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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement(s) (IDS) submitted on 12/13/2024 and 08/01/2025 is/are being considered by the Examiner.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-4, 8, 15-17, and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Le, U.S. Publication No. 2022/0045766.
Regarding claim 1, Le teaches an optical-electrical apparatus, wherein the optical-electrical apparatus comprises an optical-to-electrical conversion circuit (see Le Figure 2, optical hybrid 60 with light detectors 62), an electrical signal processing circuit (see Figure 2, Stokes-parameter circuit 290 and elements 274-278), an electrical signal interface circuit (see Figure 2, output interface SOP circuit 294 and CDR 282), and a status detection circuit (see Figure 2, SOP circuit 294), and wherein:
the optical-to-electrical conversion circuit is configured to convert an optical signal into an electrical signal (see paragraph [0030]);
the electrical signal processing circuit is configured to output a first parameter of the optical signal based on the electrical signal, wherein the first parameter comprises an optical polarization parameter (see paragraph [0038], wherein Stokes-parameters are well-known to be tied to optical polarization); and
the status detection circuit is configured to obtain status information of the optical signal based on the first parameter, wherein the status information of the optical signal is output via the electrical signal interface circuit (see paragraphs [0039]-[0040]).
Regarding claim 2, Le teaches all the limitations of claim 1, and further teaches wherein the first parameter further comprises: at least one of the following parameters: a pre-forward error correction bit error rate, a post- forward error correction bit error rate, or optical power (see Le Figure 2, signal output from summer 278 to SOP circuit 294 and paragraph [0037]. Paragraph [0039] also states that S0 is signal power).
Regarding claim 3, Le teaches all the limitations of claim 1, and further teaches wherein the status information of the optical signal further comprises: at least one of the following parameters: an optical polarization state change rate (see Le paragraph [0040]), a pre- forward error correction bit error rate, a post-forward error correction bit error rate, and or optical power.
Regarding claim 4, Le teaches all the limitations of claim 1, and further teaches wherein the electrical signal processing circuit is further configured to obtain service data based on the electrical signal, and the service data is output via the electrical signal interface circuit (see Le Figure 2, input signal 214 to driver 212 and output from CDR 282 and paragraph [0028]).
Regarding claim 8, Le teaches all the limitations of claim 1, and further teaches wherein the status information of the optical signal is used to determine vibration information of an optical fiber through which the optical signal passes (see Le paragraph [0054]).
Regarding claim 15, Le teaches a detection method, applied to an optical-electrical apparatus or chip, wherein the method comprises:
outputting, based on an input electrical signal (see Le Figure 2, input signals 272 into Stokes parameter circuit 290) a first parameter of an optical signal corresponding to the electrical signal, wherein the first parameter comprises an optical polarization parameter (see paragraph [0038], wherein Stokes-parameters are well-known to be tied to optical polarization);
obtaining status information of the optical signal based on the first parameter (see Figure 2, SOP circuit 294 and paragraphs [0039]-[0040]); and
outputting the status information of the optical signal (see Figure 2, output 296 and paragraph [0040]).
Regarding claim 16, Le teaches all the limitations of claim 15, and further teaches wherein the first parameter further comprises: at least one of the following parameters: a pre-forward error correction bit error rate, a post- forward error correction bit error rate, or optical power (see Le Figure 2, signal output from summer 278 to SOP circuit 294 and paragraph [0037]. Paragraph [0039] also states that S0 is signal power).
Regarding claim 17, Le teaches all the limitations of claim 15, and further teaches wherein the status information of the optical signal further comprises: at least one of the following parameters: an optical polarization state change rate (see Le paragraph [0040]), a pre- forward error correction bit error rate, a post-forward error correction bit error rate, and or optical power.
Regarding claim 19, Le teaches all the limitations of claim 15, and further teaches wherein the method further comprises at least one of:
filtering or selecting, from the status information of the optical signal, status information that meets a preset condition;
obtaining a change rate of the status information of the optical signal through processing (see Le paragraph [0040]); or
configuring a report mode of the status information of the optical signal.
Regarding claim 20, Le teaches all the limitations of claim 15, and further teaches wherein the status information of the optical signal is used to determine vibration information of an optical fiber through which the optical signal passes (see Le paragraph [0054]).
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) 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Le, U.S. Publication No. 2022/0045766.
Regarding claim 5, Le teaches all the limitations of claim 1, and further teaches wherein the electrical signal processing circuit and the status detection circuit are integrated (see Le Figure 2, wherein both circuits are a part of DSP 70).
Le does not expressively teach wherein the circuits are packaged in a single chip. However, one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention would have found it obvious as a matter of simple substitution to replace the generic integration of Le with that of being packaged on a single chip to yield the predictable results of successfully analyzing and relaying the electrical signals.
Claim(s) 6, 7, and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Le, U.S. Publication No. 2022/0045766 in view of Fan et al, U.S. Publication No. 2021/0399803.
