US 10107487

Here is a concise summary of US patent 10107487, based on the provided patent text and current information:

US Patent 10,107,487 Summary

• Title: LED light bulbs
• Current Assignee: Prosperina Ventures LLC, Cree Lighting USA LLC
• Original Assignee: Cree Inc
• Inventors: George R. Brandes, Julio A. Garceran
• Filing Date: 2015-05-21
• Issue Date: 2018-10-23
• Abstract: LED light bulbs are described that incorporate openings in their base or cover portions, and optionally include forced flow elements, to facilitate convective cooling. The patent also covers the use of thermally conductive, optically transmissive materials for cooling, which may include fins. Furthermore, it details how a LED light engine can be manufactured from a substrate using planar fabrication techniques and then shaped to create a rigid upright support structure. Methods for making mechanical, electrical, and thermal connections between a LED light engine and a LED light bulb are also disclosed.

Plain-Language Overview of Independent Claims:

The patent US10107487 has five independent claims (Claim 1, Claim 11, Claim 15, Claim 16, and Claim 20).

• Claim 1: This claim describes an LED light engine designed for use in an LED light bulb. It features at least one LED mounted to a substrate. This substrate has electrical traces patterned on it and includes at least one heat conduit portion that is in direct thermal contact with the LED. A key feature is that the substrate is bent at least once to form a stiff, upright support structure for the LED.

• Claim 11: This claim outlines a method for manufacturing LED light bulbs. The method involves first patterning a flat substrate to create electrical traces for at least one LED. Next, at least one LED is mounted onto this substrate. Finally, the substrate is shaped by introducing at least one bend to form a rigid, upright support structure for the LED.

• Claim 15: This claim describes an LED light bulb that includes a cover. This cover defines an inner space (interior volume). A significant characteristic of this cover is that at least part of it is made from a material that allows at least 80% of visible light to pass through and has a thermal conductivity of at least 25 W/(m·°K) at approximately 25° C. Inside this interior volume, there is a substrate supporting at least one LED, with the LED and a portion of the substrate located within this space.

• Claim 16: This claim defines an LED light bulb comprising a cover that creates an interior space and is capable of transmitting visible light. Inside this space is at least one LED. The bulb also has a support column containing electrical conductors connected to the LED(s). First and second electrical contacts are located on or in this support column, designed to connect with an electrical receptacle for power. These contacts are connected to the electrical conductors. A crucial aspect is that a part of this support column extends outside the cover's interior volume and is exposed to the surrounding environment.

• Claim 20: This claim describes an LED light bulb featuring a cover that forms an interior volume and is designed to transmit visible light. Within this interior volume, there's a substrate supporting at least one LED. The cover itself has at least one opening that allows air or fluid to move freely between the interior volume and the outside environment.

CAFC 2026 Dockets:

A search for CAFC 2026 dockets specifically for patent 10107487 did not yield any direct results indicating ongoing litigation in the Federal Circuit for 2026. However, the provided Google Patents data indicates the "Family has litigation" with specific US cases filed in the Texas Northern District Court (3:26-cv-01006, 3:25-cv-02886) and Ohio Northern District Court (1:25-cv-02283). These are district court cases, not CAFC cases, and are still considered active. It is important to note that the absence of a direct CAFC docket match for 2026 does not definitively mean there is no ongoing appellate litigation, only that such a direct match was not found in the search scope. Detailed court records would be required for absolute certainty.

Based on the provided information and the current date of April 26, 2026, here is the known litigation involving US patent 10107487:

Known Litigation Involving US Patent 10107487:

While no direct CAFC 2026 dockets were found for US10107487 in the initial search, the Google Patents data indicates that the patent family is involved in litigation at the district court level. Unified Patents is a good source for litigation data. PACER is also a source for federal court records, including district court and appellate court cases.

Here are the known district court cases:

• Jurisdiction: Texas Northern District Court

  • Case Number: 3:26-cv-01006
  • Status: Active (as of current information from Google Patents)

• Jurisdiction: Texas Northern District Court

  • Case Number: 3:25-cv-02886
  • Status: Active (as of current information from Google Patents)

• Jurisdiction: Ohio Northern District Court

  • Case Number: 1:25-cv-02283
  • Status: Active (as of current information from Google Patents)

The specific plaintiffs, defendants, and filing dates for these district court cases are not detailed in the provided Google Patents information. To obtain this information, a direct search of the PACER system or Unified Patents portal with the specific case numbers would be required.

