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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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 1-8 and 10-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Chang (U.S. Patent No. 11,322,488).
Regarding to claim 1, Chang teaches a multi-channel visible light communication system, comprising:
a carrier board (Fig. 11, element 1010); and
a plurality of light-emitting device stacks arranged over the carrier board (Fig. 11, three stacks shown), wherein each of the plurality of light-emitting device stacks comprises:
a first light-emitting device (Fig. 13; element 1051; column 15, lines 44-45);
a second light-emitting device, disposed over the first light-emitting device (Fig. 13; element 1052; column 15, lines 45-46); and
a first adhesive layer, disposed between the first light-emitting device and the second light-emitting device (Fig. 13; stack 1032/1041), wherein the first adhesive layer comprises a first metasurface (Fig. 13; upper surface of element 1041) configured to pass a first color light emitted from the first light-emitting device (column 17, lines 5-6) and reflect a second color light emitted from the second light-emitting device (column 17, lines 17-18).
Regarding to claim 2, Chang teaches each of the plurality of light-emitting device stacks further comprises:
a third light-emitting device, disposed over the second light-emitting device (Fig. 13; element 1053; column 15, lines 45-46); and
a second adhesive layer, disposed between the second light-emitting device and the third light-emitting device (Fig. 13; stack 1033/1042), wherein the second adhesive layer comprises a second metasurface (Fig. 13; upper surface of element 1042) configured to pass the first color light emitted from the first light-emitting device and the second color light emitted from the second light-emitting device (column 17, line 6 and lines 18-19) and reflect a third color light emitted from the third light-emitting device (column 17, lines 26-27).
Regarding to claim 3, Chang teaches the first light-emitting device, the second light-emitting device and the third light-emitting device of each of the plurality of light-emitting device stacks are independently controlled (Fig. 10, Fig. 12, column 5, lines 7-9).
Regarding to claim 4, Chang teaches the second adhesive layer of each of the plurality of light-emitting device stacks further comprises a refractive index matching layer covering the second metasurface (column 17, lines 18-19, the second metasurface is the surface of Bragg reflector 1042, thus Bragg reflector 1042 covers the second metasurface. Bragg reflector is stack of alternative pairs layers of different refractive indices, the difference in refractive index depends on selected reflected wavelength).
Regarding to claim 5, Chang teaches the second adhesive layer of each of the plurality of light-emitting device stacks further comprises a distributed Bragg reflector below the second metasurface (column 17, lines 22-23).
Regarding to claim 6, Chang teaches a wavelength of the first color light emitted from the first light-emitting device is greater than that of the second color light emitted from the second light-emitting device, and the wavelength of the second color light emitted from the second light-emitting device is greater than that of the third color light emitted from the third light-emitting device (column 15, lines 46-48, wavelength of the first color light emitted from the first light-emitting device is red wavelength (620 to 750 nanometers), greater than that of the second color light, green wavelength (500 to 570 nanometers) emitted from the second light-emitting device, and the wavelength of the second color light emitted from the second light-emitting device is green wavelength (500 to 570 nanometers), greater than that of the third color light, blue wavelength (350 to 500 nanometers) emitted from the third light-emitting device).
Regarding to claim 7, Chang teaches the first light-emitting device is a red light-emitting device, the second light-emitting device is a green light-emitting device, and the third light-emitting device is a blue light-emitting device (column 15, lines 46-48).
Regarding to claim 8, Chang teaches the first adhesive layer of each of the plurality of light-emitting device stacks further comprises a refractive index matching layer covering the first metasurface (column 17, lines 17-18, the first metasurface is the surface of Bragg reflector 1041, thus Bragg reflector 1041 covers the second metasurface. Bragg reflector is stack of alternative pairs layers of different refractive indices, the difference in refractive index depends on selected reflected wavelength).
Regarding to claim 10, Chang teaches the first adhesive layer of each of the plurality of light-emitting device stacks further comprises a distributed Bragg reflector below the first metasurface (column 17, line 5).
Regarding to claim 11, Chang teaches a multi-channel visible light communication system, comprising:
a carrier board (Fig. 11, element 1010); and
a plurality of light-emitting device stacks, arranged over the carrier board (Fig. 11, three stacks shown), wherein each of the plurality of light-emitting device stacks comprises:
a first light-emitting device (Fig. 13; element 1051; column 15, lines 44-45) comprising a plurality of first conductive pads (Fig. 10; pad 1071; column 18, lines 33-37);
a second light-emitting device (Fig. 13; element 1052; column 15, lines 45-46) disposed over the first light-emitting device and comprising a plurality of second conductive pads (Fig. 10; pad 1072; column 18, lines 33-37), wherein the plurality of first conductive pads are electrically isolated from the plurality of second conductive pads (Fig. 10); and
a first adhesive layer (Fig. 13; stack 1032/1041), disposed between the first light-emitting device and the second light-emitting device (Fig. 13), where the first adhesive layer comprises a first metasurface (Fig. 13; upper surface of element 1041).
