CPL(2,2), CPL(2,9), CPL(3,1), CPL(3,3), and CPL(3,8), retaining existing connections and inputs from couplers outside the assembly, where CPL(2,2) combines contributions from P01, P02, P07, and P08 and supplies CPL(3,1) and CPL(3,3), and the four designated outputs retain these contributions and originally connected to A01, A20, A04, and A05, respectively); […].
However, Xu does not disclose the following downstream arrangement at the designated mixer outputs, specifically: “a first brancher that splits the first multiplexed light and outputs first excitation light and second excitation light; a second brancher that splits the second multiplexed light and outputs third excitation light and fourth excitation light; a third brancher that splits the third multiplexed light and outputs fifth excitation light and sixth excitation light; a fourth brancher that splits the fourth multiplexed light and outputs seventh excitation light and eighth excitation light; a first amplifier that amplifies a first optical signal by using the first excitation light and amplifies a second optical signal by using the second excitation light; a second amplifier that amplifies a third optical signal by using the third excitation light and amplifies a fourth optical signal by using the fourth excitation light; a third amplifier that amplifies a fifth optical signal by using the fifth excitation light and amplifies a sixth optical signal by using the sixth excitation light; and a fourth amplifier that amplifies a seventh optical signal by using the seventh excitation light and amplifies an eighth optical signal by using the eighth excitation light.”
On the other hand, Sun teaches distributing a shared pump output to four EDFAs on separate optical signal paths using a 1×4 splitter and teaches implementing said splitter as complete splitter 502, comprising coupler 504 feeding couplers 506 and 508 (Sun, Figs. 4-5; ¶¶ 34-39). In particular, Sun teaches:
a first brancher (Fig. 5, first separate implementation of complete splitter 502; ¶ 39) that splits (¶ 39, coupler 504 feeding couplers 506 and 508) the first multiplexed light (Fig. 4, the shared pump output of OPU 118 supplied to the single input of splitter 330a, implemented as splitter 502; ¶¶ 36, 39) and outputs (¶ 39, the two outputs of coupler 506 within the first brancher) first excitation light (¶¶ 36, 39, one output of coupler 506) and second excitation light (¶¶ 36, 39, the other output of coupler 506);
a second brancher (Fig. 5, second separate implementation of complete splitter 502; ¶ 39) that splits (¶ 39, coupler 504 feeding couplers 506 and 508) the second multiplexed light (Fig. 4, the shared pump output of OPU 118 supplied to the single input of splitter 330a, implemented as splitter 502; ¶¶ 36, 39) and outputs (¶ 39, the two outputs of coupler 506 within the second brancher) third excitation light (¶¶ 36, 39, one output of coupler 506) and fourth excitation light (¶¶ 36, 39, the other output of coupler 506);
a third brancher (Fig. 5, third separate implementation of complete splitter 502; ¶ 39) that splits (¶ 39, coupler 504 feeding couplers 506 and 508) the third multiplexed light (Fig. 4, the shared pump output of OPU 118 supplied to the single input of splitter 330a, implemented as splitter 502; ¶¶ 36, 39) and outputs (¶ 39, the two outputs of coupler 506 within the third brancher) fifth excitation light (¶¶ 36, 39, one output of coupler 506) and sixth excitation light (¶¶ 36, 39, the other output of coupler 506);
a fourth brancher (Fig. 5, fourth separate implementation of complete splitter 502; ¶ 39) that splits (¶ 39, coupler 504 feeding couplers 506 and 508) the fourth multiplexed light (Fig. 4, the shared pump output of OPU 118 supplied to the single input of splitter 330a, implemented as splitter 502; ¶¶ 36, 39) and outputs (¶ 39, the two outputs of coupler 506 within the fourth brancher) seventh excitation light (¶¶ 36, 39, one output of coupler 506) and eighth excitation light (¶¶ 36, 39, the other output of coupler 506);