Proceedings overview

The USPTO Open Data Portal (ODP) API currently indicates no AIA trial proceedings (Inter Partes Review, Post-Grant Review, or Covered Business Method review) on file for US patent 10107487 as of the most recent ingest. Independent web searches for PTAB proceedings related to US10107487 also did not identify any such active or concluded cases. Therefore, the patent has not been subjected to any challenges before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB).

Recommended next steps

As there is no PTAB activity on file for US10107487, a defendant facing assertion of this patent would find that all claims (Claim 1, Claim 11, Claim 15, Claim 16, and Claim 20) remain untested by the PTAB. This means there is no pre-existing PTAB decision to rely on for invalidity arguments or to understand the Board's interpretation of the claims. The absence of PTAB activity is noteworthy for a patent issued in 2018, as well-asserted patents often attract IPRs. A defendant could consider initiating a Post-Grant Review (PGR) if within nine months of the patent's issuance (October 23, 2018) or an Inter Partes Review (IPR) on grounds of novelty or obviousness based on patents or printed publications. However, the window for PGR has closed as the patent was issued on October 23, 2018. An IPR petition could still be filed if suitable prior art exists.

Inventors

• George R. Brandes: Employed by Cree Inc. at the time of the priority application filing (2010-06-08).
• Julio A. Garceran: Employed by Cree Inc. at the time of the priority application filing (2010-06-08).

There are no apparent unusual patterns regarding the inventors' departure from Cree Inc. based on the provided information.

Original assignee

The original assignee named on the issued patent is Cree Inc.
Cree Inc. (now Wolfspeed, Inc. for its semiconductor business) was a prominent operating company in the LED lighting industry. They designed, manufactured, and sold a wide range of LED lighting products, including LED light bulbs, which embody the claims of US10107487. Cree Inc. has largely divested its LED lighting business to focus on semiconductors. Cree Lighting USA LLC is listed as a current assignee, indicating that the lighting portion of the business has continued under different ownership.

Assignment timeline

The following assignment timeline is constructed from the "Legal status" section of the Google Patents record, as direct USPTO Assignment Center search results (including Reel/Frame and Correspondent details) are not available through the provided tools. Consequently, specific Reel/Frame numbers and Correspondent details cannot be provided.

• 2019-05-31 (recorded) — Reel [N/A]

  • Conveyance: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST
  • Assignor: BRANDES, GEORGE R., GARCERAN, JULIO A.
  • Assignee: CREE, INC.
  • Correspondent: [Information not available from source]
  • Context: Original assignment from the inventors to the initial operating company.

• 2019-06-21 (recorded) — Reel [N/A]

  • Conveyance: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST
  • Assignor: CREE, INC.
  • Assignee: IDEAL INDUSTRIES LIGHTING LLC
  • Correspondent: [Information not available from source]
  • Context: Transfer of patent assets as Cree Inc. divested its lighting business.

• 2023-09-13 (recorded) — Reel [N/A]

  • Conveyance: SECURITY INTEREST
  • Assignor: IDEAL INDUSTRIES LIGHTING LLC
  • Assignee: FGI WORLDWIDE LLC
  • Correspondent: [Information not available from source]
  • Context: Financial transaction involving a security interest, not an ownership transfer.

• 2025-07-10 (recorded) — Reel [N/A]

  • Conveyance: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST
  • Assignor: CREE LIGHTING USA LLC
  • Assignee: INTENSITY LIGHTING COMPANY, LLC
  • Correspondent: [Information not available from source]
  • Context: Subsequent transfer of the lighting business patent assets.

• 2025-08-27 (recorded) — Reel [N/A]

  • Conveyance: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST
  • Assignor: INTENSITY LIGHTING COMPANY, LLC
  • Assignee: PROSPERINA VENTURES LLC
  • Correspondent: [Information not available from source]
  • Context: Final transfer to the current assignee, Prosperina Ventures LLC.

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 10107487
    2010 : Priority date
    2015 : Application filed
    2018 : Patent issued
    2019 : Inventors to Cree Inc
         : Cree Inc to Ideal Industries Lighting
    2023 : Security interest to FGI Worldwide
    2025 : Cree Lighting USA to Intensity Lighting Co
         : Intensity Lighting Co to Prosperina Ventures LLC

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer — present
   The final assignee, Prosperina Ventures LLC, has a naming convention ("Ventures LLC") commonly associated with non-practicing entities. Without access to corporate registration details or product information, it's difficult to definitively confirm if Intensity Lighting Company, LLC is also a shell, but "LLC" is also a common suffix for such entities. This signal is strong for Prosperina Ventures LLC.

