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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see Remarks pages 6-10, filed 08/31/2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-5, 8, 10, 21-25 and 27-28 under 35 U.S.C. 103 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Iguchi et al, US 20220069186 A1 (Iguchi).
New Grounds of Rejection
New grounds of rejection, over prior art reference Iguchi et al, US 20220069186 A1 (Iguchi), appears below.
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.
Rejection Note: Italicized claim limitations indicate limitations that are not explicitly disclosed in the primary reference, but disclosed in the secondary reference(s).
Claims 1-5, 8, 21-25 and 27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Iguchi et al, US 20220069186 A1 (Iguchi) in view of Leng, US 20220165993 A1 (Leng).
Regarding claim 1; Iguchi teaches a light emitting module (Iguchi: Annotated Fig (1A) shared in this OA: 200) comprising:
a circuit board (Fig (1A): 50);
a plurality of light emitting devices (100) disposed on the circuit board (50);
a first molding layer (15+16) surrounding side surfaces of the plurality of light emitting devices (100);
a second molding layer disposed on the first molding layer; and
a first electrode (30);
wherein each of the plurality of light emitting devices (100) comprises a first semiconductor layer (11), a second semiconductor layer (13), and an active layer (12) disposed between the first semiconductor layer (11) and the second semiconductor layer (13),
wherein a first surface of the first semiconductor layer (11) corresponds to a light exit surface of each of the plurality of light emitting devices (100), wherein the first electrode (30) covers the first surface of each of the plurality of light emitting devices (100) and a plurality of openings of the first molding layer (15+16),
wherein the first molding layer (15+16) is no higher than a portion of the first electrode (30) covering the first surface of each of the plurality of light emitting devices (100), and
wherein the second molding layer covers the first electrode.
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Iguchi does not teach a second molding layer disposed on the first molding layer, and wherein the second molding layer covers the first electrode.
However, Leng teaches a second molding layer (Leng: Fig (3): 160) disposed on the first molding layer (170), and wherein the second molding layer (160) covers the first electrode (123).
Iguchi and Leng are considered analogous art. Thus, it would have been obvious, prior to the effective filing date of the instant application, to a person having ordinary skill in the art, to modify Iguchi by incorporating a second molding layer such as disclosed in Leng to improve the protection of the device against external elements leading to a more reliable device.
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Regarding claim 2; Iguchi in view of Leng discloses all the limitations of the light emitting module according to claim 1.
Further, Iguchi teaches wherein each of the light emitting devices (Iguchi: Annotated Fig (1A) shared in this OA: 100) comprises a second electrode (23P) electrically connected to the second semiconductor layer (13), the first electrode (30) and the second electrode (23P) being disposed to face the circuit board (50).
Regarding claim 3; Iguchi in view of Leng discloses all the limitations of the light emitting module according to claim 2.
Further, Iguchi teaches wherein the first electrode (Iguchi: Annotated Fig (1A) shared in this OA: 30) and the second electrode (23P) of each of the plurality of light emitting devices (100) are electrically connected to the circuit board (50).
Regarding claim 4; Iguchi in view of Leng discloses all the limitations of the light emitting module according to claim 2.
Further, Iguchi teaches wherein the first electrode (Iguchi: Annotated Fig (1A) shared in this OA: 30) overlaps with an interface between the side surfaces of the plurality of light emitting devices (100) and the first molding layer (15+16).
Regarding claim 5; Iguchi in view of Leng discloses all the limitations of the light emitting module according to claim 1.
Further, Iguchi teaches wherein each of the plurality of light emitting devices (Iguchi: Annotated Fig (1A) shared in this OA: 100) comprises a second electrode (23P) electrically connected to the second semiconductor layer (13), the second electrode (23P) being disposed to face the circuit board (50).
Regarding claim 8; Iguchi in view of Leng discloses all the limitations of the light emitting module according to claim 1.
Further, Iguchi teaches wherein the first molding layer (Iguchi: Annotated Fig (1A) shared in this OA: 15+16) has an upper surface, having a periphery (upper surface of 16) flush with the first surface of the first semiconductor layer (11).
Regarding claim 21; Iguchi teaches a light emitting module (Iguchi: Annotated Fig (1A) shared in this OA: 200) comprising:
a circuit board (50);
a plurality of light emitting devices (100) disposed on the circuit board (50);
a first molding layer (15+16) surrounding side surfaces of the plurality of light emitting devices (100);
a second molding layer disposed on the first molding layer; and
a first electrode (30);
wherein each of the plurality of light emitting devices (100) comprises a first semiconductor layer (11), a second semiconductor layer (13), and an active layer (12) disposed between the first semiconductor layer (11) and the second semiconductor layer (13),
wherein a first surface (top surface) of the first semiconductor layer (11) corresponds to a light exit surface of each of the plurality of light emitting devices (100),
wherein the first electrode (30) contacts the first surface of each of the plurality of light emitting devices (100) and a plurality of openings of the first molding layer (15+16),
wherein the first molding layer (15+16) is no higher than a portion of the first electrode (30) contacting the first surface of each of the plurality of light emitting devices (100), and
wherein the second molding layer covers the first electrode.
