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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
Information disclosure statements filed 2/26/2025, 6/05/2024 have been considered.
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, 3-4, 16, 18-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US Patent No. 9,348,094 B1 to Liu et al. (hereinafter “Liu”).
Regarding claim 1, Liu discloses an optical fiber assembly (see the annotated Fig. 9 below. Please note that the figure is intentionally turned “upside-down” in this office action to illustrate that all the claimed structures of the instant application are clearly disclosed by Liu. Although Liu uses different terminology to describe the individual components compared to the instant application, Liu clearly anticipates all the recited claim limitations in the manner discussed below), comprising: a base (920 in Fig. 9), having a groove (904 in Fig. 9); a lid (902 in Fig. 9), assembled to the base, and having an adhesive surface (908 in Fig. 9); an optical fiber (104 in Fig. 9), wherein part of the optical fiber is accommodated along the groove, and positioned in the groove by abutting against the lid (col. 9, ll., 51-52); and a first adhesive, wherein the adhesive surface is fixed to a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) of an optical engine via the first adhesive, so that the optical fiber is optically coupled to an optical waveguide of the photonic integrated circuit (col. 3, ll. 43-46; 54-57).
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Fig. 9 of Liu
Regarding claim 3, Liu discloses a second adhesive to fix the optical fiber, the base, and the lid together (col. 3, ll. 52-53).
Regarding claim 4, Liu discloses wherein the adhesive surface protrudes outside the base (i.e. it is difficult to see in Fig. 9, but this feature is clearly shown in Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 16, Liu discloses an optical fiber assembly comprising a base, a lid, an optical fiber, and a first adhesive in the manner discussed above regarding claim 1. In addition, Liu also discloses an optical communication device comprising a housing (i.e. not explicitly shown in the figures but necessarily present in the device of Liu- see also col. 1, ll. 15-51; col. 4, ll. 15-24); an optical engine, configured in the housing and having a photonic integrated circuit (col. 3, ll. 43-46).
Regarding claim 18, Liu discloses a second adhesive to fix the optical fiber, the base, and the lid together (col. 3, ll. 52-53).
Regarding claim 19, Liu discloses wherein the adhesive surface protrudes outside the base (i.e. it is difficult to see in Fig. 9, but this feature is clearly shown in Fig. 2).
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 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) 2, 5, 17, 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu.
Regarding claims 2 and 17, Liu discloses an optical fiber assembly according to claim 1 as already discussed above. However, it does not explicitly disclose the adhesive surface that is inclined relative to the optical axis of the optical fiber as claimed in the present application. On the other hand, such inclined mating surface is well known and common in the optical coupling art. Inclined coupling surfaces are well known to be advantageous and desirable because they prevent optical beams from being back-reflected into the light source. Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the present application to modify the device of Liu to have the adhesive surface that is inclined relative to the optical axis of the optical fiber as claimed in the present application.
Regarding claims 5 and 20, Liu discloses an optical fiber assembly according to claim 1 as already discussed above. However, the embodiment of the optical fiber assembly discussed above regarding claim 1 (i.e. Fig. 9) does not explicitly disclose the lid having a recess that separates the adhesive surface into two parts as claimed in the present application. On the other hand, such features are fully disclosed by Liu in a different embodiment of its invention. Specifically, Fig. 2 of Liu discloses a recess that separates the adhesive surface into two parts 208-1 and 208-2. One of ordinary skill in the art would readily recognize the advantage of having such a recess since the recess would prevent the adhesive that is used in the bonding process from interfering with the optical coupling of the fiber tip. Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the present application to modify the device of Liu to have the lid having a recess that separates the adhesive surface into two parts as claimed in the present application.
Claim(s) 9-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu in view of US Patent No. 7,021,842 B2 to Yamada et al. (hereinafter “Yamada”).
Regarding claim 9, Liu discloses an optical fiber holder structure for connecting an optical fiber to a photonic integrated circuit of an optical engine (col. 3, ll. 43-46; 54-57), the optical fiber holder structure comprising: a base (920 in Fig. 9), groove located on the base (904 in Fig. 9); a first front edge, and a first rear edge (i.e. the front and rear surfaces of the base 920 in Fig. 9), wherein the groove is connected between the first front edge and the first rear edge (904 in Fig. 9), the first front edge faces the photonic integrated circuit (col. 3, ll. 43-46; 54-57), the first rear edge faces away from the photonic integrated circuit; a lid (902 in Fig. 9), assembled to the base, so that part of the optical fiber is accommodated along the groove, and positioned in the groove by abutting against the lid (col. 9, ll., 51-52), wherein the lid has a second front edge and a second rear edge (i.e. the front and rear surfaces of the lid 902 in Fig. 9), the second front edge (908 in Fig. 9) faces the photonic integrated circuit and protrudes from the first front edge (i.e. it is difficult to see in Fig. 9, but this feature is clearly shown in Fig. 2), and the second rear edge is aligned with the first rear edge (Fig. 9).
