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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 10/08/2025 has been entered.
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) 1-3, 5, 7-10, 12 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Itoh et al. (US 2016/0062023 A1) in view of Jung (EP 3 299 706 A1), Hamada (US 8,235,574 B2) and Wan et al. (US 10,386,572 B1).
Regarding claim 1, Itoh et al. teaches a light module, comprising:
a light guide plate (light guide plate 15; see at least figure 5), having an inner light emitting surface (see at least figure 5), an outer light emitting surface (see at least figure 5) opposite to the inner light emitting surface along a first direction (see at least figure 5), and a light incident surface (15a; light entrance portion) connecting the inner light emitting surface and the outer light emitting surface (see at least figure 5), wherein the light guide plate (light guide plate 15; figure 5) extends from the light incident surface (15a) along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction (see figure 5);
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a first light source (16a; see at least figure 8), disposed on the light incident surface and located between the inner light emitting surface and the outer light emitting surface along the first direction (see at least figure 5 and 8), and an emitted light of the first light source having a first color temperature (paragraph [0153]); and
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a second light source (16b; see at least figure 8), disposed on the light incident surface and located between the first light source and the inner light emitting surface along the first direction (see at least figure 5 and 8), and an emitted light of the second light source having a second color temperature (see at least paragraph [0153]), wherein a difference between the first color temperature and the second color temperature is greater than 2000K (see at least paragraph [0153]),
Itoh et al. does not explicitly teach wherein the circuit substrate of [the first light source] is attached to the outer light emitting surface, and the circuit substrate of the second light source is attached to the inner light emitting surface and wherein the first light source and the second light source respectively include a circuit substrate and a plurality of light emitting elements arranged on the circuit substrate
Jung (EP 3 299 706 A1) teaches wherein the first light source (222b) and the second light source (222a) respectively include a circuit substrate (221-2b; figure 3) and a plurality of light emitting elements (222a,222b) arranged on the circuit substrate (221-2b), wherein the circuit substrate (221-2b; figure 3) of the first light source (222b) is attached to the outer light emitting surface (see position of 220 in at least figure 2), and the circuit substrate (221-1a; figure 3) of the second light source (222a) is attached to the inner light emitting surface (inner surface of 240; figure 2).
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It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the time of the effective filing date of the invention to modify Itoh et al. to attach the circuit substrate to the outer light emitting surface and a second light source to the inner emitting surface as taught by Jung to reduce or prevent a dark area from occurring in a display area of a display apparatus in with the backlight or light module is disposed (see paragraph [0006] of Jung).
Itoh et al. modified by Jung does not explicitly teach wherein in [the first light source] and [the second light source], each of the light emitting elements has a light emitting side, a back side opposite to the light emitting side, and a bottom side connected to the light emitting side and the back side, wherein the bottom side of each of the light emitting elements is attached on the circuit substrate, and the back side of each of the light emitting elements is free of being in contact with the circuit substrate, wherein each of the light emitting elements is arranged on the circuit substrate with a pitch along a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction, wherein a portion of the circuit substrate overlaps the light guide plate in the first direction, and the portion of the circuit substrate has a width smaller than the pitch.
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Hamada (US 8,235,574 B2) teaches wherein in the first light source (43bottom; see figure 10) and the second light source (43top; see figure 10), each of the light emitting elements has a light emitting side (bottom side facing top portion of 43bottom and top surface of 43bottom; figure 10), a back side (side of 43top and 43bottom attached to FPC 41; see figure 10) opposite to the light emitting side (top portion of 43), and a bottom side connected to the light emitting side and the back side, wherein the bottom side of each of the light emitting elements (see figure 10 where bottom side of light emitting elements 43 are attached to FPC 41) is attached on the circuit substrate (41), and the back side of each of the light emitting elements (43top and 43bottom) is free of being in contact with the circuit substrate (41).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Itoh et al. to position the backside of the first and second light source to be free of being in contact with the circuit substrate as taught by Hamada so that the brightness of the backlight can be improved (see column 6, lines 53-58 of Hamada).
Itoh et al. modified by Jung et al. and Hamada are silent about wherein each of the light emitting elements is arranged on the circuit substrate with a pitch along a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction, wherein a portion of the circuit substrate overlaps the light guide plate in the first direction, and the portion of the circuit substrate has a width smaller than the pitch.
Wan et al. (US 10,386,572 B1) teaches wherein each of the light emitting elements (72; figure 6) is arranged on the circuit substrate(108) with a pitch along a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction (see figure 6; column 11, lines 17-37), wherein a portion of the circuit substrate (108) overlaps the light guide plate in the first direction (see figure 6 ), and the portion of the circuit substrate (108) has a width smaller than the pitch (see figure 6 and 11).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Itoh et al. to arrange the light emitting elements on the circuit substrate as taught by Wan et al. as an obvious design choice and alternative way of arranging the light emitting elements to achieve a desired illumination output.
