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) 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by Edmond et al. (US 2017/0294417).
Regarding claim 11, Edmond et al. teach a light-emitting diode (LED) package (an embodiment of a multi-LED coupling with a submount disclosed in [0234] with the multi-LED chip being the embodiment of Fig. 8D and [0227], and the submount described in Fig. 11B and [0235]) comprising: a submount (94; Fig. 11B, [0235]); an LED chip (15/60/85; Fig. 11B, [0194, 0217]) on the submount (on the bottom surface of submount 94; Fig. 11B), the LED chip (15/60/85) comprising: a substrate (15; Fig. 8D, [0194]) comprising a first face (the top horizontal surface of 15 in Fig. 8D) and a second face (the bottom recessed surface and two vertical sidewall surfaces of 15 in Fig. 8D) that opposes the first face (the top horizontal surface of 15 in Fig. 8D); an epitaxial layer structure (the structure of the 21/25/22s in 60s of Fig. 8D; Figs. 1 and 8D, [0194]) on the first face of the substrate (the top horizontal surface of 15), wherein a plurality of light-emitting junctions (21/25/22s of the 60s of Fig. 8D; Figs. 1 and 8D, [0194]) is defined in the epitaxial layer structure (the structure of the 21/25/22s in 60s of Fig. 8D; Figs. 1 and 8D); and a plurality of lumiphoric material regions (regions of portions of 85 between 81s; Fig. 8D, [0228]) on the second face of the substrate (the bottom recessed surface and two vertical sidewall surfaces of 15 in Fig. 8D), wherein each individual lumiphoric material region of the plurality of lumiphoric material regions (each of the regions of portions of 85 between 81s) is registered to overlap with an individual light-emitting junction of the plurality of light-emitting junctions (each of 21/25/22s of the 60s of Fig. 8D); a plurality of first streets (gaps between 60s; Fig. 8D) defining individual light-emitting junctions of the plurality of light-emitting junctions (each of 21/25/22s of the 60s of Fig. 8D; see Figs. 8D and 1) on the first face of the substrate (the top horizontal surface of 15); a plurality of second streets (gaps between 85s; Fig. 8D) defining individual lumiphoric material regions (85s) of the plurality of lumiphoric material regions (85s) on the second face of the substrate (the bottom recessed surface and two vertical sidewall surfaces of 15 in Fig. 8D); and a first light-altering material (as disclosed in the paragraph [0049] of the current application, the singular forms includes plural forms as well, i.e. a light-altering material includes light-altering materials; the light-altering materials can include 75 of light-reflective material and 99 of epoxy filled with SiO2 microspheres in Fig. 11B, [0227, 0235, 0275]; where SiO2 microspheres, i.e. SiO2 particles, are light reflective material as evident from paragraph [0054] of Reiherzer et al., US 2015/0349218, which is light-altering material as defined in paragraph [0064] of the current application) on the submount (on the bottom surface of submount 94; Fig. 11B), between the submount (94; see Fig. 11B) and the LED chip (15/60/85; Fig. 11B, [0194, 0217]), and between adjacent light-emitting junctions of the plurality of light-emitting junctions (adjacent ones of 21/25/22s of the 60s of Fig. 11B; see Fig. 8D and Fig. 11B), the first light-altering material (75/99) continuously extending (75/99 is extending continuously through the left ends of 99 and 75 in Fig. 11B) from the submount (94) along sidewalls (vertical sidewalls) of the substrate (15) and along the second face of the substrate (along the vertical sidewalls of the second face of the substrate which is the bottom recessed surface and two vertical sidewall surfaces of 15 in Fig. 8D) such that a height of a topmost surface of the first light-altering material (a height of the topmost horizontal surface of 75 seeing Fig. 8D upside down, which is also the height of the topmost horizonal surface of the substrate 15) from the submount (the top horizontal surface of 94 seeing Fig. 11B upside down; i.e., “a height of a topmost surface of the first light-altering material from the second face of the submount” as claimed is the height of the topmost horizonal surface of the substrate 15 from the top horizontal surface of 94 seeing Fig. 11B upside down) is greater than a height of the substrate (the height of 15; see Fig. 11B upside down) and less than a height of a top surface of the plurality of lumiphoric material regions (a height of the topmost surface of 85 see Fig. 8D upside down) from the submount (94; see Figs. 8D and 11B upside down).