DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 12/17/25 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
The rejection of Claims 1, 2, 4, 14, and 20 under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kim et al. (US 2013/0200338 A1) as set forth in the Final Rejection filed 09/17/25 is herein amended due to the Applicant’s amendments.
The rejection of Claims 6 and 10 under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kim et al. (US 2013/0200338 A1) as set forth in the Final Rejection filed 09/17/25 is overcome by the Applicant’s amendments.
The rejection of Claim 8 under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kim et al. (US 2013/0200338 A1) as set forth in the Final Rejection filed 09/17/25 is NOT overcome by the Applicant’s amendments.
The rejection of Claims 9 and 12 under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (US 2013/0200338 A1) as set forth in the Final Rejection filed 09/17/25 is overcome by the Applicant’s amendments.
The rejection of Claims 1, 2, 5-7, 14, and 20 under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ono et al. (WO 2007/086552 A1) as set forth in the Final Rejection filed 09/17/25 is NOT overcome by the Applicant’s amendments.
The rejection of Claim 3 under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ono et al. (WO 2007/086552 A1) as set forth in the Final Rejection filed 09/17/25 is overcome by the Applicant’s amendments.
The rejection of Claims 1, 2, 4, 7, 9, 11, 13, 14, 19, and 20 under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Tamano et al. (WO 2009/099133 A1) as set forth in the Final Rejection filed 09/17/25 is overcome by the Applicant’s amendments.
The rejection of Claims 16 and 18 under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tamano et al. (WO 2009/099133 A1) in view of view of Xia et al. (US 2012/0223634 A1) as set forth in the Final Rejection filed 09/17/25 is overcome by the cancellation of the claims.
The rejection of Claims 15 and 17 under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tamano et al. (WO 2009/099133 A1) in view of view of Xia et al. (US 2012/0223634 A1) as set forth in the Final Rejection filed 09/17/25 is overcome by the Applicant’s amendments.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
13. 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.
14. Claims 1, 2, 4, 7-9, 12, 14, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kim et al. (US 2013/0200338 A1).
Regarding Claims 1, 2, 4, 7, 14, and 20, Kim et al. discloses compounds of the following form:
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([0020]) where X1 = arylene (or heteroarylene) and m = 1-5 ([0021]); an embodiment is disclosed:
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(page 18) such that n = integer, L = covalent bond, R1 = hydrogen, R2 = hydrogen or heteroaryl (CN-substituted N-carbazolyl), Y1a-1e = Y2a-2e = C, ring A = fused polycyclic aryl having 14 atoms (anthracene), R4 = hydrogen, Y3a-3e = C, and R3 = hydrogen or fused together to form a ring (benzene) of Applicant’s General Formula I. Kim et al. discloses an organic electroluminescent (EL) device comprising a substrate (11), anode (13), organic layer (15), and cathode (17) (Fig. 1); the organic layer comprises a hole-injecting layer, hole-transporting layer, buffer layer, light-emitting layer, electron-transporting layer, and electron-injecting layer ([0073]). Its inventive compounds comprise the light-emitting layer (as host material) and/or electron-transporting layer ([0066]-[0067]).
Regarding Claim 8, Kim et al. discloses another embodiment:
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(page 16) such that n = integer, Y3a-3e = Y1a-1e = Y2a = Y2c-2e = C, Y2b = N, R1-2 = R4 = hydrogen, R3 = hydrogen or fused with adjacent to form a fused ring (benzene), L = combination of heteroarylene and monoarylamine (-(pyridinylene)(phenyl)N-), and ring A = fused polycyclic aryl having 14 atoms (anthracene) of Applicant’s General Formula I; Y6e = N, Y6a-6d = C, n = integer, R6-7 = hydrogen, Y7a-7e = C of Applicant’s structure as recited in Claim 8.
Regarding Claims 9 and 12, Kim et al. discloses following embodiment:
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(page 10) such that n = integer, R1-2 = R4 = hydrogen, R3 = hydrogen or fused to form a ring (benzene), Y1a-1e = Y2a-2e = Y3a-3e = C, Y1a and Y2a are linked via linking atom Z (S), ring A = fused polycyclic aryl having 14 atoms (anthracene), and L = combination of arylene and monoarylamine (-(phenylene)(F-substituted phenyl)N-) of Applicant’s General Formula I; Y3f-3i = C, Y6a-6b = Y6d-6e = C, R6 = hydrogen, and R7 = hydrogen or halogen (F) of Applicant’s General Formula 11.
15. Claims 1, 2, 5-7, 14, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ono et al. (WO 2007/086552 A1).
Ono et al. discloses the following compound:
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(page 21) such that n = integer, ring A = fused polycyclic aryl having 14 carbon atoms (anthracene), R1 = R4 = hydrogen, R2 = hydrogen or aryl (phenyl), R3 = hydrogen or combination of aryl and heteroaryl (aza-analog of biphenyl), L = covalent bond, Y1a = Y2a = Y3b = N, and Y1b-1e = Y2b-2e = Y3a = Y3c-3e = C of Applicant’s General Formula I; alternatively, L = heteroarylene (pyridinylene), R1-2 = hydrogen, and Y1c = N and Y1a-1b = Y1d-1e = Y2a-2e = C of Applicant’s General Formula I. Ono et al. discloses an organic electroluminescent (EL) device comprising its inventive compounds (in the organic layer) as electron-transporting and/or electron-injecting material (Abstract).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
16. 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.
