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 .
Response to Amendment
Applicant’s amendment dated 08/21/2025, in which claim 1 was amended, claims 4, 7 were cancelled, has been entered.
Specification
The specification is objected to as failing to provide proper antecedent basis for the claimed subject matter. See 37 CFR 1.75(d)(1) and MPEP § 608.01(o). Correction of the following is required: claim 1 recites the limitation “the first anode is a transparent electrode.” However, the specification does not describe the above claimed subject matter. Specifically, the specification only discloses “the first anode 2111 is made of a reflective anode material, such as a laminate material of indium tin oxide ITO/silver Ag/ITO”, “the first anode 2111 is not limited to being made of only reflective anode materials. It can be made of a light-transmitting material”, “optionally, the first anode 2111 of the first OLED light-emitting unit 211 is made of a reflective anode material, such as a laminated material of indium tin oxide ITO/silver Ag/ITO”. Nowhere in the specification discloses the first anode is a transparent electrode. It is further noted that the disclosure of “the first anode is made of a light-transmitting material” does not mean the first anode is a transparent electrode because the statement does not require the first anode 2111 is made of only light-transmitting material. The laminate material of indium tin oxide ITO/silver Ag/ITO includes light-transmitting material ITO. Thus, the first anode 2111 is made of a light-transmitting material but is not transparent electrode.
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, 5-6, 8-14 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 pre-AIA the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Regarding claim 1, claim 1 recites the limitation “the first anode is a transparent electrode.” However, the specification does not describe the above claimed subject matter.” As stated above, the specification only discloses “the first anode is made of a light-transmitting material” which does not mean the first anode is a transparent electrode because the statement does not require the first anode 2111 is made of only light-transmitting material. Example of the first anode 2111 provided in the specification includes both light-transmitting material (ITO) and light reflecting material (Ag).
The specification further discloses “the first anode 2111 of the first OLED light-emitting unit 211 is made of a reflective anode material, such as a laminated material of indium tin oxide ITO/silver Ag/ITO, and the first cathode 2113 is made of a light-transmitting anode material, such as including at least one of magnesium Mg and Ag materials, formed into a top-emission OLED light-emitting device” and claim 3 depends on claim 1 also recites “wherein the first OLED light emitting unit comprises a top-emission type OLED light emitting device.” Nowhere in the specification discloses a top-emission OLED light-emitting device has a transparent anode.
Accordingly, claim 1 and all claims depending therefrom were not in possession of Applicant at the time of filing.
Claims depending from the rejected claims noted above are rejected at least on the same basis as the claim(s) from which the dependent claims depend.
Applicant is remined that MPEP 2163 (I)(B) requires “newly added claims or claim limitations must be supported in the specification through express, implicit, or inherent disclosure” thus, applicant should show support in the original disclosure for the new or amended claims. See, e.g., Hyatt v. Dudas, 492 F.3d 1365, 1370, n.4 (Fed. Cir. 2007)
The purpose of the written description requirement in 35 U.S.C. §112(a) is to determine if “the description clearly allow persons of ordinary skill in the art to recognize that he or she invented what is claimed." In re Gosteli, 872 F.2d 1008, 1012, 10 USPQ2d 1614, 1618 (Fed. Cir. 1989). See also MPEP § 2163.02. "[e]ven if a claim is supported by the specification, the language of the specification, to the extent possible, must describe the claimed invention so that one skilled in the art can recognize what is claimed. The appearance of mere indistinct words in a specification or a claim, even an original claim, does not necessarily satisfy that requirement." Enzo Biochem, Inc. v. Gen-Probe, Inc., 323 F.3d 956, 968, 63 USPQ2d 1609, 1616 (Fed. Cir. 2002); see also LizardTech, Inc. v. Earth Res. Mapping, Inc., 424 F.3d 1336, 1343–46 (Fed. Cir. 2005).
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.
Claims 1-3, 5-6, 8-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (US Pub. 20180005574), hereafter Kim574 in view of Kim et al. (US Pub. 20180151120), hereafter Kim120, and Park et al. (US Pub. 20210217835).
