Patent Application 18313836 - SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CONFIGURABLE LANE - Rejection

Patent Application 18313836 - SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CONFIGURABLE LANE

Title: SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CONFIGURABLE LANE MAPPING FOR MUXPONDER MODULES

Application Information

• Invention Title: SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CONFIGURABLE LANE MAPPING FOR MUXPONDER MODULES
• Application Number: 18313836
• Submission Date: 2025-05-19T00:00:00.000Z
• Effective Filing Date: 2023-05-08T00:00:00.000Z
• Filing Date: 2023-05-08T00:00:00.000Z
• National Class: 398
• National Sub-Class: 079000
• Examiner Employee Number: 80014
• Art Unit: 2634
• Tech Center: 2600

Rejection Summary

• 102 Rejections: 1
• 103 Rejections: 1

Cited Patents

The following patents were cited in the rejection:

• US 0236810🔗
• US 0085877🔗

Office Action Text

    DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.

Claim Interpretation
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof. 

The following is a quotation of pre-AIA  35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.

The claims in this application are given their broadest reasonable interpretation using the plain meaning of the claim language in light of the specification as it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art.  The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim element (also commonly referred to as a claim limitation) is limited by the description in the specification when 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA  35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is invoked. 
As explained in MPEP § 2181, subsection I, claim limitations that meet the following three-prong test will be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA  35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
(A)	the claim limitation uses the term “means” or “step” or a term used as a substitute for “means” that is a generic placeholder (also called a nonce term or a non-structural term having no specific structural meaning) for performing the claimed function; 
(B)	the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is modified by functional language, typically, but not always linked by the transition word “for” (e.g., “means for”) or another linking word or phrase, such as “configured to” or “so that”; and 
(C)	the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is not modified by sufficient structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function. 
Use of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim with functional language creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA  35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA  35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites sufficient structure, material, or acts to entirely perform the recited function. 
Absence of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is not to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA  35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is not interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA  35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites function without reciting sufficient structure, material or acts to entirely perform the recited function. 
Claim limitations in this application that use the word “means” (or “step”) are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA  35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action. Conversely, claim limitations in this application that do not use the word “means” (or “step”) are not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA  35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action.

Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(d):
(d) REFERENCE IN DEPENDENT FORMS.—Subject to subsection (e), a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.

The following is a quotation of pre-AIA  35 U.S.C. 112, fourth paragraph:
Subject to the following paragraph [i.e., the fifth paragraph of pre-AIA  35 U.S.C. 112], a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.

Claims 3-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(d) or pre-AIA  35 U.S.C. 112, 4th paragraph, as being of improper dependent form for failing to further limit the subject matter of the claim upon which it depends, or for failing to include all the limitations of the claim upon which it depends. Applicant may cancel the claim(s), amend the claim(s) to place the claim(s) in proper dependent form, rewrite the claim(s) in independent form, or present a sufficient showing that the dependent claim(s) complies with the statutory requirements.
Claim 3, and thus each of claims 4-6 by way of dependence, recites two configured muxponder modules, each with an optical receiver and a digital cross-connect. This subject matter corresponds to the embodiments disclosed for figs. 7A-n, each of which physical relies on a fiber link, a splitter, then plural optical fiber links to the respective optical receivers. However, parent claim 1 recites one fiber optic link connecting the transmitter and receiver, and transmitting the four traffic streams; this subject matter corresponds to the embodiment disclosed for fig. 6 with a single fiber link 630. The network topologies of Applicant’s fig. 6 versus figs. 7A-n are two distinct topologies, not broader and narrower versions. Thus, claim 3 is failing to further limit claim 1. To expedite prosecution, claim 1 has been examined assuming the intended scope of the last clause of claim 1 is: …[[a]] one or more fiber optic links connecting the least one optical transmitter of the anchor module to the at least one optical receiver of the configured module, wherein said one or more fiber optic links [[is]]are… 

Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.


