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 § 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) 1-4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xia et al. (US8811815B2) in view of Jennings et al. (US20020015200A1).
Regarding claim 1, Xia et al. discloses An optical fiber performance detection system (Fig. 3), comprising:
a first optical fiber detection device (Fig. 3; the test device 300), externally coupled to a first position of a main optical fiber (Fig. 3; Fig. 1; Column 1, lines 58-61; the test device 300 is externally added. In mesh network 100, each line connecting one of nodes 110 to another of nodes 110 represent one or more optical fibers interconnecting the nodes 110); a second optical fiber detection device (Fig. 3; the test device 310), externally coupled to a second position of the main optical fiber (Fig. 3; Fig. 1; Column 1, lines 58-61; the test device 310 is externally added and connected to the end node 110-6. In mesh network 100, each line connecting one of nodes 110 to another of nodes 110 represent one or more optical fibers interconnecting the nodes 110), and detecting the first optical signal transmitted on the main optical fiber (Fig. 3; Column 3, lines 26-29; At the end of the path, test device 310 may represent a receiver device used to receive optical data, analyze the spectral content and determine the overall pass-band of the optical path), wherein the second optical fiber detection device is configured to execute: in response to determining that the first optical signal transmitted on the main optical fiber is not detected, determining that the main optical fiber is malfunctioned (Fig. 3; Fig. 5; Fig. 7; Column 5, lines 52-55; measuring logic 530 may generate and output for display a frequency curve graph associated with the spectral output, a pass/fail indication with respect to the tested optical path. As shown in Fig. 7, the output 700 generated by measuring logic 530 includes regions in which no signal is present).
However, the present system does not expressly disclose providing a first optical signal having a first wavelength for transmission on the main optical fiber, wherein the first wavelength is different from a wavelength of a primary optical signal transmitted on the main optical fiber.
Jennings et al. discloses providing a first optical signal having a first wavelength for transmission on the main optical fiber, wherein the first wavelength is different from a wavelength of a primary optical signal transmitted on the main optical fiber (Fig. 2; Para. 14; the laser test source 120 outputs a test signal. The test signal having one wavelength is conveyed via optical links 106 and 108 while other optical signals having wavelengths different from the one wavelength are conveyed also via optical links 106 and 108 without interfering with the test signal allowing the system optical links (106, 108) to be monitored).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to add a test signal with a wavelength different from the main communication optical signal, as taught by Jennings et al., in the present system in order to continuously monitor the communication path without interfering the main communication signal.
Regarding claim 2, the present combination discloses The optical fiber performance detection system as claimed in claim 1, as described and applied above, wherein the first optical fiber detection device comprises: a first light source (Jennings et al., Fig. 2; laser test source 120), transmitting the first optical signal having the first wavelength (Jennings et al., Fig. 2; Para. 16; laser test source 120 generates optical signals having wavelength l1 which are fed to an input of WDM 124); and a first beam splitter (Jennings et al., Fig. 2; the WDM (Wavelength Division Multiplexer) 124 (WDM is used for separating and coupling optical signals. As shown, WDM 126 that separates received signal into two output signals)), coupled to the first light source and the main optical fiber (Jennings et al., Fig. 2; the WDM 124 is coupled to the fiber 106 and the laser source 120), and used to guide the first optical signal transmitted by the first light source for transmission within the main optical fiber (Jennings et al., Fig. 2; Para. 16; laser test source 120 generates optical signals having wavelength l1 which are fed to an input of WDM 124. Other optical signals of wavelength l2 originating from Transmitter 102 are fed to another input of WDM 124. Both signals (l1, l2) are transmitted through WDM 124 and onto optical link 106).
Regarding claim 3, the present combination discloses The optical fiber performance detection system as claimed in claim 2, as described and applied above, wherein the second optical fiber detection device comprises: a second beam splitter (Jennings et al., Fig. 2; the WDM (Wavelength Division Multiplexer) 126 (in combination with, Xia et al., the WDM 126 is placed at the destination node)), coupled to the main optical fiber, and used to guide the first optical signal transmitted within the main optical fiber to a first light sensor (Jennings et al., Fig. 2; Para. 17; WDM 126 receives the optical signals (l1, l2) and allows the l1 signals to pass through to monitoring shelf unit 122 via link 118 (the monitoring unit 122 corresponds to the test device 310 of Xia et al.)); and the first light sensor, coupled to the second beam splitter (Jennings et al., Fig. 2; the monitoring unit 122), and used to sense the first optical signal guided by the second beam splitter (Jennings et al., Fig. 2; Para. 18; Monitoring shelf unit 122 has equipment which is capable of detecting any signal degradation and where in the system optical links such degradation has occurred. Monitoring shelf unit 122 detects signal degradation by monitoring the l1 signals after such signals have propagated through the system optical links).
Regarding claim 4, the present combination discloses The optical fiber performance detection system as claimed in claim 1, as described and applied above , wherein the second optical fiber detection device is further configured to execute: in response to determining that the main optical fiber is malfunctioned, providing a warning to a network management center (Xia et al., Fig. 3; Fig. 6; Column 8, lines 39-41; measuring logic 530 automatically generate a pass/fail output signal indicating whether the pass-band characteristic meets or exceeds a desired threshold (act 650)).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 5-7 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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JAI M. LEE
Examiner
Art Unit 2634
/JAI M LEE/Examiner, Art Unit 2634
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