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 1-3, 7-9, 11-13, 15, 16 and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Daniels, US Patent Application Publication no. 2017/0038055.
Regarding claims 1 and 15, Daniels discloses a display system comprising:
a light emitting diode (LED) array including a plurality of LEDs formed from a semiconductor structure, wherein the semiconductor structure comprises an active layer corresponding to a light emitting region of each LED [an array of bare die LEDs, Figure 11c and paragraphs 0060 and 0097];
a driver circuit configured to control the LED array using electrical signals communicated through the semiconductor structure [LED power pulse cycles are controlled by a pulse driver, paragraph 0116]; and
at least one temperature regulating element (TRE) in the semiconductor structure, wherein each TRE comprises a phase change material configured to undergo a phase transition from a first state of matter to a second state of matter in response to heat, such that at least some of the heat is expended in causing the phase transition instead of heating an area around the TRE, and wherein the heat causing the phase transition originates at least in part from the light emitting region of one or more LEDs that are activated by the driver circuit [heat from the LEDs causes a phase change material to phase transition, paragraphs 0074, 0097 and 0116].
Regarding claims 2 and 16, Daniels further discloses that the at least one TRE comprises a first TRE between a first light emitter and a second light emitter [phase change material PCM between LEDs in Figure 11c and paragraph 0097].
Regarding claim 3, Daniels further discloses that the semiconductor structure comprises a filling layer occupying spaces between adjacent light emitters, and wherein the first TRE is located inside the filling layer [phase change material PCM between LEDs in Figure 11d and paragraph 0099].
Regarding claims 7 and 18, Daniels further discloses that the phase transition is from solid to liquid [solid phase changing material melts, paragraph 0116].
Regarding claims 8 and 19, Daniels further discloses that the phase transition is from liquid to solid [the melted phase changing material re-solidifies, paragraph 0116].
Regarding claim 9, Daniels further discloses that the phase change material has a transition temperature within an expected operating temperature range of the plurality of light emitters [the phase change material is chosen based on the operational temperature range of the bare die, paragraph 0072].
Regarding claims 11 and 20, Daniels further discloses that the phase change material is further configured to undergo a reverse phase transition from the second state of matter back to the first state of matter in response to cooling [the melted phase changing material re-solidifies when cooled, paragraph 0116].
Regarding claim 12, Daniels further discloses that the heat causing the phase transition originates at least in part from the active region of one or more light emitters that are activated, and wherein the cooling results from deactivating the one or more light emitters [the LEDs dissipate heat when active and reduces heat dissipation heat when inactive, thus allowing the melted phase changing material to cool and re-solidify, paragraph 0074].
Regarding claim 13, Daniels further discloses that the phase change material is configured to release heat during the reverse phase transition [release the heat and refreeze (re-solidify) the phase changing material, paragraph 0074].
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.
Claims 4-6 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Daniels, US Patent Application Publication no. 2017/0038055, in view of Weaver et al., US Patent Application Publication no. 2009/0219726 [Weaver].
Regarding claims 4 and 17, Daniels further discloses that the TRE at least partially surrounds a perimeter of the first light emitter [the phase change material may be disposed completely surrounding the sides of the bare die electronic device, paragraph 0099]. Daniels does not disclose that the TRE is paced apart from the LEDs. Like Daniels, Weaver discloses a lighting system that uses phase change material to absorb heat generated by LEDs. Weaver discloses that the phase change material for each LED may be enclosed in a sealed container [paragraph 0017]. Since it was known in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use sealed containers to enclose phase changing materials in LED lighting systems, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to use the known method of storing phase changing material in sealed container (thus providing a spacing between the phase changing material and the LEDs) in the Daniels LED lighting system to provide the predictable result of LED temperature regulation by phase changing material heat absorption.
Regarding claim 5, Daniels further discloses that the first TRE fully surrounds the perimeter of the first light emitter [the phase change material may be disposed completely surrounding the sides of the bare die electronic device, paragraph 0099].
Regarding claim 6, Daniels further discloses that the first TRE surrounds the first light emitter and a third light emitter, the third light emitter being adjacent to both the first light emitter and the second light emitter [the phase changing material surrounds the three LEDs in Figure 11d, and paragraph 0099].
Claims 10 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Daniels, US Patent Application Publication no. 2017/0038055.
Regarding claim 10, Daniels, as described above, discloses that the phase change material has a transition temperature within an expected operating temperature range of the plurality of light emitters. Daniels further lists a plurality of types of phase changing materials with different phase transition temperatures, but does not disclose using a phase change material with a phase transition temperature between 50 and 60 degrees Celsius. Examiner takes official notice that LED lighting systems before the effective filing date of the claimed invention used LEDs with an expected operation temperature range of 50-60 degrees Celsius. Accordingly, it would have been obvious to apply the Daniels phase changing material heat absorption teachings to known LED lighting systems that use LEDs with an expected operation temperature range of 50-60 degrees Celsius in order to maintain a constant temperature and improve the overall reliability and longevity of the LEDs [Daniels, paragraph 0074].
Regarding claim 14, Daniels does not disclose using that the LED lighting device is used continuously for at least half an hour. Examiner takes official notice that LED lighting systems before the effective filing date of the claimed invention were designed to operate continuously for over half an hour. Accordingly, it would have been obvious to apply the Daniels phase changing material heat absorption teachings to known LED lighting systems designed to operate continuously for over half an hour in order to maintain a constant temperature and improve the overall reliability and longevity of the LEDs [Daniels, paragraph 0074].
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Xiang, US Patent Application Publication no. 2016/0102854 discloses using solid to liquid phase-changing materials in LED lighting systems to provide LED temperature regulation.
Surdeanu et al., US Patent Application Publication no. 2012/0247707 discloses storing thermal energy from active LEDs in phase changing material.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PAUL B YANCHUS III whose telephone number is (571)272-3678. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9am-5pm.
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/PAUL B YANCHUS III/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2115 August 7, 2026
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