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.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS), submitted on 03/26/2024, is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the IDS is being considered by the examiner.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
Discussion of “fourth aspect” missing in 0019-0028.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Objections
Claim 20 objected to because of the following informalities:
“forming a light-shielding film covering a part of an upper surface of each of the lenses on each of the lenses” in lines 3-4 repetitive and unclear
. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 1, 6-8, 11, 16-17, 21-22 (and 2-5, 9-10, 12-15, 18-20 via dependency) rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the first lens side" in line 11. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Examiner interprets to mean “a first lens side” or a side of the first groove that is facing the first lens.
Claims 17 (line 10), 21 (line 19) rejected for the reasons outlined in the rejection of claim 1.
Claim 11 recites the limitation "the second lens side" in line 6. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Examiner interprets to mean “a second lens side” or a side of the second groove that is facing the second lens.
Claim 6, 7, 8, 16, 22 recites the limitation "the light emitting element" in line 3, line 3, line 3, line 10, line 19. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Examiner interprets to mean, among the plurality of light emitting elements, “a light emitting element” that corresponds to the first groove (claims 6-8), one of the plurality of grooves (leftmost) (claims 16, 22).
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(s) 1-3, 5, 11-13, 15, 17, 19, 21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bloemen (US-20200194973-A1) in view of Yamagata (US-20090141361-A1).
Regarding claim 1, Bloemen discloses a light emitting device (fig. 7, 0063) comprising: a substrate (substrate 101); a plurality of light emitting elements provided on a first surface side of the substrate (plurality of light emitting elements 130 on first surface side (top) of 101); and a plurality of lenses provided on a second surface side of the substrate (plurality of lenses 143 on second surface side (bottom) of 101).
Bloemen does not disclose wherein the substrate includes a first groove having a shape surrounding a first lens included in the plurality of lenses, the first groove has a first side surface provided on the first lens side and a second side surface provided on an opposite side of the first lens, and an inclination angle of the first side surface with respect to the first surface or the second surface is 80 degrees or more and 100 degrees or less.
Yamagata discloses a microlens array with a plurality of microlenses with a first microlens and a first groove with first and second side surfaces and an inclination angle of 90 degrees with respect to a top or bottom surface of the device (fig. 1 microlens array 1a with annotated fig. 3 first microlens (leftmost 1a) and first groove (leftmost 20) with first and second side surfaces FS and SS and inclination angle of 90 degrees (perp. to top and bottom), 0042-0043).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to add grooves between the microlenses in the claimed manner (and opposite the lens side, as shown in Yamagata) to reduce stray light influence within device (Yamagata 0015). See modified fig. 7.
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Annotated fig. 3
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Modified fig. 7 (one rough example of proposed modification, 3 grooves)
Regarding claim 2, modified Bloemen discloses the light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein an inclination angle of the second side surface with respect to the first surface or the second surface is 80 degrees or more and 100 degrees or less (modified fig. 7, SS perpendicular to first/top surface side with 130, 90 degrees).
Regarding claim 3, modified Bloemen discloses the light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the first groove has a bottom surface between the first side surface and the second side surface (leftmost groove in modified fig. 7 has bottom surface BS between FS and SS).
Regarding claim 5, modified Bloemen discloses the light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the first groove penetrates the substrate (modified fig. 7 groove penetrates 101).
Regarding claim 11, modified Bloemen discloses the light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the substrate further includes a second groove having a shape surrounding a second lens included in the plurality of lenses (modified fig. 7 101 includes groove2 surrounding rightmost lens), the second groove has a third side surface provided on the second lens side and a fourth side surface provided on an opposite side of the second lens (groove2 has TS on second lens side and FoS opposite second lens side), and an inclination angle of the third side surface with respect to the first surface or the second surface is 80 degrees or more and 100 degrees or less (TS inclination angle is 90 degrees/perpendicular).
Regarding claim 12, modified Bloemen discloses the light emitting device according to claim 11, wherein an inclination angle of the fourth side surface with respect to the first surface or the second surface is 80 degrees or more and 100 degrees or less (FoS inclination angle 90 degrees).
Regarding claim 13, modified Bloemen discloses the light emitting device according to claim 11, wherein the second groove is separated from the first groove (groove2 physically separated from groove).
Regarding claim 15, modified Bloemen discloses the light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of lenses is provided on the second surface of the substrate as parts of the substrate (143s part of 101, 0063).
Regarding claim 17, Bloemen discloses a method for manufacturing a light emitting device (fig. 7, 0063), comprising: forming a plurality of light emitting elements on a first surface side of a substrate (plurality of 130 on top of 101); forming a plurality of lenses on a second surface side of the substrate (plurality of 143 on bottom of 101).