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1-5, 7 and 9-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Edmond et al. (US 2017/0294417) in view of Lee et al. (US 2018/0350871 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Edmond et al. teach a light-emitting diode (LED) package (an embodiment of a multi-LED coupling with a submount disclosed in [0234] with the multi-LED chip being the embodiment of Fig. 9c and [0230], and the submount described in Fig. 11B and [0235]) comprising: a submount (94; Fig. 11B, [0235]); an LED chip (15/60/85; Fig. 11B, [0194, 0217]) on the submount (on the bottom surface of submount 94; Fig. 11B), the LED chip (15/60/85) comprising: a substrate (15; Fig. 9C, [0194]) comprising a first face (the top horizontal surface of 15 in Fig. 9C), a second face (the bottom horizontal surface of 15 in Fig. 9C) that opposes the first face (the top horizontal surface of 15 in Fig. 9C), and sidewalls (two vertical sidewall surfaces of 15 in Fig. 9C) between the first face (the top horizontal surface of 15 in Fig. 9C) and the second face (the bottom horizontal surface of 15 in Fig. 9C); an epitaxial layer structure (the structure of the 21/25/22s in 60s of Fig. 9C; Figs. 1 and 9C, [0194]) on the first face of the substrate (the top horizontal surface of 15), wherein a plurality of light-emitting junctions (21/25/22s of the 60s of Fig. 9C; Figs. 1 and 9C, [0194]) is defined in the epitaxial layer structure (the structure of the 21/25/22s in 60s of Fig. 9C; Figs. 1 and 9C); and a plurality of lumiphoric material regions (regions of portions of 85 between adjacent the left side edge 12, the light segregation elements 84s and the right side edge 12; see Fig. 9C, [0217, 0194, 0216]) on the second face of the substrate (the bottom horizontal surface of 15 in Fig. 9C), wherein each individual lumiphoric material region of the plurality of lumiphoric material regions (each of the regions of portions of 85 between adjacent the left side edge 12, the light segregation elements 84s and the right side edge 12) is registered to overlap with an individual light-emitting junction of the plurality of light-emitting junctions (each of 21/25/22s of the 60s of Fig. 9C); a plurality of first streets (gaps between 60s; Fig. 9C) defining individual light-emitting junctions of the plurality of light-emitting junctions (each of 21/25/22s of the 60s of Fig. 9C; see Figs. 9C and 1) on the first face of the substrate (the top horizontal surface of 15); a plurality of second streets (gaps between 85s; Fig. 9C) defining individual lumiphoric material regions (85s) of the plurality of lumiphoric material regions (85s) on the second face of the substrate (the bottom horizontal of 15 in Fig. 9C); a light-altering material (as disclosed in the paragraph [0049] of the current application, the singular forms includes plural forms as well, i.e. a light-altering material includes light-altering materials; the light-altering materials can include 84 and 74 of light segregation elements in Fig. 9C, 75 of light-reflective material 75 in Fig. 9C, and 99 of epoxy filled with SiO2 microspheres in Fig. 11B, , [0230, 0214, 0217, 0235, 0275]; where SiO2 microspheres, i.e. SiO2 particles, are light reflective material as evident from paragraph [0054] of Reiherzer et al., US 2015/0349218, which is light-altering material as defined in paragraph [0064] of the current application) on the submount (on the bottom surface of submount 94; Fig. 11B), between the submount (94; see Fig. 11B) and the LED chip (15/60/85; Fig. 11B, [0194, 0217]), and between adjacent light-emitting junctions of the plurality of light-emitting junctions (adjacent ones of 21/25/22s of the 60s of Fig. 11B; see Fig. 9C and Fig. 11B), the light-altering material (84, 74, 75, 99) continuously extending from the submount (94; see Fig. 11B) along sidewalls of the substrate (implied in Fig. 11B where the light altering material 84/74/75/99 continuously extending from the submont 94 along one of the two sidewalls of the substrate 15, and this situation can be applied to the two other sidewalls of the substrate 15 as shown in Fig. 5A) and continuously extending to be being arranged within the plurality of second streets (gaps between 85s; 84s of the light-altering material 84/74/75/99 are within the plurality of second streets in Fig. 9C, the light-altering material 84/74/75/99 is continuously extended as shown in Fig. 11B where 99 is extended continuously to 75 on the edges of the substrate 15, and Fig. 5D shows that 74 is extended to the edges of the substrate 15 which would in direct contact with 75 on the edges of the substrate 15, and Fig. 9C shows that 84 is in direct contact with 74) on the second face of the substrate (the bottom horizontal of 15 in Fig. 9C) such that the light-altering material (84, 74, 75, 99) and the plurality of lumiphoric material regions (85s) are on a coplanar portion of the second face (the bottom horizontal surface of 15 in Fig. 9C); and an encapsulant (99 of epoxy filled with SiO2 microspheres in Fig. 11B; [0235]) on the submount (94; Fig. 11B) and the LED chip (15/60/85; Fig. 11B).