a first amplifier (Figs. 4-5, the EDFAs supplied by coupler 506 within the first brancher, implementing the arrangement represented by EDFAs 404-1 through 404-4; ¶¶ 35-36, 39) that amplifies a first optical signal (¶¶ 34-35, the separate signal path through the EDFA receiving the first excitation light) by using the first excitation light (¶¶ 36, 39, the corresponding output of coupler 506 within the first brancher pumps that EDFA) and amplifies a second optical signal (¶¶ 34-35, the separate signal path through the EDFA receiving the second excitation light) by using the second excitation light (¶¶ 36, 39, the other output of coupler 506 pumps that EDFA);
a second amplifier (Figs. 4-5, the EDFAs supplied by coupler 506 within the second brancher; ¶¶ 35-36, 39) that amplifies a third optical signal (¶¶ 34-35, the separate signal path through the EDFA receiving the third excitation light) by using the third excitation light (¶¶ 36, 39, the corresponding output of coupler 506 within the second brancher pumps that EDFA) and amplifies a fourth optical signal (¶¶ 34-35, the separate signal path through the EDFA receiving the fourth excitation light) by using the fourth excitation light (¶¶ 36, 39, the other output of coupler 506 pumps that EDFA);
a third amplifier (Figs. 4-5, the EDFAs supplied by coupler 506 within the third brancher; ¶¶ 35-36, 39) that amplifies a fifth optical signal (¶¶ 34-35, the separate signal path through the EDFA receiving the fifth excitation light) by using the fifth excitation light (¶¶ 36, 39, the corresponding output of coupler 506 within the third brancher pumps that EDFA) and amplifies a sixth optical signal (¶¶ 34-35, the separate signal path through the EDFA receiving the sixth excitation light) by using the sixth excitation light (¶¶ 36, 39, the other output of coupler 506 pumps that EDFA); and
a fourth amplifier (Figs. 4-5, the EDFAs supplied by coupler 506 within the fourth brancher; ¶¶ 35-36, 39) that amplifies a seventh optical signal (¶¶ 34-35, the separate signal path through the EDFA receiving the seventh excitation light) by using the seventh excitation light (¶¶ 36, 39, the corresponding output of coupler 506 within the fourth brancher pumps that EDFA) and amplifies an eighth optical signal (¶¶ 34-35, the separate signal path through the EDFA receiving the eighth excitation light) by using the eighth excitation light (¶¶ 36, 39, the other output of coupler 506 pumps that EDFA).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the optical amplification system of Xu with the single input splitters of Sun at the six designated mixer outputs of Xu. In particular, the combination places a separate implementation of complete splitter 502 of Sun at each of the four designated mixer outputs directed to A01, A20, A04, A05 of Xu, respectively, each supplying four associated EDFAs. The skilled artisan would have been motivated to modify the system of Xu with the teachings of Sun in order to distribute the shared pump power among additional EDFAs without a separate pump for each EDFA, thereby increasing transmission capacity within the available power limit. A reasonable expectation of success follows from using the couplers and EDFAs according to their established functions and selecting pump provision and power distribution according to system requirements, as taught by Sun (¶¶ 33-34, 36-40).
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as unpatentable over Xu in view of Sun, as applied to claim 1.
Regarding claim 2, Xu in view of Sun teaches the optical amplification system according to claim 1, and further teaches:
a fifth amplifier (Sun, Figs. 4-5; ¶¶ 35-36, 39, the EDFAs supplied by coupler 508 in the first brancher);
a sixth amplifier (Sun, Figs. 4-5; ¶¶ 35-36, 39, the EDFAs supplied by coupler 508 in the second brancher);
a seventh amplifier (Sun, Figs. 4-5; ¶¶ 35-36, 39, the EDFAs supplied by coupler 508 in the third brancher); and
an eighth amplifier (Sun, Figs. 4-5; ¶¶ 35-36, 39, the EDFAs supplied by coupler 508 in the fourth brancher), wherein
the first brancher (Sun, Fig. 5, the same first implementation of complete splitter 502; ¶ 39) splits (Sun, ¶ 39, coupler 504 feeding couplers 506 and 508) the first multiplexed light (Sun, Fig. 4, the shared pump output of OPU 118 supplied to splitter 330a, implemented as splitter 502; ¶¶ 36, 39) and outputs the first excitation light, the second excitation light (Sun, ¶ 39, the two outputs of coupler 506, retaining their claim 1 assignments), ninth excitation light, and tenth excitation light (Sun, ¶ 39, the two outputs of coupler 508, respectively),
