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 .
Specification
The specification filed on 4/11/2022 is objected because it fails to indicate that reissue application 15/863,710 is now RE49031.
Defective Reissue Declaration
The reissue oath/declaration filed with this application is defective.
The error statement does not properly identify a single word, phrase, or expression in the specification or in an original claim, and how it renders the original patent wholly or partly inoperative or invalid. See 37 CFR 1.175 (a) and MPEP § 1414.
The phrase identified in the error statement as the basis of the error is “a first wavelength conversion layer is formed on the first surface and directly contacting the LED chip”. However, this phrase remains in independent claims 14 and 20 (clm. 14/ll. 10-11; clm. 20/ll. 12-13). Therefore, the current reissue does not appear to be correcting the error identified in the declaration. Also, while the error statement states that claim 1 is being amended, the error statement fails to identify a claim that the application seeks to broaden. A new reissue declaration is required identifying an error being corrected in this continuation reissue application.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 251
Claims 14-24 are rejected as being based upon a defective reissue declaration under 35 U.S.C. 251 as set forth above. See 37 CFR 1.175.
The nature of the defect(s) in the declaration is set forth in the discussion above in this Office action.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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 14-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liao (US 20130120967) in view of Ge et al. (US 20130058080) further in view of Ignatius et al. (US 5,660,641).
Regarding claim 14, Liao (e.g. figs. 3B and 6) teaches light-emitting diode bulb comprising:
a filament 100b/100c including a substrate 110 having a first surface and a second surface (i.e. top & bottom surfaces; ¶0041);
an LED chip 130, arranged on the first surface [¶0040];
a first conductive section 120, arranged on the first surface and having a first maximum width;
a second conductive section 120, arranged on the first surface in a configuration of separating from the first conductive section, and having a second maximum;
a first wavelength conversion layer 150, directly contacting the LED chip and the first conductive section;
and a conductive wire 220, supporting and electrically connected to the filament [¶¶0053, 0054, 0058].
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246
402
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Liao does not disclose that the second maximum width is different from the first maximum width and a second wavelength conversion layer arranged under the second surface. However, Ge (e.g. fig. 10) teaches a wavelength conversion layer 26 covering the light emitting diode filament to enhance its luminosity and the efficiency of the filament [¶0162;0167].
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Ignatius (e.g. fig. 4) teaches a LED device including a first conductive section 14a having a first maximum width (i.e. slim strip) and a second conductive section 12 having a second maximum width (i.e. U shape)
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330
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to form a second wavelength conversion layer under the second surface of the substrate as disclosed by Ge to improve the luminosity and the efficiency of the light bulb and to make the second maximum width larger than the first maximum width as suggested by Ignatius since this configuration will increase the pad reflective surface area and the overall luminosity of the device.
Regarding claim 15, Liao teaches a support 220/base surrounding the filament [¶0058].
Regarding claim 16, Liao teaches the support does not directly contact the conductive wire.
Regarding claim 17, Liao teaches two supports 220 arranged at different locations to fix the filament. In this interpretation, Liao does not explicitly disclose the claimed conductive wire. Nonetheless, Ge (e.g. fig. 6) teaches LED bulb including a power wire 18 formed on the first surface of the substrate. As shown in 5, a plurality of filaments are hold in place by supports structures 18/11. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to form power wire at the end of the filament disclosed by Liao to provide a directly supply power to each filament and to include a plurality of support structures to increase the brilliance of the bulb. In this case, the supports will allow to use a plurality of filaments in a single bulb.
Regarding claim 18, Liao teaches that the filament is curved (see figs. 1A, 3A).
Regarding claim 19, Liao teaches that second conductive section comprises a portion not covered by the first wavelength conversion layer 150.
Regarding claim 20, Liao (e.g. figs. 3B and 6) teaches light-emitting diode bulb comprising:
a bulb base;
a cover 210, connected to the bulb base, and defining a space with the bulb base;
a substrate 100, arranged in the space, and comprising a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface (e.g. top & bottom surface ¶0141);
an LED chip 130, arranged on the first surface [¶0140];
a first conductive section 120, arranged on the first surface, and having a first maximum width [¶0043];
a second conductive section 120, arranged on the first surface in a configuration of separating from the first conductive section, and having a second maximum [¶0043];
a first wavelength conversion layer 150, directly contacting the LED chip and the first conductive section [¶0048];
a second wavelength conversion layer, arranged under the second surface [¶0048];
and two supports 220, arranged at two positions between two opposite ends of the substrate [¶0058] .
Liao does not disclose that the second maximum width is different from the first maximum width; a conducive wire electrically connected to the LED chip; and a second wavelength conversion layer arranged under the second surface.
However, Ge (e.g. figs. 6 and 10) teaches a LED bulb where a power wire 18 is formed on the first surface of the substrate and a wavelength conversion layer 26 covering the light emitting diode filament to enhance the light luminosity and/or efficiency of the filament [¶0162; 0167].
Moreover, Ignatius (e.g. fig. 4) teaches a LED device including a first conductive section 14a having a first maximum width (i.e. slim strip) and a second conductive section 12 having a second maximum width (i.e. U shape)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to form a power wire on the first surface of the substrate and forming a second wavelength conversion layer under the second surface of the substrate as disclosed by Ge to provide a direct power voltage to the LEDs and to improve the luminosity and the efficiency of the light bulb. Also, it would have been obvious and to make the second maximum width disclosed by Liao in view of Ge larger than the first maximum width as suggested by Ignatius since this configuration will increase the pad reflective surface area and the overall luminosity of the device.
Regarding claim 21, Liao teaches that the supports are arranged to fix the substrate (see fig. 6).
Regarding claim 22, Liao teaches that the supports are arranged at different locations between the two opposite ends of the substrate (see fig. 6).
Regarding claim 23, Liao teaches that the supports is arranged to surround the substrate (see fig. 6).
Regarding claim 24, Liao teaches that second conductive section comprises a portion not covered by the first wavelength conversion layer (see fig. 3B).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LEONARDO ANDUJAR whose telephone number is (571)272-1912. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Thursday 10 AM to 8 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, JEAN C WITZ can be reached on (571)272-0927. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Leonardo Andujar/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3991 CRU
Conferees:
/Minh Nguyen/
Primary Examiner, AU 3991
/Jean C. Witz/, SPE, CRU 3991