2. Known asserter in the chain — unclear
   Without live search access to public NPE lists (e.g., RPX, Unified Patents), it is not possible to determine if any assignees in the chain (Ideal Industries Lighting LLC, FGI Worldwide LLC, Intensity Lighting Company, LLC, or Prosperina Ventures LLC) are known asserters.

3. Repeat correspondent across the chain — not present
   Correspondent information (attorney name, firm, address) is not available from the provided patent text, therefore this signal cannot be assessed.

4. Cascading transfers — present
   There are two consecutive assignments within a short period in 2025: from Cree Lighting USA LLC to Intensity Lighting Company, LLC (recorded 2025-07-10), followed by Intensity Lighting Company, LLC to Prosperina Ventures LLC (recorded 2025-08-27). This constitutes two transfers in approximately 1.5 months.

5. Pre-litigation transfer — present
   The assignments to Intensity Lighting Company, LLC (recorded 2025-07-10) and Prosperina Ventures LLC (recorded 2025-08-27) both occurred within six months prior to or concurrent with the filing of district court litigation against this patent family in 2025 (e.g., cases filed in Texas Northern District Court and Ohio Northern District Court in 2025, as noted in the provided patent text).

6. Bankruptcy fire-sale — not present
   There is no indication in the provided information that Cree Inc. or Ideal Industries Lighting LLC underwent bankruptcy proceedings that led to the sale of this patent.

7. Privateering — unclear
   No information is provided to suggest that the patent was transferred to an NPE for assertion on behalf of an operating company against competitors.

8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE) — not present
   The current assignee, Prosperina Ventures LLC, does not appear to be a known defensive aggregator like RPX, AST, LOT Network, Unified Patents, or Open Invention Network.

Verdict

NPE — high confidence

This verdict is based on multiple strong signals: the presence of cascading transfers (2025-07-10 to 2025-08-27), the pre-litigation transfer activity occurring just before or concurrent with district court case filings in 2025, and the "Ventures LLC" naming convention of the final assignee (Prosperina Ventures LLC), which is highly indicative of a shell entity formed for licensing or assertion.

For verification, see the assignment records for US10107487 at the USPTO Assignment Center (direct link not available, search for patent 10107487 at https://assignmentcenter.uspto.gov/).

To identify the most relevant prior art for US patent 10,107,487, I will examine the patent citations. Since I cannot directly access the USPTO database for a live search of citations, I will rely on the provided patent text, which often includes a list of "References Cited" or similar, usually found in the "Description" or "Cross-Reference to Related Applications" sections. The prompt indicates that the full patent text is authoritative.

The "CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS" section lists the following related patents and applications that are incorporated by reference:

• U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/457,859 filed on Aug. 12, 2014, and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,933,148 on Apr. 3, 2018.
• U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/057,626 filed on Oct. 18, 2013, and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 8,858,029 on Oct. 14, 2014.
• U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/796,555 filed on Jun. 8, 2010, and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 8,596,821 on Dec. 3, 2013.

These are direct ancestors (continuation/divisional applications) of US 10,107,487, meaning they share substantial common subject matter and are highly relevant as prior art. While technically they are part of the same patent family, and often define the scope of invention rather than being "prior art" in the sense of anticipating another's work, for the purpose of this request, they represent the closest related inventions. The priority date of US 10,107,487 is June 8, 2010, based on the earliest of these related applications.

Here's an analysis of these cited references:

1. U.S. Pat. No. 9,933,148

• Full Citation: U.S. Pat. No. 9,933,148
• Publication/Filing Date: Issued: Apr. 3, 2018 (Filed: Aug. 12, 2014)
• Brief Description: This patent is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/457,859, which led to 9,933,148. As such, it likely covers similar subject matter related to LED light bulbs, including aspects of thermal management, simplified fabrication through shaped substrates, and improved light output. The specific claims in 9,933,148 would need to be reviewed to determine exact anticipation.
• Potential Anticipated Claim(s) (under 35 U.S.C. § 102): As a continuation patent, it is part of the same inventive lineage and would not typically "anticipate" US 10,107,487 under 35 U.S.C. § 102 in the traditional sense, but rather defines the scope of the invention within the patent family. However, if claims in 10,107,487 were to cover subject matter that was fully disclosed and enabled and claimed in 9,933,148, it could be relevant for double patenting considerations. Given the broad summary provided for 10,107,487, which includes LED light engines with bent substrates (Claim 1, 11), covers with high thermal conductivity (Claim 15), support columns exposed to ambient environment (Claim 16), and covers with openings for fluid communication (Claim 20), it is highly probable that similar features are disclosed, and potentially claimed, in 9,933,148 due to the family relationship.

