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 § 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 1-13 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.
In regards to claim 1, the claimed subject matter “a fourth interface to output an optical signal multiplexed by the multiplexer to the outside via an optical fiber” is rendered indefinite. Examiner notes there is no clear connection between the optical signal multiplexed and the first optical signal and/or the second optical signal. Applicant teaches the multiplexer unit 214 outputs an optical signal in which the first optical signal based on the state of the specimen 100 and the second optical signal input by the spot-size conversion unit 216B are multiplexed to the spot-size conversion unit 211B (0042, lines 1-5). Examiner questions whether the optical signal multiplexed is the first optical, second optical signal, or a third optical signal from the outside via the optical fiber.
In regards to claim 2, the claimed subject matter “the first interface and the fourth interface constitute one interface, and the second interface and the third interface constitute one interface” is rendered indefinite. Examiner notes it is unclear as to how two interfaces become one interface. Applicant teaches four total interfaces (fig 4, 211A&B) (fig 4, 216 A&B), therefore it is unclear as to how four separate interfaces are considered to be two interfaces. Clarification is required.
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.
Claim(s) 1 & 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takabayashi US 20160336718.
With regards to claim 1, Takabayashi teaches an optical sensor chip capable of taking an arbitral connection form via a connector, comprising:
a first interface (fig 3, 291) to receive a first optical signal (fig 3, λ1) from outside via an optical fiber (fig 3, 24);
a changer (fig 3, 321) to change “phase control” (0045, lines 5-13) the first optical signal depending on a state “heat” of a specimen (fig 3,311);
a second interface (fig 3, 311) to output the first optical signal to the outside.
a third interface (fig 3, 292) to receive a second optical signal (fig 3, λ2) from the outside via an optical fiber (fig 3, 24);
a multiplexer (fig 3, 302) to multiplex “phase control” the second optical signal received by the third interface; and
a fourth interface (fig 3, 312) to output an optical signal multiplexed by the multiplexer.
Takabayshi does not teach outputting the first optical signal and an optical signal multiplexed to the outside via an optical fiber.
Takabayshi in a second embodiment teaches an optical fiber (fig 1, 10), which receives several optical signals as means for outputting several different wavelengths (0040, lines 6-9). Examiner notes one of ordinary skill may output the first optical signal and optical signal multiplexed by a multiplexer as a means of outputting multiple wavelengths since each signal has a different wavelength. At the time prior to the effective filing date of the invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the optical fiber with the fourth interface and second interface to output several different lasers.
With regards to claim 2 according to claim 1, Takabayashi teaches the optical sensor chip wherein the first interface constitutes one interface, and the second interface constitute one interface (fig 1).
Pertinent Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. WO 2021038407, US 11105980, CN 107870400, Kamal Sarabandi, “Microstrip Ring Resonator for Soil Moisture Measurements, 1997.
Allowable Subject Matter
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
As to claim 3, the prior art of record, taken alone or in combination, fails to disclose or render obvious “a first optical path length adder as an optical path to delay a first optical signal output by the second interface; and
a splitter to split a first optical signal received by the first interface or a first optical signal changed by the changer depending on a state of a specimen” , in combination with the rest of the limitations of claim 3.
As to claim 4, the prior art of record, taken alone or in combination, fails to disclose or render obvious “a first optical path length adder as an optical path to delay a first optical signal output by the second interface; and
a splitter to split a first optical signal received by the first interface or a first optical signal changed by the changer depending on a state of a specimen” , in combination with the rest of the limitations of claim 4.
As to claim 5, the prior art of record, taken alone or in combination, fails to disclose or render obvious “a first optical signal received by the first interface is an optical signal with a plurality of wavelengths, and
the optical sensor chip further comprises a splitter to select a first optical signal with a predetermined wavelength from the first optical signal received by the first interface and to output the first optical signal selected to the changer” , in combination with the rest of the limitations of claim 5.
As to claim 6, the prior art of record, taken alone or in combination, fails to disclose or render obvious “an optical sensor having a plurality of the optical sensor chips according to claim 1, in which the first interface and the second interface are connected via an optical fiber, and the third interface and the fourth interface are connected via an optical fiber between adjacent optical sensor chips, and a specimen is disposed” , in combination with the rest of the limitations of claim 6.
As to claim 13, the prior art of record, taken alone or in combination, fails to disclose or render obvious “an optical sensor having a plurality of the optical sensor chips according to claim 1, in which the first interface and the second interface are connected via an optical fiber, and the third interface and the fourth interface are connected via an optical fiber between adjacent optical sensor chips” , in combination with the rest of the limitations of claim 13.
Conclusion
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/MAURICE C SMITH/Examiner, Art Unit 2877