Regarding claim 6, Le teaches all the limitations of claim 6, but does not expressively teach wherein the status detection circuit comprises an input processing circuit and a status parameter calculation circuit, and wherein: the input processing circuit is configured to perform at least one of sampling or average processing on the first parameter; and the status parameter calculation circuit is configured to obtain, based on at least one of the sampled first parameter or the average processed first parameter, the status information of the optical signal through processing.
However, Fan in a similar invention in the same field of endeavor teaches a status detection circuit configured to obtain status information (see Fan Figure 2A, state of polarization apparatus 100) as taught in Le wherein
the status detection circuit comprises an input processing circuit (see Figure 2A, fitting unit 202) and a status parameter calculation circuit (see Figure 2A, calculating units 205-206), and wherein:
the input processing circuit is configured to perform at least one of sampling or average processing on the first parameter (see Figure 4, which is an embodiment of fitting unit 202 of Figure 2, calculating module 402 and paragraph [0072], “As shown in FIG. 5, the pilot symbols in the n-th block may be divided into 4 groups (4 groups of SOP), and the calculating module 402 calculates average values A′, B′, C′ and D′ of the groups and takes them as center points of the groups, and fits A′, B′, C′ and D′ to obtain the fitted plane, a center of the fitted plane being an average of the four center points A′, B′, C′ and D′”); and
the status parameter calculation circuit is configured to obtain, based on at least one of the sampled first parameter or the average processed first parameter, the status information of the optical signal through processing (see paragraphs [0055]-[0056]).
One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention would have found it obvious as a matter of simple substitution to replace the generic status detection circuit of Le with that of Fan to yield the predictable results of successfully calculating the status parameter.
Regarding claim 7, Le in view of Fan teaches all the limitations of claim 6, and further teaches wherein the status detection circuit further comprises at least one of the following circuits:
a filter circuit, a parameter change rate calculation circuit, or a report control circuit, wherein the filter circuit is configured to filter or select, from the status information of the optical signal, status information that meets a preset condition, the parameter change rate calculation circuit is configured to obtain a change rate of the status information of the optical signal through processing (such a circuit is implied by Le paragraph [0040]), and the report control circuit is adapted to configure a report mode of the status information of the optical signal.
Regarding claim 18, Le teaches all the limitations of claim 15, but does not expressively teach wherein the method further comprises: after at least one of sampling or average processing is performed on the first parameter, obtaining, based on at least one of the sampled first parameter or the average processed first parameter, the status information of the optical signal through processing.
However, Fan in a similar invention in the same field of endeavor teaches a status detection method configured to obtain status information (see Fan Figure 2A, state of polarization apparatus 100) as taught in Le the method comprising
after at least one of sampling or average processing is performed on the first parameter (see Figure 4, which is an embodiment of fitting unit 202 of Figure 2, calculating module 402 and paragraph [0072], “As shown in FIG. 5, the pilot symbols in the n-th block may be divided into 4 groups (4 groups of SOP), and the calculating module 402 calculates average values A′, B′, C′ and D′ of the groups and takes them as center points of the groups, and fits A′, B′, C′ and D′ to obtain the fitted plane, a center of the fitted plane being an average of the four center points A′, B′, C′ and D′”), obtaining, based on at least one of the sampled first parameter or the average processed first parameter, the status information of the optical signal through processing (see Figure 2A, units 205-206paragraphs [0055]-[0056]).
One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention would have found it obvious as a matter of simple substitution to replace the generic status detection method of Le with that of Fan to yield the predictable results of successfully calculating the status parameter.
Claim(s) 9, 10, and 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Le, U.S. Publication No. 2022/0045766 in view of Wang et al, U.S. Publication No. 2009/0188106.
Regarding claim 9, Le teaches an electronic device, wherein the electronic device comprises at least one optical-electrical apparatus, wherein the optical-electrical apparatus comprises an optical-to-electrical conversion circuit (see Le Figure 2, optical hybrid 60 with light detectors 62), an electrical signal processing circuit (see Figure 2, Stokes-parameter circuit 290 and elements 274-278), an electrical signal interface circuit (see Figure 2, output interface SOP circuit 294 and CDR 282), and a status detection circuit (see Figure 2, SOP circuit 294), and wherein:
the optical-to-electrical conversion circuit is configured to convert an optical signal into an electrical signal (see paragraph [0030]);
the electrical signal processing circuit is configured to output a first parameter of the optical signal based on the electrical signal, wherein the first parameter comprises an optical polarization parameter (see paragraph [0038], wherein Stokes-parameters are well-known to be tied to optical polarization); and
the status detection circuit is configured to obtain status information of the optical signal based on the first parameter, wherein the status information of the optical signal is output via the electrical signal interface circuit (see paragraphs [0039]-[0040]).
Le does not expressively teach wherein the electronic device comprising a housing, a circuit board, and [wherein the] at least one optical-electrical apparatus [is] connected to the circuit board.
However, Wang in a similar invention in the same field of endeavor teaches an electronic apparatus comprising at least one optical-electrical apparatus (see Wang Figure 5A, TX/RX 13 and paragraph [0022]) as taught in Le comprising
a housing (see Figure 5A, housing 11), a circuit board (see Figure 5A, cage mount board), and [wherein the] at least one optical-electrical apparatus [is] connected to the circuit board (see Figure 5A, insertion into the transceiver cage and paragraph [0022]).