the second brancher (Sun, Fig. 5, the same second implementation of complete splitter 502; ¶ 39) splits (Sun, ¶ 39, coupler 504 feeding couplers 506 and 508) the second multiplexed light (Sun, Fig. 4, the shared pump output of OPU 118 supplied to splitter 330a, implemented as splitter 502; ¶¶ 36, 39) and outputs the third excitation light, the fourth excitation light (Sun, ¶ 39, the two outputs of coupler 506, retaining their claim 1 assignments), eleventh excitation light, and twelfth excitation light (Sun, ¶ 39, the two outputs of coupler 508, respectively),
the third brancher (Sun, Fig. 5, the same third implementation of complete splitter 502; ¶ 39) splits (Sun, ¶ 39, coupler 504 feeding couplers 506 and 508) the third multiplexed light (Sun, Fig. 4, the shared pump output of OPU 118 supplied to splitter 330a, implemented as splitter 502; ¶¶ 36, 39) and outputs the fifth excitation light, the sixth excitation light (Sun, ¶ 39, the two outputs of coupler 506, retaining their claim 1 assignments), thirteenth excitation light, and fourteenth excitation light (Sun, ¶ 39, the two outputs of coupler 508, respectively),
the fourth brancher (Sun, Fig. 5, the same fourth implementation of complete splitter 502; ¶ 39) splits (Sun, ¶ 39, coupler 504 feeding couplers 506 and 508) the fourth multiplexed light (Sun, Fig. 4, the shared pump output of OPU 118 supplied to splitter 330a, implemented as splitter 502; ¶¶ 36, 39) and outputs the seventh excitation light, the eighth excitation light (Sun, ¶ 39, the two outputs of coupler 506, retaining their claim 1 assignments), fifteenth excitation light, and sixteenth excitation light (Sun, ¶ 39, the two outputs of coupler 508, respectively),
the fifth amplifier (Sun, Figs. 4-5, the EDFAs supplied by coupler 508 within the first brancher; ¶¶ 35-36, 39) amplifies a ninth optical signal (Sun, ¶¶ 34-35, the separate signal path through the EDFA receiving the ninth excitation light) by using the ninth excitation light (Sun, ¶¶ 36, 39, one output of coupler 508 pumps that EDFA) and amplifies a tenth optical signal (Sun, ¶¶ 34-35, the separate signal path through the EDFA receiving the tenth excitation light) by using the tenth excitation light (Sun, ¶¶ 36, 39, the other output of coupler 508 pumps that EDFA),
the sixth amplifier (Sun, Figs. 4-5, the EDFAs supplied by coupler 508 within the second brancher; ¶¶ 35-36, 39) amplifies an eleventh optical signal (Sun, ¶¶ 34-35, the separate signal path through the EDFA receiving the eleventh excitation light) by using the eleventh excitation light (Sun, ¶¶ 36, 39, one output of coupler 508 pumps that EDFA) and amplifies a twelfth optical signal (Sun, ¶¶ 34-35, the separate signal path through the EDFA receiving the twelfth excitation light) by using the twelfth excitation light (Sun, ¶¶ 36, 39, the other output of coupler 508 pumps that EDFA),
the seventh amplifier (Sun, Figs. 4-5, the EDFAs supplied by coupler 508 within the third brancher; ¶¶ 35-36, 39) amplifies a thirteenth optical signal (Sun, ¶¶ 34-35, the separate signal path through the EDFA receiving the thirteenth excitation light) by using the thirteenth excitation light (Sun, ¶¶ 36, 39, one output of coupler 508 pumps that EDFA) and amplifies a fourteenth optical signal (Sun, ¶¶ 34-35, the separate signal path through the EDFA receiving the fourteenth excitation light) by using the fourteenth excitation light (Sun, ¶¶ 36, 39, the other output of coupler 508 pumps that EDFA), and
the eighth amplifier (Sun, Figs. 4-5, the EDFAs supplied by coupler 508 within the fourth brancher; ¶¶ 35-36, 39) amplifies a fifteenth optical signal (Sun, ¶¶ 34-35, the separate signal path through the EDFA receiving the fifteenth excitation light) by using the fifteenth excitation light (Sun, ¶¶ 36, 39, one output of coupler 508 pumps that EDFA) and amplifies a sixteenth optical signal (Sun, ¶¶ 34-35, the separate signal path through the EDFA receiving the sixteenth excitation light) by using the sixteenth excitation light (Sun, ¶¶ 36, 39, the other output of coupler 508 pumps that EDFA).
