Obviousness

To analyze the obviousness of US patent 9991030 under 35 U.S.C. § 103, I will proceed by examining the independent claims and then identifying potential combinations of prior art references that would render these claims obvious.

Independent Claims of US9991030

US9991030 has two independent claims: Claim 1 (apparatus) and Claim 18 (method).

Claim 1: A cable, comprising:

• a first twisted pair of insulated conductors;
• a second twisted pair of insulated conductors;
• a filler separating the first twisted pair of insulated conductors from the second twisted pair of insulated conductors; and
• a multi-layer conductive barrier tape comprising a continuous conductive material contained between two layers of a dielectric material, the conductive material of the barrier tape extending to each lateral edge of the two layers of the dielectric material, the barrier tape surrounding the first twisted pair of insulated conductors, the second twisted pair of insulated conductors, and the filler.

Claim 18: A method of manufacture of a cable, comprising:

• providing a first twisted pair of insulated conductors and a second twisted pair of insulated conductors;
• positioning a filler between the first twisted pair of insulated conductors and the second twisted pair of insulated conductors; and
• wrapping the first twisted pair of insulated conductors, second twisted pair of insulated conductors, and filler with a conductive barrier tape comprising a conductive material contained between two layers of a dielectric material, the conductive material of the barrier tape extending to each lateral edge of the two layers of the dielectric material.

Prior Art Analysis (from US9991030)

The "Citations" section of US9991030 lists several prior art references. I will review these for their relevance to the elements of the independent claims.

• US3622683A (Superior Continental Corp.): "Telephone cable with improved crosstalk properties." (1971-11-23)
• US4085284A (General Cable Corporation): "D-shield telephone cables." (1978-04-18)
• US4165442A (General Cable Corporation): "Telephone cable with improved shield combination." (1979-08-21)
• US4340771A (Siecor Corporation): "Communications cable having combination shielding-armor member." (1982-07-20)
• US4453031A (Gk Technologies, Inc.): "Multi-compartment screened telephone cables." (1984-06-05)
• US8729394B2 (Belden Inc.): "Enhanced data cable with cross-twist cabled core profile." (2014-05-20) (This is a related Belden patent, likely from the same family or inventor.)
• US6812408B2 (Cable Design Technologies, Inc.): "Multi-pair data cable with configurable core filling and pair separation." (2004-11-02)
• US6365836B1 (Nordx/Cdt, Inc.): "Cross web for data grade cables." (2002-04-02)
• US20060169478A1 (Cable Design Technologies, Inc.): "Data cable for mechanically dynamic environments." (2006-08-03)
• US20070037419A1 (Leviton Manufacturing Co., Inc.): "Discontinued cable shield system and method." (2007-02-15)
• US20120222883A1 (General Cable Technologies Corp.): "Communication Cable with Improved Crosstalk Attenuation." (2012-09-06)
• US20120227998A1 (Marcus Lindstrom): "Shielded pair cable and a method for producing such a cable." (2012-09-13)

The patent description also defines key terms such as "crosstalk," "alien crosstalk," "return loss," and discusses various cable constructions and tape application methods (Longitudinal, Helical, Spiral, FTC, OTC). It explicitly states that "Fully shielded cables such as foil over unshielded twisted pair (F/UTP) designs include drain wires for grounding a conductive foil shield, but are significantly more expensive..." and that "Other cables have implemented complex discontinuous EMI barriers and tapes...". The present disclosure aims for "reduced alien crosstalk and return loss without increased material expense" by controlling the barrier tape application angle and using a filler. The barrier tape is described as "a conductive material contained between two layers of a dielectric material" (e.g., PET/Aluminum foil/PET). It also notes that the conductive layer "may not extend to the edge of the tape" in some embodiments, or that the dielectric layers "may completely encapsulate the conductive layer". However, Claim 1 and Claim 18 specifically state "the conductive material of the barrier tape extending to each lateral edge of the two layers of the dielectric material."

Obviousness Analysis - Combining Prior Art

The core innovation claimed in US9991030 revolves around the specific construction of the multi-layer conductive barrier tape (continuous conductive material extending to the edges, contained between two dielectric layers) in combination with a filler that separates twisted pairs. The methods claim the process of manufacturing such a cable.

Many of the cited prior art references deal with communication cables, twisted pairs, fillers, and shielding to reduce crosstalk.

Combination 1: US6812408B2 (Cable Design Technologies) + US20120227998A1 (Marcus Lindstrom)

US6812408B2 discloses a multi-pair data cable with a configurable core filling and pair separation. This patent explicitly teaches:

• A plurality of twisted pairs of insulated conductors.
• A filler (referred to as a "core filling" or "separator") for separating and positioning the twisted pairs (e.g., a cross-shaped filler is shown in figures).