Claims 1-4, 7-9, 11, 12 and 15-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Admitted Prior Art (“APA”) (specification figs. 3 and 5 and paragraphs 0033-0034 and 0082-0085).
Regarding claim 1, APA discloses an optical transport network system, comprising: an anchor muxponder module, comprising: a first electrical port having a first host lane receiving a first traffic stream and a second host lane receiving a second traffic stream (figs. 4/5 left side element 82a with lanes that correspond to 84a and 86a and paragraph 0083-0084 in light of paragraph 0075), the first host lane having a first electrical register, and the second host lane having a second electrical register (figs. 4/5 elements 84a and 86a and paragraph 0083-0084 for element 82a); a second electrical port having a third host lane receiving a third traffic stream and a fourth host lane receiving a fourth traffic stream (figs. 4/5 element 82b with lanes that correspond to 84b and 86b and paragraph 0083-0084), the third host lane having a third electrical register and the fourth host lane having a fourth electrical register (figs. 4/5 elements 84b and 86b for element 82b); wherein the first electrical register of the first host lane and the second electrical register of the second host lane are associated with a first service identification code (figs. 4/5 element 88a and paragraph 0083-0084), and the third electrical register of the third host lane and the fourth electrical register of the fourth host lane are associated with a second service identification code (figs. 4/5 element 88b and paragraph 0083-0084); and at least one optical transmitter configured to transmit the first traffic stream, the second traffic stream, the third traffic stream, and the fourth traffic stream (figs. 4/5 element 92/520 and paragraph 0083-0084); at least one configured muxponder module comprising: at least one optical receiver configured to receive the first traffic stream, the second traffic stream, the third traffic stream, and the fourth traffic stream (figs. 4/5 right side elements 92/14n); a first configured electrical port having a first configured host lane associated with a first configured electrical register and a second configured host lane associated with a second configured electrical register (figs. 4/5 right side elements 82a with lanes that correspond to 84a1 and 86a1 and paragraph 0083-0084); a second configured electrical port having a third configured host lane associated with a third configured electrical register and a fourth configured host lane associated with a fourth configured electrical register (figs. 4/5 right side element 82b with lanes that correspond to 84b1 and 86b1 and paragraph 0083-0084); a digital cross-connect (fig. 4 right side element 90 and paragraph 0083, where right side element 90 is electrically connecting the digital port traffic to respective right side ports 82a-82d, and where each ASIC/DSP in fig. 5 corresponds to fig. 4 right side element 80 per paragraph 0084); and a configured processor accessing a mapping table to assign traffic streams associated with the first service identification code to the first configured host lane and the second configured host lane of the first configured electrical port, traffic streams associated with the second service identification code to the third configured host lane and the fourth configured host lane of the second configured electrical port, and having logic to control the digital cross-connect to route the first traffic stream and the second traffic stream to the first configured electrical port based on the first service identification code, and the third traffic stream and the fourth traffic stream to the second configured electrical port based on the second service identification code (fig. 4 elements 94 and 96 and paragraph 0083 in light of paragraph 0076, where the group data identified by a service ID being “automatically mapped” to lanes reads on an inherent processor function of elements 94 and/or 96 accessing some kind of mapping table to performing the corresponding assignments, and where the bidirectional connection between 90 and 94 reads on some kind of management communication, i.e. control logic, to element 90, also applicable for each of fig. 5 right side elements 14n per paragraph 0084); and [one more more] fiber optic link[s] connecting the least one optical transmitter of the anchor module to the at least one optical receiver of the configured module, wherein said [one or more] fiber optic link[s] is configured to transmit the first traffic stream, the second traffic stream, the third traffic stream, and the fourth traffic stream (figs. 4/5 element 22 and paragraph 0082).
Regarding claim 2, APA discloses the system of claim 1, wherein the anchor muxponder module further comprises: a third electrical port having a fifth host lane receiving a fifth traffic stream and a sixth host lane receiving a sixth traffic stream (fig. 4 left side element 82c with lanes that correspond to 84c and 86c and paragraph 0083 in light of paragraph 0075), the fifth host lane having a fifth electrical register, and the sixth host lane having a second electrical register (fig. 4 elements 84c and 86c and paragraph 0083 for element 82c), wherein the fifth electrical register of the fifth host lane and the sixth electrical register of the sixth host lane are associated with a third service identification code (fig. 4 element 88c and paragraph 0083); and a fourth electrical port having a seventh host lane receiving a seventh traffic stream and an eighth host lane receiving an eighth traffic stream (fig. 4 left side element 82d with lanes that correspond to 84d and 86d and paragraph 0083 in light of paragraph 0075), the seventh host