9Notice 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 § 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:
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, 5, 9, 11, 13, 17, and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Baehr-Jones (US 12273148), and further in view of Myers (US 6751268).
Consider Claim 1, Baehr-Jones discloses an optical link comprising: a local transmitter (Figure 1C, element 100) configured for generating a plurality of modulated optical wavelength channels (25) (Column 5, Lines 16-19, where element 100 transmits modulated signals), comprising: one or more light sources configured for generating a plurality of input optical signals (10) with different wavelength channels (Figure 1C, element 110 and Column 5, Lines 27-29, where each element 110 has a different wavelength); a plurality of modulators for modulating the plurality of input optical signals forming the plurality of modulated optical wavelength channels (25) (Figure 1C, element 110); one (Figure 1C, element 115 generates LO signal element 117); and one (Figure 1C, element 210 is disposed after modulator elements 120), which in combination with the plurality of modulators is configured for generating a plurality of modulated multi-wavelength optical signals (18) (Figure 1C, element 220a and Column 8, Lines 8-11, where element 220a has multiple modulated optical signals) each with a respective subset of the plurality of modulated optical wavelength channels (25) (Column 8, Lines 40-44, where each element 210 is configured to multiplex multiple signals on different wavelength channels from different modulated groups) and a remote receiver (Figure 1c, element 300), comprising: a plurality of demultiplexers (Figure 4A, element 230), each demultiplexer configured for demultiplexing one of the plurality of modulated multi-wavelength optical signals (18) into the respective subset of the plurality of modulated optical wavelength channels (25) (Column 9, Lines 3-8, where element 230 separates multiple modulated signals into multiple path each containing a channel with a unique wavelength); a plurality of optical hybrid mixers (Figure 5, elements 210 and Figure 6, where element 311 is inside of each element 310), each optical hybrid mixer configured for mixing one of second local oscillator signals from a remote transmitter with one of the plurality of modulated optical wavelength channels (25) (Figure 6 and Column 10, Lines 42-49, where element 311 takes modulated signal and Lo signal as inputs for mixing) producing mixed optical signals ((I+ and I-) and (Q+ and Q-) (Figure 6, where signals element 311 produces I+, I-, Q+, and Q- signals) (Figure 6, elements 312) but does not disclose an amplifier configured for summing squares ((I+ + I-)2 + (Q+ + Q-)2 or (I12, I22 and I32)) of the electrical signals.
However, Myers discloses an amplifier (Figure 1, element 14) configured for summing squares ((I+ + I-)2 + (Q+ + Q-)2 (Figure 1, element 16 and Column 2, Lines 58-62, where element 16 takes output from element and includes calculation of squares of IQ data) .
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before theeffective filing date of applicant’s claimed invention to have incorporated the teachingsof Myers into Baehr-Jones to determine exact instantaneous power of input signal.
Consider Claim 5, Baehr-Jones discloses the optical link according to claim 1, wherein the one or more first splitters comprises a plurality of LO splitters (233), each of the plurality of LO splitters (233) (Figure 1C, element 115 and splitter element that is connected to element 310) configured for splitting a respective one of the input optical signals into a plurality (2M) of optical signal portions, a first half of the plurality of optical signal portions forming the first local oscillator signals (Figure 1C, where splitter element connected to element 310 is inputting LO signal into elements 310) and a second half of the plurality of optical signal portions transmitted to the plurality of modulators (Figure 1C, where elements 120 take input from splitter); and wherein each one of the plurality of modulators receives one of the second half of the plurality of optical signal portions for generating a corresponding one of the plurality of modulated optical wavelength channels (25) (Figure 1C, where elements 120 take input from splitter to perform modulation); wherein the one or more multiplexers comprises a plurality of multiplexers (213) (Column 8, Lines 25-28 where each element 210 receives combined signals from other multiplexers), one of the plurality of multiplexers corresponding to each one of the plurality of LO splitters (233) (Column 5, Lines 50-53, where source element 110 includes a splitter element 115 that is put onto path element 116; Figure 1C, where element 116 inputs signals into modulator elements 120 which each will go into a multiplexer element 210) configured for combining the respective subset of the plurality of modulated optical wavelength channels (25) into a respective one of the plurality of multi-wavelength optical signals (18) (Column 8, Lines 40-44, where each element 210 is configured to multiplex multiple signals on different wavelength channels from different modulated groups).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before theeffective filing date of applicant’s claimed invention to have incorporated the teachingsof Myers into Baehr-Jones to determine exact instantaneous power of input signal.
