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 § 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) 1-3, 7-9, 11-13 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by Wilstrup, Jan Brian et al. (US Publication #US 20040001194 A1; hereinafter Wilstrup; provided by the applicant).
Regarding claim 1, Wilstrup teaches
A measurement system (fig.2), comprising:
an external optical frontend (fig.2a and fig.3 #300 are external with respect to #304) connectable to a separately formed measurement instrument (fig.3 #304), wherein the external optical frontend comprises:
an optical test interface that is connectable to a device under test, and wherein the optical test interface is configured to transmit optical signals to the device under test and receive optical signals from the device under test (fig.3 DUT in fig.2a and the interfaces 204(the splitter) and 212 (channel 1)),
an optical coupler module, wherein the optical coupler module comprises an optical reference input port, wherein the optical coupler module is configured to receive a modulated optical reference signal from an optical signal generator module via the optical reference input port (optical port located at the input of the splitter 204 for receiving the modulated TLS signal), wherein the optical coupler module further comprises at least one optical port, wherein the at least one optical port is connected with the optical test interface, wherein the optical coupler module is configured to forward the modulated optical reference signal to the optical test interface via the at least one optical port (output of splitter 203 provides the modulated TLS signal to the DUT), and wherein the optical coupler module is configured to receive an optical measurement signal from the optical test interface via the at least one optical port (the signal at the input of the O/E converter 300 in fig.3 is acquired from the DUT through the use of an optical port), wherein the optical coupler module further comprises an optical reference output port, wherein the optical coupler module is configured to forward the modulated optical reference signal to the optical reference output port (output port at the output of splitter 204 provides signal 208 in fig.2a), wherein the optical coupler module further comprises an optical measurement output port, wherein the optical coupler module is configured to forward the optical measurement signal received via the at least one optical port to the optical measurement output port (input of the O/E converter 300 in fig.3), and
an optical RX module that is connected to the optical reference output port and to the optical measurement output port, wherein the optical RX module is configured to convert the optical measurement signal into an electrical measurement signal, and wherein the optical RX module is configured to convert the modulated optical reference signal into an modulated electrical reference signal (fig.3 discloses the two O/E converters 300).
Regarding claim 2, Wilstrup teaches the measurement system of claim 1, further comprising an electrical coupler module and a measurement module, wherein the electrical coupler module is connected to the at least one optical RX module so as to receive the electrical measurement signal and the modulated electrical reference signal, and wherein the electrical coupler module is configured to forward the electrical measurement signal and the modulated electrical reference signal to the measurement module (see #302 in fig.3).
Regarding claim 3, Wilstrup teaches the measurement system of claim 2, wherein the external optical frontend comprises the electrical coupler module and/or the measurement module (see #302 in fig.3).
Regarding claim 7, Wilstrup teaches the measurement system of claim 1, further comprising an RF generator module, wherein the RF generator module is configured to generate an electrical RF signal, and wherein the optical signal generator module is configured to generate the modulated optical reference signal based on the RF signal (fig.2a “modulated signal”).
Regarding claim 8, Wilstrup teaches the measurement system of claim 7, wherein the optical signal generator module comprises a light source and a modulator module (par.11).
Regarding claim 9, Wilstrup teaches the measurement system of claim 8, wherein the modulator module comprises a Mach-Zehnder-modulator (fig.2a “modulated TLS”).
Regarding claim 11, Wilstrup teaches the measurement system of claim 1,wherein the external optical frontend comprises an optical reference input interface, wherein the optical reference input interface is configured to receive the modulated optical reference signal from the optical signal generator module, wherein the optical signal generator module is established separately from the external optical frontend, and wherein the optical reference input interface is connected to the optical reference input port (see measurement instrument 304, and the external optical frontend 300, 302 in fig.3 and modulated TLS, modulation signal, splitter 204 in fig.2a).
Regarding claim 12, Wilstrup teaches the measurement system of claim 1, further comprising a measurement instrument, and wherein the external optical frontend is separately formed with respect to the measurement instrument (see measurement instrument 304, and the external optical frontend 300, 302 in fig.3 and modulated TLS, modulation signal, splitter 204 in fig.2a).
Regarding claim 13, Wilstrup teaches the measurement system of claim 12, wherein the measurement instrument and the external optical frontend comprise a data interface, respectively, and wherein the data interface of the measurement instrument is connected with the data interface of the external optical frontend (par.40-42).
Regarding claim 15, Wilstrup teaches the measurement system of claim 12, wherein the measurement instrument is a vector network analyzer (fig.3 #300).
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 (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 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) 4-6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wilstrup in view of Keck; Steven William (US publication #US 20220038176 A1; hereinafter Keck; provided by the applicant).
Regarding claim 4, Wilstrup teaches the measurement system of claim 3, but fails to teach wherein the external optical frontend comprises an electrical test interface, wherein the electrical test interface is connectable to a device under test, and wherein the electrical test interface is configured to transmit electrical signals to the device under test and/or receive electrical signals from the device under test.
