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 prior art documents submitted by applicant in the Information Disclosure Statements filed on September 5, 2024; December 27, 2024; April 22, 2025; and September 6, 2025 have all been considered and made of record (note the attached copies of form PTO-1449).
Drawings
Five (5) sheets of drawings were filed on July 11, 2024 and have been accepted by the examiner.
Specification
Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
Claim Objections
Claim 5 is objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 5 should also state that “Se is selenium” in the last line of the claim for clarity. Appropriate correction is required.
Inventorship
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.
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, 2, 10-12, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Mai et al. (“Alignment Error Mitigation Techniques for Airborne Free-Space Optical Communication Systems”, 2019 6th NAFOSTED Conference on Information and Computer Science (NICS), Hanoi, Vietnam, 2019, pp. 115-118, doi: 10.1109/NICS48868.2019.9023796; cited on IDS filed April 22, 2025), hereafter Mai.
Regarding claim 1; Mai discloses a light receiving module (see Figures 1 and 3), comprising:
an optical receiving antenna (In Figure 1 the optical antenna includes an illustrated lens that focuses light into a multicore fiber and a photodetector (PD) array that provides electrical signals for electrical combining; In Figure 3 the optical receiving antenna includes a Receiving lens, fiber probe having multiple fiber cores, and Power meter in Figure 3);
a multi-core multi-mode waveguide (multicore fiber in Figure 1, fiber probe with multiple cores in Figure 3), comprising a cladding layer and N waveguides (a cladding layer with N optical waveguide cores therein is an inherent structure of a multicore fiber), wherein N is an integer greater than 1 (i.e. there are multiple cores); and
a detector (PD array in Figure 1), wherein the detector is an array formed by N sub-detectors (N PDs), and the N sub-detectors are in one-to-one correspondence with the N waveguides (see Figure 1);
wherein the optical receiving antenna (see Figure 1 and 3) is configured to:
receive a first optical signal, and
contract a mode spot (the lens focuses, i.e. contracts, the light beam, thereby contracting the spot size, i.e. mode spot, of the light beam) of the first optical signal, to obtain a second optical signal (focused optical signal);
wherein the multi-core multi-mode waveguide multicore fiber, multimode fiber (see Figures 1, 3, and Table II; see the last paragraph in Section I, Introduction) is configured to:
receive the second optical signal (the multicore fiber receives the light beam from the lens), and
concentrate energy of the second optical signal in a plurality of waveguides of the N waveguides (N cores of the multicore fiber), to obtain a plurality of third optical signals; and
wherein
a plurality of sub-detectors of the N sub-detectors (N PDs) of the detector is in one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of third optical signals (see Figure 1), and
the plurality of sub-detectors is configured to receive the plurality of third optical signals (optical signals transmitted by the multicore fiber to the PDs), to obtain a plurality of electrical signals based on the plurality of third optical signals (see Figures 1 and 3).
Regarding claim 11; Mai discloses a light receiving device (see Figures 1 and 3), comprising:
a signal processor (Signal processing inherently requires a signal processor; see Figure 1); and
a light receiving module (see Figures 1 and 3), comprising
an optical receiving antenna (In Figure 1 the optical antenna includes an illustrated lens that focuses light into a multicore fiber and a photodetector (PD) array that provides electrical signals for electrical combining; In Figure 3 the optical receiving antenna includes a Receiving lens, fiber probe having multiple fiber cores, and Power meter in Figure 3),
a multi-core multi-mode waveguide (multicore fiber in Figure 1, fiber probe with multiple cores in Figure 3), and
a detector (PD array in Figure 1);
wherein the optical receiving antenna is configured to:
receive a first optical signal (see Figures 1 and 3), and
contract a mode spot of the first optical signal (the lens focuses, i.e. contracts, the light beam, thereby contracting the spot size, i.e. mode spot, of the light beam), to obtain a second optical signal (focused optical signal);
wherein the multi-core multi-mode waveguide comprises a cladding layer and N waveguides (a cladding layer with N optical waveguide cores therein is an inherent structure of a multicore fiber), wherein N is an integer greater than 1 (i.e. there are multiple cores), and the multi-core multi-mode waveguide is configured to:
receive the second optical signal (the multicore fiber receives the light beam from the lens); and
concentrate energy of the second optical signal in a plurality of waveguides of the N waveguides (N cores of the multicore fiber), to obtain a plurality of third optical signals;
wherein the detector is an array formed by N sub-detectors (N PDs), the N sub-detectors are in one-to-one correspondence with the N waveguides (see Figure 1), a plurality of sub-detectors of the N sub-detectors is in one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of third optical signals (optical signals emitted by the waveguide cores), and the plurality of sub-detectors is configured to receive the plurality of third optical signals, to obtain a plurality of electrical signals based on the plurality of third optical signals (see Figures 1 and 3); and
wherein the signal processor is configured to add the plurality of electrical signals to obtain a target electrical signal (Electrical combining; see Figure 1).