One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention would have found it obvious to combine the teaching of a housing and circuit board for connecting an optical-electronic device as taught in Wang with the system taught in Le, the motivation being to allow different devices to be easily switched in and out if failure occurs or other system needs change.
Regarding claim 10, Le in view of Wang teaches all the limitations of claim 9, and further teaches wherein the electronic device further comprises a vibration processing circuit, and the vibration processing circuit is configured to obtain, based on status information of an optical signal, vibration information of an optical fiber through which the optical signal passes (such a circuit is implied by Le paragraph [0054]).
Le in view of Wang does not expressively teach wherein the vibration processing circuit is located in the optical-electrical apparatus or on the circuit board. However, one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention would have found it obvious as a matter of design choice to place such circuitry as claimed based on how quickly the information is needed and where.
Regarding claim 14, Le teaches an optical communication system, wherein the optical communication system comprises at least one electronic device, wherein the electronic device comprises at least one optical-electrical apparatus, wherein the optical-electrical apparatus comprises an optical-to-electrical conversion circuit (see Le Figure 2, optical hybrid 60 with light detectors 62), an electrical signal processing circuit (see Figure 2, Stokes-parameter circuit 290 and elements 274-278), an electrical signal interface circuit (see Figure 2, output interface SOP circuit 294 and CDR 282), and a status detection circuit (see Figure 2, SOP circuit 294), and wherein:
the optical-to-electrical conversion circuit is configured to convert an optical signal into an electrical signal (see paragraph [0030]);
the electrical signal processing circuit is configured to output a first parameter of the optical signal based on the electrical signal, wherein the first parameter comprises an optical polarization parameter (see paragraph [0038], wherein Stokes-parameters are well-known to be tied to optical polarization); and
the status detection circuit is configured to obtain status information of the optical signal based on the first parameter, wherein the status information of the optical signal is output via the electrical signal interface circuit (see paragraphs [0039]-[0040]).
Le does not expressively teach wherein
the electronic device comprising a housing, a circuit board, and [wherein the] at least one optical-electrical apparatus [is] connected to the circuit board; and
at least one switch or router is connected to the electronic device, wherein the at least one switch or router and is configured to perform data communication with the electronic device.
However, Wang in a similar invention in the same field of endeavor teaches an electronic apparatus comprising at least one optical-electrical apparatus (see Wang Figure 5A, TX/RX 13 and paragraph [0022]) as taught in Le comprising
a housing (see Figure 5A, housing 11), a circuit board (see Figure 5A, cage mount board), and [wherein the] at least one optical-electrical apparatus [is] connected to the circuit board (see Figure 5A, insertion into the transceiver cage and paragraph [0022]); and
at least one switch or router is connected to the electronic device, wherein the at least one switch or router and is configured to perform data communication with the electronic device (see paragraph [0022]).
One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention would have found it obvious to combine the teaching of a housing and circuit board for connecting an optical-electronic device to a router or switch as taught in Wang with the system taught in Le, the motivation being to allow different devices to be easily switched in and out if failure occurs or other system needs change.
Claim(s) 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Le, U.S. Publication No. 2022/0045766 in view of Wang et al, U.S. Publication No. 2009/0188106 and Theodoras et al, U.S. Patent No. 7,471,897.
Regarding claim 11, Le in view of Wang teaches all the limitations of claim 9, but does not expressively teach wherein the at least one optical- electrical apparatus comprises a first optical-electrical apparatus and a second optical-electrical apparatus, the first optical-electrical apparatus is configured to report status information of a first optical signal to the electronic device, and the second optical-electrical apparatus is configured to report status information of a second optical signal to the electronic device.
However, Theodoras in a similar invention in the same field of endeavor teaches an electronic device comprising a circuit board connected to at least one optical-electrical apparatus (see Theodoras Figure 1, card 101 with SFPs 5) as taught in Le in view of Wang wherein
the at least one optical- electrical apparatus comprises a first optical-electrical apparatus and a second optical-electrical apparatus (see Figure 1, two different SFPs 5), the first optical-electrical apparatus is configured to report status information of a first optical signal to the electronic device, and the second optical-electrical apparatus is configured to report status information of a second optical signal to the electronic device (see Figure 1, optical loopbacks and column 1, “As shown in FIG. 1, optical loopbacks can be utilized for testing. In this instance, a transmit optical fiber can be looped back to also serve as the receive optical fiber. Also, the optical signal can be attenuated (such as by a computer controlled attenuator or shutter) for testing purposes. Additionally, an optical fiber can be manually pulled. Lastly, test equipment 7 can be utilized through an optical transceiver module)”).
One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention would have found it obvious to combine the teaching of having multiple optical-electrical apparatuses able to report status information as taught in Theodoras with the system taught in Le in view of Wang, the motivation being to increase the data throughput in the system while ensuring the data is maintained.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 12 and 13 objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CASEY L KRETZER whose telephone number is (571)272-5639. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 10:00-7:00 PM Pacific Time.
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/CASEY L KRETZER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2635
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