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 .
Drawings
Eleven (11) sheets of drawings were filed on August 1, 2024 and have been considered by the examiner.
Specification
Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
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.
Claims 3-5 are 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 3; the claim recites the limitation "the first type of connector adapter" in line 1 of claim 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim and renders the claim indefinite because a first type of connector adapter has not been established in claim 1 which the claim depends on. The examiner suggests amending claim 3 to depend on claim 2 to overcome this rejection. For examination purpose, the claim will be interpreted as it depends on claim 2.
Regarding claim 4; the claim recites the limitation “a second type of connector adapter” in line 2 of claim 4. This is confusing because a first type of connector adapter has not been established in claim 4 or the claims it depends on. The examiner suggests amending claim 4 to depend on claim 2 to overcome this rejection. For examination purpose, the claim will be interpreted as it depends on claim 2.
Regarding claim 5; the claim recites the limitation "the second type of connector adapter" in line 1 of claim 5. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim and renders the claim indefinite because a second type of connector adapter has not been established in claim 1 which the claim depends on. The examiner suggests amending claim 5 to depend on claim 4 to overcome this rejection. For examination purpose, the claim will be interpreted as it depends on claim 4.
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 1-7, 9-10, and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Zhao et al. (US 2021/0181443 A1), hereafter Zhao.
Regarding claim 1-7, 9-10, and 12; Zhao teaches a cassette module (see annotated Figure 13 below) comprising:
a first side wall (first side wall);
a second side wall (second side wall);
a bottom floor (bottom floor);
a rear wall (rear wall); and
a front portion (front portion) including:
a front face (front face);
a front ceiling (front ceiling);
a plurality of front openings (200);
a first set of mounting features (3; also see Figure 1, element 33; Paragraph [0053]); and
a second set of mounting features (4; also see Figure 1, element 42; Paragraph [0053]).
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wherein the first set of mounting features are configured to enable installation of a first type of connector adapter (Paragraph [0056], lines 13-18).
wherein the first type of connector adapter is an LC type adapter (Paragraph [0041], lines 20-22).
wherein the second set of mounting features are configured to enable installation of a second type of connector adapter (Paragraph [0056], lines 13-18).
wherein the second type of connector adapter is an SC type adapter (Paragraph [0041], lines 20-22).
wherein a width of each front opening is configured to enable installation of at least two different types of connector adapters (Paragraph [0041], lines 20-22).
wherein a width of each front opening is configured to enable installation of at least three different types of connector adapters (Paragraph [0041, lines 20-22).
wherein the first set of mounting features (3) are located on the front ceiling (front ceiling).
wherein the second set of mounting features (4) are integral with the front face (front face).
wherein the rear wall (rear wall) includes a rear opening configured to install a connector adapter (306; Paragraph [0058], lines 1-8).
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.
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhao in view of SMRHA et al. (WO 2009/058758 A1), hereafter SMRHA.
Regarding claim 8; Zhao teaches a cassette module with all the limitations of claim 1 (see annotated Figure 13 above). Zhao does not teach a cassette module wherein the plurality of front openings includes at least 18 openings. However, in the same field of endeavor, SMRHA teaches a cassette module with at least 18 front openings (see Figure 5, element 46; page 6, lines 4-9). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the cassette module taught by Zhao to include more openings as taught by SMRHA with a reasonable expectation of success. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification because the increased number of openings in the cassette module allows for increased data transfer.
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhao in view of Sedor et al. (US 2023/0073414 A1), hereafter Sedor.
Regarding claim 11; Zhao teaches a cassette module with all the limitations of claim 1, wherein the plurality of front openings includes a first front opening and a second front opening, wherein the first front opening and the second front opening are adjacent to each other (see annotated Figure 13 above). Zhao does not teach a cassette module wherein a center-to-center distance between the first front opening and the second front opening is at least 0.60 inches. However, in the same field of endeavor, Sedor teaches a cassette module with a plurality of front openings where the width of each front opening is approximately 1 inch with a buffering space of 0.005-0.05 inches between each front opening (see Figure 5, element 11; Paragraph [0020]). Therefore, Sedor teaches a cassette module wherein a center-to-center distance between the first front opening and the second front opening is at least 0.60 inches. It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the cassette module taught by Zhao to include front openings with a center-to-center distance of at least 0.60 inches as taught by Sedor with a reasonable expectation of success. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification to allow the openings to accept duplex connectors, as taught by Sedor (Paragraph [0020]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Li (US 10,795,105 B1) teaches a cassette module that can accept LC, SC, or MPO adapters (see Figure 5, and Figures 7-10).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PETER L KAULFUSS whose telephone number is (571)270-7260. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM.
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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 (571)272-2397. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/P.L.K./Examiner, Art Unit 2874
/UYEN CHAU N LE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2874
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