US20120227998A1 discloses a shielded pair cable and a method for producing such a cable. This reference describes:

• A barrier tape for shielding.
• The tape comprises a conductive layer (e.g., metal foil) laminated between two dielectric layers. Critically, US20120227998A1 Figure 2 shows a shielding tape where the metal foil layer extends to the edges of the outer plastic layers. The description states, "The shield layer (1) is here completely covered by the plastic layers (2, 3), such that the edges of the shield layer are protected by the plastic layers". This directly addresses the specific limitation in Claims 1 and 18 regarding the conductive material extending to each lateral edge of the two layers of dielectric material.

Motivation to Combine:
A person having ordinary skill in the art (POSA) in cable design, seeking to improve crosstalk performance and return loss in multi-pair data cables while potentially reducing cost compared to fully shielded designs or discontinuous EMI barriers (as articulated in the background of US9991030), would have been motivated to combine the teachings of US6812408B2 and US20120227998A1.

• Problem to be solved/Improved Result: US6812408B2 provides the fundamental structure of a multi-pair cable with a filler for pair separation, which is known to help manage internal crosstalk and dimensional stability. However, it does not specifically teach the multi-layer barrier tape with edge-to-edge conductivity. US20120227998A1 provides a specific shielding tape construction. A POSA would recognize that applying the barrier tape described in US20120227998A1 around the core of a cable as described in US6812408B2 would provide improved EMI reduction (alien crosstalk) due to the continuous and edge-to-edge conductive layer of the tape, while the encapsulating dielectric layers protect the conductive layer from damage and prevent ground loops (which US9991030 aims to mitigate). The combination addresses the desire for a high-performance cable with reduced alien crosstalk and return loss. The filler in US6812408B2 would provide a stable structure for applying such a tape, ensuring consistent shielding, which is a key aspect highlighted in US9991030.

Obviousness of Claim 1:
Claim 1 requires:

1. First and second twisted pairs of insulated conductors: Taught by US6812408B2.
2. A filler separating the twisted pairs: Taught by US6812408B2.
3. A multi-layer conductive barrier tape comprising a continuous conductive material contained between two layers of a dielectric material: Taught by US20120227998A1 (Figure 2 and corresponding description).
4. The conductive material extending to each lateral edge of the two layers of the dielectric material: Explicitly taught by US20120227998A1 (Figure 2 and description).
5. The barrier tape surrounding the twisted pairs and the filler: Common practice in cable shielding and would be a natural application for such a tape around the cable core described in US6812408B2 to achieve shielding benefits.

Therefore, the combination of US6812408B2 and US20120227998A1 would render Claim 1 obvious.

Obviousness of Claim 18:
Claim 18 requires:

1. Providing twisted pairs: Taught by US6812408B2.
2. Positioning a filler between the twisted pairs: Taught by US6812408B2.
3. Wrapping the twisted pairs and filler with a conductive barrier tape: A standard manufacturing step for shielded cables, which would be applied using known wrapping techniques.
4. The barrier tape comprising a conductive material contained between two layers of a dielectric material, with the conductive material extending to each lateral edge of the two layers of the dielectric material: Taught by US20120227998A1 for the tape itself. The act of "wrapping" would simply be applying this known tape in a conventional manner.

Therefore, the combination of US6812408B2 and US20120227998A1 would also render Claim 18 obvious.

Consideration of Dependant Claims and Further Combinations:

The dependent claims of US9991030 introduce features like the helical twist of the filler and/or barrier tape, specific angles, filler arm shapes, and tape seam placement (FTC/OTC).