Bloemen does not disclose and forming, in the substrate, a first groove having a shape surrounding a first lens included in the plurality of lenses, wherein the first groove is formed to have a first side surface provided on the first lens side and a second side surface provided on an opposite side of the first lens, and an inclination angle of the first side surface with respect to the first surface or the second surface is set to 80 degrees or more and 100 degrees or less.
Yamagata discloses a microlens array with a plurality of microlenses with a first microlens and a first groove with first and second side surfaces and an inclination angle of 90 degrees with respect to a top or bottom surface of the device (fig. 1 microlens array 1a with annotated fig. 3 first microlens (leftmost 1a) and first groove (leftmost 20) with first and second side surfaces FS and SS and inclination angle of 90 degrees (perp. to top and bottom), 0042-0043).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to add grooves between the microlenses in the claimed manner (and opposite the lens side, as shown in Yamagata) to reduce stray light influence within device (Yamagata 0015). See modified fig. 7.
Regarding claim 19, modified Bloemen discloses the method for manufacturing a light emitting device according to claim 17, wherein the first groove is formed in the substrate from the first surface side of the substrate (modified fig. 7 groove formed in 101 from top surface).
Regarding claim 21, Bloemen discloses a distance measuring device (figs. 12 + 7, 0063, 0067) comprising: a light emitting unit that includes a plurality of light emitting elements that generate light and irradiates a subject with the light from the light emitting elements (light emitting unit 100 with fig. 7 embodiment has plurality of VCSELs and irradiates subject 300); a light receiving unit that receives light reflected from the subject (receiving unit 221); and a distance measuring unit that measures a distance to the subject on a basis of the light received by the light receiving unit (distance measuring unit 235+250 measures distance based on received light at 221), wherein the light emitting unit includes: a substrate; the plurality of light emitting elements provided on a first surface side of the substrate; and a plurality of lenses provided on a second surface side of the substrate, the substrate includes a first groove having a shape surrounding a first lens included in the plurality of lenses, the first groove has a first side surface provided on the first lens side and a second side surface provided on an opposite side of the first lens, and an inclination angle of the first side surface with respect to the first surface or the second surface is 80 degrees or more and 100 degrees or less.
Portion of text in bold is rejected for the reasons outlined in the rejection of claim 1.
Claim(s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bloemen in view of Yamagata and Kautzsch (US-20150001665-A1).
Regarding claim 7, modified Bloemen discloses the light emitting device according to claim 1.
Modified Bloemen does not disclose wherein the first groove has a width equal to or larger than a wavelength of light emitted from the light emitting element.
Kautzsch discloses a light trap device with a trench having a width greater than approximately one wavelength of the light desired to be reflected (figs. 12+13 trenches 196 with width 206, 0064-0067, various semiconductor materials can be used, including GaAs, 0048).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the first groove has a width equal to or larger than a wavelength of light emitted from the light emitting element to suppress light transmission and optical tunneling through trench (Kautzsch 0064).
Claim(s) 8, 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bloemen in view of Yamagata and Miura (US-20010033422-A1).
Regarding claim 8, modified Bloemen discloses the light emitting device according to claim 1, Modified Bloemen does not disclose wherein the first groove has a shape in which light emitted from the light emitting element is totally reflected by the first side surface.
Miura discloses arranging grooves to obtain total internal reflection (0059).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the first groove has a shape in which light emitted from the light emitting element is totally reflected by the first side surface, while still maintaining perpendicularity to reduce crosstalk between adjacent lens/emitter pairs (Miura 0058-0059). Keeping 90 degree angle would avoid complicating groove manufacturing process.
Regarding claim 18, modified Bloemen discloses the method for manufacturing a light emitting device according to claim 17.
Modified Bloemen does not disclose wherein the first groove is formed in the substrate from the second surface side of the substrate.
Miura discloses an optical device with a lens array with V-shaped grooves formed at joints between adjacent lenses on the lens side of a substrate/lens plate. Miura further discloses total internal reflection of beams incident on grooves for suppression of crosstalk (fig. 4 V-shaped grooves 11 between lenses in array 16 on lens plate 3-1, 0059).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the first groove is formed in the substrate from the second surface side of the substrate to simplify optical/physical alignment of the grooves relative to the lens elements by forming groove + lens elements on the same side.
Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bloemen in view of Yamagata and Wang (US-5729563-A).
Regarding claim 9, modified Bloemen discloses the light emitting device according to claim 1.
Modified Bloemen does not disclose further comprising an insulating film provided in the first groove.
