DETAILED ACTION
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) 1-5, 11, 12, 15 and 18-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lopez et al. US 2022/0293667 A1.
Regarding claims 1-5, 11, 12, 15, 18 and 19, Lopez discloses:
A light emitting device (Figs. 7A/7B), comprising:
a semiconductor structure comprising an active layer (para 0056; phosphor-converted LEDs), the semiconductor structure comprising:
a first segment (Fig. 7B; para 0057 702 under R) configured to emit light of a first wavelength (para 0058; blue);
a trench (Fig. 7B; para 0057, 730) adjacent to the first segment; and
a second segment (Fig. 7B; para 0057, 702 under CW) spaced apart from the first segment by the trench and configured to emit light of the first wavelength (para 0058; blue LED);
a first wavelength converter (Fig. 7B; paras 0061-0062, 717 red or infrared first converter) arranged in the light path of the first segment and configured to absorb light of the first wavelength emitted by the first segment and emit light of a second wavelength (red) different from the first wavelength; and
a second wavelength converter (Fig. 7B; paras 0061-0062, 719 cooler white second converter) arranged in the light path of the second segment and configured to absorb light of the first wavelength emitted by the second segment and emit light of a third wavelength (cooler white) different from the first and second wavelength.
(claim 2) para 0060; “… each of the light emitting diodes 702 is individually addressable and thus independently controllable”.
(claim 3) Fig. 7B; paras 0061-0062, 717 red or infrared first converter.
(claim 4) Fig. 7B; para 0057, 702 under CW.
(claim 5) para 0058; blue.
(claim 11) Fig. 7B; first and second converters 717 do not overlap neighboring underlying 702.
(claim 12) Fig. 7B; 717 shown adjacent to each other.
(claim 15) para 0030, insulating material.
(claim 18) Figs. 7A/7B.
(claim 19) Fig. 8C; a first anode (847); a second anode (846); a common cathode (843).
Regarding claim 20, Lopez discloses:
A method of producing a light emitting device (Figs. 7A/7B; paras 0056-0063), comprising:
providing a semiconductor structure comprising an active layer (para 0056; phosphor-converted LEDs);
segmenting the semiconductor structure to produce a first segment (Fig. 7B; para 0057 702 under R) and a second segment (Fig. 7B; para 0057, 702 under CW) spaced apart (Fig. 7B; para 0057, 730 trench) from the first segment, the first and second segment configured to emit light of a first wavelength (para 0058; blue LED);
coupling the first and second segments to a first wavelength converter (Fig. 7B; paras 0061-0062, 717 red or infrared first converter) and a second wavelength converter (Fig. 7B; paras 0061-0062, 719 cooler white second converter), the first wavelength converter configured to absorb light of the first wavelength and emit light of an infrared and/or near infrared wavelength (R), the second wavelength converter configured to absorb light of the first wavelength and emit light of a visible wavelength (CW cooler white); and
contacting the first segment with a first anode (736 under R) and the second segment with a second anode (736 under CW).
Claim(s) 1, 8-10, 13, 16 and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lee et al. US 2020/0357846 A1.
Regarding claims 1, 8-10, 12, 13, 16 and 17, Lee discloses:
A light emitting device (Figs. 5, 11-18B; particularly Fig. 12; paras 0127-0131), comprising:
a semiconductor structure comprising an active layer (25 active layer), the semiconductor structure comprising:
a first segment (30b light emitting cell) configured to emit light of a first wavelength (para 0073; blue or ultraviolet);
a trench (opening between adjacent 30b and 30c) adjacent to the first segment; and
a second segment (30c light emitting cell) spaced apart from the first segment by the trench and configured to emit light of the first wavelength;
a first wavelength converter (51b wavelength converter) arranged in the light path of the first segment and configured to absorb light of the first wavelength emitted by the first segment and emit light of a second wavelength (para 0085; ultraviolet light into green light) different from the first wavelength; and
a second wavelength converter (51c wavelength converter) arranged in the light path of the second segment and configured to absorb light of the first wavelength emitted by the second segment and emit light of a third wavelength (para 0085; ultraviolet light into red light) different from the first (ultraviolet) and second wavelength (green).
(claims 8-10) Fig. 12.
(claim 13) para 0088; 55.
(claim 16) para 0056; Bragg reflector.
(claim 17) a substrate (21); first and second wavelength converter (51b/c); the semiconductor structure (30b/c).
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.
Claims 6, 7 and 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lopez and Lee, in view of Schmidt et al. WO 2023/022791 A1.
Regarding claims 6 and 7, Lopez/Lee do not disclose:
(claim 6) wherein the first and second wavelength converters are ceramic phosphors; (claim 7) wherein the first wavelength converter comprises chromium.
Schmidt discloses a publication from a similar field of endeavor in which:
(claim 6) wherein the first and second wavelength converters are ceramic phosphors; (claim 7) wherein the first wavelength converter comprises chromium (paras 0063 and 0076).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to employ such materials for wavelength conversion in LED since they allow desired color temperature and rendering properties Furthermore, it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice. In re Lesbin, 125 USPQ 416.
Regarding claim 14, Lopez/Lee do not disclose:
wherein the first wavelength converter is disposed to overlap the second wavelength converter in a vertical direction.
Schmidt discloses a publication from a similar field of endeavor in which:
wherein the first wavelength converter (202) is disposed to overlap the second wavelength converter (208) in a vertical direction (form light source 200 to the right).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to induce color mixing thereby allowing further color and warmth options.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ERROL V FERNANDES whose telephone number is (571)270-7433. The examiner can normally be reached on 9-5:30.
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/ERROL V FERNANDES/Primary Examiner, AU 2893