• Helical twisting of filler and tape (Claims 3, 4, 9, 19, 20): Many prior art cables, including those mentioned in US9991030 as "helically applied" or "spirally applied" barrier tape, commonly use helical twisting for both conductors and fillers. For example, US8729394B2 (Belden Inc.) itself describes an "enhanced data cable with cross-twist cabled core profile," suggesting helical elements are known. Applying a tape helically around a helically twisted core is a well-known technique in cable manufacturing.
• Varying application angle (Claims 5, 6, 8, 20 - OTC method): US9991030 acknowledges that "spirally applied barrier tape with angle θt different from cable lay angle θc, but constant" exists in prior art. The concept of varying the tape angle to prevent consistent proximity to a given pair is described as an improvement in US9991030 to mitigate ANEXT issues from fixed-angle applications. While US20120227998A1 does not explicitly teach varying the tape application angle, the mechanism shown in FIG. 3H of US9991030 for achieving OTC (a roller moving bidirectionally along a track) represents a mechanical variation of a known wrapping process. A POSA, faced with the problem of localized ANEXT in fixed-angle helical applications (as described in US9991030's background and shown in FIGS. 5A/5B and 7A/7B), and knowing that varying geometry can spread interference, would be motivated to adapt existing wrapping machinery to vary the tape angle. This would be an obvious design choice to avoid the "simple periodic interval" issues causing impedance discontinuities described in US9991030.
• Filler arms and terminal portions (Claims 10-16): US6812408B2 and US6365836B1 both teach various forms of fillers (e.g., cross-shaped) with arms and channels to separate twisted pairs. The specific shapes of terminal portions (anvil, T-shaped, blunt, trapezoidal, wider than middle portion) are variations that a POSA would consider based on desired cable characteristics (e.g., supporting the tape, maintaining shape). The concept of positioning a tape seam "above a terminal portion of an arm of the filler" (Claim 11) is a refinement of tape placement, which a POSA would attempt to optimize for improved electrical performance, given knowledge of how tape edges can interact with conductor pairs (as discussed in US9991030). This optimization would be a predictable result of applying known shielding techniques to a cable with a known filler.
• Dielectric filler and jacket (Claims 2, 17): The use of a dielectric material for the filler (Claim 2) and a jacket surrounding the barrier tape (Claim 17) are extremely common elements in communication cable design and are widely known in the prior art (e.g., US6812408B2 mentions the filler as "non-conductive", and jackets are ubiquitous in all communication cables).

In summary, the most distinguishing feature of the independent claims is the specific construction of the multi-layer barrier tape (continuous conductive layer extending to the edges, encapsulated by dielectric layers). This feature is directly found in US20120227998A1. When combined with the widely known concept of using a filler to separate twisted pairs in a communication cable (e.g., US6812408B2), the resulting cable and method of manufacture would be obvious to a POSA. The additional features in the dependent claims represent known variations in cable design (helical twisting, different filler geometries) or obvious attempts to optimize performance (varying tape angle to mitigate ANEXT issues from fixed-angle applications, precise tape edge placement over filler parts).

Therefore, the combination of US6812408B2 and US20120227998A1 would render the independent claims (1 and 18) of US9991030 obvious under 35 U.S.C. § 103.US patent 9991030 covers a high-performance data communications cable featuring a specific multi-layer conductive barrier tape and a filler separating twisted pairs. The patent outlines two primary tape application methodologies: Fixed Tape Control (FTC) and Oscillating Tape Control (OTC), both aimed at reducing alien crosstalk (ANEXT) and return loss (RL).

Independent Claims Analysis

The independent claims of US9991030 are:

• Claim 1 (Apparatus): A cable comprising a first and second twisted pair of insulated conductors, a filler separating these pairs, and a multi-layer conductive barrier tape. The tape specifically includes a continuous conductive material contained between two layers of a dielectric material, with the conductive material extending to each lateral edge of the two dielectric layers, and the barrier tape surrounding the conductors and filler.
• Claim 18 (Method): A method of manufacturing a cable, comprising providing twisted pairs, positioning a filler between them, and wrapping them with a conductive barrier tape. The tape construction is identical to that specified in Claim 1, i.e., continuous conductive material contained between two dielectric layers and extending to each lateral edge.

Obviousness under 35 U.S.C. § 103

A person having ordinary skill in the art (POSA) in cable design, motivated to improve the electrical performance (e.g., reduce ANEXT and RL) of data cables, would have found the claimed inventions of US9991030 obvious when combining certain prior art references.

Combination of US6812408B2 and US20120227998A1

US6812408B2 (Cable Design Technologies, Inc.) discloses a "Multi-pair data cable with configurable core filling and pair separation." This patent teaches the use of:

• Multiple twisted pairs of insulated conductors.
• A filler (referred to as a "core filling" or "separator"), often cross-shaped, positioned between and separating the twisted pairs to provide structural stability and manage internal crosstalk.

US20120227998A1 (Marcus Lindstrom) describes a "Shielded pair cable and a method for producing such a cable." This reference teaches:

• A shielding tape for cables.
• The tape construction includes a conductive layer (e.g., metal foil) laminated between two dielectric layers (e.g., plastic layers).
• Crucially, Figure 2 of US20120227998A1 and its accompanying description explicitly show and state that the conductive shield layer "is here completely covered by the plastic layers (2, 3), such that the edges of the shield layer are protected by the plastic layers." This means the conductive material extends to the lateral edges of the dielectric layers.

Motivation to Combine:
A POSA would be motivated to combine the teachings of US6812408B2 and US20120227998A1 to achieve a data cable with improved EMI performance (reduced alien crosstalk) and enhanced structural integrity. The background of US9991030 itself identifies the problem of alien crosstalk and the desire for solutions without increasing cable size or cost, or introducing issues like ground loops common in fully shielded cables.

