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 .
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 5 February 2026 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
The amendment of 5 February 2026 has been entered.
Disposition of claims:
Claim 1 has been amended.
Claims 2, 17-18, and 22 are cancelled.
Claims 1, 3-16, 19-21, and 23-27 are pending.
The amendment to claim 1 has overcome the rejection of claims 1-7 and 10-22 under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoo et al. (US 2019/0062357 A1) (hereafter “Yoo”) in view of Terao et al. (US 2011/0140089 A1) (hereafter “Terao”), Xiao et al. (“Tailoring electronic structure of organic host for high-performance phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes” Organic Electronics, vol. 15 (2014) pp. 2763-2768.) (hereafter “Xiao”), and Lee ‘259 (US 2011/0084259 A1) (hereafter “Lee ‘259”) and as evidenced by Lee et al. (“Synthesis and electroluminescent properties of 9,10-diphenylanthracene containing 9H-carbazole derivatives for blue organic light-emitting diodes” Synthetic Metals, vol. 203 (2015) pp. 174-179.) set forth in the last Office action; the rejection of claims 8-9 under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoo et al. (US 2019/0062357 A1) (hereafter “Yoo”) in view of Terao et al. (US 2011/0140089 A1) (hereafter “Terao”), Xiao et al. (“Tailoring electronic structure of organic host for high-performance phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes” Organic Electronics, vol. 15 (2014) pp. 2763-2768.) (hereafter “Xiao”), and Lee ‘259 (US 2011/0084259 A1) (hereafter “Lee ‘259”) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Yamazaki et al. (US 2012/0248421 A1) (hereafter “Yamazaki”) set forth in the last Office action; and the rejection of claims 23-26 under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoo et al. (US 2019/0062357 A1) (hereafter “Yoo”) in view of Terao et al. (US 2011/0140089 A1) (hereafter “Terao”), Xiao et al. (“Tailoring electronic structure of organic host for high-performance phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes” Organic Electronics, vol. 15 (2014) pp. 2763-2768.) (hereafter “Xiao”), and Lee ‘259 (US 2011/0084259 A1) (hereafter “Lee ‘259”) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Koyama (US 2002/0180369 A1) (hereafter “Koyama”) set forth in the last Office action. The rejections have been withdrawn.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see pp. 7-9 of the reply filed 5 February 2026, with respect to the rejection of claims 1-7 and 10-22 under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoo et al. (US 2019/0062357 A1) (hereafter “Yoo”) in view of Terao et al. (US 2011/0140089 A1) (hereafter “Terao”), Xiao et al. (“Tailoring electronic structure of organic host for high-performance phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes” Organic Electronics, vol. 15 (2014) pp. 2763-2768.) (hereafter “Xiao”), and Lee ‘259 (US 2011/0084259 A1) (hereafter “Lee ‘259”) and as evidenced by Lee et al. (“Synthesis and electroluminescent properties of 9,10-diphenylanthracene containing 9H-carbazole derivatives for blue organic light-emitting diodes” Synthetic Metals, vol. 203 (2015) pp. 174-179.) set forth in the last Office action; the rejection of claims 8-9 under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoo et al. (US 2019/0062357 A1) (hereafter “Yoo”) in view of Terao et al. (US 2011/0140089 A1) (hereafter “Terao”), Xiao et al. (“Tailoring electronic structure of organic host for high-performance phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes” Organic Electronics, vol. 15 (2014) pp. 2763-2768.) (hereafter “Xiao”), and Lee ‘259 (US 2011/0084259 A1) (hereafter “Lee ‘259”) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Yamazaki et al. (US 2012/0248421 A1) (hereafter “Yamazaki”) set forth in the last Office action; and the rejection of claims 23-26 under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoo et al. (US 2019/0062357 A1) (hereafter “Yoo”) in view of Terao et al. (US 2011/0140089 A1) (hereafter “Terao”), Xiao et al. (“Tailoring electronic structure of organic host for high-performance phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes” Organic Electronics, vol. 15 (2014) pp. 2763-2768.) (hereafter “Xiao”), and Lee ‘259 (US 2011/0084259 A1) (hereafter “Lee ‘259”) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Koyama (US 2002/0180369 A1) (hereafter “Koyama”) set forth in the last Office action have been fully considered and are persuasive. The rejection of claims 1-7 and 10-22 under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoo et al. (US 2019/0062357 A1) (hereafter “Yoo”) in view of Terao et al. (US 2011/0140089 A1) (hereafter “Terao”), Xiao et al. (“Tailoring electronic structure of organic host for high-performance phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes” Organic Electronics, vol. 15 (2014) pp. 2763-2768.) (hereafter “Xiao”), and Lee ‘259 (US 2011/0084259 A1) (hereafter “Lee ‘259”) and as evidenced by Lee et al. (“Synthesis and electroluminescent properties of 9,10-diphenylanthracene containing 9H-carbazole derivatives for blue organic light-emitting diodes” Synthetic Metals, vol. 203 (2015) pp. 174-179.) set forth in the last Office action; the rejection of claims 8-9 under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoo et al. (US 2019/0062357 A1) (hereafter “Yoo”) in view of Terao et al. (US 2011/0140089 A1) (hereafter “Terao”), Xiao et al. (“Tailoring electronic