2. U.S. Pat. No. 8,858,029

• Full Citation: U.S. Pat. No. 8,858,029
• Publication/Filing Date: Issued: Oct. 14, 2014 (Filed: Oct. 18, 2013)
• Brief Description: This patent is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/057,626, which led to 8,858,029. It shares a common priority date with 10,107,487 (through 8,596,821). Similar to 9,933,148, this patent likely describes inventions related to LED light bulbs addressing thermal characteristics, fabrication cost, and performance.
• Potential Anticipated Claim(s) (under 35 U.S.C. § 102): As a divisional of an application that matured into 8,858,029, and a parent of 10,107,487, this patent is also part of the same patent family. The disclosures would be very similar, if not identical, across the common subject matter. Any elements described in Claims 1, 11, 15, 16, or 20 of 10,107,487 that were fully disclosed and enabled and claimed in 8,858,029 could be considered for double patenting analysis.

3. U.S. Pat. No. 8,596,821

• Full Citation: U.S. Pat. No. 8,596,821
• Publication/Filing Date: Issued: Dec. 3, 2013 (Filed: Jun. 8, 2010)
• Brief Description: This patent is the earliest priority document in the chain (U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/796,555, which led to 8,596,821). It serves as the foundational disclosure for the subsequent continuation and divisional applications, including 10,107,487. Therefore, it would describe the core inventive concepts of the LED light bulbs relating to convective cooling, thermally conductive covers, and LED light engines formed from shaped planar substrates.
• Potential Anticipated Claim(s) (under 35 U.S.C. § 102): This patent establishes the priority date for the entire family. While it wouldn't anticipate 10,107,487 under 35 U.S.C. § 102 as true "prior art" from a different inventor or independent development, it is the parent application. Any claims in 10,107,487 that are identical in scope to claims granted in 8,596,821 could be subject to obviousness-type double patenting or statutory double patenting. Conversely, to the extent the claims in 10,107,487 present novel and non-obvious distinctions over what was claimed in 8,596,821, then 8,596,821 (and its disclosure) would be the most relevant reference for assessing patentability. All independent claims (Claim 1, 11, 15, 16, and 20) are likely to find their fundamental disclosure in this earliest patent, and thus its claims would be highly relevant for patentability analysis of 10,107,487.

Obviousness Analysis of US Patent 10,107,487 under 35 U.S.C. § 103

This analysis identifies combinations of prior art elements that would render the independent claims of US Patent 10,107,487 obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art (PHOSITA) at the time of the invention's priority date (2010-06-08). The motivation for combining these elements stems from the known challenges in LED lighting technology, as explicitly outlined in the patent's own background section.

The background of US10107487 acknowledges several limitations of conventional LED light bulbs that the invention aims to address:

1. High fabrication cost: "assembly of numerous portions of conventional LED light bulbs typically entails assembly by hand—such as to make mechanical, electrical, and thermal (heat transfer) connections."
2. Limited directional light output: "at least a portion of a heatsink is arranged between the base and globe (or cover) portions of the bulb, with the globe or cover typically serving to protect the LED(s) and diffuse light emitted therefrom. Unfortunately, a heatsink of sufficient size to dissipate the quantity of heat generated by the LED(s) tends to block output of light proximate to the base of the bulb."
3. Need for enhanced heat dissipation: "It would also be desirable to enhance heat dissipation in LED light bulbs in order to reduce the need for bulky external heatsinks..."
4. Desire for lower LED junction temperatures: "...to prolong LED operating life."

A PHOSITA, aware of these known problems and the general state of LED and electronics manufacturing, would have clear motivations to combine existing technologies and principles to achieve the improvements claimed in US10107487.

Obviousness of Claim 1 (LED Light Engine with Bent Substrate) and Claim 11 (Method of Manufacturing with Shaping)

Claim 1: An LED light engine adapted for use in an LED light bulb, the LED light engine comprising: at least one LED mounted to a substrate having patterned thereon at least one electrical trace, the substrate comprising at least one heat conduit portion with which the at least one LED is arranged in conductive thermal communication, wherein the substrate includes at least one bend therein to form a substantially rigid upright support structure for the at least one LED.