lane having a seventh electrical register and the eighth host lane having an eighth electrical register (fig. 4 elements 84d and 86d and paragraph 0083 for element 82d), wherein the seventh electrical register of the seventh host lane and the eighth electrical register of the eighth host lane are associated with a fourth service identification code (fig. 4 element 88d and paragraph 0083); and wherein the at least one configured muxponder module further comprises: a third configured electrical port having a fifth configured host lane associated with a fifth configured electrical register and a sixth configured host lane associated with a sixth configured electrical register (fig. 4 right side element 82c with lanes that correspond to 84c1 and 86c1 and paragraph 0083); a fourth configured electrical port having a seventh configured host lane associated with a seventh configured electrical register and an eighth configured host lane associated with an eighth configured electrical register (fig. 4 right side element 82d with lanes that correspond to 84d1 and 86d1 and paragraph 0083); and wherein the configured processor accessing the mapping table assigns traffic streams associated with the third service identification code to the fifth configured host lane and the sixth configured host lane of the third electrical port, and traffic associated with the fourth service identification code to the seventh configured host land and the eight configured host lane associated with the fourth electrical port, and the logic to controlling the digital cross-connect routes the fifth traffic stream and the sixth traffic stream to the third configured electrical port based on the third service identification code, and the seventh traffic stream and the eight traffic stream to the fourth configured electrical port based on the fourth service identification code (fig. 4 elements 94 and 96 and paragraph 0083 in light of paragraph 0076, where the group data identified by a service ID being “automatically mapped” to lanes reads on an inherent processor function of elements 94 and/or 96 accessing some kind of mapping table to performing the corresponding assignments, and where the bidirectional connection between 90 and 94 reads on some kind of management communication, i.e. control logic, to element 90).
Regarding claim 3, APA discloses the system of claim 1, wherein the at least one optical receiver comprises a first optical receiver and a second optical receiver (fig. 5 right side elements 82a and 82b), and wherein the at least one configured muxponder module comprises: a first configured muxponder module comprising the first optical receiver, a first digital cross-connect, and the first electrical port (fig. 5 element 14b in light of fig. 4 right side elements 92, 90 and 82n and paragraphs-0084), the first optical receiver receiving the first traffic stream and the second traffic stream (fig. 5 right side element 82a and its 84a1 and 86a1); and a second configured muxponder module comprising the second configured optical receiver, a second digital cross-connect, and the second configured electrical port (fig. 5 element 14c in light of fig. 4 right side elements 92, 90 and 82n and paragraphs-0084), the second configured optical receiver receiving the third traffic stream and the fourth traffic stream (fig. 5 right side element 82b and its 84a1 and 86a1).
Regarding claim 4, APA discloses the system of claim 3, wherein the anchor muxponder module further comprises a multiplexer, the multiplexer configured to combine the first traffic stream, the second traffic stream, the third traffic stream, and the fourth traffic as a combined traffic stream and pass the combined traffic stream to the at least one optical transmitter (fig. 5 element 90 and paragraph 0084 in light of 0083), the at least one optical transmitter configured to convert the combined traffic stream to at least one combined optical signal and provide the at least one combined optical signal to the fiber optic link (fig. 5 element 520 and paragraph 0084 in light of paragraph 0083).
Regarding claim 7, APA discloses an optical transport network system, comprising: a configured muxponder module, comprising: an optical receiver configured to receive a combined optical signal comprising a first traffic stream, a second traffic stream, a third traffic stream, and a fourth traffic stream (figs. 4/5 right side elements 92/14n); a first configured electrical port having a first configured host lane associated with a first configured electrical register and a second configured host lane associated with a second configured electrical register (figs. 4/5 right side elements 82a with lanes that correspond to 84a1 and 86a1 and paragraph 0083-0084); a second configured electrical port having a third configured host lane associated with a third configured electrical register and a fourth configured host lane associated with a fourth configured electrical register (figs. 4/5 right side element 82b with lanes that correspond to 84b1 and 86b1 and paragraph 0083-0084); a demultiplexer having a built-in digital cross-connect configured to demultiplex the combined optical signal into the first traffic stream, the second traffic stream, the third traffic stream, and the fourth traffic stream (fig. 4 right side element 90 and paragraph 0083, where right side element 90 is electrically connecting the digital port traffic to respective right side ports 82a-82d, and where each ASIC/DSP in fig. 5 corresponds to fig. 4 right side element 80 per paragraph 0084); and a configured processor accessing a mapping table to assign traffic streams associated with a first service identification code to the first configured host lane and the second configured