Regarding claim 2, Itoh et al. teaches the light module of claim 1, wherein the emitted light of the first light source is one of a cold light with a color temperature greater than or equal to 5300K and a warm light with a color temperature less than or equal to 3300K (see at least paragraph [0153]).
Regarding claim 3, Itoh et al. teaches the light module of claim 2, wherein the emitted light of the second light source is the other of the cold light with the color temperature greater than or equal to 5300K and the warm light with the color temperature less than or equal to 3300K (see at least paragraph [0153]).
Regarding claim 5, Itoh et al. teaches the light module of claim 4, wherein the light guide plate (15; see at least figures 5 and 8) has a thickness in the first direction, each of the light emitting elements (16a, 16b) has a height in the first direction, the height is not greater than half of the thickness (see at least figures 5 and 8).
Regarding claim 7, Itoh et al. teaches the light module of claim 1, wherein the light guide plate (15; see at least figure 5 and 8) comprises a light mixing area having a width in the second direction (see at least figures 5 and 8), and a ratio of the width of the light mixing area to the pitch is less than 1 (see at least figures 5 and 8).
Regarding claim 8, Itoh et al. teaches a display device, comprising:
a display pane (101)l, having a display surface (see at least figure 19);
a light module (see at least figures 5, 8 and 19), disposed on the display surface and comprising:
a light guide plate (15; see at least figures 5 and 8), having an inner light emitting surface (see at least figure 5), an outer light emitting surface and a light incident surface (see at least figure 5), wherein the inner light emitting surface faces the display surface and is opposite to the outer light emitting surface along a first direction (see at least figures 5 and 8), and the light incident surface connects the inner light emitting surface and the outer light emitting surface (see at least figures 5 and 8), wherein the light guide plate (15) extends from the light incident surface along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction (see figure 5 and 8);
a first light source (16a; see at least figure 5 and 8), disposed on the light incident surface and located between the inner light emitting surface and the outer light emitting surface along the first direction, and an emitted light of the first light source having a first color temperature (see paragraph [0153]); and
a second light source (16b), disposed on the light incident surface and located between the first light source (16a) and the inner light emitting surface along the first direction (see at least figure 5 and 8), and an emitted light of the second light source having a second color temperature (see paragraph [0153]), wherein a difference between the first color temperature and the second color temperature is greater than 2000K (see at least paragraph [0153]),
wherein the first light source (16a) and the second light source (16b) respectively include a circuit substrate (12; see at least figures 5 and 8) and a plurality of light emitting elements arranged on the circuit substrate (12), wherein the circuit substrate (12) of the first light source (16a) is attached to the outer light emitting surface, and the circuit substrate (12) of the second light source is attached to the inner light emitting surface (see at least figures 5 and 8).
Itoh et al. does not explicitly teach wherein the first light source and the second light source respectively include a circuit substrate and a plurality of light emitting elements arranged on the circuit substrate, wherein the circuit substrate of [the first light source] is attached to the outer light emitting surface, and the circuit substrate of the second light source is attached to the inner light emitting surface. and
Jung (EP 3 299 706 A1) teaches wherein the first light source (222b) and the second light source (222a) respectively include a circuit substrate (221-2b; figure 3) and a plurality of light emitting elements (222a,222b) arranged on the circuit substrate (221-2b), wherein the circuit substrate (221-2b; figure 3) of the first light source (222b) is attached to the outer light emitting surface (see position of 220 in at least figure 2), and the circuit substrate (221-1a; figure 3) of the second light source (222a) is attached to the inner light emitting surface (inner surface of 240; figure 2).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the time of the effective filing date of the invention to modify Itoh et al. to attach the circuit substrate to the outer light emitting surface and a second light source to the inner emitting surface as taught by Jung to reduce or prevent a dark area from occurring in a display area of a display apparatus in with the backlight or light module is disposed (see paragraph [0006] of Jung).
Itoh et al. modified by Jung does not explicitly teach wherein in [the first light source] and [the second light source], each of the light emitting elements has a light emitting side, a back side opposite to the light emitting side, and a bottom side connected to the light emitting side and the back side, wherein the bottom side of each of the light emitting elements is attached on the circuit substrate, and the back side of each of the light emitting elements is free of being in contact with the circuit substrate, wherein each of the light emitting elements is arranged on the circuit substrate with a pitch along a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction, wherein a portion of the circuit substrate overlaps the light guide plate in the first direction, and the portion of the circuit substrate has a width smaller than the pitch.
