Patent ID: 7898811

Claim:
A method for making a light emitting diode (LED) lighting assembly comprising: forming a printed circuit board comprising the steps of forming a plurality of vias through a dielectric layer sandwiched between first conductive layers, with the dielectric layer having opposing sides completely covered by the first conductive layers, filling the plurality of vias with a thermally conductive material for forming a plurality of thermally conductive plugs, forming a second conductive layer on each first conductive layer and on the plurality of thermally conductive plugs for protecting the plurality of thermally conductive plugs during subsequent assembly steps, with the second conductive layers completely covering exposed outer surfaces of the plurality of thermally conductive plugs and exposed outer surfaces of the first conductive layers; and mounting a plurality of LEDs to the printed circuit board, with each LED being mounted over at least one thermally conductive plug to dissipate heat therefrom.