host lane of the first configured electrical port, traffic streams associated with a second service identification code to the third configured host lane and the fourth configured host lane of the second configured electrical port, and having logic to control the digital cross-connect to route the first traffic stream and the second traffic stream to the first configured electrical port based on the first service identification code, and the third traffic stream and the fourth traffic stream to the second configured electrical port based on the second service identification code (fig. 4 elements 94 and 96 and paragraph 0083 in light of paragraph 0076, where the group data identified by a service ID being “automatically mapped” to lanes reads on an inherent processor function of elements 94 and/or 96 accessing some kind of mapping table to performing the corresponding assignments, and where the bidirectional connection between 90 and 94 reads on some kind of management communication, i.e. control logic, to element 90, also applicable for each of fig. 5 right side elements 14n per paragraph 0084).
Regarding claim 8, APA discloses the system of claim 7, further comprising an anchor muxponder module, comprising: a first electrical port having a first host lane receiving the first traffic stream and a second host lane receiving the second traffic stream (figs. 4/5 left side element 82a with lanes that correspond to 84a and 86a and paragraph 0083-0084 in light of paragraph 0075), the first host lane having a first electrical register, and the second host lane having a second electrical register (figs. 4/5 elements 84a and 86a and paragraph 0083-0084 for element 82a); a second electrical port having a third host lane receiving the third traffic stream and a fourth host lane receiving the fourth traffic stream (figs. 4/5 element 82b with lanes that correspond to 84b and 86b and paragraph 0083-0084), the third host lane having a third electrical register and the fourth host lane having a fourth electrical register (figs. 4/5 elements 84b and 86b for element 82b); wherein the first electrical register of the first host lane and the second electrical register of the second host lane are associated with the first service identification code (figs. 4/5 element 88a and paragraph 0083-0084), and the third electrical register of the third host lane and the fourth electrical register of the fourth host lane are associated with the second service identification code (figs. 4/5 element 88b and paragraph 0083-0084); and at least one optical transmitter configured to transmit the first traffic stream, the second traffic stream, the third traffic stream, and the fourth traffic stream as the combined optical signal (figs. 4/5 element 92/520 and paragraph 0083-0084).
Regarding claim 9, APA discloses the system of claim 8, wherein the anchor muxponder module further comprises a multiplexer, the multiplexer configured to combine the first traffic stream, the second traffic stream, the third traffic stream, and the fourth traffic into a combined traffic stream and pass the combined traffic stream to the at least one optical transmitter, the at least one optical transmitter configured to convert the combined traffic stream to the combined optical signal and provide the combined optical signal to a fiber optic link (figs. 4 element 90 and paragraph 0083).
Regarding claim 11, APA discloses the system of claim 8, wherein the anchor muxponder module further comprises: a third electrical port having a fifth host lane receiving a fifth traffic stream and a sixth host lane receiving a sixth traffic stream (fig. 4 left side element 82c with lanes that correspond to 84c and 86c and paragraph 0083 in light of paragraph 0075), the fifth host lane having a fifth electrical register, and the sixth host lane having a second electrical register (fig. 4 elements 84c and 86c and paragraph 0083 for element 82c), wherein the fifth electrical register of the fifth host lane and the sixth electrical register of the sixth host lane are associated with a third service identification code (fig. 4 element 88c and paragraph 0083); a fourth electrical port having a seventh host lane receiving a seventh traffic stream and an eighth host lane receiving an eighth traffic stream (fig. 4 left side element 82d with lanes that correspond to 84d and 86d and paragraph 0083 in light of paragraph 0075), the seventh host lane having a seventh electrical register and the eighth host lane having an eighth electrical register (fig. 4 elements 84d and 86d and paragraph 0083 for element 82d); wherein the seventh electrical register of the seventh host lane and the eighth electrical register of the eighth host lane are associated with a fourth service identification code (fig. 4 element 88d and paragraph 0083); and wherein the configured muxponder module further comprises: a third configured electrical port having a fifth configured host lane associated with a fifth configured electrical register and a sixth configured host lane associated with a sixth configured electrical register (fig. 4 right side element 82c with lanes that correspond to 84c1 and 86c1 and paragraph 0083); a fourth configured electrical port having a seventh configured host lane associated with a seventh configured electrical register and an eighth configured host lane associated with an eighth configured electrical register (fig. 4 right side element 82d with lanes that correspond to 84d1 and 86d1 and paragraph 0083); and wherein the configured processor accessing the mapping table assigns traffic streams associated with the third service identification code to the fifth configured host lane and the sixth configured host lane of the third electrical port, and