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 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, 7-13 and 15-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by US Patent Application Publication to Nelson 2007/0010132US.
In terms of Claim 1, Nelson teaches a signal transmission device (Figure 13a-b, 14 and 15: 120) for setting on a wall ([0080]), comprising: a circuit board (Figure 14: 144 or 146); an electrical signal connector (Figure 14: 126 or 128 or 148 or any combination [0081]) arranged on the circuit board (Figure 14: either 144 or 146) and configured to transmit and receive an electrical signal ([0081] and Figure 14: 126/128/148); an optical signal connector (Figure 14: either 122 or 124) arranged on the circuit board (Figure 14: either 144 or 146) and configured to transmit and receive an optical signal ([0079]); a photoelectric converter (Figure 14: 125 is capable of photoelectric converting because either the transmission port which converts electrical signal to light via a light source or the receiver port which receives optical signal and convert to electrical signal for processing as shown in Figure 7b and described [0082]) arranged on the circuit board (Figure 14: either 144 or 146) and coupled between the electrical signal connector (Figure 13: 126) and the optical signal connector (Figure 14: 122/124), wherein the photoelectric converter selectively converts the electrical signal to the optical signal or the optical signal to the electrical signal (See Claim 1); and a power injector (From 126) arranged on the circuit board (Figure 14: 126 on 144 or 146) and configured to provide a working power to the photoelectric converter ([0081]).
As for claim 2, Nelson teaches the device of Claim 1, further comprising: a fix structure (Figure 13b: 140) combined with the circuit board (Figure 14: 144 or 146) and configured to fix the circuit board on the wall (Figure 13b: 140 and [0080]).
As for claim 3, Nelson teaches the device of Claim 2, further comprising: a panel part combined with the fix structure (Figure 13b: 140 and Figure 13a: panel of 137 on 120), and having an opening corresponding to the electrical signal connector (Figure 13b: opening of 126 or Figure 13a: 130), wherein the circuit board is arranged on a backside of the panel part (Figure 14: 144 or 146).
As for claim 4, Nelson teaches the device of Claim 1, further comprising: a signal redriver arranged on the circuit board (Figure 4: 46 amplifier) and coupled between the electrical signal connector and the photoelectric converter (See Figure 4: 46 is between Plug and 42/44), and configured to implement a redrive process for the electrical signal transmitted or received by the electrical signal connector ([0046]).
As for claim 5, Nelson teaches the device of Claim 4, wherein the redrive process includes adjusting a gain setting of at least one channel of the electrical signal connector (gain adjust is a function of the amplifier 46 which is capable of adjust because it can amplify a signal).
As for claim 7, Nelson teaches the device of Claim 1, wherein the specification of the electrical signal connector is selected from one of HDMI, DP and USB ([0055]).
As for claim 8, Nelson teaches the device of Claim 1, wherein the specification of the optical signal connector is selected from one of LC, SC and MPO (0070]).
In terms of Claim 9, Nelson teaches A signal transmission system (Figures 10, 13a-b, 14 and 15) comprising: a first signal transmission device (Figure 10: 94b which correspond to 120 or 120’ as shown in Figure 14 and 15) comprising: a first circuit board (Figure 14: 144/146); a first electrical signal connector (Figure 14: 126) arranged on the first circuit board (Figure 15a: 126 on 144); a first optical signal connector (Figure 15b: 122) arranged on the first circuit board (144); a first photoelectric converter (Figure 4: 50 does electrical conversion) arranged on the first circuit board (Figure 5b: 10b or Figure 15: within 144 inside 120) and coupled between the first electrical signal connector (Figure 4: 12 correspond to 126) and the first optical signal connector (Figure 4: 42/44 which correspond to 122/124 in Figure 15), and a first power injector (Figure 4: coming into 12 or Figure 14: coming into 126) arranged on the first circuit board (Figure 4: on circuit board housing 50 or 144/146 as shown in Figure 15) and configured to provide a first working power to the first photoelectric converter ([0037] and [0081]); a second signal transmission device (Figure 5b or Figure 10: 12a) comprising: a second circuit board (Figure 10: as a second device in 12a which is a circuit board for 96a); a second electrical signal connector (Figure 10: 12a) arranged on the second circuit (Figure 10: on 94a) board; a second optical signal connector (Figure 10: 42a and 44a) arranged on the second circuit board (on 94a); a second photoelectric converter (96a) arranged on the second circuit board (94a) and coupled between the second electrical signal connector and the second optical signal connector (Figure 10: 96a between 12a and 42a), and a second power injector (Figure 10: at 92a/12a) arranged on the second circuit board (94a) and configured to provide a second working power to the second photoelectric converter ([0037] and [0082]); and an optical cable (Figure 10:16a and 16b) configured to connect the first signal transmission device and the second signal transmission device (Figure 10: device of 94a and 94b); wherein the first signal transmission device is arranged at a first position and the second signal transmission device is arranged at a second position (Figure 10: device of 94a and 94b); wherein the optical cable is arranged along a wall where the first position is located (Figure 10: 16a-b; [0080]); wherein the first optical signal connector is configured to transmit a first optical signal to the second optical signal connector or receive a second optical signal from the second optical signal connector via the optical cable (Figure 10: 16a-b); wherein the first photoelectric converter is configured to convert a first electrical signal received from an electrical device to the first optical signal or convert the second optical signal to a second electrical signal transmitted to the electrical device ([0053] wherein processor 96a-b handles the conversion).