• US6812408B2 provides a robust core structure with a filler effectively separating twisted pairs, a known technique for managing internal crosstalk and maintaining cable geometry. However, it lacks a specific solution for external EMI (alien crosstalk).
• US20120227998A1 offers a precise barrier tape construction specifically designed for shielding, where the continuous conductive layer extends to the edges and is encapsulated by dielectric material. This design mitigates potential issues with exposed conductive edges, such as shorting or signal degradation, while providing effective shielding.

A POSA, seeking to improve the ANEXT performance of the cable taught by US6812408B2, would find it obvious to incorporate a shielding mechanism. Faced with the choice of shielding tapes, the tape described in US20120227998A1 would be a suitable candidate because its encapsulated, edge-to-edge conductive layer provides effective EMI mitigation without the grounding requirements or potential ground loop issues of traditional fully shielded cables, aligning with the objectives stated in US9991030. The filler from US6812408B2 would provide an ideal cylindrical base for uniformly applying such a tape, which US9991030 itself emphasizes for "optimized ground plane uniformity and stability".

Obviousness of Claim 1:
The combination explicitly discloses all elements of Claim 1:

1. First and second twisted pairs of insulated conductors: Taught by US6812408B2.
2. A filler separating the twisted pairs: Taught by US6812408B2.
3. A multi-layer conductive barrier tape comprising a continuous conductive material contained between two layers of a dielectric material: Taught by US20120227998A1.
4. The conductive material of the barrier tape extending to each lateral edge of the two layers of the dielectric material: Explicitly taught by US20120227998A1, Figure 2 and description.
5. The barrier tape surrounding the twisted pairs and the filler: A conventional application of a shielding tape to a cable core, which would be an obvious design choice for a POSA to achieve the desired shielding effect.

Obviousness of Claim 18:
The method steps of Claim 18 would also be obvious:

1. Providing twisted pairs: Common practice in cable manufacturing.
2. Positioning a filler between the twisted pairs: Taught by US6812408B2.
3. Wrapping the twisted pairs and filler with a conductive barrier tape: A standard cable manufacturing process. The specific tape described in Claim 18, including its continuous, edge-to-edge conductive layer between dielectric layers, is provided by US20120227998A1. Applying this known tape to a known cable core configuration would be a predictable manufacturing step.

Therefore, the combination of US6812408B2 and US20120227998A1 would render Claims 1 and 18 of US9991030 obvious.

Consideration of Dependent Claims

Many dependent claims relate to the helical twisting of the filler and barrier tape, the varying application angle (OTC), and specific shapes of filler arms. These features, while potentially offering performance benefits, would also be considered obvious variations or optimizations to a POSA:

• Helical Twisting (Claims 3, 4, 9, 19, 20): Helical twisting of cable elements (pairs, fillers, and tapes) is a fundamental and long-established technique in cable manufacturing for maintaining structure and electrical properties. Many prior art references (e.g., US8729394B2, which describes a "cross-twist cabled core profile") demonstrate the prevalence of helical arrangements.
• Varying Application Angle (OTC) (Claims 5, 6, 8, 20): US9991030 acknowledges that "spirally applied barrier tape with angle θt different from cable lay angle θc, but constant" exists in prior art. The problem of "simple periodic intervals" causing increased return loss when a tape edge consistently interacts with a pair is identified in US9991030. A POSA, recognizing this issue with fixed-angle applications, would be motivated to introduce variability in the tape's application angle to distribute these interactions over a longer cable length and across different pairs. This would be a predictable approach to mitigate localized interference, achievable with known mechanical adjustments to wrapping equipment (such as the roller/track mechanism illustrated in FIG. 3H of US9991030).
• Filler Arm Configurations (Claims 10-16): The use of multi-armed, cross-shaped fillers to create channels for twisted pairs is well-known (e.g., US6812408B2, US6365836B1). Variations in the shape of the terminal portions (anvil, T-shaped, wider, trapezoidal) are design choices that a POSA would make to optimize for specific performance or manufacturing ease, such as providing a stable platform for tape placement, as discussed in US9991030. Placing a tape seam "above a terminal portion of an arm" (Claim 11) is an obvious refinement of tape application to avoid placing seams over sensitive conductor pairs, once the interaction between tape edges and pairs is understood.

Thus, the core elements of the independent claims, especially the specific multi-layer barrier tape construction, are found in the cited prior art. The combination of these known elements and the application of known manufacturing techniques, along with predictable optimizations for performance, would render the claims of US9991030 obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art.