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 Objections
Claim 12 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 12 states “is a semiconductor laser.\”. This should be rewritten as “is a semiconductor laser”. Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-20 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 1 and similar claim 13 states the terms upper output end and lower output end. These terms are unclear since upper and lower are relative terms and it appears irrelevant for a switch if an output is the upper one or the lower one. Thus, these words are confusing and unclear. Furthermore, claim 1 states “i= 1, 2, …, OR M”. This part of the limitation is confusing. M is stated to be greater than equal to 2 but “i” comprises 1, 2, etc. It appears that not all of the M switches are coupled to a laser which would contradict what has been understood from the figures and description. Furthermore, the claim also states “M photodetectors, M transmit ports and M receive ports”. It is unclear from the claim where all these are located within the baseband unit. Are they on the input side where the input lasers are situated or on the output side opposite of where the input M lasers are situated?
Claim 2 and similar claim 14 states “j=1, 2, …or M-1”. This limitation suffers from the same “or” issue in claim 1 stated above. Claim 2 also states “j transmit port”. Similar to the issue in claim 1, it is unclear where such “j” transmit port is placed. Furthermore, is this transmit port coupled into the multiplexer our out of the multiplexer?
Claims 4-10 all state the limitations “corresponding optical fibers…corresponding switches”. This part of the limitation is unclear and confusing. It is unclear how there are corresponding optical fibers in the presence of a switch. A switch comprises multiple outputs and based on the need of the system, a particular output is chosen which then leads to a particular output optical fiber. Without such basis of which output is being switched to, a corresponding output optical fiber cannot be determined. The claims don’t state any limitation regarding particular outputs from the switch, in order for a corresponding output optical fiber limitation to follow. Furthermore, these claims also suffer from the issues of the unclear positioning of the optical fibers, the transmit and receive ports.
Claims 11 and 12 state “the laser”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation as it is unclear which laser is being referred to here.
Claims 16-20 also suffers from similar issues as in claims 4-10.
The remaining dependent claims are also rejected via dependency on claims 1 and 13.
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 text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 11-13, 15, 16, 19 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Neilson (US 2009/0324243) in view of Welch (US 2008/0025726).
Regarding claim 1 and similar claim 13, Neilson teaches a baseband unit (Fig. 5), comprising M inputs (Fig. 5, inputs 132), M switches (Fig. 5, M switches 502), an arrayed waveguide grating (AWG) (Fig. 5, AWG 140b), M transmit ports (Fig. 5, transmit ports coupled into 502) and M receive ports (Fig. 5, M receive ports on the right side of 140b which receives signals), wherein M is an integer greater than or equal to 2; and an ith laser is coupled to an input end of an ith switch (Fig. 5, input 132a is coupled to input end of 502a), an upper output end of the ith switch is coupled to an ith transmit port (Fig. 5, upper output end of 502a is coupled to transmit port between 132a and 502a), and the AWG is separately coupled to lower output ends of the M switches and the M receive ports (Fig. 5, AWG 140b is coupled to 502a-502d on the left side and receive ports on the right side of 140b), wherein i=1, 2, ..., or M.
Neilson doesn’t teach the device comprising M lasers, M photodetectors.
Welch teaches a transmitting device comprising M lasers, M photodetectors coupled to an AWG (Fig. 7B shows M lasers 12, M PDs 15, AWG 50).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the baseband unit taught by Neilson and incorporate the bidirectionality of the device as taught by Welch in order to satisfy bidirectional communication requirements of the communication system.
Regarding claim 3 and similar claim 15, Neilson in view of Welch teaches the baseband unit according to claim 1, wherein Welch teaches the baseband unit further comprises M modulators (Fig. 7B, modulators 14), wherein an ith modulator is separately coupled to the ith laser (Fig. 7B, modulator 14 is coupled to a corresponding laser 12) and Neilson teaches the input signals are coupled to the input end of the ith switch (Fig. 5, input 132a is coupled to input end of 502a). Thus, Neilson in view of Welch teaches the limitations of claim 3.