As for claim 10, Nelson teaches the device of Claim 9, the first signal transmission device further comprising: a first fix structure combined with the first circuit board and configured to fix the first circuit board on the wall (See Figure 13a: 140; [0080]).
As for claim 11, Nelson teaches the device of Claim 10, the first signal transmission device further comprising: a panel part combined with the fix structure (Figure 13b: 140 and Figure 13a: panel of 137 on 120), and having an opening corresponding to the electrical signal connector (Figure 13b: opening of 126 or Figure 13a: 130), wherein the circuit board is arranged on a backside of the panel part (Figure 14: 144 or 146).
As for claim 12, Nelson teaches the device of Claim 9, the first signal transmission device further comprising: a signal redriver arranged on the circuit board (Figure 4: 46 amplifier) and coupled between the electrical signal connector and the photoelectric converter (See Figure 4: 46 is between Plug and 42/44), and configured to implement a redrive process for the electrical signal transmitted or received by the electrical signal connector ([0046]).
As for claim 13, Nelson teaches the device of Claim 12, wherein the redrive process includes adjusting a gain setting of at least one channel of the electrical signal connector (gain adjust is a function of the amplifier 46 which is capable of adjust because it can amplify a signal).
As for claim 15, Nelson teaches the device of Claim 9, wherein the specification of the electrical signal connector is selected from one of HDMI, DP and USB ([0055]).
As for claim 16, Nelson teaches the device of Claim 9, wherein the specification of the optical signal connector is selected from one of LC, SC and MPO (0070]).
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.
Claims 6, 14 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the US Patent Application Publication to Nelson 2007/0010132US in view of the US Patent Application Publication to Sipes 2022/0052767US.
In regards to claims 6, 14, and 17, Nelson teaches the device of claims 1 and 9.
Nelson does not teach wherein the media conversion wherein the power injector includes an AC input terminal configured to receive an AC power, and an AC to DC converter configured to convert the AC power to the working power; and wherein the media converter has a signal redriver; wherein the signal transmission device is configured to provide the first electrical signal to a display device via an electrical signal cable.
Sipes does teach wherein the media conversion wherein the power injector includes an AC input terminal configured to receive an AC power, and an AC to DC converter configured to convert the AC power to the working power ([0156]); and wherein the signal transmission device has a signal redriver (within media converter 2820 [0232] in order to output signal for display devices [0232]); wherein the second signal transmission device is configured to provide the first electrical signal to a display device via an electrical signal cable (such as HDMI cable for image display [0232]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the device to be capable of converter from AC to DC power and vice versa in order to make the media converter compatible with different power supply unit. Further, the use of electrical connectors for transmitting signal data to a display allows the media converter to be compatible with mainstream displays using HDMI electrical transmission.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US Patent Application to Ashrafi 2019/0173582US teaches optical to electrical media converters.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HOANG Q TRAN whose telephone number is (571)272-5049. The examiner can normally be reached 9:30 am - 5:30pm Monday - Friday.
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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 5712722397. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/HOANG Q TRAN/ Examiner, Art Unit 2874
/UYEN CHAU N LE/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2874
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