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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 06/11/24; 01/07/25; & 05/27/25 has been acknowledged and considered. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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.
Claim 8 is 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.
Regarding claim 8; the limitation “the monitoring circuit is disposed between and connected to the output coupler and the modulator” is unclear, what does applicant mean the limitation “the monitoring circuit is disposed between and connected to the output coupler and the modulator”? For the purpose examination, the limitation is considered to be “the monitoring circuit is disposed between the output coupler and the modulator”.
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.
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1-2, 5, 7, 10-16, and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chung et al (US 2019/0246963 hereinafter “Chung”) in view of Liu et al (US Patent No. 7,257,283 hereinafter “Liu”).
Regarding claims 1 and 16; Chung discloses an electronic device and method (101 @ figures 1 and 4A) for controlling a sensor (200 @ figure 4A) comprising:
a transmission circuit (210 @ figure 4A);
a reception circuit (220 @ figure 4A);
memory (130 @ figure 1) storing one or more computer programs; and
one or more processors (120 @ figures 1 and 4A) communicatively coupled to the transmission circuit (210 @ figure 4A), the reception circuit (220 @ figure 4A), and the memory (130 @ figure 1). See figures 1-17
Chung discloses all of feature of claimed invention except for the transmission circuit comprises:
a laser gain circuit configured to output or generate a plurality of laser lights in a broadband under control of the one or more processors, a fixed array distributed bragg reflector (DBR) grating configured to change wavelengths of the plurality of laser lights and output a plurality of laser lights having specified wavelengths, a modulator configured to modulate the plurality of laser lights having the specified wavelengths, a monitoring circuit configured to identify whether or not the plurality of modulated laser lights is output in a specified intensity and specified wavelength, and an output coupler configured to adjust output directions and/or angles of the plurality of modulated laser lights and output the plurality of modulated laser lights to an outside of the electronic device. However, Liu teaches that it is known in the art to provide the transmission circuit (103 @ figure 1) comprises: a laser gain circuit (101 @ figure 1) configured to output or generate a plurality of laser lights (119A-119N @ figure 1) in a broadband under control of the one or more processors (161 @ figure 1), a fixed array distributed bragg reflector (DBR) grating (109A-109N @ figure 1 and col.3 lines 21-30 and col.5 lines 6-20) configured to change wavelengths of the plurality of laser lights (119A-119N @ figure 1) and output a plurality of laser lights having specified wavelengths (col.3 lines 4-20: e.g., each of the optical beams 119A, 119B . . . 119N is a broadband laser output with the laser spectral width determined mainly by gain and cavity reflection spectral widths of the respective lasers), a modulator (113A-113N @ figure 1) configured to modulate the plurality of laser lights (119A @ figure 1) having the specified wavelengths, a monitoring circuit (power monitor 111A-111N @ figure 1) configured to identify whether or not the plurality of modulated laser lights (119 @ figure 1) is output in a specified intensity and specified wavelength, and an output coupler (117 @ figure 1) configured to adjust output directions and/or angles of the plurality of modulated laser lights (119A-119N @ figure 1) and output laser light (121 @ figure 1) of the plurality of modulated laser lights (119A-119N @ figure 1 and col.11 lines 6-45: e.g., the plurality of optical beams 119A, 119B . . . 119N are modulated and then selected wavelengths of the plurality of optical beams 119A, 119B . . . 119N are then combined in with multiplexer 117 to output a single optical beam 121, which may be transmitted through a single optical fiber 553 to an external optical receiver 557) to an outside of the electronic device (103 @ figure 1).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of claimed invention to combine electronic device and method of Chung with limitation above as taught by Liu for the purpose of improving the electrical performance of optical phase modulator and reducing the RF attenuation of the traveling wave signal.
Regarding claim 2; Chung discloses the reception circuit (220 @ figure 4A) comprises at least one photo detector (222, 224 @ figure 4A), and wherein the at least one photo detector (222, 224 @ figure 4A) is spaced a specified distance apart from the output coupler (342a @ figure 3B and paragraph [0066]).