Regarding claim 4 and similar claim 16, Neilson in view of Welch teaches the baseband unit according to claim 1, wherein the M transmit ports and the M receive ports each are coupled to an optical fiber (Welch shows the connection of fibers 24 and 26); the M lasers are configured to send optical signals to corresponding optical fibers through corresponding switches and corresponding transmit ports (Neilson shows this in Fig. 5); and Welch teaches the M photodetectors are configured to receive optical signals from corresponding optical fibers through the AWG and corresponding receive ports (as shown in Fig. 7B by the reception at PD 15 from the AWG 50 and its receive ports). Thus, Neilson in view of Welch teaches the limitations of claim 4.
Regarding claim 7 and similar claim 19, Neilson in view of Welch teaches the baseband unit according to claim 1, wherein a first receive port is coupled to an optical fiber (Welch teaches fiber 26 coupled to first receive port on the right side of AWG 50); the M lasers are configured to send optical signals to the optical fiber through corresponding switches, the AWG, and the first receive port (Neilson teaches this in Fig. 5); and the M photodetectors are configured to receive optical signals from the optical fiber through the AWG and the first receive port (as shown in Fig. 7B by the reception at PD 15 from the AWG 50 and its receive ports).
Regarding claim 8 and similar claim 20, Neilson in view of Welch teaches the baseband unit according to claim 3, wherein a first receive port is coupled to an optical fiber (Welch teaches fiber 26 coupled to first receive port on the right side of AWG 50); the M lasers are configured to send optical signals to the optical fiber through corresponding modulators (Welch shows the coupling of modulator 14 to a corresponding laser 12), corresponding switches (this limitation is taught by Neilson), the AWG, and the first receive port; and the M photodetectors are configured to receive optical signals from the optical fiber through the AWG and the first receive port (as shown in Fig. 7B by the reception at PD 15 from the AWG 50 and its receive ports). Thus, Neilson in view of Welch teaches the limitations of claim 8.
Regarding claim 11, Neilson in view of Welch teaches the baseband unit according to claim 1, wherein the laser is a directly modulated laser (Welch: Fig. 1A, laser 12).
Regarding claim 12, Neilson in view of Welch teaches the baseband unit according to claim 1, wherein the laser is a semiconductor laser (Welch: Fig. 1A, laser 12).
Claim(s) 2, 5, 6, 9, 10, 14, 17 and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Neilson (US 2009/0324243) in view of Welch (US 2008/0025726) in further view of Miura (US 2006/0098981).
Regarding claim 2 and similar claim 14, Neilson in view of Welch teaches the baseband unit according to claim 1.
Although Neilson teaches the upper output end is coupled to a switch, transmit port and the AWG, Neilson in view of Welch doesn’t teach wherein the baseband unit further comprises M–1 multiplexers, wherein a jth multiplexer is separately coupled to an upper output end of a jth switch.
Miura teaches M–1 multiplexers (Fig. 1, multiplexers 12), wherein a jth multiplexer is separately coupled to an upper output end of a jth switch (Fig. 1, multiplex 12-1 coupled to upper output end of switch 11-2).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the baseband unit taught by Neilson in view of Welch and incorporate the multiplexers as taught by Miura so that signal lights having particular wavelengths can be added to a specific transmission path (Miura: paragraph [0088]).
Regarding claim 5 and similar claim 17, Neilson in view of Welch in further view of Miura teaches the baseband unit according to claim 2, wherein the M transmit ports and the M receive ports each are coupled to an optical fiber (Welch shows the connection of fibers 24 and 26); a jth laser is configured to send an optical signal to a corresponding optical fiber through a corresponding switch, a corresponding multiplexer, and a corresponding transmit port (Neilson in view of Miura teaches these limitations); an Mth laser is configured to send an optical signal to a corresponding optical fiber through a corresponding switch and a corresponding transmit port and the M photodetectors are configured to receive optical signals from corresponding optical fibers through the AWG and corresponding receive ports (as shown in Fig. 7B by the reception at PD 15 from the AWG 50 and its receive ports). Thus, Neilson in view of Welch in further view of Miura teaches the limitations of claim 5.