Wang discloses a SEL array with a dielectric film in a groove separating adjacent SELs (fig. 3 + 4 trenches 125-128 separate SELs and contain dielectric layer fig. 4 201, col. 4 lines 1-25).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have an insulating film provided in the first groove to provide passivation and allow for later implementation of heat conducting material within trench (Wang col. 4 lines 1-25).
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bloemen in view of Yamagata, Wang, and Hirigoyen (US-20120153127-A1).
Regarding claim 10, modified Bloemen discloses the light emitting device according to claim 9.
Modified Bloemen does not disclose wherein a refractive index of the insulating film is 2.3 or less.
Hirigoyen discloses an image sensor with optical trenches containing a material with a refractive index of 1.5, lower than that of the surrounding semiconductor substrate (fig. 2 trench 35 contains isolator material 40 with lower refractive index than substrate 10, 0041-0048). Hirigoyen also discloses a desire to reduce crosstalk (0006-0007).
It is well known to optimize values within disclosed ranges to achieve desired results (MPEP 2144.05 I/II).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to minimize the trench material index within known values to provide greater total internal reflection and reduced crosstalk (Hirigoyen 0007). See total internal reflection angle formula. Trench n2 must be minimized to minimize 𝜃c.
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Total internal reflection formula (see NPL_TIROpenstax)
Claim(s) 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bloemen in view of Yamagata and Ooi (US-20190170952-A1).
Regarding claim 20, modified Bloemen discloses the method for manufacturing a light emitting device according to claim 17.
Modified Bloemen does not disclose further comprising forming a light- shielding film covering a part of an upper surface of each of the lenses on each of the lenses.
Ooi discloses an optical module with array of VCSELs and corresponding lenses with light shielding film covering part of each of the lenses (fig. 13 VCSELs 151-156 and lenses 111a-116a with light shielding films 1301-1306, 0116-0118).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have part of each lens covered in light shielding film to prevent crosstalk between adjacent VCSEL/lens pairs (Ooi 0118).
Claim(s) 16, 22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bloemen in view of Miura.
Regarding claim 16, Bloemen discloses a light emitting device (fig. 7, 0063) comprising: a substrate (101); a plurality of light emitting elements provided on a first surface side of the substrate (plurality of 130 on top of 101); and a plurality of lenses provided on a second surface side of the substrate (plurality of 143 on bottom of 101).
Bloemen does not disclose wherein the substrate includes a groove provided between the lenses, and the groove has a depth at which light emitted from the light emitting element does not enter a deepest portion of a groove surface of the groove.
Miura discloses an optical device with a lens array with V-shaped grooves formed at joints between adjacent lenses. Miura further discloses total internal reflection of beams incident on grooves for suppression of crosstalk (fig. 4 V-shaped grooves 11 between lenses in array 16, 0059).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have grooves from bottom side between adjacent microlenses in Bloemen such that light emitted from light emitting elements does not enter deepest portion of grooves (i.e. vertex of v-groove) to prevent crosstalk between adjacent emitter/lens pairs (Miura 0059). See modified fig. 7V.
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Modified fig. 7V
Regarding claim 22, Bloemen discloses a distance measuring device (figs. 12 + 7, 0063, 0067) comprising: a light emitting unit that includes a plurality of light emitting elements that generate light and irradiates a subject with the light from the light emitting elements (light emitting unit 100 with fig. 7 embodiment has plurality of VCSELs and irradiates subject 300); a light receiving unit that receives light reflected from the subject (receiving unit 221); and a distance measuring unit that measures a distance to the subject on a basis of the light received by the light receiving unit (distance measuring unit 235+250 measures distance based on received light at 221), wherein the light emitting unit includes: a substrate; a plurality of light emitting elements provided on a first surface side of the substrate; and a plurality of lenses provided on a second surface side of the substrate, the substrate includes a groove provided between the lenses, and the groove has a depth at which light emitted from the light emitting element does not enter a deepest portion of a groove surface of the groove.
Portion of text in bold is rejected for the reasons outlined in the rejection of claim 16.
A second interpretation of “second groove” used to reject claim 11 a second time and claim 14.
Claim(s) 11, 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bloemen in view of Yamagata (second interpretation).
Regarding claim 11, modified Bloemen discloses the light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the substrate further includes a second groove having a shape surrounding a second lens included in the plurality of lenses (modified fig. 7X 101 includes groove2 surrounding 2nd from left lens), the second groove has a third side surface provided on the second lens side and a fourth side surface provided on an opposite side of the second lens (groove2 has TS on second lens side and FoS opposite second lens side), and an inclination angle of the third side surface with respect to the first surface or the second surface is 80 degrees or more and 100 degrees or less (TS inclination angle is 90 degrees/perpendicular).
Second from left line represents overlapping portion of groove and groove2.