traffic associated with the fourth service identification code to the seventh configured host land and the eight configured host lane associated with the fourth electrical port, and the logic to controlling the digital cross-connect routes the fifth traffic stream and the sixth traffic stream to the third configured electrical port based on the third service identification code, and the seventh traffic stream and the eight traffic stream to the fourth configured electrical port based on the fourth service identification code (fig. 4 elements 94 and 96 and paragraph 0083 in light of paragraph 0076, where the group data identified by a service ID being “automatically mapped” to lanes reads on an inherent processor function of elements 94 and/or 96 accessing some kind of mapping table to performing the corresponding assignments, and where the bidirectional connection between 90 and 94 reads on some kind of management communication, i.e. control logic, to element 90).
Regarding claim 12, APA discloses the system of claim 11, wherein the anchor muxponder module further comprises a multiplexer, the multiplexer configured to combine the first traffic stream, the second traffic stream, the third traffic stream, the fourth traffic stream, the fifth traffic stream, the sixth traffic stream, the seventh traffic stream, and the eighth traffic stream into a combined traffic stream and pass the combined traffic stream to the at least one optical transmitter (fig. 4 element 90 and paragraph 0083), the at least one optical transmitter configured to convert the combined traffic stream to the combined optical signal and provide the combined optical signal to a fiber optic link (fig. 4 element 92 and paragraph 0083).
Regarding claim 15, APA discloses a method, comprising: receiving, with an optical receiver of a muxponder, a combined optical data stream including a first traffic stream, a second traffic stream, a third traffic stream, and a fourth traffic stream (figs. 4/5 right side elements 92/14n), the first traffic stream and the second traffic stream associated with a first service identification code  (figs. 4/5 element 88a1 and paragraph 0083-0084), the third traffic stream and the fourth traffic stream associated with a second service identification code (figs. 4/5 element 88b1 and paragraph 0083-0084); and controlling, by a processor of the muxponder, a digital cross-connect to route the first traffic stream to a first electrical register and the second traffic stream to a second electrical register based on the first service identification code, and the third traffic stream to a third electrical register and the fourth traffic stream to a fourth electrical register based on the second service identification code (fig. 4 right side element 90 and paragraph 0083, where right side element 90 is electrically connecting the digital port traffic to respective right side ports 82a-82d, and where each ASIC/DSP in fig. 5 corresponds to fig. 4 right side element 80 per paragraph 0084, and where the bidirectional connection between 90 and 94 reads on some kind of management communication, i.e. control logic, to element 90, also applicable for each of fig. 5 right side elements 14n per paragraph 0084).
Regarding claim 16, APA discloses the method of claim 15, wherein first traffic stream, the second traffic stream, the third traffic stream, and the fourth traffic stream are transmitted from an optical transmitter of an anchor muxponder module (figs. 4/5 left side element 92 and paragraphs 0083-0084).
Regarding claim 17, APA discloses the method of claim 15, wherein the processor of the muxponder accesses a mapping table to determine how to route the first traffic stream to the first electrical register and the second traffic stream to the second electrical register based on the first service identification code, and the third traffic stream to the third electrical register and the fourth traffic stream to the fourth electrical register based on the second service identification code (fig. 4 elements 94 and 96 and paragraph 0083 in light of paragraph 0076, where the group data identified by a service ID being “automatically mapped” to lanes reads on an inherent processor function of elements 94 and/or 96 accessing some kind of mapping table to performing the corresponding assignments, and where the bidirectional connection between 90 and 94 reads on some kind of management communication, i.e. control logic, to element 90, also applicable for each of fig. 5 right side elements 14n per paragraph 0084).
Regarding claim 18, APA discloses the method of claim 15, wherein after receiving the combined optical data stream, the combined optical data stream is demultiplexed into the first traffic stream, the second traffic stream, the third traffic stream, and the fourth traffic stream (fig. 4 right side element 90 and paragraph 0083, where right side element 90 is electrically connecting the digital port traffic to respective right side ports 82a-82d).
Regarding claim 19, APA discloses the method of claim 16, wherein the first, second, third, and fourth traffic streams are transmitted from the anchor muxponder module after the anchor muxponder module has accessed a mapping table and assigned the first service identification code to the first traffic stream and the second traffic stream, and the second service identification code to the third traffic stream and the fourth traffic stream (fig. 4 elements 94 and 96 and paragraph 0083 in light of paragraph 0076, where the lanes having service IDs assigned as 88a, 88b, etc., and the bidirectional connection between 94 and 82a, 82b, etc. reads on accessing some kind of processor mapping table to be able to perform the service ID assignments).

