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 § 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) 1-14 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen et al. (US 2013/0286679 A1) in view of Yamashita et al. (US 2004/0246697 A1) and Chen (US 2023/0205008 A1), hereinafter referred to as Chen’008.
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Regarding claim 1, Chen et al. teaches a backlight module, comprising:
a light-emitting element (160; figure 1A);
a light guide plate (110; figure 1A and paragraph [0079]), having a light-inlet surface (light incident surface 120; figure 1A and paragraph [0079]) and a light-outlet surface (light emitting surface 130; figure 1A and paragraph [0079]) connected to each other, wherein the light-inlet surface (120) is opposite to the light-emitting element (160; see figure 1A);
a first optical film (prism sheet 170a; figure 1E and paragraph [0079]), having a first surface (bottom surface of 170a) , a second surface (top surface of 170a), and a side surface (see side surface of 170a in figure 1E), wherein the first surface (bottom surface of 170a) is opposite to the second surface (top surface of 170a) and faces the light-outlet surface (light emitting surface 130; see figure 1A), the side surface is located between the first surface and the second surface (see figure 1E, 170a where side surface of 170a is between the top and bottom surface of 170a), the side surface and the light-inlet surface are located on a same side of the backlight module (see figure 1A),
a second optical film (170b, arranged opposite to the first optical film (170a) and having a third surface opposite (top surface of 170b) to the second surface (top surface of 170a), wherein the third surface has a plurality of third columnar optical structures (174b), a third axial direction of each of the plurality of third columnar optical structures extends along the third surface (see figure 1E).
Chen et al. does not explicitly teach the first surface has a plurality of first columnar optical structures, a first axial direction of each of the plurality of first columnar optical structures extends along the first surface, the second surface has a plurality of second columnar optical structures, a second axial direction of each of the plurality of second columnar optical structures extends along the second surface, wherein an included angle between each of the plurality of first axial directions and the side surface is A1, an included angle between each of the plurality of second axial directions and each of the plurality of first axial directions is A2, and A1 < = 90° and A2 <= 90°.
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Yamashita et al. (US 2004/0246697 A1) teaches a first surface (6A; figure 22) has a plurality of first columnar optical structures (6X; figure 22), a first axial direction of each of the plurality of first columnar optical structures (6X; figure 22) extends along the first surface (6A; figure 22), the second surface has a plurality of second columnar optical structures (6Y), a second axial direction of each of the plurality of second columnar optical structures extends along the second surface (6B; see figure 22), wherein an included angle between each of the plurality of first axial directions and the side surface is A1.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Chen et al. include a plurality of first columnar optical structures on a first surface as taught by Yamashita et al. as an alternative design choice to achieve a desired illumination output.
Chen et al. modified by Yamashita et al. does not explicitly teach an included angle between each of the plurality of second axial directions and each of the plurality of first axial directions is A2, and A1 < = 90° and A2 <= 90° and an included angle between each of the plurality of third axial directions and each of the plurality of first axial directions is A3, and A3 <=45°.
Chen’008 teaches an included angle between each of the plurality of second axial directions and each of the plurality of first axial directions is A2, and A1 < = 90° and A2 <= 90° (see paragraph [0045] where direction is equal to 90 degrees) and an included angle between each of the plurality of third axial directions and each of the plurality of first axial directions is A3, and A3 <=45° (see paragraph [0065] where axial direction is less than or equal to 45 degrees).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Chen et al. to include a second axial direction of less than or equal to 90 degrees and a plurality of third axial directions that are less than or equal to 45 degrees as taught by Chen’008 as an alternative design choice to achieve a desired illumination output.
Regarding claim 2, Chen et al. teaches the backlight module according to claim 1, wherein a shape of each of the first columnar optical structures (174a )comprises a triangular prism (see figure 1E where 174a is a triangular prism) and has two first base angles connected to the first surface (see figure 1E), and angles of the two first base angles of each of the plurality of first columnar optical structures are equal to each other and are between 1° and 60°, respectively (see paragraph [0085] where the shape of 174b included angles range from 15 to 27 ).