Regarding claim 6 and similar claim 18, Neilson in view of Welch teaches the baseband unit according to claim 3, wherein the M transmit ports and the M receive ports each are coupled to an optical fiber (Welch shows the connection of fibers 24 and 26); a jth laser is configured to send an optical signal to a corresponding optical fiber through a corresponding modulator (Welch shows the coupling of modulator 14 to a corresponding laser 12), a corresponding switch, and a corresponding transmit port; an Mth laser is configured to send an optical signal to a corresponding optical fiber through a corresponding modulator, a corresponding switch, and a corresponding transmit port (Neilson in view of Welch teaches these limitations); and the M photodetectors are configured to receive optical signals from corresponding optical fibers through the AWG and corresponding receive ports (as shown in Fig. 7B by the reception at PD 15 from the AWG 50 and its receive ports). Thus, Neilson in view of Welch teaches the limitations of claim 6.
Neilson in view of Welch doesn’t teach a corresponding multiplexer being coupled.
Miura teaches corresponding multiplexers (Fig. 1, multiplexers 12), wherein a jth multiplexer is separately coupled to an upper output end of a jth switch (Fig. 1, multiplex 12-1 coupled to upper output end of switch 11-2).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the baseband unit taught by Neilson in view of Welch and incorporate the multiplexers as taught by Miura so that signal lights having particular wavelengths can be added to a specific transmission path (Miura: paragraph [0088]).
Regarding claim 9, Neilson in view of Welch in view of Miura teaches the baseband unit according to claim 2, wherein the jth transmit port and a first receive port each are coupled to an optical fiber (Welch shows the connection of fibers 24 and 26); a jth laser is configured to send an optical signal to a corresponding optical fiber through a corresponding switch (taught by Fig. 5 in Neilson), a corresponding multiplexer, and a corresponding transmit port (taught by Miura); an Mth laser is configured to send an optical signal to a corresponding optical fiber through a corresponding switch, the AWG, and the first receive port (Neilson in view of Welch teaches these limitations); a jth photodetector is configured to receive an optical signal from the corresponding optical fiber through the AWG, the multiplexer, and the jth transmit port; and an Mth photodetector is configured to receive an optical signal from the corresponding optical fiber through the AWG and the first receive port (Welch in view of Miura teaches this limitations). Thus, Neilson in view of Welch in view of Miura teaches the limitations of claim 9.
Regarding claim 10, Neilson in view of Welch teaches the baseband unit according to claim 3, wherein the jth transmit port and a first receive port each are coupled to an optical fiber (Welch shows the connection of fibers 24 and 26); a jth laser is configured to send an optical signal to a corresponding optical fiber through a corresponding modulator (Welch shows the coupling of modulator 14 to a corresponding laser 12), a corresponding switch (Welch teaches this in combination with the teachings of Neilson), and a corresponding transmit port; an Mth laser is configured to send an optical signal to a corresponding optical fiber through a corresponding modulator, a corresponding switch, the AWG, and the first receive port (Neilson in view of Welch teaches these limitations); a jth photodetector is configured to receive an optical signal from the corresponding optical fiber through the AWG, and the jth transmit port; and an Mth photodetector is configured to receive an optical signal from the corresponding optical fiber through the AWG and the first receive port (as shown in Fig. 7B by the reception at PD 15 from the AWG 50 and its receive ports).
Neilson in view of Welch doesn’t teach a corresponding multiplexer being coupled.
Miura teaches corresponding multiplexers (Fig. 1, multiplexers 12), wherein a jth multiplexer is separately coupled to an upper output end of a jth switch (Fig. 1, multiplex 12-1 coupled to upper output end of switch 11-2).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the baseband unit taught by Neilson in view of Welch and incorporate the multiplexers as taught by Miura so that signal lights having particular wavelengths can be added to a specific transmission path (Miura: paragraph [0088]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See the notice of reference cited (PTO-892).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PRANESH K BARUA whose telephone number is (571)270-1017. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon-Sat: 11-8pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, David Payne can be reached on 5712723024. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/PRANESH K BARUA/Examiner, Art Unit 2635
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