Regarding claims 5 and 19; Chung discloses all of feature of claimed invention except for the modulator is configured to modulate the plurality of laser lights having the specified wavelengths into continuous waves or pulse waves. However, Liu teaches that it is known in the art to provide the modulator (113A-113N @ figure 1) is configured to modulate the plurality of laser lights (119A-119N @ figure 1) having the specified wavelengths into continuous waves or pulse waves (col.2 line 62 to col.3 line 7: e.g., multi-wavelength laser array 101 provides a plurality of continuous-wave (CW) optical beams 119A, 119B . . . 119N from a single layer of semiconductor material 103). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of claimed invention to combine electronic device and method of Chung with limitation above as taught by Liu for the purpose of improving the electrical performance of optical phase modulator and reducing the RF attenuation of the traveling wave signal.
Regarding claim 7; Chung discloses all of feature of claimed invention except for the monitoring circuit comprises an edge illuminated photodiode, a Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) sensor, a ring resonator, a line coupling, and/or a splitter. However, Liu teaches that it is known in the art to provide the monitoring circuit (111A-111N @ figure 1) comprises an edge illuminated photodiode (col.4 lines 16-40: e.g., the plurality of power monitors 111A, 111B . . . 111N may include one or more of integrated helium ion doped semiconductor waveguide photodetectors or suitable ion implanted semiconductor waveguide photodetectors, integrated SiGe photodetectors), a Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) sensor, a ring resonator, a line coupling, and/or a splitter. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of claimed invention to combine electronic device and method of Chung with limitation above as taught by Liu for the purpose of improving the electrical performance of optical phase modulator and reducing the RF attenuation of the traveling wave signal.
It is noted that the term “and/or” is alternative.
Regarding claim 10; Chung discloses the reception circuit (220 @ figure 4A) comprises a plurality of photo detectors (222, 224 @ figure 4A), and wherein each of the plurality of photo detectors (222, 224 @ figure 4A) is spaced a first specified distance apart from the output coupler (342a @ figure 3B).
Regarding claim 11; Chung discloses each of the plurality of photo detectors (222, 224 @ figure 3B) is spaced a first specified distance or a second specified distance apart from the output coupler (342a @ figure 3B).
It is noted that the term “or” is alternative.
Regarding claim 12; Chung discloses the one or more processors (161 @ figure 1) are further configured to control the intensity and wavelength of light output from the laser gain circuit (101 @ figure 1) based on information received from the monitoring circuit (111A-111N @ figure 1).
Regarding claim 13; Chung discloses a case (230 @ figure 3B) having the transmission circuit (210 @ figure 3B) and the reception circuit (220 @ figure 3B) disposed on a rear surface thereof; a display (344 @ figure 3B) disposed on a front surface of the case (230 @ figure 3B); and a band (figure 9) connected to the case (230 @ figure 3B) and configured to enable the electronic device (200 @ figure 3A) to be worn on a user's wrist (300 @ figure 3B).
Regarding claim 14; Chung discloses the rear surface of the case (230 @ figure 3B) is configured to at least partially come into contact with a user (300 @ figure 3B) when the electronic device (200 @ figure 3B) is worn on the user (300 @ figure 3B) through the band (figure 9).
Regarding claim 15; Chung discloses the rear surface of the case (230 @ figure 3B) is configured such that at least a portion of the output coupler (342a @ figure 3B) and at least a portion of the reception circuit (220 @ figure 3B) are exposed.
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chung in view of Liu as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Onaka (US 2019/0052056).
Regarding claim 6; Chung in view of Liu combination discloses all of feature of claimed invention except for the modulator comprises a lock-in amplifier and/or a low pass filter. However, Onaka teaches that it is known in the art to provide the modulator (915 @ figure 1) comprises a lock-in amplifier (916 @ figure 1) and/or a low pass filter. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of claimed invention to combine electronic device and method of Chung with limitation above as taught by Onaka for the purpose of improving excitation efficiency light.