Regarding claim 3, Chen et al. teaches the backlight module according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of first columnar optical structures (174a) has a first top opposite to the first surface (see figure 1E), and a distance between the two first tops of the two adjacent first columnar optical structures in the first columnar optical structures is between 25 um and 50 um (see paragraph [0031] where a width ranges from 10 mu.m to 60 mu.m).
Regarding claim 4, Chen et al. teaches the backlight module according to claim 3, wherein a shape of each of the plurality of first columnar optical structures (174a) comprises a triangular prism (see figure 1E), and each of the plurality of first tops comprises a vertex angle of each of the first columnar optical structures (see paragraph [0088] where the vertex angle of optical structures 172a is disclosed).
Regarding claim 5, Chen et al. teaches the backlight module according to claim 1, but does not explicitly teach wherein a refractive index of each of the plurality of first columnar optical structures is greater than 1.5.
Yamashita et al. teaches wherein a refractive index of each of the plurality of columnar optical structures is greater than 1.5 (see paragraph [0126] where the refractive index of an elongated prism pattern in which elongated prisms made of ultraviolet curable resin of refractive index 1.528.). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify Chen et al. to have the plurality of first columnar optical structures be greater than 1.5 as taught by Yamashita et al. as an alternative design choice to achieve a desired illumination output.
Regarding claim 6, Chen et al. teaches the backlight module according to claim 1, wherein a shape of each of the plurality of second columnar optical structures (174B; figure 1E) comprises a triangular prism and has two second base angles connected to the second surface (see figure 1E where 174B is a triangular prism), and angles of the two second base angles of each of the plurality of second columnar optical structures are equal to each other and are between 1° and 60°, respectively (see paragraph [0085] where the shape of 174b included angles range from 15 to 27 ).
Regarding claim 7, Chen et al. teaches the backlight module according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of second columnar optical structures (174; figure 1E) has a second top opposite to the second surface a distance between the two second tops of the two adjacent second columnar optical structures in the second columnar optical structures is between 25 um and 50 um (see paragraph [0031] where a width ranges from 10 mu.m to 60 mu.m).
Regarding claim 8, Chen et al. teaches the backlight module according to claim 7, wherein a shape of each of the plurality of second columnar optical structures comprises a triangular prism (see 174b in at least figure 1E) , and each of the plurality of second tops comprises a vertex angle (see paragraph [0089] where each of the second strip prism portions 174b has a protruding second vertex angle) of each of the second columnar optical structures (see figure 1E).
Regarding claim 9, Chen et al. teaches the backlight module according to claim 1, but does not explicitly teach wherein a refractive index of each of the plurality of second columnar optical structures is greater than 1.5.
Yamashita et al. (US 2004/0246697 A1) teaches wherein a refractive index of each of the plurality of columnar optical structures is greater than 1.5 (see paragraph [0126] where the refractive index of an elongated prism pattern in which elongated prisms made of ultraviolet curable resin of refractive index 1.528.).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Chen et al. to have the plurality of first columnar optical structures be greater than 1.5 as taught by Yamashita et al. as an alternative design choice to achieve a desired illumination output.
Regarding claim 10, Chen et al. teaches the backlight module according to claim 1, wherein a shape of each of the plurality of third columnar optical structures comprises a triangular prism (150; see figure 1A) and has two third base angles connected to the third surface (see figure1A), and angles of the two third base angles of each of the third columnar optical structures are equal to each other and are between 1° and 60°, respectively (see paragraph [0081] where angles include ranges from 15 degrees to 27 degrees and greater than or equal to 50 degrees).
Regarding claim 11, Chen et al. teaches the backlight module according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of third columnar optical structures (150) has a third top opposite to the third surface (see figure 1A), and a distance between the two third tops of the two adjacent third columnar optical structures in the third columnar optical structures is between 25 um and 50 um (see claim 19 of Chen et al. where distance ranges from 10 um to 60 um).
