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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) or (a)(2) as being anticipated by Hwang et al. (US 2018/0198046, hereinafter Hwang).
Regarding claim 1, Hwang discloses a light emitting device, comprising:
a light emitting diode (LED) element (light emitting device 200, Fig. 1B), provided on a substrate (first reflective structure 110, Fig. 1B), because the Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a word “substrate (substratum)” as “an underlying support”, and the first reflective structure 110 by Hwang supports the light emitting device 200, therefore, the first reflective structure 110 corresponds to the substrate in the claimed invention;
a wall unit (leftmost/rightmost second reflective structure 120, Fig. 1B), provided on the substrate (110, Fig. 1B) around the LED element (200, Fig. 1B); and
at least one or more reflective units (second reflective structure 120 adjacent to the light emitting device 200, Fig. 1B), because Applicant does not specifically claim the particular materials, dimensions, or relative dimensions of the claimed wall unit and the claimed reflective unit, for example, whether the wall unit and reflective unit are formed of the same or different materials, or have the same or different dimensions, the leftmost and rightmost second reflective structure 120 by Hwang can correspond to the claimed wall unit, while the second reflective structures 120 positioned adjacent to the LED 200 can correspond to the claimed reflective units,
having a tapered shape (Fig. 1B) that narrows towards a side opposite to the substrate (side opposite to 110, Fig. 1B), because “the sidewalls 120c of the second reflective structure 120 may be inclined with respect to the bottom surface 300b of the transparent substrate 300, e.g., at the obtuse angle” ([0028]), and provided between the LED element (200, Fig. 1B) and the wall unit (leftmost or rightmost 120, Fig. 1B).
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Regarding claim 2, Hwang further discloses for the light emitting device according to claim 1 that the reflective units (120 adjacent to 200, Fig. 1B) are respectively provided on both sides of the LED element (left and right sides of 200, Fig. 1B) in a manner of sandwiching the LED element (Fig. 1B).
Regarding claim 3, Hwang further discloses for the light emitting device according to claim 2 that the reflective unit (120 adjacent to 200, Fig. 1A-1B) is provided to surround the entire periphery of the LED element (Fig. 1A).
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 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over by Hwang et al. (US 2018/0198046, hereinafter Hwang) in view of Liu et al. (CN 221262418 U, hereinafter Liu)
Regarding claim 4, Hwang does not explicitly disclose that a height of the reflective unit is lower than a height of the LED element.
However, Liu discloses a LED packaging structure including a light emitting chip 3 disposed on a bottom plate 1 and surrounded by surrounding wall 2 (Fig. 1). The light emitting chip 3 and surrounding wall 2 by Liu correspond to the claimed LED element and wall unit, respectively. Liu further discloses that a filling layer 4 coated with a reflecting layer 5 is formed between the light emitting chip 3 and the surrounding wall 2, therefore, the filling layer 4 and reflecting layer 5 by Liu collectively correspond to the claimed reflective unit (Fig. 1). Liu expressly teaches that “the climbing height of the filling layer 4 on the side surface of the light emitting chip 3 is less than 10 ± 3 µm of the thickness of the light emitting chip 3 itself, that is to say, the area of the filling layer 4 closest to the light emitting chip 3 is less than 10 ± 3 µm of the top surface of the light emitting chip 3” (emphasis added, page 4, lines 6-9, see attached machine-translated copy), therefore, Liu teaches controlling the heigh of the filling layer 4 such that a portion of the filling layer 4 does not extend to the full height of the light-emitting chip 3, and because, as illustrated in Fig. 1, the reflecting layer 5 is formed directly on the filling layer 4, Liu provides a reflective structure having a height that is lower than the height of the light-emitting chip 3. Therefore, in view of Liu, one of ordinary skill in the art would have understood that Liu’s reflective layer configuration can be applied to Hwang’s LED device and provide the reflective unit at a height lower than the height of the LED element. Both Hwang and Liu are directed to LED device structures having reflective structures disposed around a light-emitting element, and Liu demonstrates that the relative height of the reflective structure can be selected to control the optical characteristics of the packaged LED. Examiner notes that Applicant does not specifically claim that a height of the entire reflective unit is lower than a height of the LED element.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to configure the reflective structure of Hwang’s LED device such that its height is lower than a height of the LED element, as taught by Liu, in order to achieve desired reflectivity and optical characteristics of the LED device.
Claims 5-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over by Hwang et al. (US 2018/0198046, hereinafter Hwang) in view of Matsuura et al. (US 2006/0034084, hereinafter Matsuura).
