PTAB

IPR2025-01570

Accelight Technologies Inc v. Applied Optoelectronics Inc

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1. Case Identification

2. Patent Overview

  • Title: Optical Isolator Array and Optical Transceiver
  • Brief Description: The ’690 patent discloses an optical isolator array for use in optical subassembly modules, such as a Transmitter Optical Subassembly (TOSA). The invention features a magnetic base that supports multiple optical isolators secured by an adhesive in a predefined, parallel arrangement to facilitate alignment and create a compact modular profile.

3. Grounds for Unpatentability

Ground 1: Claims 1-10 are anticipated by Wang under 35 U.S.C. § 102.

  • Prior Art Relied Upon: Wang (Chinese Patent No. CN 208421455U).
  • Core Argument for this Ground:
    • Prior Art Mapping: Petitioner argued that Wang, which was not considered during prosecution, discloses every limitation of independent claim 1 and its dependent claims 2-10. Wang teaches a multichannel optical isolator array designed to solve space limitation and assembly problems. Petitioner asserted that Wang explicitly discloses a magnetic base (substrate) defining a mounting surface, a plurality of optical isolators mounted on that surface in a substantially parallel arrangement, and an adhesive that bonds the isolators to the substrate to control their position. For dependent claims, Petitioner argued Wang teaches using a permanent magnet (claim 2), a magnetic field that intersects the isolators to establish a propagation direction (claim 3), the use of Faraday rotators (claim 4), and a uniform arrangement of isolators (claim 6).

Ground 2: Claims 11-19 are obvious over Wang in view of Xiong under 35 U.S.C. § 103.

  • Prior Art Relied Upon: Wang (Chinese Patent No. CN 208421455U) and Xiong (Patent 9,563,073).
  • Core Argument for this Ground:
    • Prior Art Mapping: Petitioner contended that the combination of Wang and Xiong renders the transceiver claims obvious. Wang provides the claimed optical isolator array, as detailed in Ground 1. Xiong, which was also not considered during prosecution, teaches integrating optical isolators into a complete optical transceiver suitable for use in a TOSA, which includes a plurality of laser diodes and a Receiver Optical Subassembly (ROSA). Petitioner argued that Xiong provides the necessary context and components missing from Wang to arrive at the invention of claim 11, such as the transceiver housing, the TOSA arrangement with laser diodes, and the ROSA. The combination, Petitioner asserted, meets all limitations of independent claim 11 and its dependent claims.
    • Motivation to Combine: Petitioner asserted a person of ordinary skill in the art (POSITA) would combine Wang and Xiong for several reasons. First, both references address the known industry problems of optimizing space and simplifying assembly in multi-channel optical components. Wang discloses a compact isolator array to achieve this, and Xiong discloses an integrated, compact TOSA design for the same purpose. A POSITA would have recognized Wang’s array as a beneficial building block for the type of compact transceiver taught by Xiong. Second, both references utilize the same underlying physical principles (the Faraday effect) for the optical isolators, making their combination straightforward and predictable.
    • Expectation of Success: A POSITA would have had a high expectation of success because combining Wang's pre-aligned, modular isolator array into Xiong's TOSA architecture involves the integration of known, compatible components for their intended purpose. Petitioner argued that achieving the stated goals of compactness and simplified assembly, described as benefits in both references, was the intended and predictable result of such a combination.

4. Relief Requested

  • Petitioner requests institution of an inter partes review and cancellation of claims 1-19 of the ’690 patent as unpatentable.