Consider Claim 9, Baehr-Jones discloses the optical link according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of modulators comprises a plurality of wavelength dependent modulators (Figure 2B, where modulator elements 120a and 120 b receive signals from elements 116a and 116b; Column 5, Lines 64-67 and Column 6, Lines 1-2, where element 116 comprises a path for each wavelength).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before theeffective filing date of applicant’s claimed invention to have incorporated the teachingsof Myers into Baehr-Jones to determine exact instantaneous power of input signal.
Consider Claim 11, Baehr-Jones discloses the optical link according to claim 1, wherein each one of the plurality of optical hybrid mixers comprises a 90° optical hybrid mixer (Column 10, Lines 38-39, where element 311 is a 90° optical hybrid) configured for mixing one of the second local oscillator signals with one of the modulated optical wavelength channels (Figure 6 and Column 10, Lines 42-49, where element 311 takes modulated signal and Lo signal as inputs for mixing) producing in-phase (I+ and I-) and quadrature (Q+ and Q-) electrical signals (Figure 6, where signals element 311 produces I+, I-, Q+, and Q- signals) but does not disclose wherein the amplifier is configured for summing squares ((I+ + I-)2 + (Q+ + Q-)2) of the in-phase and quadrature electrical signals.
However, Myers discloses wherein the amplifier (Figure 1, element 14) configured for summing squares ((I+ + I-)2 + (Q+ + Q-)2 (Figure 1, element 16 and Column 2, Lines 58-62, where element 16 takes output from element and includes calculation of squares of IQ data).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before theeffective filing date of applicant’s claimed invention to have incorporated the teachingsof Myers into Baehr-Jones to determine exact instantaneous power of input signal.
Consider Claim 13, Baehr-Jones discloses an optical device comprising: a local transmitter (Figure 1C, element 100) configured for generating a plurality of modulated optical wavelength channels (25) (Column 5, Lines 16-19, where element 100 transmits modulated signals), comprising: one or more light sources configured for generating a plurality of input optical signals (10) with different wavelength channels 9Figure 1C, element 110 and Column 5, Lines 27-29, where each element 110 has a different wavelength); a plurality of modulators for modulating the plurality of input optical signals forming the plurality of modulated optical wavelength channels (25) (Figure 1C, element 110); one (Figure 1C, element 115 generates LO signal element 117); and one (Figure 1C, element 210 is disposed after modulator elements 120), which in combination with the plurality of modulators is configured for generating a plurality of modulated multi-wavelength optical signals (18) (Figure 1C, element 220a and Column 8, Lines 8-11, where element 220a has multiple modulated optical signals) each with a respective subset of the plurality of modulated optical wavelength channels (25) (Column 8, Lines 40-44, where each element 210 is configured to multiplex multiple signals on different wavelength channels from different modulated groups); and a local receiver (Figure 1c, element 300), comprising: a plurality of demultiplexers (Figure 4A, element 230), each demultiplexer configured for demultiplexing one of the plurality of modulated multi-wavelength optical signals (18) into the respective subset of the plurality of modulated optical wavelength channels (25) (Column 9, Lines 3-8, where element 230 separates multiple modulated signals into multiple path each containing a channel with a unique wavelength); a plurality of optical hybrid mixers (Figure 5, elements 210 and Figure 6, where element 311 is inside of each element 310), each optical hybrid mixer configured for mixing one of second local oscillator signals from a remote transmitter with one of the plurality of modulated optical wavelength channels (25) (Figure 6 and Column 10, Lines 42-49, where element 311 takes modulated signal and Lo signal as inputs for mixing) producing mixed optical signals ((I+ and I-) and (Q+ and Q-) (Figure 6, where signals element 311 produces I+, I-, Q+, and Q- signals) mixed optical signals into electrical signals (Figure 6, elements 312) but does not disclose an amplifier configured for summing squares ((I+ + I-)2 + (Q+ + Q-)2 or (I12, I22 and I32)) of the electrical signals.
However, Myers discloses an amplifier (Figure 1, element 14) configured for summing squares ((I+ + I-)2 + (Q+ + Q-)2 (Figure 1, element 16 and Column 2, Lines 58-62, where element 16 takes output from element and includes calculation of squares of IQ data).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before theeffective filing date of applicant’s claimed invention to have incorporated the teachingsof Myers into Baehr-Jones to determine exact instantaneous power of input signal.
Consider Claim 17, Baehr-Jones discloses the optical device according to claim 13, wherein the one or more first splitters comprises a plurality of first splitters (Figure 1C, where there are multiple splitter elements 115 and 118), each one of the plurality of first splitters coupled between the light source and the multiplexer (Figure 1C, where elements 115 and 118 are in between source element 110 and multiplexer element 210).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before theeffective filing date of applicant’s claimed invention to have incorporated the teachingsof Myers into Baehr-Jones to determine exact instantaneous power of input signal.
