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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on December 16, 2025 has been entered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claim(s) 1,2,6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hussell et al (PG Pub 20160293811 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Hussell teaches a light module comprising: a base substrate (208, fig. 2B); a first circuit board (104, figs. 1C to 1F, in 204, paragraph [0072]) disposed on the base substrate and including a first front surface; a second circuit board (104 in another 204) disposed on the base substrate and including a second front surface; a first connection electrode disposed on the first circuit board; a second connection electrode disposed on the second circuit board; a first emitter (102a/102b) disposed on the first front surface and configured to emit light in a direction away from the first circuit board; a second emitter (102a/102b) disposed on the second front surface and configured to emit light in a direction away from the second circuit board; a first molding layer (106) covering the first emitter; and a second molding layer (106) covering the second emitter, wherein the first connection electrode and the second connection electrode include: a first electrode (108a/108c); a second electrode (110a/110b) electrically connected to the first electrode; and an embedded electrode (114a/114c) electrically connecting the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein the embedded electrode is disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode and is not exposed to an outside of the first or second circuit board, and wherein a distance between the second electrode of the first connection electrode connected to the first emitter and the second electrode of the second connection electrode connected to the second emitter is shorter (figs. 1E and 1F, fig. 2B, paragraph [0057]) than a distance between the first electrode of the first connection electrode connected to the first emitter and the first electrode of the second connection electrode connected to the second emitter.
Regarding claim 2, Hussell teaches the light module of claim 1, wherein the first molding layer and the second molding layer have an external light reflectance, an external light scattering rate, or an external light absorbance (black encapsulant 106, paragraph [0042]) of about 50% or more.
Regarding claim 6, Hussell teaches the light module of claim 1, wherein light emitted from the first emitter and light emitted from the second emitter have visible light wavelength (BRG, paragraph [0072]).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 4 and 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hussell et al (PG Pub 20160293811 A1) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Tischler (PG Pub 2014/0264427 A1).
Regarding claim 4, Hussell remains as applied in claim 1.
Hussell does not teach each of the first emitter and the second emitter further includes an insulation layer reflecting light emitted from the first and second emitters.
In the same field of endeavor, Tischler teaches an emitter includes an insulation layer (890, fig. 8) reflecting light emitted from emitter, for the known benefit of increasing light extraction.
Thus, it would have been obvious to the skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to include an insulation layer reflecting light emitted from emitter, for the known benefit of increasing light extraction.
Regarding claim 5, Hussell in view of Tischler teaches the light module of claim 4, wherein the insulation layer is disposed between the corresponding first or second circuit board and the corresponding molding layer.
Claim(s) 7, 11-14,18-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tischler (PG Pub 2014/0264427 A1) and Nagai (PG Pub 2007/0181895 A1).
Regarding claim 7, Tischler teaches a light module comprising: a circuit board (110, figs. 7A and 7C) including a front surface; a first connection electrode disposed on the circuit board; a second connection electrode disposed on the circuit board; a first emitter (130) disposed on the front surface and configured to emit light in a direction away from the circuit board (with reflector 890, fig. 8 , paragraph [0094] and with reflective surface of 110, paragraph [0072]); wherein the first connection electrode and the second connection electrode include: a first electrode (120/121); a second electrode (210’/210) electrically connected to the first electrode; and exposed from the base substrate; and an embedded electrode (220’/220) electrically connecting the first electrode to the second electrode, wherein the embedded electrode is disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode and is disposed in the circuit board, wherein the second electrode is exposed to an outside of the circuit board, base substrate, and wherein a distance between the first electrode (120) of the first connection electrode connected to the first emitter and the first electrode (121) of the second connection electrode connected to the first emitter is shorter (fig. 7A) than a distance between the second electrode (210’) of the first connection electrode connected to the first emitter and the second electrode (210) of the second connection electrode connected to the first emitter.
Tischler does not teach a base substrate or a first molding layer covering the first emitter.
In the same field of endeavor, Nagai teaches a base substrate (ceramic 216, fig. 21C); a circuit board (54 in 52, shown in fig. 8B, paragraph [0154]) disposed on the base substrate and including a front surface, for the benefit of increasing heat dissipation (paragraph [0172]). Nagai further teaches a first molding layer (608, fig. 35A and fig. 35B) covering the first emitter (402) for the known benefit of controlling the direction of emitted light.
Thus, it would have been obvious to the skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to include a base substrate and to dispose the circuit board including a front surface on the base substrate, for the benefit of increasing heat dissipation; and to include a first molding layer covering the first emitter for the known benefit of controlling the direction of emitted light.
Regarding claim 11, Tischler teaches the light module of claim 7, wherein the first emitter further includes an insulation layer (890, fig. 8, paragraph [0094]) reflecting light emitted from the first emitter.
Regarding claim 12, Tischler in view of Nagai teaches the light module of claim 11, wherein the insulation layer is disposed between the circuit board and the first molding layer.
Regarding claim 13, Tischler teaches the light module of claim 7, wherein light emitted from the first emitter has a visible light wavelength (paragraph [0019]).
Regarding claim 14, Tischler in view of Nagai (see claim 7) teaches a light module comprising: a base substrate; a circuit board disposed on the base substrate and including a front surface; a first connection electrode disposed on the circuit board; a second connection electrode disposed on the circuit board; a first emitter disposed on the front surface and configured to emit light in a direction away from the circuit board; and a first molding layer covering the first emitter, wherein the first connection electrode and the second connection electrode include: a first electrodes a second electrode electrically connected to the first electrode; and exposed from the base substrate; and an embedded electrode electrically connecting the first electrode to the second electrode, wherein the embedded electrode is disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode and is hidden by the circuit board, and wherein a distance between the first electrode of the first connection electrode connected to the first emitter and the first electrode of the second connection electrode connected to the first emitter is different with a distance between the second electrode of the first connection electrode connected to the first emitter and the second electrode of the second connection electrode connected to the first emitter.
Regarding claim 18, Tischler teaches the light module of claim 14, wherein the first emitter further includes an insulation layer reflecting (890, fig. 8, paragraph [0094]) light emitted from the first emitter.
Regarding claim 19, Tischler in view of Nagai teaches the light module of claim 18, wherein the insulation layer is disposed between the circuit board and the first molding layer.
Regarding claim 20, Tischler teaches the light module of claim 14, wherein light emitted from the first emitter has a visible light wavelength (paragraph [0019]).
Claim(s) 8,15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tischler (PG Pub 2014/0264427 A1) and Nagai (PG Pub 2007/0181895 A1) as applied to claims 1,7,15 above, and further in view of West et al (PG Pub 2012/0112220 A1).
Regarding claims 8,15, the previous combination remains as applied in claims 7 and 15.
The previous combination does not teach the second molding layer have an external light reflectance, an external light scattering rate, or an external light absorbance of about 50% or more.
In the same field of endeavor, West teaches a molding layer to have an external light scattering off about 50% or more (molding with particles 137, fig. 10, paragraph [0065]), for the known benefit of increasing light extraction.
Thus, it would have been obvious to the skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to make the second molding layer to have external light scattering rate of about 50% or more, for the known benefit of increasing light extraction.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1,2,4-6 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument. The previously cited art still teach the amended features in the other claims. See rejection above.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FEIFEI YEUNG LOPEZ whose telephone number is (571)270-1882. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 8am to 4pm EST.
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/FEIFEI YEUNG LOPEZ/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2899