Regarding to claim 12, Chang teaches wherein each of the plurality of light-emitting device stacks further comprises:
a third light-emitting device disposed over the second light-emitting device (Fig. 13; element 1053; column 15, lines 45-46) and comprising a plurality of third conductive pads (Fig. 10; pad 1073; column 18, lines 33-37), wherein the plurality of third conductive pads are electrically isolated from the plurality of first conductive pads and the plurality of second conductive pads (Fig. 10); and
a second adhesive layer (Fig. 13; stack 1033/1042), disposed between the second light-emitting device and the third light-emitting device (Fig. 13), where the second adhesive layer comprises a second metasurface (Fig. 13; upper surface of element 1042).
Regarding to claim 13, Chang teaches a wavelength of first color light emitted from the first light-emitting device is greater than that of second color light emitted from the second light-emitting device, and the wavelength of the second color light emitted from the second light-emitting device is greater than that of third color light emitted from the third light-emitting device (column 15, lines 46-48, wavelength of the first color light emitted from the first light-emitting device is red wavelength (620 to 750 nanometers), greater than that of the second color light, green wavelength (500 to 570 nanometers) emitted from the second light-emitting device, and the wavelength of the second color light emitted from the second light-emitting device is green wavelength (500 to 570 nanometers), greater than that of the third color light, blue wavelength (350 to 500 nanometers) emitted from the third light-emitting device).
Regarding to claim 14, Chang teaches the first light-emitting device is a red light-emitting device, the second light-emitting device is a green light-emitting device, and the third light-emitting device is a blue light-emitting device (column 15, lines 46-48).
Regarding to claim 15, Chang teaches the first metasurface is configured to pass the first color light emitted from the first light-emitting device (column 17, lines 5-6) and reflect the second color light emitted from the second light-emitting device (column 17, lines 17-18), and the second metasurface is configured to pass the first color light emitted from the first light-emitting device and the second color light emitted from the second light-emitting device (column 17, line 6 and lines 18-19) and reflect the third color light emitted from the third light-emitting device (column 17, lines 26-27).
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.
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chang (U.S. Patent No. 11,322,488), as applied to claims 1 and 8 above, in view of Jiang (U.S. Patent No. 9,435,961).
Regarding to claim 9, Chang does not disclose the refractive index matching layer is made of organic glue. Jiang discloses organic glue is used as refractive index matching layer (column 7, lines 66-67). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Chang in view of Jiang to use organic glue as the refractive index matching layer in order to simplify the fabrication process.
Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chang (U.S. Patent No. 11,322,488), as applied to claim 12 above, in view of Tamma et al. (U.S. Patent No. 11,662,081).
Regarding to claim 16, Chang does not disclose the first metasurface of the first adhesive layer comprises a first substrate and a plurality of first antennas protruding upward from the first substrate; the second metasurface of the second adhesive layer comprises a second substrate and a plurality of second antennas protruding upward from the second substrate. Tamma discloses a metasurface comprises a substrate and a plurality of antennas protruding upward from the first substrate (Fig. 3; column 4, lines 34-39; column 5, lines 33-36). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Chang in view of Tamma to comprise in the first metasurface of the first adhesive layer a first substrate and a plurality of first antennas protruding upward from the first substrate, and in the second metasurface of the second adhesive layer a second substrate and a plurality of second antennas protruding upward from the second substrate, in order to redirect the light paths as desired.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 17-20 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding to claim 17, the prior art fails to anticipate or render obvious the claimed limitations including “the plurality of first antennas differ from the plurality of second antennas in width” in combination with the limitations recited in claims 12 and 16.
Regarding to claim 18, the prior art fails to anticipate or render obvious the claimed limitations including “the plurality of first antennas differ from the plurality of second antennas in arrangement period” in combination with the limitations recited in claims 12 and 16.
Regarding to claim 19, the prior art fails to anticipate or render obvious the claimed limitations including “the first adhesive layer of each of the plurality of light-emitting device stacks further comprises a refractive index matching layer covering upper surfaces and all side faces of the plurality of first antennas of the first metasurface” in combination with the limitations recited in claims 12 and 16.
Regarding to claim 20, the prior art fails to anticipate or render obvious the claimed limitations including “the second adhesive layer of each of the plurality of light-emitting device stacks further comprises a refractive index matching layer covering upper surfaces and all side faces of the plurality of second antennas of the second metasurface” in combination with the limitations recited in claims 12 and 16.
Pertinent Art
For the benefits of the Applicant, US-11282981-B2, US-11901397-B2, US-8269229-B2 US-11557825-B2, US-10937924-B2 US-20090145477-A1, US-20160163940-A1, US20240397799-A1, and US-11114499-B2, are cited on the record as being pertinent to significant disclosure through some but not all claimed features of the defined invention. The references fail to disclose the limitations including “the first metasurface of the first adhesive layer comprises: a first substrate; and a plurality of first antennas protruding upward from the first substrate; the second metasurface of the second adhesive layer comprises: a second substrate; and a plurality of second antennas protruding upward from the second substrate.”
Conclusion
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/VU A VU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2897