Regarding claim 12, Chen et al. teaches the backlight module according to claim 11, wherein a shape of each of the plurality of third columnar optical structures comprises a triangular prism (see shape of 150 in at least figure 1A), and each of the plurality of third tops comprises a vertex angle of each of the third columnar optical structures (see paragraph [0091] where vertex angles are disclosed).
Regarding claim 13, Chen et al. teaches the backlight module according to claim 1, but does not explicitly teach wherein a refractive index of each of the plurality of third columnar optical structures is greater than 1.5.
Yamashita et al. (US 2004/0246697 A1) teaches wherein a refractive index of each of the plurality of columnar optical structures is greater than 1.5 (see paragraph [0126] where the refractive index of an elongated prism pattern in which elongated prisms made of ultraviolet curable resin of refractive index 1.528.).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify Chen et al. to have the plurality of first columnar optical structures be greater than 1.5 as taught by Yamashita et al. as an alternative design choice to achieve a desired illumination output.
Regarding claim 14, Chen et al. teaches the backlight module according to claim 1, wherein the light guide plate (110) further has a fourth surface (see bottom of 110), the fourth surface is opposite to the light-outlet surface (120) and has a plurality of triangular prism optical structures (150), a fourth axial direction of each of the plurality of triangular prism optical structures extends along the fourth surface and the light-inlet surface (see figure 1A), each of the plurality of triangular prism optical structures has a fourth base angle and a fifth base angle (see paragraph [0091]), the fourth base angles and the fifth base angles are connected to the fourth surface (see figure 1A), the fourth base angles of each of the plurality of triangular prism optical structures are closer to the light-inlet surface compared with the fifth base angles (see figure 1A and paragraph [0091]), and angles of the fourth base angles are larger than angles of the fifth base angles (see paragraph [0091]).
Regarding claim 16, Chen et al. teaches the backlight module according to claim 1, but does not explicitly teach further comprising a reflecting sheet, wherein the reflecting sheet is arranged on a side, opposite to the first optical film, of the light guide plate.
Yamashita et al. teaches further comprising a reflecting sheet (light reflecting device 8; figure 22), wherein the reflecting sheet (8) is arranged on a side, opposite to the first optical film (6A), of the light guide plate (light guide 4; see figure 22).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the time of the effective filing date to modify Chen et al. to include a reflecting sheet as taught by Yamashita et al. to increase use efficiency of the amount of light emitted from the light source for illumination so that a desired illumination output is achieved (see paragraph [0103] of Yamashita et al.).
Claim(s) 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen et al. (US 2013/0286679 A1) in view of Yamashita et al. (US 2004/0246697 A1) and Chen (US 2023/0205008 A1), hereinafter referred to as Chen’008 as applied to claim 1 above and further in view of Lee et al. (US 9,958,591 B2).
Regarding claim 15, Chen et al. modified by Yamashita et al. and Chen’008 teaches the backlight module according to claim 1, but Chen et al. does not explicitly teach further comprising an optical film, wherein the optical film is arranged opposite the third surface and comprises a light-diffusing sheet or a brightness-enhancing sheet.
Lee et al. teaches an optical film (160; figure 1), wherein the optical film is arranged opposite the third surface (112) and comprises a light-diffusing sheet or a brightness-enhancing sheet (see column 8, lines 42-54, where 160 can be a double brightness enhanced film or a diffusion sheet.)
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the time of the effective filing date to modify Chen et al. to include an optical film that is a light diffusing sheet or brightness enhancing sheet as taught by Lee et al. to improve uniformity of an exit light of the backlight module (see column 8, lines 42-54 of Lee et al.).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-16 have been considered but are moot in view of new grounds of rejection necessitated by consideration of applicant’s arguments and reconsideration of the prior art of record.
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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