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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on October 8, 2024 has been considered by the Examiner.
Drawings
Five sheets for formal drawings were filed October 8, 2024 and have been accepted 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 § 102
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 1-8 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Park et al. (US 2016/0266341 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Park discloses an electro-optical device (18 in Fig. 23), comprising: a planar first substrate (1100), a first electric contact point (top of 1220) on a first side of the first substrate, a second electric contact point (bottom of 1220) on a second side of the first substrate; a first via arrangement (1200) configured to provide electric contact between the first electric contact point and the second electric contact point, wherein the via arrangement comprises a fiber optic portion (1210) and an electrically conductive portion (1220), the electrically conductive portion is attached to the fiber optic portion, and the electrically conductive portion is arranged between the fiber optic portion and the first substrate and configured to electrically connect the first electric contact point and the second electric contact point when the via arrangement is in a via of the first substrate (paragraph 0177), and the electrically conductive portion is unitary and extends on both sides of the substrate; a second substrate (100) on a second side of the first substrate, a first photonic device (300) on the second substrate, wherein the first fiber optic portion is adapted to extend towards the first photonic device or connect the first photonic device for illumination or light coupling to or from the first photonic device, a second via arrangement (middle via 1200 in Fig. 23) configured to provide electric contact between a third electric contact point on a first side of the first substrate and a fourth electric contact point (middle via provides electrical contact between the top and bottom of the substrate, would have corresponding third and fourth electric contact points at middle of the substrate) on a second side of the first substrate, wherein the second via arrangement comprises a second fiber optic portion and a second electrically conductive portion (middle via comprises respective optical and electrical portions), a second photonic device (middle photonic device 300) between the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein the second photonic device is hybridly integrated to the first substrate and electrically and optically connected to the second via arrangement (paragraphs 0176-0178).
Regarding claim 2, Park discloses the second fiber optic portion is adapted to extend towards the second photonic device for illumination or light coupling to or from the second photonic device in Fig. 23.
Regarding claims 3-5, Park discloses the second photonic device (middle converter 300) is connected to the first substrate (100) by pedestals or pillars (middle electrical transmission wire 1220), wherein at least one of the pedestals or pillars comprises conductive material and is adapted to connect the second photonic device to an electronic device (1300) on the first side of the first substrate through a conductive portion of a further via of the first substrate in Fig. 23 and paragraphs 0176-0180.
Regarding claim 6, Park discloses there is a space between the second photonic device and the second substrate in Fig. 23, which shows middle converter 300 corresponding to the second photonic device spaced from second substrate 100 due to the presence of electrical terminal 400-2 on the top and bottom of said converter.
Regarding claim 7, Park discloses the first fiber optic portion terminates between the first substrate and the second substrate without extending optical connection through the second substrate in Fig. 23, which shows 1210 terminating at converter 300.
Regarding claim 8, Park discloses the via arrangement (1200) is insertable into a through silicon or through glass via formed between the first side and the second side of the first substrate in paragraph 0176 which states the transmission wire 1200 may pass through the hole 1110. Since the via arrangement is capable of being removed from the through hole as well, it constitutes being removable from the through silicon or through glass via.
Regarding claim 10, Park discloses the electrically conducting portion (1220) is a conductive coating around a cladding of the fiber optic portion (1210) in Fig. 23 in paragraphs 0050-0052 and 0176-0177.
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 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 of this title, 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 set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied 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 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Park et al. (US 2016/0266341 A1).
Regarding claim 9, Park teaches the claimed invention except for specifically stating the electric contact points arranged for testing by a test probe. However, testing by a test probe is ubiquitous in the art of optical devices and as such, one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have found it obvious to use the electric contact points for testing by a test probe in order to determine when a component fails and expedite troubleshooting.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRIS H CHU whose telephone number is (571)272-8655. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon-Fri 9AM-5PM.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Uyen-Chau Le can be reached on 571-272-239797. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Any inquiry of a general or clerical nature should be directed to the Technology Center 2800 receptionist at telephone number (571) 272-1562.
Chris H. Chu
/CHRIS H CHU/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2874 September 11, 2026
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