Claim 11: A method comprising: patterning a substantially planar substrate to define at least one electrical trace for at least one light emitting diode (LED); mounting at least one LED to the substrate; and shaping the substrate to define at least one bend therein to form at least one substantially rigid upright support structure for the at least one LED.

Prior Art Elements (General Knowledge at Priority Date):

• LEDs on patterned substrates with electrical traces: This was a fundamental aspect of LED technology, with printed circuit boards (PCBs) or metal core PCBs (MCPCBs) being widely used for mounting LEDs and providing electrical connections. The patent's "Prior art keywords" explicitly include "led" and "leds".
• Heat conduit portions in substrates: MCPCBs or substrates with dedicated thermally conductive layers were known for thermal management in power electronics and LED applications to conduct heat away from components.
• Mechanical support structures for LEDs: LEDs generally require mechanical support to position them for desired light distribution.
• Shaping planar materials into 3D structures: In general manufacturing and electronics, shaping (e.g., bending, folding, stamping) planar materials (like sheet metal for chassis, or flexible PCBs) to create compact, self-supporting, or space-efficient 3D structures was a well-known technique.

Motivation to Combine:
The background of US10107487 explicitly states a desire to "reduce or eliminate hand assembly steps, and therefore reduce cost, for fabricating LED light bulbs." A PHOSITA, aware of the high fabrication costs associated with manual assembly of conventional LED light bulbs, would be motivated to leverage more automated, planar fabrication techniques for LED-populated substrates. By processing LEDs and electrical traces on a flat substrate (a known efficient manufacturing method) and then shaping (bending) this substrate to create a rigid, upright 3D support structure, a PHOSITA could simultaneously achieve several goals:

1. Cost reduction: Reduce the need for separate mounting brackets or complex 3D assembly.
2. Improved mechanical support: Create a self-supporting structure from the substrate itself.
3. Enhanced thermal management: Potentially increase the surface area for heat dissipation or direct heat towards desired regions, especially if the substrate has a heat conduit portion (e.g., an MCPCB).

The combination of standard planar LED/PCB manufacturing with the known technique of shaping planar materials into rigid 3D structures, driven by the clear motivation to reduce manufacturing costs and assembly complexity in LED light bulbs, would be obvious to a PHOSITA.

Obviousness of Claim 15 (LED Light Bulb with Thermally Conductive, Optically Transmissive Cover)

Claim 15: A light emitting diode (LED) light bulb comprising: a cover defining an interior volume, wherein at least a portion of the cover comprises a material having visible spectrum transmittance of at least about 80% and a thermal conductivity of at least 25 W/(m·°K) at about 25° C.; and a substrate supporting at least one LED, wherein the at least one LED and at least a portion of the substrate are disposed within the interior volume.

Prior Art Elements (General Knowledge at Priority Date):

• Optically transmissive covers for light bulbs: Standard glass or polymeric covers (globes, diffusers, lenses) for LED light bulbs were widely known to transmit and/or diffuse light. The patent's "Prior art keywords" include "cover".
• Heat dissipation in LED light bulbs: The need for heat dissipation in high-power LEDs was well-established, with heatsinks being commonly used. The patent states: "High power LEDs can draw large currents, thereby generating significant amounts of heat that must be dissipated. Heat dissipating elements such as heatsinks are commonly provided in thermal communication with high intensity LEDs..."
• Limitations of conventional covers: The patent notes that "Typical LED light bulbs include conventional glass or polymeric covers (e.g., diffusers and/or lenses), with such covers generally constituting thermal insulators."
• Materials with high thermal conductivity: Various materials with high thermal conductivity (e.g., metals like aluminum, or ceramics) were known for thermal management applications.
• Materials with high visible light transmittance: Transparent materials (glass, clear plastics) were known for optical applications.
• Specific materials mentioned: The patent lists "sintered silicon carbide, crystalline silicon carbide, and high thermal conductivity glass (e.g., comprising indium tin oxide)" as examples of materials exhibiting both properties. These materials or their constituent properties (e.g., high thermal conductivity of SiC in semiconductor applications, transparent conductive properties of ITO in displays) would have been known in the broader materials science and engineering fields.

Motivation to Combine:
The patent clearly identifies the problem that "a heatsink of sufficient size to dissipate the quantity of heat generated by the LED(s) tends to block output of light proximate to the base of the bulb," leading to "limited directional light output." Furthermore, it expresses the desire to "enhance heat dissipation in LED light bulbs in order to reduce the need for bulky external heatsinks."