Consider Claim 19, Baehr-Jones discloses the optical device according to claim 13, wherein each one of the plurality of optical hybrid mixers comprises a 90° optical hybrid mixer (Column 10, Lines 38-39, where element 311 is a 90° optical hybrid) configured for mixing one of the second local oscillator signals with one of the modulated optical wavelength channels (Figure 6 and Column 10, Lines 42-49, where element 311 takes modulated signal and Lo signal as inputs for mixing) producing in-phase (I+ and I-) and quadrature (Q+ and Q-) electrical signals (Figure 6, where signals element 311 produces I+, I-, Q+, and Q- signals) but does not disclose wherein the amplifier is configured for summing squares ((I+ + I-)2 + (Q+ + Q-)2) of the in-phase and quadrature electrical signals.
However, Myers discloses wherein the amplifier (Figure 1, element 14) configured for summing squares ((I+ + I-)2 + (Q+ + Q-)2 (Figure 1, element 16 and Column 2, Lines 58-62, where element 16 takes output from element and includes calculation of squares of IQ data).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before theeffective filing date of applicant’s claimed invention to have incorporated the teachingsof Myers into Baehr-Jones to determine exact instantaneous power of input signal.
Claims 2 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Baehr-Jones in view of Myers and further in view of Ward (US 11057111).
Consider Claim 2, Baehr-Jones and Myers do not disclose the limitations of this claim.
However, Ward discloses the optical link according to claim 1, wherein the receiver is configured (Column 18, Lines 45-50, where receiver has been designed to eliminate adjacent channel interference).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before theeffective filing date of applicant’s claimed invention to have incorporated the teachingsof Ward into Baehr-Jones and Myers to reduce noise in the receiver.
Consider Claim 14, Baehr-Jones and Myers do not disclose the limitations of this claim.
However, Ward discloses the optical device according to claim 13, wherein the receiver is configured (Column 18, Lines 45-50, where receiver has been designed to eliminate adjacent channel interference).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before theeffective filing date of applicant’s claimed invention to have incorporated the teachingsof Ward into Baehr-Jones and Myers to reduce noise in the receiver.
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Baehr-Jones in view of Myers and further in view of Way (US 9722722).
Consider Claim 6, Baehr-Jones and Myers do not disclose the limitations of this claim.
However, Way discloses the optical link according to claim 1, wherein the local transmitter further comprises an interleaver configured for combining the plurality of modulated multi-wavelength optical signals onto a single optical fiber (Figure 2, where interleaver element 202 takes multiple modulated signals frim elements 104 and inputs them into element fiber element 108); and wherein the remote receiver further comprises a deinterleaver configured for separating the modulated multi-wavelength optical signals onto different waveguides for transmission to a different one of the plurality of demultiplexer (Figure 2, where deinterleaver element 204 takes signal from fiber and separates them into different paths in demultiplexer elements 104).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before theeffective filing date of applicant’s claimed invention to have incorporated the teachingsof Way into Baehr-Jones and Myers to increase capacity.
Claim(s) 10 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Baehr-Jones in view of Myers and further in view of Seyedi (US 10985841).
Consider Claim 10, Baehr-Jones and Myers do not disclose the limitations of this claim.
However, Seyedi discloses the optical link according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of demultiplexers comprises a plurality of wavelength dependent optical filters (Figure 2, demultiplexer element 130 contains elements 234 and Column 5, Lines 7-9, where elements 234 filters wavelengths of multiplexed light).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before theeffective filing date of applicant’s claimed invention to have incorporated the teachingsof Seyedi into Baehr-Jones and Myers to properly extract wavelength from multiplexed signals.
Consider Claim 18, Baehr-Jones discloses the optical device according to claim 13, wherein the plurality of modulators comprises a plurality of wavelength dependent modulators Figure 2B, where modulator elements 120a and 120 b receive signals from elements 116a and 116b; Column 5, Lines 64-67 and Column 6, Lines 1-2, where element 116 comprises a path for each wavelength)but does not disclose wherein the plurality of demultiplexers comprises a plurality of wavelength dependent optical filters.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before theeffective filing date of applicant’s claimed invention to have incorporated the teachingsof Myers into Baehr-Jones to determine exact instantaneous power of input signal.
However, Seyedi discloses wherein the plurality of demultiplexers comprises a plurality of wavelength dependent optical filters (Figure 2, demultiplexer element 130 contains elements 234 and Column 5, Lines 7-9, where elements 234 filters wavelengths of multiplexed light).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before theeffective filing date of applicant’s claimed invention to have incorporated the teachingsof Seyedi into Baehr-Jones and Myers to properly extract wavelength from multiplexed signals.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-4, 7-8, 12, 15-16 and 20 are 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
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/ASIF SHAMEEM/Examiner, Art Unit 2634
/KENNETH N VANDERPUYE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2634
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