However, Liu does not explicitly disclose the base having a stepped shape, and the first rear edge of the base is inclined to connect the high step, in the manner claimed in the present application. On the other hand, such features are known in the art. For example, Yamada discloses an optical fiber holder structure comprising a base (5 in Fig. 1) and a lid (6 in Fig. 1), wherein the base has a stepped shape with a high step (i.e. portion of 5 that contacts the lid 6 in Fig. 1), and the first rear edge of the base being inclined to connect the high step (inclined surface is not explicitly labeled, but clearly shown in Fig.1). One of ordinary skill in the art would readily recognize such features as advantageous and desirable since it would allow for bonding adhesives to be securely disposed around the optical fiber without overflowing out of the base portion of the holder structure. Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the present application to modify the device of Liu to have the base having a stepped shape, and the first rear edge of the base is inclined to connect the high step, in the manner claimed in the present application.
Regarding claim 10, Liu discloses wherein the lid has an adhesive surface located at the first front edge (908 in Fig. 9), and the adhesive surface is fixed to the photonic integrated circuit via a first adhesive (col. 3, ll. 43-46; 54-57).
Regarding claim 11, Liu in view of Yamada renders the claimed limitations of claim 9 obvious as already discussed above. However, Liu does not explicitly disclose the adhesive surface that is inclined relative to the optical axis of the optical fiber as claimed in the present application. On the other hand, such inclined mating surface is well known and common in the optical coupling art. Inclined coupling surfaces are well known to be advantageous and desirable because they prevent optical beams from being back-reflected into the light source. Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the present application to modify the device of Liu to have the adhesive surface that is inclined relative to the optical axis of the optical fiber as claimed in the present application.
Regarding claim 12, Liu in view of Yamada renders the claimed limitations of claim 9 obvious as already discussed above. However, the embodiment of the optical fiber assembly discussed above regarding claim 9 (i.e. Fig. 9) does not explicitly disclose the lid having a recess that separates the adhesive surface into two parts as claimed in the present application. On the other hand, such features are fully disclosed by Liu in a different embodiment of its invention. Specifically, Fig. 2 of Liu discloses a recess that separates the adhesive surface into two parts 208-1 and 208-2. One of ordinary skill in the art would readily recognize the advantage of having such a recess since the recess would prevent the adhesive that is used in the bonding process from interfering with the optical coupling of the fiber tip. Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the present application to modify the device of Liu to have the lid having a recess that separates the adhesive surface into two parts as claimed in the present application.
Regarding claim 13, Yamada discloses the base having a low step connected to the second rear edge (e.g. Fig. 1; Fig. 4). As such, the claimed limitations of claim 13 are also rendered obvious when the device of Liu is modified in view of Yamada in the manner discussed above regarding claim 9.
Regarding claim 14, Liu discloses a second adhesive to fix the optical fiber, the base and the lid together (col. 3, ll. 52-53).
Regarding claim 15, Yamada discloses the length of the base is greater than the length of the lid (Fig. 1). As such, the claimed limitations of claim 15 are also rendered obvious when the device of Liu is modified in view of Yamada in the manner discussed above regarding claim 9.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-8, 21-23 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: as discussed above, an optical communications device and an optical fiber holder structure comprising a base having a groove, a lid having an adhesive surface, an optical fiber disposed along the groove, and a first adhesive wherein the adhesive surface is fixed to a photonic integrated circuit of an optical engine via the first adhesive, is known in the art. However, none of the prior art fairly teaches or suggests such an optical communications device or an optical fiber holder structure further comprising, inter alia, a stopper and a third adhesive, a wire core of the optical fiber passes through the stopper, the third adhesive fixes the wire core and the stopper together, the optical fiber has a protective sleeve, the optical fiber has a neck portion between the protective sleeve and the stopper, during an optical coupling process, the optical engine is placed on a carrying structure, the optical fiber assembly is locked onto the carrying structure via the stopper, the protective sleeve, and the neck portion, and the stopper and the carrying structure generate an interference along an optical axis of the optical fiber, in the manner claimed in claims 6 and 21 of the present application.
Claims 24-27 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: various methods of manufacturing an optical communications device are known in the art. However, none of the prior art fairly teaches or suggests a method of manufacturing an optical communications device comprising providing an optical module, an optical fiber assembly, and a housing, wherein the optical module comprises an optical engine and a circuit board, the optical engine is configured on the circuit board, the optical engine has a photonic integrated circuit, the optical fiber assembly comprises a base, a lid, an optical fiber, and a stopper, the optical fiber passes through the stopper, the optical fiber is clamped between the base and the lid, SO that an end of the optical fiber protrudes out of the base and the lid, and the housing comprises a bottom housing and a top housing; assembling the circuit board and the optical fiber assembly to the bottom housing respectively, wherein the optical fiber assembly is limited by the stopper inserted into a recess of the bottom housing; and optically coupling the photonic integrated circuit and the optical fiber assembly, comprising: placing the optical module and the bottom housing on an optical coupling machine; providing a first adhesive on an adhesive surface of the lid, so that the adhesive surface abuts against the photonic integrated circuit via the first adhesive; starting the optical engine; optically coupling the end of the optical fiber to an optical waveguide of the photonic integrated circuit via the optical coupling machine; and curing the first adhesive; and assembling the top housing to the bottom housing to cover the optical engine and the optical fiber assembly, so that the optical fiber and the stopper are fixed between the top housing and the bottom housing.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SUNG H PAK whose telephone number is (571)272-2353. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 7AM- 5PM.
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/SUNG H PAK/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2874
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