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 .
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, 8-11, 14, and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Wilcox (US 2015/0267906), of record by Applicant.
Regarding independent claim 1, Wilcox (‘906) teaches in figures 1, 2, 5, 6c and the corresponding text, a light emitting apparatus (10) comprising: a base substrate (12); a plurality of circuits (86-88) disposed on the base substrate; and a pad (72) disposed under the base substrate and contacting one electrode and another electrode of each of the plurality of circuits, wherein at least a circuit among the plurality of circuits comprises one or more light emitting sources; the pad includes a first sub-pad (88, bottom left) contacting one electrode of a first circuit among the plurality of circuits, a third sub-pad (cathode-top left) contacting another electrode of the first circuit, a second sub-pad (cathode-top right) contacting one electrode of a second circuit among the plurality of circuits, and a fourth sub-pad (anode-bottom right) contacting another electrode of the second circuit; and at least a region of one surface of the second sub-pad is disposed to face at least a region of one surface of the third sub-pad.
Regarding dependent claim 2, Wilcox (‘906) teaches at least a region of one surface of the first sub-pad is disposed to face at least a region of one surface of the third sub-pad, and at least a region of one surface of the second sub-pad is disposed to face at least a region of one surface of the fourth sub-pad.
Regarding independent claim 8, Wilcox (‘906) teaches in figures 1, 2, 5, 6c and the corresponding text, similar to claim 1 above, a light emitting module comprising one or more light emitting apparatuses, each of the one or more light emitting apparatuses comprising: a substrate comprising a base substrate; a plurality of circuits disposed on the base substrate; and a pad disposed under the base substrate and contacting one electrode and another electrode of each of the plurality of circuits, wherein at least a circuit among the plurality of circuits comprises one or more light emitting sources; the pad comprises a first sub-pad contacting one electrode of a first circuit among the plurality of circuits, a third sub-pad contacting another electrode of the first circuit, a second sub-pad contacting one electrode of a second circuit among the plurality of circuits, and a fourth sub-pad contacting another electrode of the second circuit; and at least a region of one surface of the second sub-pad is disposed to face at least a region of one surface of the third sub-pad.
Regarding dependent claim 9, Wilcox (‘906) teaches a solder pattern disposed on one surface of the substrate and connecting at least two sub-pads to each other among the first to fourth sub-pads.
Regarding dependent claim 10, Wilcox (‘906) teaches the first circuit and the second circuit are connected in series, the second sub-pad is connected to the third sub-pad through the solder pattern.
Regarding dependent claim 11, Wilcox (‘906) teaches the first circuit and the second circuit connected in series are connected in series to a third circuit among the plurality of circuits, a fifth sub-pad connected to one electrode of the third circuit is connected to the fourth sub-pad through the solder pattern or a sixth sub-pad connected to the other electrode of the third circuit is connected to the third sub-pad through the solder pattern.
Regarding independent claim 14, Wilcox (‘906) teaches in figures 1, 2, 5, 6c and the corresponding text, similar to claim 1 above, a light emitting apparatus comprising: a base substrate; a plurality of circuits disposed on the base substrate; pads disposed under the base substrate and contacting one electrode and another electrode of each of the plurality of circuits; at least a light emitting source disposed in at least a circuit among the plurality of circuit boards; and at least an integrated circuit (IC) device disposed in at least a circuit among the plurality of circuits, wherein the pads comprise a first sub-pad contacting one electrode of a first circuit among the plurality of circuits, a third sub-pad contacting another electrode of the first circuit, a second sub-pad contacting one electrode of a second circuit among the plurality of circuits, and a fourth sub-pad contacting another electrode of the second circuit; and at least a region of one surface of the second sub-pad is disposed to face at least a region of one surface of the third sub-pad.
Regarding dependent claim 18, Wilcox (‘906) teaches at least two sub-pads among the first to fourth sub-pads comprise regions having a same length.
Regarding dependent claim 19, Wilcox (‘906) teaches at least two sub-pads among the first to fourth sub-pads do not adjoin each other in the regions having the same length.
Regarding dependent claim 20, Wilcox (‘906) teaches the circuit provided with the integrated circuit device is electrically connected to the circuit provided with the light emitting source through the pads to control operation of the light emitting source.
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.
Claim(s) 3-7 and is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wilcox (US 2015/0267906), of record by Applicant.
Regarding dependent claim 3, Wilcox (‘906) teaches all of the claimed limitations except for the regions having different lengths.
Further regarding claim 3, the lengths appear to be an obvious choice in design based upon the intended size of the device.
Hence, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the diode package of Wilcox for the purpose of being able to operate at multiple different voltages. The lengths appear to be an obvious choice in design based upon the intended size of the device.
Regarding dependent claim 4, Wilcox (‘906) teaches at least two sub-pads among the first to fourth sub-pads comprise regions having a same length.
Regarding dependent claim 5, Wilcox (‘906) teaches at least two sub-pads among the first to fourth sub-pads do not adjoin each other in the regions having the same length.
Regarding dependent claim 6, Wilcox (‘906) teaches a wavelength converter disposed in at least a region of the light emitting source (paragraph 0036).
Regarding dependent claim 7, Wilcox (‘906) teaches a circuit among the plurality of circuits comprises at least an integrated circuit (IC) device.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 12, 13, 15, and 16 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.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSEPH L WILLIAMS whose telephone number is (571)272-2465. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 6:30 AM- 5:00 PM.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, JAMES R. GREECE can be reached at (571) 272-3711. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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JOSEPH L. WILLIAMS
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2875
/JOSEPH L WILLIAMS/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875
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