Iguchi does not teach a second molding layer disposed on the first molding layer, and wherein the second molding layer covers the first electrode.
However, Leng teaches a second molding layer (Leng: Fig (3): 160) disposed on the first molding layer (170), and wherein the second molding layer (160) covers the first electrode (123).
Iguchi and Leng are considered analogous art. Thus, it would have been obvious, prior to the effective filing date of the instant application, to a person having ordinary skill in the art, to modify Iguchi by incorporating a second molding layer such as disclosed in Leng to improve the protection of the device against external elements leading to a more reliable device.
Regarding claim 22; Iguchi in view of Leng discloses all the limitations of the light emitting module according to claim 21.
Further, Iguchi teaches wherein each of the plurality of light emitting devices (Iguchi: Annotated Fig (1A) shared in this OA: 100) comprises a second electrode (23P) electrically connected to the second semiconductor layer (13), the first electrode (30) and the second electrode (23P) being disposed to face the circuit board (50).
Regarding claim 23; Iguchi in view of Leng discloses all the limitations of the light emitting module according to claim 22.
Further, Iguchi teaches wherein the first electrode (Iguchi: Annotated Fig (1A) shared in this OA: 30) and the second electrode (23P) of the light emitting device (100) are electrically connected to the circuit board (50).
Regarding case 24; Iguchi in view of Leng discloses all the limitations of the light emitting module according to claim 21.
Further, Iguchi teaches wherein the first electrode (Iguchi: Annotated Fig (1A) shared in this OA: 30) overlaps with an interface between the side surfaces of the plurality of light emitting devices (100) and the first molding layer (15+16).
Regarding claim 25; Iguchi in view of Leng discloses all the limitations of the light emitting module according to claim 21.
Further, Iguchi teaches wherein each of the plurality of light emitting devices (Iguchi: Annotated Fig (1A): 100) comprises a second electrode (23P) electrically connected to the second semiconductor layer (13), the second electrode (23P) being disposed to face the circuit board (50).
Regarding claim 27; Iguchi in view of Leng discloses all the limitations of the light emitting module according to claim 21.
Further, Iguchi teaches wherein the upper surface of the first molding layer (Iguchi: Annotated Fig (1A): 15+16) includes a periphery (upper surface of 16) flush with the first surface of the first semiconductor layer (11).
Claims 10 and 28 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Iguchi et al, US 20220069186 A1 (Iguchi) in view of Leng, US 20220165993 A1 (Leng) in further view of Choe, US 20210074770 A1 (Choe).
Regarding claim 10; Iguchi in view of Leng discloses all the limitations of the light emitting module according to claim 1.
However, Iguchi in view of Leng does not teach wherein the second molding layer includes a plurality of openings corresponding to the plurality of openings of the first molding layer.
Choe teaches wherein the second molding layer (Choe: Fig (14): BM3) includes a plurality of openings corresponding to the plurality of openings of the first molding layer (119).
Iguchi in view of Leng and Choe are considered analogous art. Thus, it would have been obvious, prior to the effective filing date of the instant application to modify Iguchi in view of Leng by using the openings in the second molding layer that correspond to the openings in the first molding layer as disclosed in Choe to improve the resolution of the device.
Regarding claim 28; Iguchi in view of Leng discloses all the limitations of the light emitting module according to claim 21.
However, Iguchi in view of Leng does not teach wherein the second molding layer includes a plurality of openings corresponding to the plurality of openings of the first molding layer.
Choe teaches wherein the second molding layer (Choe: Fig (14): BM3) includes a plurality of openings corresponding to the plurality of openings of the first molding layer (119).
Iguchi in view of Leng and Choe are considered analogous art. Thus, it would have been obvious, prior to the effective filing date of the instant application to modify Iguchi in view of Leng by using the openings in the second molding layer that correspond to the openings in the first molding layer as disclosed in Choe to improve the resolution of the device.
Conclusion
Prior art made of record but not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure:
Sakong et al, US 20210013236 A1 (Sakong); teaches a plurality of LED units that contain two semiconductor layers and an active layer in between surrounded by molding layers.
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/M.K./Examiner, Art Unit 2817
/Kretelia Graham/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2817
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