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Hamada (US 8,235,574 B2) teaches wherein in the first light source (43bottom; see figure 10) and the second light source (43top; see figure 10), each of the light emitting elements has a light emitting side (bottom side facing top portion of 43bottom and top surface of 43bottom; figure 10), a back side (side of 43top and 43bottom attached to FPC 41; see figure 10) opposite to the light emitting side (top portion of 43), and a bottom side connected to the light emitting side and the back side, wherein the bottom side of each of the light emitting elements (see figure 10 where bottom side of light emitting elements 43 are attached to FPC 41) is attached on the circuit substrate (41), and the back side of each of the light emitting elements (43top and 43bottom) is free of being in contact with the circuit substrate (41).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Itoh et al. to position the backside of the first and second light source to be free of being in contact with the circuit substrate as taught by Hamada so that the brightness of the backlight can be improved (see column 6, lines 53-58 of Hamada).
Itoh et al. modified by Jung et al. and Hamada are silent about wherein each of the light emitting elements is arranged on the circuit substrate with a pitch along a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction, wherein a portion of the circuit substrate overlaps the light guide plate in the first direction, and the portion of the circuit substrate has a width smaller than the pitch.
Wan et al. (US 10,386,572 B1) teaches wherein each of the light emitting elements (72; figure 6) is arranged on the circuit substrate(108) with a pitch along a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction (see figure 6; column 11, lines 17-37), wherein a portion of the circuit substrate (108) overlaps the light guide plate in the first direction (see figure 6 ), and the portion of the circuit substrate (108) has a width smaller than the pitch (see figure 6 and 11).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Itoh et al. to arrange the light emitting elements on the circuit substrate as taught by Wan et al. as an obvious design choice and alternative way of arranging the light emitting elements to achieve a desired illumination output.
Regarding claim 9, Itoh et al. teaches the display device of claim 8, wherein the emitted light of the first light source (16a) is one of a cold light with a color temperature greater than or equal to 5300K and a warm light with a color temperature less than or equal to 3300K (see at least paragraph [0153]).
Regarding claim 10, Itoh et al. teaches the display device of claim 9, wherein the emitted light of the second light source is the other of the cold light with the color temperature greater than or equal to 5300K and the warm light with the color temperature less than or equal to 3300K (see at least paragraph [0153]).
Regarding claim 12, Itoh et al. teaches the display device of claim 11, wherein the light guide plate (15; see at least figure 5 and 8) has a thickness in the first direction, each of the light emitting elements has a height in the first direction, the height is not greater than half of the thickness (see at least figures 5 and 8).
Regarding claim 14, Itoh et al. teaches the display device of claim 8, wherein the display surface has a display area (see figure 19), and the light guide plate (15; see at least figures 5 and 8) comprises a light mixing area between the light incident surface and the display area (see at least figure 19), the light mixing area has a width in the second direction and a ratio of the width of the light mixing area to the pitch is less than 1 (see at least figure 5 and 8).
Claim(s) 6 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Itoh et al. (US 2016/0062023 A1) in view of Jung (EP 3 299 706 A1), Hamada (US 8,235,574 B2) and Wan et al. (US 10,386,572 B1) as applied to claim 5 and 12, respectively, above and further in view of Shigeta et al. (US 2011/0032450 A1).
Regarding claim 6, Itoh et al. modified by Jung, Hamada and Wan et al. teaches the light module of claim 5, but Itoh et al. does not explicitly teach wherein the height is not greater than 0.8 mm.
Shigeta et al. teaches a height of the light guide plate (2) that is not greater than 0.8mm (see paragraph [0155] where height of light guide plate 2 is about 0.35 mm which is not greater than 0.8 mm).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill before the time of the effective filing date of the invention to modify the light guide of Itoh et al. to have a height not greater than 0.8mm as taught by Shigeta et al. to achieve a thickness reduction of the backlight device (see paragraph [0155] of Itoh et al.)
Regarding claim 13, Itoh et al. modified by Jung, Hamada and Wan et al. teaches the display device of claim 12, but does not explicitly teach wherein the height is not greater than 0.8 mm. Shigeta et al. teaches a height of the light guide plate (2) that is not greater than 0.8mm (see paragraph [0155] where height of light guide plate 2 is about 0.35 mm which is not greater than 0.8 mm).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill before the time of the effective filing date of the invention to modify the light guide of Itoh et al. to have a height not greater than 0.8mm as taught by Shigeta et al. to achieve a thickness reduction of the backlight device (see paragraph [0155] of Itoh et al.).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-3, 5-10, and 12-14 have been considered but are moot in view of new grounds of rejection necessitated by applicant’s amendment of independent claims 1 and 8. New references, Hamada (US 8,235,574 B2) and Wan et al. (US 10,386,572 B1), have been found to teach the newly recited limitations.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JESSICA MCMILLAN APENTENG whose telephone number is (571)272-5510. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9:00 am-5:00 pm.
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/JESSICA M APENTENG/ Examiner, Art Unit 2875
/ABDULMAJEED AZIZ/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2875
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