It is noted that the term “and/or” is alternative.
Claims 3, 9, 17, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chung in view of Liu as applied to claims 1 and 16 above, and further in view of Wang et al (US 2022/0146766 hereinafter “Wang”).
Regarding claims 3 and 17; Chung in view of Liu combination discloses all of feature of claimed invention except for the laser gain circuit comprises a plurality of laser gain chips, and is configured to output or generate the plurality of laser lights in a broadband in time division. However, Wang teaches that it is known in the art to provide the laser gain circuit (210 @ figure 2) comprises a plurality of laser gain chips (211a-d @ figure 2), and is configured to output or generate the plurality of laser lights (212a-212d @ figure 2) in a broadband in time division (paragraph [0033]). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of claimed invention to combine electronic device and method of Chung with limitation above as taught by Wang for the purpose of controlling ring resonator operating points.
Regarding claims 9 and 20; Chung in view of Liu combination discloses all of feature of claimed invention except for the one or more processors are further configured to control time synchronization of the reception circuit to receive the plurality of modulated laser lights in time division and/or sequence. However, Wang teaches that it is known in the art to provide the one or more processors (225 @ figure 2) are further configured to control time synchronization of the reception circuit (223, 224 @ figure 2) to receive the plurality of modulated laser lights (212a-212d @ figure 2) in time division (paragraph [0033]) and/or sequence. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of claimed invention to combine electronic device and method of Chung with limitation above as taught by Wang for the purpose of controlling ring resonator operating points.
It is noted that the term “and/or” is alternative.
Claims 4 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chung in view of Liu as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Kwon et al (US 2017/0095168 hereinafter “Kwon”).
Regarding claims 4 and 18; Chung in view of Liu discloses all of feature of claimed invention except for the specified wavelength is shorter than the wavelengths of the plurality of laser lights. However, Kwon teaches that it is known in the art to provide the specified wavelength (paragraph [0030]: e.g., a first light emitter configured to emit a first light of a first wavelength toward a subject; a second light emitter configured to emit a second light of a second wavelength that is shorter than the first wavelength toward the subject) is shorter than the wavelengths of the plurality of laser lights (paragraph [0055]: e.g., The light source unit 110 emits one or more lights having different characteristics of penetration into a user's body part, for example, a finger. Referring to FIG. 3, the light source unit 110 emits, onto a finger, a first light S1 and a second light S2 which have different penetration characteristics (e.g., penetration depth) from each other). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of claimed invention to combine electronic device and method of Chung with limitation above as taught by Kwon for the purpose of achieving an accurate blood pressure measurement regardless of a pressure exerted by a user.
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chung in view of Liu as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Nagarajan et al (US 2010/0166424 hereinafter “Nagarajan”).
Regarding claim 8; Chung in view of Liu combination discloses all of feature of claimed invention except for the monitoring circuit is disposed between the output coupler and the modulator. However, Nagarajan teaches that it is known in the art to provide the monitoring circuit (114 @ figure 10) is disposed between the output coupler (110 @ figure 10) and the modulator (106-1 @ figure 10). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of claimed invention to combine electronic device and method of Chung with limitation above as taught by Nagarajan for the purpose of improving performance due to their integration and lower package costs.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
1) Torbatian et al (US 2022/0052756) discloses transmitter can transmit data frames using pilot and framer symbols. A receiver can estimate the framer index and frequency offset using the pilot and framer symbols.
2) Woodward et al (US 2022/0021458) discloses an optical source comprising: a phase-randomized light source, the phase randomized light source.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SANG H NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-2425. The examiner can normally be reached M-F.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Michelle Iacoletti can be reached at 571-270-5789. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SN/
December 23, 2025
/SANG H NGUYEN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2877