Keck does teach wherein the external optical frontend comprises an electrical test interface, wherein the electrical test interface is connectable to a device under test, and wherein the electrical test interface is configured to transmit electrical signals to the device under test and/or receive electrical signals from the device under test (see fig.1).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the
effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Wilstrup to include the teachings of Keck; which would provide a multi-lane optical electrical device testing using automated testing equipment in which the hybrid optical-electrical ATM system tests each lane individually by inputting light into the lane-under-test and selecting output light from the lane-under-test to a testing device using an optical switch (e.g., a 1×4 optical switch, a mechanical switch, an thermo-optic switch, a Mach-Zehnder Interferometer based switch), which efficiently tests and calibrates the multi-lane DUT as disclosed by Keck (par.16).
Regarding claim 5, Wilstrup in view of Keck teaches the measurement system of claim 4, Keck further teaches wherein the electrical coupler module is configured to forward an electrical measurement signal received by the electrical test interface to the measurement module (fig.1).
Regarding claim 6, Wilstrup in view of Keck teaches the measurement system of claim 4, Keck further teaches further comprising an RF generator module, wherein the RF generator module is configured to generate an electrical RF signal, wherein the electrical coupler module is connected to the RF generator module so as to receive the electrical RF signal, and wherein the electrical coupler module is configured to forward the electrical RF signal to the electrical test interface (see fig.1).
Claim(s) 10 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wilstrup in view of Keck in view of Hernday; Paul R. et al. (US patent # US 5041997 A; hereinafter Hernday; provided by the applicant).
Regarding claim 10, Wilstrup in view of Keck teaches the measurement system of claim 6, but fails to teach wherein the external optical frontend comprises the RF generator module and/or the optical signal generator module.
Hernday does teach wherein the external optical frontend comprises the RF generator module and/or the optical signal generator module (see #
12
3
in fig.2C).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the
effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Wilstrup in view of Keck to include the teachings of Hernday; which would provide a Lightwave component analyzer, which has the advantages of improved accuracy, repeatability, and ease of use as disclosed by Hernday (col.2 ln 38-45).
Regarding claim 14, Wilstrup in view of Keck teaches the measurement system of claim 6, but fails to teach further comprising a measurement instrument, wherein the external optical frontend is separately formed with respect to the measurement instrument wherein the RF generator module is partially integrated into the measurement instrument and partially integrated into the external optical frontend, and/or wherein the optical signal generator module is partially integrated into the measurement instrument and partially integrated into the external optical frontend.
Hernday does teach wherein further comprising a measurement instrument, wherein the external optical frontend is separately formed with respect to the measurement instrument wherein the RF generator module is partially integrated into the measurement instrument and partially integrated into the external optical frontend, and/or wherein the optical signal generator module is partially integrated into the measurement instrument and partially integrated into the external optical frontend (col.3 ln 60-65).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the
effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Wilstrup in view of Keck to include the teachings of Hernday; which would provide a Lightwave component analyzer, which has the advantages of improved accuracy, repeatability, and ease of use as disclosed by Hernday (col.2 ln 38-45).
Claim(s) 16 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wilstrup in view of Lisogurski; Daniel et al. (US publication # US 20130158413 A1; hereinafter Lisogurski; provided by the applicant).
Regarding claim 16, Wilstrup teaches the measurement system according to claim 1, but fails to teach wherein the optical RX module comprises a first photo receiver unit and a second photo receiver unit, wherein the first photo receiver unit is configured to convert the optical measurement signal into the electrical measurement signal, and wherein the second photo receiver unit is configured to convert the modulated optical reference signal into the modulated electrical reference signal.
Lisogurski does teach wherein the optical RX module comprises a first photo receiver unit and a second photo receiver unit, wherein the first photo receiver unit is configured to convert the optical measurement signal into the electrical measurement signal, and wherein the second photo receiver unit is configured to convert the modulated optical reference signal into the modulated electrical reference signal (par.69).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the
effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Wilstrup to include the teachings of Lisogurski; which would provide a method of operating a system to analyze tissue of a patient by processing the digital measurement signal and the digital reference signal to determine a phase delay between the digital measurement signal and the digital reference signal and processing the phase delay to determine physiological parameter for the tissue as disclosed by Lisogurski (par.7).
Regarding claim 17, Wilstrup teaches the measurement system according to claim 1, but fails to teach wherein the optical RX module comprises a photo receiver unit and an optical switching unit, wherein the optical switching unit is configured to selectively forward the optical measurement signal or the modulated optical reference signal to the photo receiver unit.
Lisogurski does teach wherein the optical RX module comprises a photo receiver unit and an optical switching unit, wherein the optical switching unit is configured to selectively forward the optical measurement signal or the modulated optical reference signal to the photo receiver unit (par.31).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the
effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Wilstrup to include the teachings of Lisogurski; which would provide a method of operating a system to analyze tissue of a patient by processing the digital measurement signal and the digital reference signal to determine a phase delay between the digital measurement signal and the digital reference signal and processing the phase delay to determine physiological parameter for the tissue as disclosed by Lisogurski (par.7).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure.
US 8135275 B2; Heismann; Fred L. et al. is for Measuring chromatic dispersion in an optical wavelength channel of an optical fiber link.
US 5832155 A; Rasch; Andreas et al. is Combination splitting device composed of strip waveguides and uses thereof
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/CARL F.R. TCHATCHOUANG/Examiner, Art Unit 2858
/RAUL J RIOS RUSSO/Examiner, Art Unit 2858
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