structure of organic host for high-performance phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes” Organic Electronics, vol. 15 (2014) pp. 2763-2768.) (hereafter “Xiao”), and Lee ‘259 (US 2011/0084259 A1) (hereafter “Lee ‘259”) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Yamazaki et al. (US 2012/0248421 A1) (hereafter “Yamazaki”) set forth in the last Office action; and the rejection of claims 23-26 under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoo et al. (US 2019/0062357 A1) (hereafter “Yoo”) in view of Terao et al. (US 2011/0140089 A1) (hereafter “Terao”), Xiao et al. (“Tailoring electronic structure of organic host for high-performance phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes” Organic Electronics, vol. 15 (2014) pp. 2763-2768.) (hereafter “Xiao”), and Lee ‘259 (US 2011/0084259 A1) (hereafter “Lee ‘259”) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Koyama (US 2002/0180369 A1) (hereafter “Koyama”) set forth in the last Office action have been withdrawn.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 1, 3-16, 19-21, and 23-27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention. Regarding claim 1: Claim 1 recites “wherein the light-emitting device exhibits a lifetime curve comprising a component with a negative coefficient in an initial decay period when driven at a current density of 75 mA/cm2.” This language does not appear in the specification. While Applicant points to Fig. 14A and paragraphs [0313] to [0315] and paragraphs [0198] to [0199] of the published specification, a lifetime curve comprising a component with a negative coefficient in an initial decay period appears to not be fully expressed by Fig. 14A and paragraphs [0313] to [0315] and paragraphs [0198] to [0199] of the published specification. While Fig. 14A and paragraphs [0313] to [0315] and paragraphs [0198] to [0199] of the published specification do show an increase in the initial stage of the decay curve, the shape of the curve in Fig. 14A is specific and does not generally describe any and every curve shape having an increase in the initial stage of the decay curve. In other words, the decay curves and look different and Fig. 14A and paragraphs [0313] to [0315] and paragraphs [0198] to [0199] of the published specification do not support these different curve shapes.
Additionally, Independent claim(s) 1 requires “wherein the light-emitting device exhibits a lifetime curve comprising a component with a negative coefficient in an initial decay period when driven at a current density of 75 mA/cm2.” The instant description includes a description of a single example device having a specific structure and a specific decay curve.
The specification in paragraphs [0192]-[0201] of the published specification describes the light emitting model in the light-emitting device of the instant disclosure. These paragraphs describe that at the initial driving stage some holes may reach the electron transport layer, extending the electron/hole recombination zone, and that this phenomenon may lead to an initial increase in device luminance as the recombination shifts to just the light-emitting layer where emission is efficient. Paragraph [0197] describes HOMO energy levels for the instant third compound contained in the electron-transport layer for this extension to be achieved in some cases. Paragraph [0197] additionally describes that the above phenomenon sometimes occurs when the difference between HOMO energy level of the host material (or assist material) of the light emitting layer and the third compound is 0.2 eV or less. Additionally, the electron transport layer is described as having a relatively low electron-transport property in paragraph [0196] of the instant specification.
This description from the specification makes multiple references to the described conditions only leading to the initial increase in device luminance in some cases. The specification only provides a single example device in which an initial increase in device luminance is shown. This device comprises stacked structures for both the hole transport layer and electron transport layer, specific host materials, and a specific electron transport material. Devices lacking the stacked structures for both the hole transport layer and electron transport layer may not achieve the observed results—this structure will affect transport properties, which will determine whether holes will reach the electron transport layer. Devices having differing host materials may not achieve the observed results—this will affect transport properties and recombination properties, which will determine whether holes will reach the electron transport layer. Devices having a material of an electron transport layer meeting the claimed HOMO energy level but with sufficiently high electron transport properties may also not permit holes to reach the electron transport layer.
Thus, for at least these reasons, while specification describes the above requirements that may lead to the claimed properties but provides no further description of which materials should be chosen to produce the claimed devices. The single example(s) described in the written description does not provide a representative number of materials sufficient to show that Applicant was in possession of the claimed device structure that leads to the claimed properties (see MPEP 2163-II-A-3-a-ii).
Regarding claims 3-16, 19-21, and 23-27: Claims 3-16, 19-21, and 23-27 are rejected due to their dependence from claim 1.