Edmond et al. do not teach a topmost surface of the light-altering material within the plurality of second streets is above the second face and is recessed relative to a top surface of the plurality of lumiphoric material regions from the submount.
In the same field of endeavor of display device, Lee et al. teach in Fig. 3B, a topmost surface of the light-altering material (320 for isolating light; [0065]) within the plurality of second streets (the gaps between 321R, 321G and 321; [0067]) is above the second face (the top surface of 319) and is recessed relative to a top surface of the plurality of lumiphoric material regions (321R and 321G; [0067]) from the submount (301/303; [0062]).
Edmond et al. teach all the claimed elements except that Edmond et al. is using a light-altering material (84; Fig. 9A, [0230]) within the gaps between lumiphoric material regions (85; Fig. 9C, [0230]) having a topmost surface (the topmost surface of 84 seeing Fig. 9C upside down) above the topmost surface of the lumiphoric material regions (the topmost surface of 85; see Fig. 9C upside down, [0230]) for providing the raised feature of the light segregation elements ([0230]) above the light exit surface (the top surface of 15 seeing Fig. 9C upside down) rather than a light-altering material within the gaps between lumiphoric material regions having a topmost surface below the topmost surface of the lumiphoric material regions.
In the same field of endeavor of semiconductor manufacturing, Lee et al. teach a light-altering material (a upper portion of 320; Fig. 3B, [0065]) within the gaps between lumiphoric material regions (321R and 321G; Fig. 3B, [0067]) having a topmost surface (the topmost surface of 320) below the topmost surface of the lumiphoric material regions (321R and 321G) for providing the raised feature of the light segregation elements (Fig. 3B, [0065]) above the light exit surface (the top surface of 319; [0065]).
One of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that a light-altering material within the gaps between lumiphoric material regions having a topmost surface above the topmost surface of the lumiphoric material regions and a light-altering material within the gaps between lumiphoric material regions having a topmost surface below the topmost surface of the lumiphoric material regions are known equivalents for providing the raised feature of the light segregation elements above the light exit surface within the semiconductor art.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention was made to substitute one know element (a light-altering material within the gaps between lumiphoric material regions having a topmost surface above the topmost surface of the lumiphoric material regions) for another known equivalent element (a light-altering material within the gaps between lumiphoric material regions having a topmost surface below the topmost surface of the lumiphoric material regions) resulting in the predictable result of providing the raised feature of the light segregation elements above the light exit surface (KSR rationales B).
Regarding claim 2, Edmond et al. teach the LED package of claim 1, wherein the plurality of lumiphoric material regions (85s) comprises a first lumiphoric material region (the leftmost 85 in Fig. 9C) and a second lumiphoric material region (the rightmost 85 in Fig. 9C) that is different than the first lumiphoric material region (different in locations).
Regarding claim 3, Edmond et al. teach the LED package of claim 1, wherein the plurality of lumiphoric material regions (85s) is formed directly on the second face of the substrate (the bottom horizontal of 15 in Fig. 9C; Fig. 9C).
Regarding claim 4, Edmond et al. teach the LED chip of claim 1, wherein the plurality of first streets (gaps between 60s in Fig. 9C) is registered to overlap with the plurality of second streets (gaps between 85s in Fig. 9C).
Regarding claim 5, Edmond et al. teach the LED chip package of claim 1, wherein the light-altering material (84, 74, 75, 99) is on portions of the second face of the substrate (the bottom horizontal of 15 in Fig. 9C) that are adjacent the plurality of lumiphoric material regions (85s; see Figs. 9C and 11B).