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as unpatentable over Xu in view of Sun, as applied to claim 2.
Regarding claim 3, Xu in view of Sun teaches the optical amplification system according to claim 2, and further teaches:
a fifth optical source (Xu, Fig. 15, P15 connected to CPL(1,8); ¶ 154) that outputs fifth light (Xu, ¶¶ 154, 160, pumping light from P15);
a sixth optical source (Xu, Fig. 15, P16 connected to CPL(1,8); ¶ 154) that outputs sixth light (Xu, ¶¶ 154, 160, pumping light from P16);
[1: …], wherein
the optical mixer (Xu, Fig. 15, the same fixed assembly comprising CPL(1,1), CPL(1,4), CPL(1,8), CPL(2,2), CPL(2,9), CPL(3,1), CPL(3,3), and CPL(3,8), retaining existing network connections; ¶¶ 153-157) multiplexes some of the first light, the second light, the third light, the fourth light, the fifth light, and sixth light with each other (Xu, ¶¶ 154-155, 160-162, CPL(2,2) combines contributions from P01, P02, P07, and P08, while CPL(2,9) combines contributions from P01, P02, P15, and P16), then splits the multiplexed light (Xu, ¶¶ 156, 161-162, the corresponding secondary coupler outputs feed the tertiary couplers), and outputs the first multiplexed light, the second multiplexed light, the third multiplexed light, the fourth multiplexed light (Xu, ¶ 157, the previously assigned outputs directed to A01, A20, A04, and A05), fifth multiplexed light, and sixth multiplexed light (Xu, ¶ 157, the two outputs of CPL(3,8) originally directed to A14 and A15, respectively), [2: …].
Xu in view of Sun does not teach:
(1) “a ninth amplifier; a tenth amplifier; an eleventh amplifier; and a twelfth amplifier”; and,
(2) “the fifth brancher splits the fifth multiplexed light and outputs seventeenth excitation light, eighteenth excitation light, nineteenth excitation light, and twentieth excitation light, the sixth brancher splits the sixth multiplexed light and outputs twenty-first excitation light, twenty-second excitation light, twenty-third excitation light, and twenty-fourth excitation light, the ninth amplifier amplifies a seventeenth optical signal by using the seventeenth excitation light and amplifies an eighteenth optical signal by using the eighteenth excitation light, the tenth amplifier amplifies a nineteenth optical signal by using the nineteenth excitation light and amplifies a twentieth optical signal by using the twentieth excitation light, the eleventh amplifier amplifies a twenty-first optical signal by using the twenty-first excitation light and amplifies a twenty-second optical signal by using the twenty-second excitation light, and the twelfth amplifier amplifies a twenty-third optical signal by using the twenty-third excitation light and amplifies a twenty-fourth optical signal by using the twenty-fourth excitation light.”
However, Sun further teaches:
(1) a fifth brancher (Sun, Fig. 5, fifth separate implementation of complete splitter 502; ¶ 39); a sixth brancher (Sun, Fig. 5, sixth separate implementation of complete splitter 502; ¶ 39); a ninth amplifier (Sun, Figs. 4-5, the EDFAs supplied by coupler 506 within the fifth brancher; ¶¶ 35-36, 39); a tenth amplifier (Sun, Figs. 4-5, the EDFAs supplied by coupler 508 within the fifth brancher; ¶¶ 35-36, 39); an eleventh amplifier (Sun, Figs. 4-5, the EDFAs supplied by coupler 506 within the sixth brancher; ¶¶ 35-36, 39); and a twelfth amplifier (Sun, Figs. 4-5, the EDFAs supplied by coupler 508 within the sixth brancher; ¶¶ 35-36, 39); and,
