DETAILED ACTION
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 11/22/23 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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.
Claims 1, 2, 4-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Jung et al., US 2012/0056217.
Regarding claim 1, Jung teaches (at least in Figures 1-3) a light emitting device comprising: a substrate (21) having a first surface (bottom surface of first cavity 21a); a light source (30a) disposed on the first surface; a covering member disposed on the first surface and surrounding the light source in a plan view (side walls of 21, creating cavities 21a and 21b and bonding agent 33); and a circuit disposed on the substrate ([0080] and Figure 3); wherein: the circuit comprises a drive circuit ([0080]), and a protection circuit (30c) that is connected in parallel to the drive circuit (see Figure 3); the drive circuit is configured to drive the light source ([0080]), and the protection circuit comprises first and second protection elements (30c, [0061]) that are connected in series with reversed polarities (id); and the covering member covers the first and second protection elements (see Figures 2 and 4).
Regarding claim 2, Jung teaches the invention as explained above regarding claim 1 and further teaches the covering member has a frame shape surrounding the light source in the plan view (see Figure 4, package body 121).
Regarding claim 4, Jung teaches the invention as explained above regarding claim 1 and further teaches a plurality of connection terminals connected to the circuit and disposed along an outer periphery of the first surface in the plan view (Figure 4, connection terminals shown but not labeled along periphery).
Regarding claim 5, Jung teaches the invention as explained above regarding claim 4 and further teaches the connection terminals are disposed along a first side of the first surface (see Figure 4, first surface is left surface); the covering member has a rectangular frame shape surrounding the light source in the plan view (Figure 4, rectangular outer perimeter); the covering member has: a first region extending parallel to the first side of the first surface and located at a side corresponding to the first side of the first surface (left side), a second region extending parallel to the first side and located at a side corresponding to a second side of the first surface that is opposite the first side of the first surface (right side), a third region connecting a first end of the first region and a first end of the second region (top), and a fourth region connecting a second end of the first region and a second end of the second region (bottom); and the first and second protection elements are disposed in one or more of the first region, the third region, and the fourth region (fourth region, see 30c in Figure 4).
Regarding claim 6, Jung teaches the invention as explained above regarding claim 5 and further teaches the first and second protection elements are disposed in the first region (arbitrary definition…first region can be bottom, second would be top, third would be right, fourth would be left).
Regarding claim 7, Jung teaches the invention as explained above regarding claim 1 and further teaches the light source comprises a plurality of light emitting elements (30a and 30b, Figure 2), and a light transmissive member that covers the light emitting elements lens 35, Figure 2); and the light emitting elements are arranged in a rectangular shape as a whole in the plan view (see Figure 4).
Regarding claim 8, Jung teaches the invention as explained above regarding claim 7 and further teaches the light emitting elements are blue light emitting elements; and the light transmissive member contains a red phosphor ([0053]).
Regarding claim 9, Jung teaches the invention as explained above regarding claim 7 and further teaches the drive circuit comprises an integrated circuit ([0080]); the light emitting elements include a first light emitting element (30b on left side, Figure 2), and a second light emitting element (30a in middle Figure 2) that is connected in series with the first light emitting element (see Figure 3, series connection); and the first light emitting element and the second light emitting element are connected in parallel to the integrated circuit (see Figure 3, parallel connection to circuit elements, which includes protection circuit and drive circuit).
Regarding claim 10, Jung teaches the invention as explained above regarding claim 1 and further teaches the drive circuit comprises an integrated circuit ([0080]).
Regarding claim 11, Jung teaches the invention as explained above regarding claim 9 and further teaches the integrated circuit has a rectangular shape in the plan view and is disposed along an outer periphery of the covering member (see Figures 4 and 5, showing rectangular cover member and circuit elements below following same shape).
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 3 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jung in view of Davis, CN 11014984.
Regarding claim 3, Jung teaches the invention as explained above regarding claim 1 but fails to teach the first and second protection elements are bare chips.
However, in the same field of endeavor of light emitting devices, Davis teaches the protection elements are bare chips (see Spec. regarding Figure 2). Further, it would have been well known to those of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing that bare chips were capable of performing a similar function to Zener diodes in preventing damage to an LED circuit. Therefore, lacking criticality and unexpected results, it would have been an obvious matter of design choice to substitute bare chips for the Zener diodes in the Jung device with a reasonable expectation of achieving a similar outcome.
Regarding claim 12, Jung teaches the invention as explained above regarding claim 1, and further teaches a first and second light source (30a and 30b, Figure 2), but is silent as to a plurality of drive circuits. However, in the same field of endeavor of light emitting devices, Davis teaches the drive circuit comprises: a first drive circuit (162) configured to drive the first semiconductor, and a second drive circuit (163) configured to drive the second semiconductor; and the first drive circuit and the second drive circuit are configured to be driven independently from each other (see Spec. re: Figure 1). Further, it would have been well known to those of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing that multiple drive circuits would allow for independent control of the plurality of light emitting elements in the device, thereby increasing its functionality. Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to provide multiple drive circuits in the Jung device in order to allow for independent control over the light emitting elements.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Takeda, WO 2012/086790 teaches a light emitting device having a drive circuit and a protection circuit comprising a first and second element connected in series with reverse polarities.
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 .
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MARY ELLEN BOWMAN
Examiner
Art Unit 2875
/MARY ELLEN BOWMAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875