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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
All references considered.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to fully describe all elements in the written description. In particular, Fig. 2 clearly displays a pump source 215 that includes a plurality of single mode optical pumps 260, a depolarizer 230, and mode multiplexer 240. What is described instead is “a pump source 215 that includes a pump source 215, a depolarizer 230, and a mode multiplexer 240” [0032]. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(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 8, 14, and 20 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.
Claim 8 recites “the plurality of single mode optical pumps and the mode multiplexer are a single multimode unit.” However, “a single multimode unit” is not a common term of art for fiber Raman amplification, and Applicant has not defined such a unit. Applicant uses “multi-mode” to describe “stimulated Raman activity” [e.g. 0027], “pump light” [e.g. 0028], “cores” of a fiber [e.g. 0029], and “light sources” for pumps [e.g. 0032]. Applicant does not use “multimode” to describe “a unit” comprising multiple components, thereby failing to define “a single multimode unit,” rendering Claim 8 indefinite. This applies to Claims 14 and 20, mutatis mutandis. For examination, “a single multimode unit” comprises interacting and/or coupled components, such as the multiplexer which receives light from, and thereby interacts with, the plurality of single mode optical pumps [e.g. a pump source 215 in Fig. 2].
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1-2, 4, 6-9, 11, 13-15, 17, and 19-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Le Taillandier de Gabory (US 2021/0028590, hereinafter Gabory) in view of Zhu (US 2010/0266284).
Regarding Claim 1, Gabory teaches An optical amplifier device, comprising:
a plurality of single mode optical pumps [0062, #131-132 of Fig. 6] configured to supply one or more wavelengths [0062, #L1 and #L2 of Fig. 6] to a mode multiplexer [0062, multiplexed in a modal manner by #230A, Fig. 6];
the mode multiplexer [#230A] configured to receive the one or more wavelengths [#L1 and #L2] to output at least one combined optical light comprising the one or more wavelengths [0062, #PL of Fig. 6];
a coupler [0062, #220 of Fig. 6] configured to couple the at least one combined optical light [#PL] into a multi-core fiber (MCF) [0062, #110 of Fig. 6], wherein the combined optical light Raman amplifies an optical signal in the MCF [0061].
Gabory does not explicitly teach using a depolarizer with a multiplexer. Zhu does teach a depolarizer [0059] and a multiplexer [0037, #20.16 of Fig. 2] configured to receive the one or more wavelengths [0055-0059, #20.15 and #PCO of Fig. 2] to output at least one combined depolarized optical light comprising the one or more wavelengths [0059].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in fiber Raman amplification prior to the effective filing date to combine the optical amplifier of Gabory with the depolarizer of Zhu to reduce the degree of polarization and thereby reduce the effect of polarization-dependent gain [Zhu, 0059] with predictable results.
This applies to Claims 9 and 15, mutatis mutandis.
Regarding Claim 2, Gabory as modified above teaches wherein the coupler couples the at least one combined depolarized optical light into a cladding of the MCF [Abstract].
Regarding Claims 4, 11, and 17, Gabory as modified above teaches wherein the mode multiplexer comprises a plurality of multiplexers that output a plurality of the combined depolarized optical light [0084, #120 outputs #PL1 and #560 outputs #PL2 in Fig. 12].
Regarding Claim 6, Gabory as modified above teaches wherein the plurality of single mode optical pumps are configured to Raman amplify optical signals in one or more transmission cores of the MCF [Abstract].
Regarding Claims 7, 13, and 19, Gabory as modified above teaches wherein the optical signal is in the C-band or L-band regions [0007].
Regarding Claims 8, 14, and 20, Gabory as modified above teaches wherein the plurality of single mode optical pumps and the mode multiplexer are a single multimode unit [0062, #131-132 and #230A in Fig. 6].
Claim(s) 3, 5, 10, 12, 16, and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gabory (US 2021/0028590) in view of Zhu (US 2010/0266284), and further in view of Fini (US 2011/0279888).
Regarding Claims 3, 10, and 16, Gabory as modified by Zhu above teaches all of respective parent claims 1, 9, and 15, and wherein the coupler couples the at least one combined depolarized optical light into a cladding of the MCF [Gabory, Abstract].
However, neither Gabory nor Zhu explicitly teaches wherein the coupler is a fan-out coupler comprising at least one single core fiber. Fini does teach wherein the coupler is a fan-out coupler comprising at least one single core fiber configured to couple into a cladding of the MCF [0038-0042, #50 inserts #54 among #52 in Fig. 1].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art of fiber Raman amplification prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the optical amplifier of Gabory as modified by Zhu with the fan-out coupler of Fini to reduce the required number of multiplexers [Fini, 0042] with a reasonable expectation of success.
Regarding Claims 5, 12, and 18, Gabory as modified by Zhu teaches all of respective parent Claims 4, 11, and 17, and wherein the coupler couples the at least one combined depolarized optical light into a cladding of the MCF [Gabory, Abstract].
However, neither Gabory nor Zhu explicitly teaches wherein the coupler is a fan-out coupler comprising at least one single core fiber. Fini teaches wherein the coupler is a fan-out coupler comprising at least one single core fiber configured to couple into a cladding of the MCF [0038-0042, #50 inserts #54 among #52 in Fig. 1].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art of fiber Raman amplification prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the optical amplifier of Gabory as modified by Zhu with the fan-out coupler of Fini to reduce the required number of multiplexers [Fini, 0042] with a reasonable expectation of success. Furthermore, using said coupler for each output from each multiplexer would be a “mere duplication of parts [which] has no patentable significance unless a new and unexpected result is produced" (see MPEP 2144.04(VI)(B)).
Relevant Prior Art
In addition to Applicant-provided art and art used above, Examiner identified the following relevant prior art:
Mizuno (US 11,476,635) discloses using doped fibers in conjunction with cladding pumped light.
Koch (US 2012/0219301) discloses using a single solid-core fiber to provide distributed Raman amplification to a signal exiting a hollow-core fiber. This is a transfer of optical signal from one fiber to another with intervening amplification as in the above prior art.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL ALEX DECARIA whose telephone number is (571)270-0565. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday, 6:45 a.m. - 5:15 p.m..
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/MAD/Examiner, Art Unit 3645
/HELAL A ALGAHAIM/SPE , Art Unit 3645
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