Regarding claim 20; Mai discloses an optical communication system comprising:
a light transmitting device (laser or fiber tip & variable-focus lens with driver; see Figure 1; laser, fiber, fiber connector, transmitter lens; see Figure 3); and
a light receiving device (see Figures 1 and 3),
wherein the light transmitting device is configured to transmit a first optical signal to the light receiving device (see Figures 1 and 3); and
wherein the light receiving device comprises:
a signal processor (Signal processing inherently requires a signal processor; see Figure 1); and
a light receiving module (see Figures 1 and 3), comprising
an optical receiving antenna (In Figure 1 the optical antenna includes an illustrated lens that focuses light into a multicore fiber and a photodetector (PD) array that provides electrical signals for electrical combining; In Figure 3 the optical receiving antenna includes a Receiving lens, fiber probe having multiple fiber cores, and Power meter in Figure 3),
a multi-core multi-mode waveguide (multicore fiber in Figure 1, fiber probe with multiple cores in Figure 3), and
a detector (PD array in Figure 1);
wherein the optical receiving antenna is configured to:
receive a first optical signal (see Figures 1 and 3), and
contract a mode spot of the first optical signal (the lens focuses, i.e. contracts, the light beam, thereby contracting the spot size, i.e. mode spot, of the light beam), to obtain a second optical signal (focused optical signal);
wherein the multi-core multi-mode waveguide comprises a cladding layer and N waveguides (a cladding layer with N optical waveguide cores therein is an inherent structure of a multicore fiber), wherein N is an integer greater than 1 (i.e. there are multiple cores), and the multi-core multi-mode waveguide is configured to:
receive the second optical signal (the multicore fiber receives the light beam from the lens); and
concentrate energy of the second optical signal in a plurality of waveguides of the N waveguides (N cores of the multicore fiber), to obtain a plurality of third optical signals;
wherein the detector is an array formed by N sub-detectors (N PDs), the N sub-detectors are in one-to-one correspondence with the N waveguides (see Figure 1), a plurality of sub-detectors of the N sub-detectors is in one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of third optical signals (optical signals emitted by the waveguide cores), and the plurality of sub-detectors is configured to receive the plurality of third optical signals, to obtain a plurality of electrical signals based on the plurality of third optical signals (see Figures 1 and 3); and
wherein the signal processor is configured to add the plurality of electrical signals to obtain a target electrical signal (Electrical combining; see Figure 1).
Regarding claims 2 and 12; Mai discloses the light receiving module according to claim 1, wherein the multi-core multi-mode waveguide is a multi-core multi-mode optical fiber (see Figures 1, 3, and Table II; see the last paragraph in Section I, Introduction), and the multi-core multi-mode optical fiber meets the following conditions:
2
π
a
λ
n
c
o
r
e
2
-
n
c
l
a
d
2
>
2.405
Wherein:
a is a radius of a fiber core of the multi-core multi-mode optical fiber,
λ
is a wavelength of the second optical signal,
ncore is a refractive index of the fiber core, and
nclad is a refractive index of the cladding layer.
The examiner note’s that the claimed equation is for the normalized frequency of the optical fiber and that a multimode fiber has a normalized frequency exceeding 2.405, as understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art, wherein since Mai discloses that the optical fiber is a multimode fiber, then the normalized frequency calculated by the claimed equation is necessarily within the claimed range, i.e. greater than 2.405.
Regarding claim 10; Mai discloses the light receiving module according to claim 1, wherein a ratio of a light spot area S1 of the second optical signal irradiating on the multi-core multi-mode waveguide to a cross-sectional area S2 of the multi-core multi-mode waveguide is less than 1.5 (see Figure 1 of Mai).
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.
Claims 3, 6-9, 13, and 16-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mai et al. (“Alignment Error Mitigation Techniques for Airborne Free-Space Optical Communication Systems”, 2019 6th NAFOSTED Conference on Information and Computer Science (NICS), Hanoi, Vietnam, 2019, pp. 115-118, doi: 10.1109/NICS48868.2019.9023796; cited on IDS filed April 22, 2025), hereafter Mai.
Regarding claims 3 and 13; Mai discloses the light receiving module according to claim 2, but does not specify a value of the ration of the refractive index of the cladding with respect to the refractive index of the core. Before the effective filing date of the present invention, a person of ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to provide any desired ration between the refractive index values of the core and cladding that is suitable for guiding light within the optical cores in a desired manner, including wherein the multi-core multi-mode optical fiber further meets the following condition:
1.15
≤
n
c
o
r
e
n
c
l
a
d
≤
1.5
, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art (In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233) and since it has been held that discovering an optimum value of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art (In re Boesch, 617 F.2d 272, 205 USPQ 215 (CCPA 1980)).