Regarding claim 5, Hwang does not explicitly disclose that at least a surface of the reflective unit is composed of metal.
However, Matsuura discloses a light-emitting apparatus including a first reflecting member 2 disposed between a light-emitting element 3 and a second reflecting member 4. (Fig. 1). The light-emitting element 3 and the second reflecting member 4 by Matsuura correspond to the claimed light emitting diode element and wall unit, respectively, and thus, the first reflecting member 2 corresponds to the claimed reflective unit. Matsuura further discloses that the side surfaces of the first reflecting member 2 have a tapered configuration (Fig. 1) and expressly teaches that “the first reflecting member 2 and the second reflecting member 4 are formed of a high-reflectivity metal such as Al, Ag, Au, platinum (Pt), titanium (Ti) Chromium (Cr) or Cu through cutting or in-mild molding. Alternatively, in a case where the first reflecting member 2 and the second reflecting member 4 are formed of an insulating material such as ceramics or resin (including a case where the first reflecting member 2 and the second reflecting member 4 are metal), the first inner peripheral surface 2a and the second inner peripheral surface 4a, respectively, may be coated with a thin film of a high-reflectivity metal such as Al, Ag, Au, Pt, Ti, Cr or Cu formed thereon through plating or vapor deposition” (emphasis added, [0123]). Therefore, in view of Matsuura, one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the reflective member having a configuration corresponding to the claimed reflective unit can be formed of a high-reflectivity metal. Use of a high-reflectivity metal, as taught by Matsuura, would increase reflection of light at the reflective unit and thereby improving light extraction and optical performance of Hwang’s LED device.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to employ a high-reflectivity metal for at least a surface of the reflective unit adjacent to LED element, as taught by Matsuura, in order to enhance the reflectivity and optical performance of LED device.
Regarding claim 6, Hwang does not explicitly disclose that a phosphor that emits fluorescence by light emitted from the LED element is filled in a space separated by the wall unit around the LED element.
However, Matsuura further discloses that the first wavelength-conversion layer 5 is disposed within a space surrounded by the second reflecting member 4 (Fig. 1), which corresponds to the claimed wall unit. Matsuura further teaches that “the first wavelength-conversion layer 5 comprises a phosphor material capable of converting the wavelength of the light from the light-emitting element 3” (emphasis added, [0131]), and thus, the first wavelength-conversion layer 5 by Matsuura corresponds to the claimed phosphor. Therefore, in view of Matsuura, one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that Matsuura’s phosphor-containing wavelength conversion layer can be incorporated into Hwang’s LED device, because the phosphor would absorb at least a portion of the light emitted by the LED element and emit converted light, thereby providing wavelength conversion and fluorescence within the space surrounded by the wall unit. Examiner notes that Applicant does not specifically claim that “a phosphor… is completely filled in a space separated by the wall unit around the LED element”.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to employ a phosphor-containing wavelength conversion material in the space surrounding Hwang’s light-emitting device and defined wall unit, as taught by Matsuura, in order to provide wavelength conversion and thereby achieve the desired optical characteristics of the light-emitting device.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hwang et al. (US 2018/0198046, hereinafter Hwang) in view of Iguchi et al. (US 2021/0151422, hereinafter Iguchi).
Regarding claim 7, Hwang does not explicitly disclose that a plurality of the LED elements are provided for each of pixels arranged on the substrate, and the wall unit separates the LED elements from each other for each of the pixels.
However, Iguchi discloses a micro light emitting element including a plurality of excitation light emitting element 105 disposed on a driving circuit substrate 50 (Fig. 1). Iguchi further discloses that reflective walls 34 surrounding and separating the respective the excitation light emitting element 105 from one another (Fig. 2). Therefore, one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that Iguchi’s pixel arrangement and reflective wall structure can be applied to Hwang’s LED device. In particular, providing multiple LED elements in an array corresponding to individual pixels and separating the respective LED elements with wall units would provide optical isolation between adjacent pixels, thereby reducing optical crosstalk and improving control of light emitted from the respective pixels. Because Iguchi demonstrates the use of reflective walls for individually separating adjacent light-emitting elements, applying this known configuration to the corresponding LED device of Hwang would have been a predictable modification.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Hwang’s LED device to include a plurality of LED elements arranged according to respective pixels and wall units separating the LED elements from one another for each pixel, as taught by Iguchi, to provide pixel level optical isolation and improve control of the emitted light.
Conclusion
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/WOO K LEE/Examiner, Art Unit 2815