Regarding claims 1, 9, 10, Kim574 discloses in Fig. 3, Fig. 6 an OLED display panel, comprising:
a transparent base [10] and a plurality of pixel repeating units arranged on the transparent base [10] in an array distribution [Since light emitted from a second organic light emitting layer 223b is released to both top and bottom surfaces of the OLED device, the substrate 10 must be a transparent substrate], wherein at least one of the pixel repeating units comprises:
a display function layer [211-218, T1, T2];
wherein the display function layer [211-218, T1, T2] comprises a first thin film transistor [T1] and a second thin film transistor [T2];
the display function layer [211-218, T1, T2] comprises a first pixel area [PA1] and a second pixel area [PA2], the first pixel area [PA1] is provided with a first OLED light-emitting unit [221, 223a, 224a, 225a], and the first OLED light-emitting unit [222, 223a, 224a, 225a] is configured to emit light in a direction away from the transparent base [10];
the second pixel area [PA2] is provided with a second OLED light-emitting unit [222, 223b, 224b, 225b], the second OLED light-emitting unit [222, 223b, 224b, 225b] is configured to emit light toward the transparent base [10];
the first thin film transistor [T1] is between the first OLED light-emitting unit and the transparent base [10] and is configured to drive the first OLED light-emitting unit [221, 223a, 224a, 225a] to emit light; the second thin film transistor [T2] is arranged between the second OLED light-emitting unit and the transparent base [10] and is configured to drive the second OLED light-emitting unit [222, 223b, 224b, 225b] to emit light;
wherein the first OLED light-emitting unit [221,223a,224a,225a] comprises a first anode [second transparent conductive layer of 221], a first cathode [224a] and a first light-emitting layer [223a] between the first anode [221] and the first cathode [224a];
the second OLED light-emitting unit [222, 223b, 224b, 225b] comprises a second anode [222], a second cathode [224b] and a second light-emitting layer [223b] between the second anode [222] and the second cathode [224b];
the first anode [second transparent conductive layer of 221] and the second anode [222], the first light-emitting layer [223a] and the second light- emitting layer [223b], the first cathode [224a] and the second cathode [224b] are respectively arranged in a same layer, and the first cathode [224a] and the second anode [222] are transparent electrodes [paragraph [0078]-[0079]];
the first anode [second transparent conductive layer of 221] and the second anode [222] are both made of light-transmitting materials, the first anode is a transparent electrode [paragraph [0108] “the first pixel electrode 221 may include the first transparent conductive layer, the reflective layer, and the second transparent conductive layer”; “the second pixel electrode 222 may include at least one of the first transparent conductive layer and the second transparent conductive layer”. The second transparent conductive layer of electrode 221 is capable of performing the intended function of a transparent electrode. A recitation of the intended use of the claimed invention must result in a structural difference between the claimed invention and the prior art in order to patentably distinguish the claimed invention from the prior art. If the prior art structure is capable of performing the intended use, then it meets the claim.]
Kim574 fails to disclose
a specular function layer between the display function layer and the transparent base;
the specular function layer is located between the first and second thin film transistors and the transparent base;
wherein the specular function layer comprises a specular reflection area and a light- transmitting area;
the specular reflection area is made of metal reflective material;
the light emitted from the second OLED light- emitting unit is able to pass through the light-transmitting area;
the first thin film transistor is between the first OLED light-emitting unit and the specular function layer;
the second thin film transistor is arranged between the second OLED light-emitting unit and the specular function layer;
orthographic projections of the first thin film transistor and the second thin film transistor onto a plane where the specular function layer is located is within a range of the specular reflection area;
wherein when an orthographic projection of the first anode on a plane of the specular function layer is within an area of the specular reflection area;
wherein the metal reflective material is disposed on a part of region of a surface of the transparent base facing the display function layer, wherein the region of the surface of the transparent base disposed with the metal reflective material is the specular reflection area;
wherein the metal reflective material comprises one of molybdenum Mo, aluminum Al, Al alloy, titanium Ti, Ti alloy, Ti/AI/Ti laminated structure, silver Ag, Ag alloy and laminated structures of indium tin oxide ITO/Ag/ITO, or a combination of at least two of molybdenum Mo, aluminum Al, Al alloy, titanium Ti, Ti alloy, Ti/AI/Ti laminated structure, silver Ag, Ag alloy and laminated structures of indium tin oxide ITO/Ag/ITO.