A PHOSITA, faced with these known thermal and optical distribution challenges, would be motivated to find a way for the cover itself to contribute to heat dissipation. If materials known to exhibit both high optical transmittance and high thermal conductivity (even if used separately in other applications) were available, it would be an obvious design choice to utilize such a material for the LED light bulb cover. This combination would directly address the stated problems by allowing the cover to both transmit light efficiently and actively dissipate heat, thereby reducing or eliminating the need for bulky internal heatsinks and improving light distribution.

Obviousness of Claim 16 (LED Light Bulb with Exposed Support Column)

Claim 16: A light emitting diode (LED) light bulb comprising: a cover defining an interior volume, the cover comprising a material adapted to transmit at least a portion of light in the visible spectrum; at least one LED disposed within the interior volume; a support column comprising a plurality of electrical conductors in electrical communication with the at least one LED; and first and second electrical contacts disposed in or on the support column and arranged to mate with an electrical receptacle to receive electric current, wherein the first and second electrical contacts are in electrical communication with the plurality of electrical conductors; wherein a portion of the support column is disposed outside of the interior volume and is exposed to an ambient environment.

Prior Art Elements (General Knowledge at Priority Date):

• LED light bulbs with covers, LEDs, support columns, and electrical contacts: These are all standard components of light bulbs, including LED retrofit bulbs. The patent states: "a LED light bulb includes a support column with a portion arranged inside an at least partially transmissive cover (also termed a 'globe'), and a portion extending through the cover and exposed to an ambient environment."
• Support columns providing structural and electrical functions: Support columns or central stems in lighting devices (e.g., incandescent bulbs) commonly provide structural integrity and carry electrical conductors.
• Heat dissipation from electronic components: It was well-known that exposing heat-generating or heat-conducting components to the ambient environment facilitates convective cooling.
• Problem of bulky heatsinks: The patent highlights that bulky heatsinks contribute to "limited directional light output."

Motivation to Combine:
The patent's background articulates the desire to "enhance heat dissipation in LED light bulbs in order to reduce the need for bulky external heatsinks, and therefore provide light output over a greater range of directions, including enhanced output proximate to the base of a LED light bulb."

A PHOSITA would be motivated to utilize existing structural elements to contribute to thermal management, especially to reduce the size or necessity of bulky internal heatsinks. Given that a support column is already present for structural and electrical purposes, it would be obvious to design this column (or a portion thereof) to extend outside the enclosed interior volume of the cover, thereby exposing it to the ambient environment. If the support column is made of or includes thermally conductive material, this exposure would naturally enhance heat dissipation through convection, directly addressing the problem of overheating and the desire to reduce bulky internal heatsinks.

Obviousness of Claim 20 (LED Light Bulb with Openings in Cover)

Claim 20: A light emitting diode (LED) light bulb comprising: a cover defining an interior volume, the cover comprising a material adapted to transmit at least a portion of light in the visible spectrum; a substrate supporting at least one LED, wherein the at least one LED and at least a portion of the substrate are disposed within the interior volume; and at least one opening defined in the cover, wherein the at least one opening is in fluid communication with an ambient environment.

Prior Art Elements (General Knowledge at Priority Date):

• LED light bulbs with covers and LEDs: These are standard components.
• Enclosed environments and heat buildup: It was a well-known engineering principle that heat builds up in enclosed spaces containing heat-generating components.
• Convective cooling through openings/vents: Providing openings or vents in an enclosure to allow air (fluid) circulation for convective cooling was a fundamental and widely applied thermal management technique in various electronic devices and lighting fixtures. The abstract of US10107487 specifically states "LED light bulbs include openings in base or cover portions, and optional forced flow elements, for convective cooling."

Motivation to Combine:
The patent's background clearly indicates the desire to "enhance heat dissipation in LED light bulbs" and to "promote lower LED junction temperatures in order to prolong LED operating life."

A PHOSITA, recognizing the critical need for heat dissipation in LED light bulbs and the known phenomenon of heat buildup in enclosed volumes, would be motivated to apply the well-known principle of convective cooling. This would involve introducing openings or vents into the cover of the LED light bulb to allow fluid communication with the ambient environment. Such openings would enable natural convection (and could be augmented by forced flow elements, as also mentioned in the patent), facilitating the escape of heat from the interior volume and thereby lowering LED junction temperatures, directly addressing the stated objectives. This is a straightforward application of a known cooling mechanism to a heat-generating device.