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 1 is objected to because of the following informalities: “which 5 the” should read “with the”. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 6 is objected to because of the following informalities: “convertor” should read “converter”. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 1 – 5 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by SAKABE et al. (JP2005292205A).
In Re claim 1, ‘205 teaches an optical fiber cable comprising:
a cable main body comprising a plurality of optical fibers (at least 2 of 11 in 12), each of the plurality of
optical fibers comprising: a plurality of core portions (arbitrary sections of each core along its respective length); a cable sheath (13) inside which the plurality of optical fibers are housed; and at least one tensile strength member (layer 12 has a tensile strength to some degree or one of the other fibers of 11) embedded in the cable sheath; and a first connecting member (20) provided at a first end portion of the cable main body.
In Re claims 2 and 3, ‘205 teaches curled (fig. 1) and a diameter (pg. 4 of attached translation) as claimed.
In Re claim 4, ‘205 teaches a multicore connector (20 connects multiples cores).
In Re claim 5, ‘205 teaches another connector as claimed (20 on other end, fig. 1).
In Re claim 7, The patentability of an apparatus depends only on the claimed structural limitations. ‘205 teaches a structure that is substantially identical to that of the claimed invention, therefore the claimed properties or functions are presumed to be inherent. The burden is on the applicant to show that the ‘205 device does not possess these functional characteristics. See MPEP 2112.01.
Claims 1 and 4 – 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Balachandran et al. (U.S. PG Pub. # 2022/0317404A1).
‘404 teaches an optical fiber cable comprising:
a cable main body comprising a plurality of optical fibers (104d), each of the plurality of
optical fibers comprising: a plurality of core portions (104e); a cable sheath (104a) inside which the plurality of optical fibers are housed; and at least one tensile strength member (104b or 104g) embedded in the cable sheath; and a first connecting member (102) provided at a first end portion of the cable main body.
In Re claim 4, ‘404 teaches a multicore connector (102 connects many cores within 104 to another 102 of another 104).
In Re claim 5, ‘404 teaches further comprising a second connecting member (other 102 or other end) is connected to a second end portion of the cable main body.
In Re claim 6, ‘404 teaches wherein one of the first connecting member and the second connecting member is a convertor (102 is a fanout connector, par. 0068) configured to convert (fans out the fibers) and connect the plurality of optical fibers, each of the plurality of optical fibers comprising the plurality of core portions, to optical fibers (to another 104 at a 102), each of the optical fibers comprising a single-core portion (par.0073).
In Re claim 7, the patentability of an apparatus depends only on the claimed structural limitations. ‘404 teaches a structure that is substantially identical to that of the claimed invention, therefore the claimed properties or functions are presumed to be inherent. The burden is on the applicant to show that the ‘404 device does not possess these functional characteristics. See MPEP 2112.01.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHAD SMITH whose telephone number is (571)270-1294. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30 - 5.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Uyen-Chau Le can be reached at 1-571-272-2397. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CHAD H SMITH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2874
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