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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Species I in the reply filed on 11/21/2025 is acknowledged.
Claims 2 and 14 have been withdrawn from consideration
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.
Claim(s) 1 and 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by Zeng, US 2019/0107272 A1.
Regarding claim 1, Zeng discloses “A light-emitting module comprising: a substrate (83, Fig. 8); a light source (84, Fig. 8) disposed on the substrate;
an electronic component (821, Fig. 8) disposed on the substrate and separated from the light source (seen in Fig. 8); and a first light-transmissive member comprising a first lens (802, Fig. 8) and a first support (801, Fig. 8), and covering the light source and the electronic component (seen in Fig. 8), the first support supporting the first lens and comprising a light diffusing substance (¶ [0094] “The lightshade may be provided with a diffusion layer or an opaque portion above the input terminal structure 821, so as to cover the input terminal structure 821”), wherein a light diffusivity of the first support is higher than a light diffusivity of the first lens (the center portion is transparent, the side portion has a diffusion layer (¶ [0094]), and the first lens overlaps the light source and the first support overlaps the electronic component in a top view (seen in Fig. 8; ¶ [0042]).”
Regarding claim 6, Zeng discloses the invention of claim 1, as cited above, and further discloses “the first support overlaps an outer edge of a light emission region of the light source in the top view (seen in Fig. 8, the lampshade is diffusive, and the inner housing is reflective (¶ [0094], thus the first support overlaps an outer edge of the light emission region) .”
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) 3-5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zeng in view of Kuhn et al., US 2013/0285081 A1.
Regarding claim 3, Zeng discloses the invention of claim 1, as cited above, except “the first support comprises the light diffusing substance inside the first support”.
Zeng is silent with regards to the diffusing substance location, and only teaches a diffusion layer (¶ [0094]) but not its specific location with respect to the lens suport.
Kuhn discloses an optical element (3, Fig. 1B) where the optical altering materials can be introduced into the layer or on the top or bottom (¶ [0010] “The optical element may be formed of a plane parallel plate, into which reflective or absorptive materials have been introduced or which is provided with such materials on one or two major sides”).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, to have the diffusing materials, as taught by Zeng, be incorporated into the layer, such as taught by Kuhn. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to have the diffusive material in the layer for selecting a desired location for the diffusive material in completing the details of the invention.
Regarding claim 4, Zeng in view of Kuhn discloses the invention of claim 3, as cited above, and further discloses “the first lens and the first support constitute a formed body in which the first lens and the first support are bonded to each other at an interface between the first lens and the first support (Zeng, seen in Fig. 8, bonded together at interface between 801 and 802).”
Regarding claim 5, Zeng in view of Kuhn discloses the invention of claim 4, as cited above, and further discloses “at the interface between the first lens and the first support, the first lens comprises a first joining portion and the first support comprises a second joining portion fitted to the first joining portion (Zeng, seen in Fig. 8, the two are fitted together in shape).
Claim(s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zeng in view of Okahisa et al., US 2020/0073075 A1.
Regarding claim 7, Zeng discloses the invention of claim 1 as cited above, except “the first support comprises an annular projection on at least one of an upper surface or a lower surface of the first support.”
Okahisa discloses a lens with support with annular projections (21c, Fig. 1 and 3) on the upper and lower surface of the support. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to include annular projections, such as taught by Okahisa, to the lens support, as taught by Zeng. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to include annular projections for emitting light in a desired direction, such as parallel (Okahisa, ¶ [0058-0059]).
Claim(s) 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zeng in view of Kiba et al., US 2022/0146074 A1.
Regarding claim 8, Zeng discloses the invention of claim 1 as cited above, except “the first lens is a biconvex lens, and a distance between a surface of the first lens on a light source side and the light source increases as a distance from an optical axis of the first lens increases.
Kiba discloses a light module with a lens with support, and the lens (11, Fig. 1B) is a biconvex lens (¶ [0056]) where a distance between a surface of the first lens on a light source side and the light source increases as a distance from an optical axis of the first lens increases (seen in Fig. 2).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, to have the lens, as taught by Zeng be a biconvex lens, such as taught by Kiba. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to have the lens be a biconvex lens for selecting an appropriate lens type for emitting a desired light output.
Claim(s) 10-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zeng in view of Yoshida et al., US 2022/0316683 A1.