Claims 1, 3-16, 19-21, and 23-27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, because the specification, while being enabling for producing the general structure of the claimed device and the example whose luminance decay curve is shown in Fig. 14A, does not reasonably provide enablement for “wherein the light-emitting device exhibits a lifetime curve comprising a component with a negative coefficient in an initial decay period when driven at a current density of 75 mA/cm2.” The specification does not enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make the invention commensurate in scope with these claims.
Regarding claim 1: Claim 1 describes a device requiring the property of “wherein the light-emitting device exhibits a lifetime curve comprising a component with a negative coefficient in an initial decay period when driven at a current density of 75 mA/cm2.”
With respect to the factors described in In re Wands:
The claimed device comprises a hole injection layer, a light emitting layer, and an electron transport layer. Limitations are placed on the HOMO energy levels of the “second compound” of the hole-injection layer; that the “first compound” of the hole-injection layer accepts electrons from the “second compound”. The claim places some limitations on the light-emitting material of the light-emitting layer. The claim requires a HOMO energy level requirement on the “third compound” that is contained in the electron transporting layer. The claim requires that the electron transport layer also comprise a substance comprising a metal. The claim places no limitations on the host material of the light emitting layer and places no limitations on the electron transport property of the material of the electron transport layer. In sum, despite there being several specific material requirements, there is significant breadth in the choices for other materials such as the host material and the electron transport material. Additionally, there is significant breadth in the possible layer structures for the claimed device.
The invention is an organic light-emitting device requiring that “wherein the light-emitting device exhibits a lifetime curve comprising a component with a negative coefficient in an initial decay period when driven at a current density of 75 mA/cm2.”
Construction of organic light-emitting devices is well-known in the art. Selection of materials to provide a high functioning device is known.
One of ordinary skill in the art would be capable to producing an organic light-emitting device having the claimed layer structure and would be capable of selecting materials that in combination would provide a high functioning device.
Producing an organic light emitting device that is high functioning would be predictable for one of ordinary skill in the art given the state of the art. However, more specific performance outcomes may not be predictable. This includes producing devices having specific luminance decay patterns. As described by Applicant in the final paragraph of p. 7 through the second paragraph of p. 8 of the reply filed 5 February 2026, one of ordinary skill in the art would expect rapid initial decreases in device luminance and would not expect “wherein the light-emitting device exhibits a lifetime curve comprising a component with a negative coefficient in an initial decay period when driven at a current density of 75 mA/cm2.”
The specification in paragraphs [0192]-[0201] of the published specification describes the light emitting model in the light-emitting device of the instant disclosure. These paragraphs describe that at the initial driving stage some holes may reach the electron transport layer, extending the electron/hole recombination zone, and that this phenomenon may lead to an initial increase in device luminance as the recombination shifts to just the light-emitting layer where emission is efficient. Paragraph [0197] describes HOMO energy levels for the instant third compound contained in the electron-transport layer for this extension to be achieved in some cases. Paragraph [0197] additionally describes that the above phenomenon sometimes occurs when the difference between HOMO energy level of the host material (or assist material) of the light emitting layer and the third compound is 0.2 eV or less. Additionally, the electron transport layer is described as having a relatively low electron-transport property in paragraph [0196] of the instant specification.
This description from the specification makes multiple references to the described conditions only leading to the initial increase in device luminance in some cases.
The specification only provides a single example device in which an initial increase in device luminance is shown. This device comprises stacked structures for both the hole transport layer and electron transport layer, specific host materials, and a specific electron transport material. Devices lacking the stacked structures for both the hole transport layer and electron transport layer may not achieve the observed results—this structure will affect transport properties, which will determine whether holes will reach the electron transport layer. Devices having differing host materials may not achieve the observed results—this will affect transport properties and recombination properties, which will determine whether holes will reach the electron transport layer. Devices having a material of an electron transport layer meeting the claimed HOMO energy level but with sufficiently high electron transport properties may also not permit holes to reach the electron transport layer.
Given that one of ordinary skill would expect a initial decrease in device luminance and the breadth of options for the host material, the electron transport materials that meet the HOMO energy requirements, and the options for specific layer structure of layers such as the hole transport layer and electron transport layer, absent additional guidance from Applicant, one of ordinary skill in the art would need to test an unduly large number of host materials, electron transport materials, and device layer structures in order to produce a device “wherein the light-emitting device exhibits a lifetime curve comprising a component with a negative coefficient in an initial decay period when driven at a current density of 75 mA/cm2.”
Regarding claims 3-16, 19-21, and 23-27: Claims 3-16, 19-21, and 23-27 are rejected due to their dependence from claim 1. While the dependent claims require additional structure and/or material property requirements for the construction of the claimed device, none of the dependent claims rectify undue experimentation required to produce the claimed device.
Conclusion
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/DYLAN C KERSHNER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1786