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 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.
Claim(s) 1, 6-8, 10, and 11-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by VAEZ-GHAEMI (Publication No.: 2022/0294528).
Regarding claim 1, VAEZ-GHAEMI teaches A multi-functional optical power meter, comprising a central control module (reference numeral 106 in Figure 1F), a power supply module (reference numeral 708, 716 in Figure 7A), an optical power meter module (reference numeral 110 in Figure 1F, reference numeral 300 in Figure 3), and a multifunction module (reference numeral 111 in Figure 1F, reference numeral 320 in Figure 3), wherein the optical power meter module and the multifunction module are connected to the central control module respectively (e.g. the collection of parts 100 in Figure 1F connected as illustrated in Figure 1A), the power supply module (reference numeral 708, 716 in Figure 7A) is used to supply power, the multifunction module comprises a first function module (e.g. the collection of elements used to “communicate” as in paragraph [0103]) and a second function module (e.g. the collection of elements used for “Datalink function” as in paragraph [0104]), the first function module comprises a line-alignment module (e.g. “remote instrument is not ready” “remote instrument is ready to receive” as in paragraph [0103]) and a line-finding module (e.g. “validated” “communication can now take place” as in paragraph [0103]), and the second function module comprises a line-testing module (e.g. “data that varies” “For fiber optics testing” as in paragraph [0104]), wherein the line-alignment module (e.g. “remote instrument is not ready” “remote instrument is ready to receive” as in paragraph [0103]) is configured to determine the status of line alignment, and wherein the line-testing module (e.g. “data that varies” “For fiber optics testing” as in paragraph [0104]) is configured to determine the status of cable mounting.
Regarding claim 6, VAEZ-GHAEMI teaches The multi-functional optical power meter according to claim 1, wherein a data port of the central control module is connected with a display module (reference numeral 103 in Figure 1F), and the display module adopts a display interface (e.g. “provides user control and information” “may be a touch screen” “interface control” as in paragraph [0072]).
Regarding claim 7, VAEZ-GHAEMI teaches The multi-functional optical power meter according to claim 6, wherein the data port of the central control module is connected with a back light module (reference numeral 103 in Figure 1F; e.g. “display 103 may be a touch screen, e.g., liquid crystal display (LCD) touchscreen” as in paragraph [0072]; “display 103 is backlit” as in paragraph [0133]) and the back light module adopts a back light interface P4 when the multifunction module comprises a first function module.
Regarding claim 8, VAEZ-GHAEMI teaches The multi-functional optical power meter according to claim 1, wherein a data port of the central control module is connected with a red-light-pen module (e.g. “OTDR Module” as in paragraph [0087]), the red-light-pen module comprises a red-light-pen driving chip (e.g. “generated by a laser diode” as in paragraph [0058]) and a red-light-pen connector (e.g. “connectors matching” as in paragraph [0087]) , the red-light-pen driving chip U2 is connected to the data port of the central control module (e.g. “OTDR port” as in paragraph [0087]), and the red-light-pen connector P1 is connected to the red-light-pen driving chip (e.g. “module injects pulsed light energy” as in paragraph [0058]).
Regarding claim 10, VAEZ-GHAEMI teaches The multi-functional optical power meter according to claim 1, wherein the power supply module comprises a charging interface (reference numeral 144 in Figure 1B) , a charging management module (reference numeral 708, 716 in Figure 7A) , a lithium battery (e.g. “battery” as in abstract and throughout), and a power management module (reference numeral 708, 706 in Figure 7A) , the charging interface adopts a USB interface J3 (e.g. “USB” as in paragraph [0079]), the charging interface is connected to a power input port of the charging management module (reference numeral 708, 716 in Figure 7A), the lithium battery is connected to a power input port of the charging management module (e.g. “to regulate smart charging of battery” as in paragraph [0092]), and the lithium battery is connected to the power management module (e.g. reference numeral 708, 716 in Figure 7A “to regulate smart charging of battery” as in paragraph [0092]).
Regarding claim 11, VAEZ-GHAEMI teaches The multi-functional optical power meter according to claim 10, wherein the lithium battery is connected with a voltage regulator chip (e.g. the element responsible “to regulate smart charging of battery” as in paragraph [0092]).
Regarding claim 12, VAEZ-GHAEMI teaches The multi-functional optical power meter according to claim 10, wherein a power output port of the power management module (reference numeral 708, 706 in Figure 7A) is connected with a voltage regulator chip (e.g. “to regulate smart charging of battery” as in paragraph [0092]) when the multifunction module comprises the second function module.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-5 and 9 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: the prior art fails to teach or fairly suggest the combination of elements and specific connections recited between elements of claims 2-5 and 9.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 08/17/26 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argues that the newly added limitations distinguish the claimed invention from the cited prior art. However, examiner disagrees. Applicant is reminded that an apparatus claims cover what a device is, not what a device does. Hewlett-Packard Co. v. Bausch & Lomb Inc., 909 F.2d 1464, 1469, 15 USPQ2d 1525, 1528 (Fed. Cir. 1990), and further that invention a recitation of the intended use of the claimed invention must result in a structural difference between the claimed invention and the prior art in order to patentably distinguish the claimed invention from the prior art. If the prior art structure is capable of performing the intended use, then it meets the claim. Given the above, examiner maintains that while VAEZ-GHAEMI meets all the structural limitations of the claimed invention, VAEZ-GHAEMI also meets the functional limitations of the claimed invention, including the newly added limitations pertaining to the apparatus being configured to determine the status of line alignment, and determine the status of cable mounting.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AGUSTIN BELLO whose telephone number is (571)272-3026. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Friday, 9 AM - 5 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, David Payne can be reached at (571)272-3024. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/AGUSTIN BELLO/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2635
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