Regarding claim 10, Zeng discloses the invention of claim 1 as cited above, except “ the light source comprises at least one light-emitting part, which comprises: a light-emitting element, a wavelength conversion member disposed above the light-emitting element, and a covering member covering a lateral surface of the light-emitting element and a lateral surface of the wavelength conversion member.
Yoshida discloses a light source device with a lens and a support, and the light emitter (12AB, Fig. 1B, 2C) has a wavelength conversion member (11AB, Fig. 1B, 2C) on top and a covering member (13, Fig. 1B, 2C) covering a lateral surface of the light emitting element and the wavelength conversion member.
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, to include a wavelength conversion member and covering member, such as taught by Yoshida, to the light emitter, as taught by Zeng. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to add a wavelength conversion member on top for emitting a desired wavelength and converting more of the light (Yoshida, ¶ [0100]), and add a covering member for guiding the light emitted toward a predetermined direction (Yoshida, ¶ [0107]).
Regarding claim 11, Zeng discloses the invention of claim 1, as cited above, except “the light source comprises a plurality of light-emitting parts, each light-emitting part comprising: a light-emitting element, and a wavelength conversion member disposed above the light-emitting element, and the light-emitting module further comprises a covering member that integrally holds the light-emitting elements and the wavelength conversion members and covers lateral surfaces of the light-emitting elements and lateral surfaces of the wavelength conversion members.”
Yoshida discloses a light source device with a lens and a support, and the light emitters (12AB, Fig. 1B, 2C) has wavelength conversion members (11AB, Fig. 1B, 2C) on top and a covering member (13, Fig. 1B, 2C) covering a lateral surface of the light emitting element and the wavelength conversion member.
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, to include a plurality of light emitters and wavelength conversion members and covering member, such as taught by Yoshida, to the light source, as taught by Zeng. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to add a plurality of light emitters for emitting more light, a wavelength conversion member on top for emitting a desired wavelength and converting more of the light (Yoshida, ¶ [0100]), and add a covering member for guiding the light emitted toward a predetermined direction (Yoshida, ¶ [0107]).
Claim(s) 12 and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zeng in view of Yamamoto et al., US 2020/0343422 A1.
Regarding claim 12, Zeng discloses the invention of claim 1, as cited above, except “the light-emitting module is a flash light source.”’
Yamamoto discloses a light emitting device as a flash module (¶ [0003, 0030]).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, to have the flash light source, as taught by Yamamoto, use a light source device of claim 1, such as taught by Zeng. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to use a light source device of Zeng for concealing the electrical modules (Zeng, ¶ [0092]).
Regarding claim 13, Zeng discloses the invention of claim 1, as cited above, except “A smartphone comprising: the light-emitting module of claim 1.”
Yamamoto discloses a light emitting device as a flash module in a smartphone (¶ [0003, 0030]).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, to have the smartphone light source, as taught by Yamamoto, use a light source device of claim 1, such as taught by Zeng. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to use a light source device of Zeng for concealing the electrical modules (Zeng, ¶ [0092]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 9 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Claim 9 recites, inter alia, “A light-emitting module comprising: a substrate; a light source disposed on the substrate; an electronic component disposed on the substrate and separated from the light source; and a first light-transmissive member comprising a first lens and a first support, and covering the light source and the electronic component, the first support supporting the first lens and comprising a light diffusing substance, wherein a light diffusivity of the first support is higher than a light diffusivity of the first lens, and the first lens overlaps the light source and the first support overlaps the electronic component in a top view” and “a second light-transmissive member comprising a second lens, and a second support that supports the second lens, wherein: the second lens overlaps the first lens in the top view, the first support overlaps the substrate in the top view, at least a portion of the second support is located outward of the substrate in the top view, and a light diffusivity of the second support is higher than the light diffusivity of the first lens.”
The references of record do not teach or suggest the aforementioned limitations, nor would it be obvious to modify those references to include such limitations.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Yoshida et al., US 2022/0252241 A1 discloses a light source with a lens on a support
Fournier et al., US 2016/0337564 A1 discloses a smartphone with flash and adjustable diffusion
Begley et al., US 2015/0292686 A1 discloses a light device with outer shell with portions of different diffusivity for concealing electronics
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/MICHAEL CHIANG/Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2875
/TRACIE Y GREEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875