Appeal No. 2006-1150
Application No. 10/317,585
first optical signal is transmitted in a first direction, while
the second optical signal is transmitted in a second direction
and into the same optical channel into which the first optical
source transmitted.
In Kim, the first optical signal channel is represented by
arrows 111 in Figure 1. A second optical channel is represented
by arrows 112 in that same Figure (see column 7, lines 33-34, and
39-40). While column 9, lines 33-36, of Kim recites that:
Optical signals 120a and 120b may be communicated
in both directions from distributor 84c through the
second optical signal channel provided by optical
waveguiding plate 32. See arrows 112 of FIG. 1,
making it sound like we have two optical signals in two different
directions in a single optical channel, the instant claim
language is not met. Claims 23 and 29 require that the first
optical signal must come from a first optical source while the
second optical signal must come from a second optical source. It
does not appear reasonable to assume that the first and second
optical sources may be one and the same. If so, the claims would
not label them “first” and “second.” Therefore, the first and
second optical sources are to be different. The situation
described at column 9 of Kim describes a single optical source,
optical signal 120 generated from optical transmitter 102c being
8
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