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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements submitted on 01/08/2025 and 10/29/2025 have been considered by the examiner and made of record in the application file.
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, 3-4, and 6-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over GUO YAQIN ET AL:"Cost-effective WDM-PON for flexible ONU-communication featuring high wavelength utilization and low latency", OPTICAL FIBER TECHNOLOGY, ELSEVIER, AMSTERDAM, NL, vol. 67, 11 November 2021 (2021-11-11), XP086877874，ISSN:1068-5200，DOI:10.1016/J.YOFTE.2021.102709 [retrieved on 2021-11-11] (via IDS) (herein referred to as “Guo”)
Consider Claim 1, Guo discloses wherein two sides of coupling module are respectively provided with a plurality of first side interfaces (Figure 3c, where MAWG has multiple ports to the right) and a plurality of second side interfaces (Figure 3c, where each circulator element has input port 2), and each of the second side interfaces communicates with a plurality of the first side interfaces (Figure 3c, ports of circulators 1-3 are interconnected); and a plurality of the first side interfaces comprise a plurality of first side branch interfaces and at least one first public port (Figure 3c, where coupler 3 acts as branch into common port of MAWG); a plurality of annular members (Figure 3c, where there are three circulators), wherein the annular members are provided with unidirectionally communicating first connection ports, second connection ports and third connection ports (Figure 3c, where circulator has three ports), the first connection ports are connected to the first side branch interfaces in one-to-one correspondence (Figure 1, where circulators 1-3 are directly connected to AWG); the third connection ports are connected to one of the second side interfaces (Figure 3c, where each circulator has port 2 connected to coupler); and the second connection ports are configured to output input uplink optical signals from the communicating second side interfaces to the first public port and a plurality of the first side branch interfaces (Figure 3c, where each circulator has output port 2 which is forwarded to coupler which is then fed into input of AWG via circulator m+1; Figure 1, where there are multiple MAWGs which each have branch coupler (Figure 3c, coupler 3) and input port); and a plurality of wavelength division multiplexing modules (Figure 1, where there are multiple M-AWGs), wherein the plurality of wavelength division multiplexing modules are in one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of annular members (Figure 3C, where each M-AWG is connected to circulators); the wavelength division multiplexing modules are each configured to combine a first downlink optical signal with an uplink optical signal output by the corresponding first side branch interface to the corresponding first connection port (Page 5, Column 1, Lines 3-12, where M-AWG combines upstream and downstream signals); and the first downlink optical signal is an optical signal obtained by splitting a downlink optical signal input to the first public port (Page 3, Column 2, Lines 30-31 where downstream signal is split at ONU after passing through common port). While Guo does not explicitly disclose a star-shaped coupling module, Figure 1 shows a star coupler in the “RN” section which takes the signal transmitted from the CO and splits it into m signals which are transmitted to m “PN” sections within the ODN. The M-AWGs in each of the PNs take a signal at its input port 3 and demultiplexes the signal into multiple signals which are each input into a circulator (see Figure 3c), before finally reaching an ONU as seen in Figure 1. The function that is done by the M-AWGs in the PN is effectively performing a “coupling” function like the star coupler in the RN of Figure 1. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art that the M-AWG is performing the same function as the “star-shaped coupling module” to meet the limitations of the claim.
Consider Claim 3, Guo discloses the optical distribution apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the wavelength division multiplexing modules each comprise a first wavelength division multiplexing member, and the first wavelength division multiplexing member is arranged between the first connection port of the corresponding annular member and the corresponding first side branch interface (Figure 3c, where AWG is connected between circulator and coupler 3).
Consider Claim 4, Guo discloses the optical distribution apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the wavelength division multiplexing modules each further comprise a third wavelength division multiplexing member (Figure 1, where there are multiple M-AWGs); and the third wavelength division multiplexing member is connected to the first public port. (Figure 1, where M-AWG is connected to common port on left).
Consider Claim 6, Guo discloses an optical distribution network unit, comprising at least one optical distribution apparatus according to claim 1 (Figure 3c, where MAWG is in PN and Figure 1, where PN is ODN of PON).
Consider Claim 7, Guo discloses a network system, comprising: at least one optical line terminal (Figure 1, element CO) ; an optical distribution network unit according to claim 6 (Figure 1, where PN elements make up ODN); and a plurality of optical network apparatuses (Figure 1, where plurality of ONUs on right side), connected to the optical line terminal through an optical distribution apparatus (Figure 1, where ONUs are connected via PN elements to central office).
Consider Claim 8, Guo discloses a network system, comprising: at least one optical line terminal (Figure 1, CO element); an optical distribution network unit according to claim 6 (Figure 1, where PN elements make up ODN), wherein one optical distribution apparatus is provided (Figure 1, where any PN element is distribution apparatus), and the optical line terminals are connected to first public ports of the optical distribution apparatus in one-to-one correspondence (Figure 1, where PN elements make up ODN and Figure 1, CO element is connected to PN element); and a plurality of optical network apparatuses, respectively connected to a second connection port of one of annular members of the optical distribution apparatus one by one (Figure 3c, where circulators have port 2 that is leading to right and Figure 1, where ONUs are on right of W-AMG elements).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2, 5, and 9-10 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 ASIF SHAMEEM whose telephone number is (571)272-6576. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8:00 AM EST-5:00 PM EST.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, KENNETH VANDERPUYE can be reached at (571) 272-3078. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/ASIF SHAMEEM/Examiner, Art Unit 2634
/KENNETH N VANDERPUYE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2634
Prosecution Insights