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.

Claims 5, 10, 13, 14 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over APA (specification figs. 3 and 5 and paragraphs 0033-0034 and 0082-0085) in view of Hajduezenia (US Patent No. 10707967).
Regarding claim 5, APA discloses the system of claim 4, but does not disclose an optical splitter connected to the fiber optic link, the optical splitter configured to receive the at least one combined optical signal from the at least one optical transmitter and split the at least one combined optical signal to form at least one split optical signal. However, optical splitting is a basic, passive-device function. While APA discloses point-to-point transmission, Hajduezenia discloses that point-to-point and point-to-multipoint, using a passive optical splitter, are both known (figs. 10A-10C and col. 4 line 60 to col. 5 line 10). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the APA topology to use a passive splitter topology like that shown by Hajduezenia to couple the anchor muxponder to plural configured muxponders, to provide the benefit of broadcasting a signal simultaneously to plural end user devices.
Regarding claim 10, APA discloses the system of claim 9, but does not disclose an optical splitter connected to the fiber optic link, the optical splitter configured to receive the combined optical signal from the at least one optical transmitter and split the combined optical signal to form at least one split optical signal. However, optical splitting is a basic, passive-device function. While APA discloses point-to-point transmission, Hajduezenia discloses that point-to-point and point-to-multipoint, using a passive optical splitter, are both known (figs. 10A-10C and col. 4 line 60 to col. 5 line 10). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the APA topology to use a passive splitter topology like that shown by Hajduezenia to couple the anchor muxponder to plural configured muxponders, to provide the benefit of broadcasting a signal simultaneously to plural end user devices.
Regarding claim 13, APA discloses the system of claim 12, but does not disclose an optical splitter connected to the fiber optic link, the optical splitter configured to receive the combined optical signal from the at least one optical transmitter and split the combined optical signal to form at least one split optical signal, each at least one split optical signal comprising the first traffic stream, the second traffic stream, the third traffic stream, the fourth traffic stream, the fifth traffic stream, the sixth traffic stream, the seventh traffic stream, and the eighth traffic stream. However, optical splitting is a basic, passive-device function. While APA discloses point-to-point transmission, Hajduezenia discloses that point-to-point and point-to-multipoint, using a passive optical splitter, are both known (figs. 10A-10C and col. 4 line 60 to col. 5 line 10). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the APA topology to use a passive splitter topology like that shown by Hajduezenia to couple the anchor muxponder to plural configured muxponders, to provide the benefit of broadcasting a signal simultaneously to plural end user devices.
Regarding claim 14, the combination of APA and Hajduezenia discloses the system of claim 13, wherein the configured muxponder module is a first configured muxponder module and the system further comprises a second configured muxponder module, and wherein the at least one split optical signal comprises a first split optical signal directed to the first configured muxponder module and a second split optical signal directed to the second configured muxponder module (Hajduezenia: fig. 10C and plural of APA fig. 4 element 80b, per the obviousness modification above).\
Regarding claim 20, APA discloses the method of claim 15, and discloses the same capacity for reach lane (figs. 4/5, 100G Eth.), and thus does not disclose the first traffic stream and the second traffic stream have a first combined capacity different than a second combined capacity of the third traffic stream and the fourth traffic stream. However, Hajdueczenia shows that lower speed Ethernet speeds are also known/standard (col. 1 lines 14-46 and col. 16 lines 60-64). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide lower speed ethernet for the first traffic lane, or the first and second traffic lanes, as a matter of aligning service bandwidth to demand. 

Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 6 is 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
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
US Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0236810 – aggregation and management of bandwidth channels in optical transport network.
US Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0085877 – WDM system considering physical ports and lanes.

Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NATHAN M CORS whose telephone number is (571)272-3028. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday.
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/NATHAN M CORS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2634