Park et al. discloses in Fig. 3, Fig. 5, paragraph [0065]
a specular function layer [LB] between the display function layer [layer including transistors] and a base [100];
the specular function layer [LB] is located between the first and second thin film transistors and the base [100];
wherein the specular function layer [LB] comprises a specular reflection area and a light- transmitting area [See annotated drawing];
the specular reflection area [area overlapping layer LB] is made of metal reflective material [paragraph [0065]];
the first thin film transistor is between the first OLED light-emitting unit and the specular function layer [LB];
orthographic projections of the first thin film transistor and the second thin film transistor [DT] onto a plane where the specular function layer [LB] is located is within a range of the specular reflection area [area overlapping layer LB];
wherein when an orthographic projection of the first anode [E1] on a plane of the specular function layer [LB] is within an area of the specular reflection area [area overlapping layer LB];
wherein the metal reflective material [metal material of LB] is disposed on a part of region of a surface of the base [100] facing the display function layer [layer comprising transistors], wherein the region of the surface of the base [100] disposed with the metal reflective material [metal material of LB] is the specular reflection area [area overlapping layer LB].
Park et al. further discloses the first anode [E1] is a transparent electrode [paragraph [0081] “The first electrode E1, the shielding layer SL, and the connecting member CM may include a transparent conductive material such as indium tin oxide (ITO) and indium zinc oxide (IZO)”].
PNG
media_image1.png
663
727
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Kim120 discloses in Fig. 1, Fig. 2, paragraph [0066]
a specular function layer [102] between the display function layer [layer comprising transistors] and the transparent base [101];
the specular function layer [102] is located between the first and second thin film transistors [TDs in adjacent circuit areas] and the transparent base [101][Fig. 1 shows a common layer 102 is overlaps thin film transistors disposed in each circuit area CA];
wherein the specular function layer [102] comprises a specular reflection area and a light- transmitting area [EA];
the specular reflection area [102] is made of metal reflective material [paragraph [0067]];
the light emitted from the second OLED light- emitting unit is able to pass through the light-transmitting area [EA];
the first thin film transistor [TD in one circuit area CA] is between the first OLED light-emitting unit and the specular function layer [102];
the second thin film transistor [TD in an adjacent circuit area CA] is arranged between the second OLED light-emitting unit and the specular function layer [102];
orthographic projections of the first thin film transistor [TD in one circuit area CA] and the second thin film transistor [TD in an adjacent circuit area CA] onto a plane where the specular function layer [102] is located is within a range of the specular reflection area [102][Fig. 1, Fig. 2];
wherein the metal reflective material [102] is disposed on a part of region of a surface of the transparent base [101] facing the display function layer [layer comprising transistors TS, TD], wherein the region of the surface of the transparent base [101] disposed with the metal reflective material [102] is the specular reflection area;
wherein the metal reflective material [102] comprises one of molybdenum Mo, aluminum Al, Al alloy, titanium Ti, Ti alloy, Ti/AI/Ti laminated structure, silver Ag, Ag alloy and laminated structures of indium tin oxide ITO/Ag/ITO, or a combination of at least two of molybdenum Mo, aluminum Al, Al alloy, titanium Ti, Ti alloy, Ti/AI/Ti laminated structure, silver Ag, Ag alloy and laminated structures of indium tin oxide ITO/Ag/ITO [paragraph [0067] a single layer structure or a multilayer structure including at least one material having high reflectivity selected from the group consisting of Mo, Ti, Al].
Kim120 discloses in Fig. 1, Fig. 2 that orthographic projections of circuit area CA onto a plane where the specular function layer [102] is located is within an area of the specular reflection area [102].
PNG
media_image2.png
392
474
media_image2.png
Greyscale
Kim574 discloses in Fig. 6 an orthographic projection of the first anode is within orthographic projections of circuit area.
PNG
media_image3.png
449
689
media_image3.png
Greyscale
Thus, incorporating the specular function layer disclosed by Kim120 into the device of Kim574 would result to “wherein when an orthographic projection of the first anode on a plane of the specular function layer is within an area of the specular reflection area.”