Regarding claim 7, Edmond et al. teach the LED chip package of claim 1, wherein the light-altering material (84, 74, 75, 99) comprises one or more of a light-reflective material, a light-refractive material, and a light-absorbing material (99 of epoxy filled with SiO2 microspheres, Fig. 11B, [0235, 0275]; where SiO2 microspheres, i.e. SiO2 particles, are light reflective material as evident from paragraph [0054] of Reiherzer et al., US 2015/0349218, which is light-altering material as defined in paragraph [0064] of the current application).
Regarding claim 9, Edmond et al. teach the LED chip of claim 1, wherein each light-emitting junction of the plurality of light-emitting junctions (each of 21/25/22s of the 60s of Fig. 9C; see Fig. 9C) is individually controllable (connected its own 61 and 62 that is individually controllable; Figs. 9C and 1, [0201]).
Regarding claim 10, Edmond et al. teach the LED package of claim 1, wherein a longest lateral dimension ([0206]) of each light-emitting junction of the plurality of light-emitting junctions (each of 21/25/22s of the 60s of Fig. 9C; see Fig. 9C; [0206]).
Edmond et al. do not teach a longest lateral dimension of each light-emitting junction of the plurality of light-emitting junctions is in a range from 0.5 millimeters (mm) to 2 mm.
Parameters such as the longest lateral dimension of each light-emitting junction of the plurality of light-emitting junctions in the art of semiconductor manufacturing process are subject to routine experimentation and optimization to achieve the desired high ratio of emissive area to total area during device fabrication ([0206]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to incorporate the longest lateral dimension of each light-emitting junction of the plurality of light-emitting junctions within the range as claimed in order to the desired high ratio of emissive area to total area ([0206]).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s amendments, filed 06/03/2026, overcome the rejections to claims 11 under 35 U.S.C. 112. The rejections to claims 11 under 35 U.S.C. 112 have been withdrawn.
Applicant's arguments with respect to claims 1 have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection.
On pages 6-7 of Applicant’s Response, Applicant argues that Edmond (US 2017/0294417) does not satisfy the requirement “a height of a topmost surface of the first light-altering material from the submount is greater than a height of the substrate and less than a height of a top surface of the plurality of lumiphoric material regions from the submount” of claim 11 simultaneously with a single embodiment.
The Examiner respectfully disagrees with Applicant’s argument, because Edmond teach “a height of a topmost surface of the first light-altering material (a height of the topmost horizontal surface of 75 seeing Fig. 8D upside down, which is also the height of the topmost horizonal surface of the substrate 15) from the submount (the top horizontal surface of 94 seeing Fig. 11B upside down; i.e., “a height of a topmost surface of the first light-altering material from the second face of the submount” as claimed is the height of the topmost horizonal surface of the substrate 15 from the top horizontal surface of 94 seeing Fig. 11B upside down) is greater than a height of the substrate (the height of 15; see Fig. 11B upside down) and less than a height of a top surface of the plurality of lumiphoric material regions (a height of the topmost surface of 85 see Fig. 8D upside down) from the submount (94; see Figs. 8D and 11B upside down)” as disclosed in the Office Action mailed on 03/09/2026. The rejections are based on a single embodiment of a multi-LED coupling with a submount disclosed in [0234] with the multi-LED chip being the embodiment of Fig. 8D and [0227], and the submount described in Fig. 11B and [0235] as disclosed the Office Action mailed on 03/09/2026. In paragraph [0234] of Edmond, Edmond teach “In certain embodiments, a light emitting device (e.g., a multi-LED chip) including an array of flip chip LEDs may be arranged for coupling with an alternative (e.g., passive) interface element such as a carrier or submount, with electrical connections between the light emitting device and the interface element.” Fig. 11B shows the embodiment mentioned in paragraph [0234] of Edmond as disclosed in paragraph [0235] of Edmond. Fig. 11B use Fig. 6C as the example of the multi-LED chip ([0235] of Edmond). It would be obvious to a person skilled in the art to know that other embodiments of the multli-LED chip, such as Fig. 8D, can be used as the multli-LED chip in Fig. 11B based on the statement in the paragraph [0234] of Edmond. Thus, the rejection still stands.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. WI et al. (US 20170170152 A1) teach an array of LEDs surrounded by light-altering material.
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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/HSIN YI HSIEH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2899 8/26/2026
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