(2) the fifth brancher (Sun, Fig. 5, the same fifth implementation of complete splitter 502; ¶ 39) splits (Sun, ¶ 39, coupler 504 feeding couplers 506 and 508) the fifth multiplexed light (Sun, Fig. 4, the shared pump output of OPU 118 supplied to splitter 330a, implemented as splitter 502; ¶¶ 36, 39) and outputs seventeenth excitation light, eighteenth excitation light (Sun, ¶ 39, the two outputs of coupler 506, respectively), nineteenth excitation light, and twentieth excitation light (Sun, ¶ 39, the two outputs of coupler 508, respectively), the sixth brancher (Sun, Fig. 5, the same sixth implementation of complete splitter 502; ¶ 39) splits (Sun, ¶ 39, coupler 504 feeding couplers 506 and 508) the sixth multiplexed light (Sun, Fig. 4, the shared pump output of OPU 118 supplied to splitter 330a, implemented as splitter 502; ¶¶ 36, 39) and outputs twenty-first excitation light, twenty-second excitation light (Sun, ¶ 39, the two outputs of coupler 506, respectively), twenty-third excitation light, and twenty-fourth excitation light (Sun, ¶ 39, the two outputs of coupler 508, respectively), the ninth amplifier (Sun, Figs. 4-5, the EDFAs supplied by coupler 506 within the fifth brancher; ¶¶ 35-36, 39) amplifies a seventeenth optical signal (Sun, ¶¶ 34-35, the separate signal path through the EDFA receiving the seventeenth excitation light) by using the seventeenth excitation light (Sun, ¶¶ 36, 39, one output of coupler 506 pumps that EDFA) and amplifies an eighteenth optical signal (Sun, ¶¶ 34-35, the separate signal path through the EDFA receiving the eighteenth excitation light) by using the eighteenth excitation light (Sun, ¶¶ 36, 39, the other output of coupler 506 pumps that EDFA), the tenth amplifier (Sun, Figs. 4-5, the EDFAs supplied by coupler 508 within the fifth brancher; ¶¶ 35-36, 39) amplifies a nineteenth optical signal (Sun, ¶¶ 34-35, the separate signal path through the EDFA receiving the nineteenth excitation light) by using the nineteenth excitation light (Sun, ¶¶ 36, 39, one output of coupler 508 pumps that EDFA) and amplifies a twentieth optical signal (Sun, ¶¶ 34-35, the separate signal path through the EDFA receiving the twentieth excitation light) by using the twentieth excitation light (Sun, ¶¶ 36, 39, the other output of coupler 508 pumps that EDFA), the eleventh amplifier (Sun, Figs. 4-5, the EDFAs supplied by coupler 506 within the sixth brancher; ¶¶ 35-36, 39) amplifies a twenty-first optical signal (Sun, ¶¶ 34-35, the separate signal path through the EDFA receiving the twenty-first excitation light) by using the twenty-first excitation light (Sun, ¶¶ 36, 39, one output of coupler 506 pumps that EDFA) and amplifies a twenty-second optical signal (Sun, ¶¶ 34-35, the separate signal path through the EDFA receiving the twenty-second excitation light) by using the twenty-second excitation light (Sun, ¶¶ 36, 39, the other output of coupler 506 pumps that EDFA), and the twelfth amplifier (Sun, Figs. 4-5, the EDFAs supplied by coupler 508 within the sixth brancher; ¶¶ 35-36, 39) amplifies a twenty-third optical signal (Sun, ¶¶ 34-35, the separate signal path through the EDFA receiving the twenty-third excitation light) by using the twenty-third excitation light (Sun, ¶¶ 36, 39, one output of coupler 508 pumps that EDFA) and amplifies a twenty-fourth optical signal (Sun, ¶¶ 34-35, the separate signal path through the EDFA receiving the twenty-fourth excitation light) by using the twenty-fourth excitation light (Sun, ¶¶ 36, 39, the other output of coupler 508 pumps that EDFA).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify the system of Xu in view of Sun with the additional teachings of Sun, by providing single input 1×4 splitters and associated EDFAs at the fifth and sixth designated mixer outputs, with a reasonable expectation of success in order to distribute shared pump power among additional optical signal paths without requiring a separate pump for each EDFA, thereby yielding a system with increased transmission capacity within the available power limit (Sun, ¶¶ 33, 35-40).
Conclusion
Prior art made of record though not relied upon in the present basis of rejection are noted in the attached PTO 892 and include:
lovchenko (US 20220077932 A1) which discloses combining light from multiple pump sources and successively splitting it through cascaded combiner splitters, and routes the resulting excitation portions to multiple fiber amplifiers.
Inada (US 20190280452 A1) which discloses four pump light sources feeding cascaded combining and branching couplers to generate excitation beams for multiple optical fiber amplifiers.
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