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Modified fig. 7X
Regarding claim 14, modified Bloemen discloses the light emitting device according to claim 11, wherein the second groove is connected to the first groove (groove2 physically connected to groove at overlapping portion).
A second interpretation of “first side surface” in Yamagata used to reject claim 1 a second time and claim 4.
Claim(s) 1, 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bloemen in view of Yamagata (second interpretation).
Regarding claim 1, Bloemen discloses a light emitting device (fig. 7, 0063) comprising: a substrate (substrate 101); a plurality of light emitting elements provided on a first surface side of the substrate (plurality of light emitting elements 130 on first surface side (top) of 101); and a plurality of lenses provided on a second surface side of the substrate (plurality of lenses 143 on second surface side (bottom) of 101).
Bloemen does not disclose wherein the substrate includes a first groove having a shape surrounding a first lens included in the plurality of lenses, the first groove has a first side surface provided on the first lens side and a second side surface provided on an opposite side of the first lens, and an inclination angle of the first side surface with respect to the first surface or the second surface is 80 degrees or more and 100 degrees or less.
Yamagata discloses a microlens array with a plurality of microlenses with a first microlens and a first groove with first and second side surfaces and an inclination angle of 90 degrees with respect to a top or bottom surface of the device (fig. 1 microlens array 1a with annotated fig. 3X first microlens (leftmost 1a) and first groove (leftmost 20) with first and second side surfaces FS and SS and inclination angle of 90 degrees (perp. to top and bottom), 0042-0043).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to add grooves between the microlenses in the claimed manner (and opposite the lens side, as shown in Yamagata) to reduce stray light influence within device (Yamagata 0015). See modified fig. 7.
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Annotated fig. 3X (first side surface (FS) includes the short side connecting the two long sides)
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Modified fig. 7Q (FS includes bottom side of groove)
Regarding claim 4, modified Bloemen discloses the light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the first side surface and the second side surface are in contact with each other in the first groove (FS and SS in physical contact with each other in groove).
A third rejection of claim 1 used to reject claim 6.
Claim(s) 1, 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bloemen in view of Miura and Hirigoyen.
Regarding claim 1, Bloemen discloses a light emitting device (fig. 7, 0063) comprising: a substrate (substrate 101); a plurality of light emitting elements provided on a first surface side of the substrate (plurality of light emitting elements 130 on first surface side (top) of 101); and a plurality of lenses provided on a second surface side of the substrate (plurality of lenses 143 on second surface side (bottom) of 101).
Bloemen does not disclose wherein the substrate includes a first groove having a shape surrounding a first lens included in the plurality of lenses, the first groove has a first side surface provided on the first lens side and a second side surface provided on an opposite side of the first lens.
Miura discloses an optical device with a lens array with V-shaped grooves formed at joints between adjacent lenses. Miura further discloses total internal reflection of beams incident on grooves for suppression of crosstalk (annotated fig. 4 V-shaped grooves 11 between lenses in array 16, first side surface FS, second side surface SS, 0059).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the substrate includes a first groove having a shape surrounding a first lens included in the plurality of lenses, the first groove has a first side surface provided on the first lens side and a second side surface provided on an opposite side of the first lens to prevent crosstalk between adjacent emitter/lens pairs (Miura 0059). See modified fig. 7V.
Bloemen does not disclose an inclination angle of the first side surface with respect to the first surface or the second surface is 80 degrees or more and 100 degrees or less.
Hirigoyen discloses an optical device with trenches having side surfaces that are perpendicular to top and bottom surfaces of device (fig. 2G trench 35 sides perpendicular, 0046).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have an inclination angle of the first side surface with respect to the first surface or the second surface is 90 degrees to simplify fabrication of device and simplify adding/inserting additional material to trench (Hirigoyen 0047).
After modification, trenches on lens side now rectangular/perpendicular to surfaces. See modified fig. 7M.
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Annotated fig. 4 (Miura)
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Modified fig. 7M
Regarding claim 6, modified Bloemen discloses the light emitting device according to claim 1.
Modified Bloemen does not disclose wherein the first groove has a depth at which light emitted from the light emitting element does not enter a deepest portion of a groove surface of the first groove.
Miura further discloses total reflection at a groove/substrate interface (fig. 4 total reflection at groove 11, 0058-0059).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have total reflection at groove/substrate interface in Bloemen, such that light does not enter any portion of a groove surface to eliminate/reduce crosstalk (Miura 0058).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Miura US-20190103723-A1
Tsuji US-20200412084-A1.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Alex Ehrlich whose telephone number is (703)756-5716. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-5.
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/A.E./Examiner, Art Unit 2828 /MINSUN O HARVEY/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2828
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