Regarding claims 6, 7, 16, and 17; Mai discloses the light receiving module according to claim 1, but fails to disclose the dimensions of the multicore optical fiber. Before the effective filing date of the present invention, a person of ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to provide a multicore fiber of any length suitable for optimal optical transmission and coupling efficiency, including wherein a length of the multi-core multi-mode waveguide is between Mx1520 micrometers and Mx2005 micrometers, and M is an integer greater than 0, and/or to provide the multicore fiber of any diameter suitable for optimal optical transmission and coupling efficiency, including wherein a cross section of the multi-core multi-mode waveguide is a circle, and a diameter of the circle is between 100 micrometers and 300 micrometers, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art (In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233), since it has been held that discovering an optimum value of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art (In re Boesch, 617 F.2d 272, 205 USPQ 215 (CCPA 1980)), since such a modification would have involved a mere change in the size of a component and it has been held that a change in size is generally recognized in as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art (In re Rose, 105 USPQ 237 (CCPA 1955)) and that, where the only difference between the prior art and the claims is a recitation of relative dimensions of the claimed device and a device having the claimed relative dimensions would not perform differently than the prior art device, the claimed device is not patentably distinct from the prior art device (In re Gardner v. TEC Systems, Inc., 725 F.2d 1338, 220 USPQ 777 (Fed. Cir. 1984), cert. denied, 469 U.S. 830, 225 USPQ 232 (1984)).
Regarding claims 8 and 18; Mai discloses the light receiving module according to claim 1, but fails to disclose the distance between centers of the waveguide cores. Before the effective filing date of the present invention, a person of ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to provide any desired distance between the cores of the multicore fiber suitable for obtaining optimal optical transmission output with minimal unwanted interference effects, including wherein a distance between centers of any two waveguides of the N waveguides is greater than or equal to 15 micrometers, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art (In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233), and since it has been held that discovering an optimum value of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art (In re Boesch, 617 F.2d 272, 205 USPQ 215 (CCPA 1980))
Regarding claims 9 and 19; Mai discloses the light receiving module according to claim 1, but fails to disclose the material of the multicore fiber. The examiner takes Official notice that optical fibers are known to be made of silicon nitride materials. Before the effective filing date of the present invention, a person of ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to make the optical fiber of any material routinely used to form optical fibers for the purpose of providing a material with desired optical transmission properties, including wherein materials of the N waveguides and the cladding layer are silicon nitride materials, since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use. In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416.
Claims 4 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mai et al. (“Alignment Error Mitigation Techniques for Airborne Free-Space Optical Communication Systems”, 2019 6th NAFOSTED Conference on Information and Computer Science (NICS), Hanoi, Vietnam, 2019, pp. 115-118, doi: 10.1109/NICS48868.2019.9023796; cited on IDS filed April 22, 2025), hereafter Mai, in view of Shiryaev et al. (“Preparation of optical fiber based on Ge-Sb-S glass system”, Optical Materials (2009) 362-367), hereafter Shiryaev.
Regarding claims 4 and 14; Mai discloses the light receiving module according to claim 1, but fails to disclose the claimed waveguide material. Chalcogenide glasses are conventionally used to form optical fibers suitable for guiding infrared light. Shiryaev teaches the preparation of optical fibers based on Ge-Sb-S glass systems (see the title and the entire disclosure; see table 1 on page 363). Before the effective filing date of the present invention, a person of ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to use known chalcogenide glass to form the multicore optical fiber in the invention of Mai for the purpose of providing an optical fiber suitable for infrared transmission, wherein the N waveguides are of Gex1Sby1Sez1 materials, 0
≤
x1
≤
30, 0
≤
y1
≤
45, z1=100-x1-y1, the cladding layer is of a Gex2Sby2Sez2 material, 0
≤
x2
≤
30, 0
≤
y2
≤
40, z2=100-x2-y2, Ge is germanium, Sb is antimony, S is sulfur, and Se is selenium, since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use. In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416.
Claims 5 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mai et al. (“Alignment Error Mitigation Techniques for Airborne Free-Space Optical Communication Systems”, 2019 6th NAFOSTED Conference on Information and Computer Science (NICS), Hanoi, Vietnam, 2019, pp. 115-118, doi: 10.1109/NICS48868.2019.9023796; cited on IDS filed April 22, 2025), hereafter Mai, in view of Tang et al. (“Low loss Ge-As-Se chalcogenide glass fiber, fabricated using extruded preform, for mid-infrared photonics”, Optics Materials Express, 2015 OSA, Aug 2015, Vol. 5, No. 8, DOI:10.124/OME.5.001722), hereafter Tang.
Regarding claims 5 and 15; Mai discloses the light receiving module according to claim 1, but fails to disclose the claimed waveguide material. Chalcogenide glasses are conventionally used to form optical fibers suitable for guiding infrared light. Tang teaches Ge-As-Se chalcogenide glass for low loss fibers (see the entire document; see Table 1 on page 1725). Before the effective filing date of the present invention, a person of ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to use known chalcogenide glass to form the multicore optical fiber in the invention of Mai for the purpose of providing an optical fiber suitable for infrared transmission, wherein the N waveguides are of Asx3Sey3 materials, 35
≤
x3
≤
45, y3=100-x3, the cladding layer is of a Gex4Asy4Sez4 material, 0
≤
x4
≤
45, 0
≤
y4
≤
45, z4=100-x4-y4, Ga is gallium, and As is arsenic, since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use. In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: Winzer et al. (US 9,995,879 B2); see column 10, lines 15-33.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHELLE R CONNELLY whose telephone number is (571)272-2345. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Uyen-Chau Le can be reached at 571-272-2397. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/MICHELLE R CONNELLY/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2874
Prosecution Insights