17. The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
18. Claims 6 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (US 2013/0200338 A1).
Kim et al. discloses the compound of Claim 1 as shown above in the 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) rejection. The compound is shown below:
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(page 18). Kim et al. discloses its inventive compounds are encompassed by the following:
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([0020]) where X1 = arylene (or heteroarylene) and m = 1-5 ([0021]). However, Kim et al. does not explicitly disclose any of the compounds as recited in the claims, particularly in regards to the nature of the L group of Applicant’s General Formula I. Nevertheless, it would have been obvious to modify compound 70 as disclosed by Kim et al. above such that L = arylene (phenylene) of Applicant’s General Formula I; R6 = hydrogen and Y6a-6e = C of Applicants’ General Formula 3. The motivation is provided by the fact that the modification merely involves a homologous extension of the arylene linker (easily envisioned from the scope of Kim et al.’s general formula), producing a substituent group that can be expected to have highly similar chemical and physical properties, thus rendering the production predictable with a reasonable expectation of success.
19. Claims 1, 2, 4, 7, 9, 11, 13, 14, 19, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. 2 (US 2014/0027723 A1).
Kim et al. 2 discloses compounds of the following form:
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([0025]) where a = 1-2 and b = 0-2 ([0028]); an embodiment is disclosed:
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(page 7). However, Kim et al. 2 does not explicitly disclose an embodiment that fully reads on Applicant’s General Formula I. Nevertheless, it would have been obvious to modify compound 10 as disclosed by Kim et al. 2 (above) such that n = integer, L = covalent bond (connected to ring A and one of Y1b, Y1c, or Y1e), Y1a and Y2a are linked via linking atom Z (-N(pheny)-), ring A = fused polycyclic aryl having 14 atoms (anthracene), R1-2 = hydrogen, R3 = hydrogen or linked together to form a fused ring (benzene), and Y1a-1e = Y2a-2e = Y3a-3e = C of Applicant’s General Formula I; results in the following compound:
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. The motivation is provided by the fact that the modification merely involves change in the connection point of the carbazolyl group, producing a positional isomer that can be expected to have highly similar chemical and physical properties; additional motivation exists, including the fact that the modification merely involves the selection of one possible embodiment selected from a highly finite list as envisioned from the scope of Kim et al. 2’s general formula, thus rendering the production predictable with a reasonable expectation of success.
Kim et al. 2 further discloses an organic electroluminescent (EL) device comprising the following layers: anode, hole-injecting layer, hole-transporting layer, light-emitting layer, electron-transporting layer, electron-injecting layer, and cathode (Fig. 1); the light-emitting layer comprises red, green, blue, and white light-emitting (sub)layers, each of which can comprise a phosphorescent (dopant) material ([0077]). Its inventive compounds serve as host material in the light-emitting layer(s) ([0076]. [0108]-[0109]).
20. Claims 15 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. 2 (US 2014/0027723 A1) in view of Xia et al. (US 2012/0223634 A1).
Kim et al. 2 discloses the organic electroluminescent (EL) device of Claim 14 as shown above. Kim et al. 2 discloses the use of phosphorescent dopant in the light-emitting layer ([0077]); the light-emitting layer comprises a plurality of layers red, green, blue, and white light-emitting (sub)layers, each of which can comprise a phosphorescent (dopant) material, while its inventive compounds serve as host material in the light-emitting layer(s) ([0076]-[0077], [0108]-[0109]). Dopant materials include the following:
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(page 45) (such that R2l = hydrogen in the Applicant’s formula). However, Kim et al. 2 does not explicitly disclose a phosphorescent emitter of Applicant’s General Formula II.
Xia et al. discloses the following green-emitting phosphorescent emitter used as dopant material in the light-emitting layer of an organic EL device, the use of which results in a device with improved efficiency and lifetime (Abstract; [0037]):
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(page 68) (λem = ~520 nm; Tables 2-3). It would have been obvious to incorporate the above metal complex as disclosed by Xia et al. to the green light-emitting layer of the organic EL device as disclosed by Kim et al. 2. The motivation is provided by the disclosure of Xia et al., which teaches that the use of its inventive phosphorescent emitters results in a device with improved efficiency and lifetime.
Allowable Subject Matter
21. Claims 3, 21, and 22 are 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 closest prior art is provided by Kim et al. (US 2013/0200338 A1), which
discloses the compounds of the following form:
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([0020]) where X1 = arylene (or heteroarylene) and m = 1-5 ([0021]); an embodiment is disclosed:
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(page 18). However, it is the position of the Office that neither Kim et al. singly nor in further combination with any other prior art discloses any of the compounds as recited in the claims, particularly in regards to the nature of the substituents attached to ring A of Applicant’s General Formula I.
Response to Arguments
22. Applicant’s arguments on page 24 with respect to the deficiencies of Kim et al. as cited in the previous Office Action have been considered but are moot in view of the new grounds of rejection as set forth above. Notice further that compound 53 (and compound 8) as disclosed by Kim et al. would inherently read on General Formula I as recited in Claim 1 as L is a combination of heteroarylene and monoarylamine (-(pyridinylene)(phenyl)N-) such that conditions (a) and (b) as recited in Claim 1 does not apply) (although in the case for compound 53, Y2b = N).
In regards to the Applicant’s arguments on page 25 with respect to the deficiencies of Ono et al. as cited in the previous Office Action, notice that R3 is a combination of aryl and heteroaryl (aza-analog of biphenyl) (i.e., rather than simply being a heteroaryl) in compound (1-99) such that ring A can still be anthracene.
23. Applicant’s arguments on page 26-27 with respect to the deficiencies based on Tamano et al. as cited in the previous Office Action have been considered but are moot in view of the new grounds of rejection as set forth above.
Conclusion
24. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAY L YANG whose telephone number is (571)270-1137. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri, 6am-3pm.
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/JAY YANG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1786
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