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filling date of the invention to incorporate the teachings of Kim120 and Park et al. into the method of Kim574 to include a specular function layer between the display function layer and the transparent base; the specular function layer is located between the first and second thin film transistors and the transparent base; wherein the specular function layer comprises a specular reflection area and a light- transmitting area; the specular reflection area is made of metal reflective material; the light emitted from the second OLED light- emitting unit is able to pass through the light-transmitting area; the first thin film transistor is between the first OLED light-emitting unit and the specular function layer; the second thin film transistor is arranged between the second OLED light-emitting unit and the specular function layer; orthographic projections of the first thin film transistor and the second thin film transistor onto a plane where the specular function layer is located is within a range of the specular reflection area; wherein when an orthographic projection of the first anode on a plane of the specular function layer is within an area of the specular reflection area; wherein the metal reflective material is disposed on a part of region of a surface of the transparent base facing the display function layer, wherein the region of the surface of the transparent base disposed with the metal reflective material is the specular reflection area; wherein the metal reflective material comprises one of molybdenum Mo, aluminum Al, Al alloy, titanium Ti, Ti alloy, Ti/AI/Ti laminated structure, silver Ag, Ag alloy and laminated structures of indium tin oxide ITO/Ag/ITO, or a combination of at least two of molybdenum Mo, aluminum Al, Al alloy, titanium Ti, Ti alloy, Ti/AI/Ti laminated structure, silver Ag, Ag alloy and laminated structures of indium tin oxide ITO/Ag/ITO. The ordinary artisan would have been motivated to modify Kim574 in the above manner for the purpose of providing a light shielding film to block external light incident upon the active layers of the thin film transistors; and/or preventing deterioration of certain characteristics of the semiconductor layer of the thin film transistors and controlling a leakage current of the transistor [paragraph [0066] of Kim120, paragraph [0065] of Park et al.]. Further, it would have been obvious to try one of the known methods with a reasonable expectation of success. KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 82 USPQ2d 1385 (2007).
Regarding claims 2-3, 5, Kim574 further discloses in Fig. 6
wherein the second OLED light- emitting unit [222, 223b, 224b, 225b] is further configured to emit light in a direction away from the transparent base [10];
wherein the first OLED light emitting unit [221,223a,224a,225a] comprises a top-emission type OLED light emitting device, and the second OLED light emitting unit [222, 223b, 224b, 225b] comprises a bottom-emission type OLED light emitting device.
wherein the second cathode [224b] is a transparent electrode [paragraph [0079]].
Regarding claim 6, Kim574 discloses in Fig. 3, Fig. 6
wherein the first light-emitting layer [224a] is connected to the second light-emitting layer [224b];
a color of the light emitted by the first light-emitting layer [in area PA1] is the same as a color of the light emitted by second light-emitting layer [in area PA2][paragraph [0098]].
In addition, one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized the finite number of predictable solutions for a color of the light emitted by the first light-emitting layer with respect to a color of the light emitted by the second light-emitting layer: the same or different. Absent unexpected results, it would have been obvious to try a color of the light emitted by the first light-emitting layer is the same as a color of the light emitted by the second light-emitting layer to yield suitable colors of the light emitted by the first and the second light-emitting layers.
Regarding claim 8, Kim574 discloses in Fig. 6
wherein the first thin film transistor [T1] comprises a first active layer [212a], a first gate [214a], and a first source/drain [702b-3], wherein the first source/drain [217a] is connected to the first anode [221] of the first OLED light-emitting unit;
the second thin film transistor [T2] comprises a second active layer [212b], a second gate [214b] and a second source/drain [217b], the second source/drain [217b] is connected to the second anode [222] of the second OLED light-emitting unit [770a];
the first active layer [212a] and the second active layer [212b], the first gate [214a] and the second gate [214b], the first source/drain [217a] and the second source/drain [217b] are respectively arranged in a same layer.
Regarding claim 11, the combination of Kim574 and Kim120 discloses a display device comprising the OLED display panel according to claim 1.
Regarding claim 12, Kim574 and Kim120 discloses a method of forming a display panel, wherein the display panel is the display panel according to claim 1, and
Kim574 discloses in Fig. 6 the method comprises:
forming the transparent base [10];
forming the display function layer [T1, T2];
the display function layer comprises the first pixel area [PA1] and the second pixel area [PA2], the first pixel area [PA1] is provided with the first OLED light-emitting unit, and the first OLED light-emitting unit is configured to emit the light in a direction away from the transparent base [10];
the second pixel area [PA2] is provided with the second OLED light-emitting unit, the second OLED light-emitting unit is configured to emit the light toward the transparent base [10], and
Kim 120 discloses in Fig. 1, Fig. 2
forming the transparent base [101];
forming the specular function layer [102] comprising the specular reflection area and the light- transmitting area on the transparent base [101];
forming the display function layer on the specular function layer;
the display function layer comprises the first pixel area [first SP] and the second pixel area [second SP], the first pixel area [first SP] is provided with the first OLED light-emitting unit;
the second pixel area [second SP] is provided with the second OLED light-emitting unit, the second OLED light-emitting unit is configured to emit the light toward the transparent base [101], and
the light emitted from the second OLED light-emitting unit is able to pass through the light-transmitting area [EA].
Consequently, the combination of Kim574 and Kim120 discloses limitations of claim 12.
Regarding claim 13, Kim120 discloses in Fig. 2, paragraph [0067], [0072]-[0073]
wherein the forming the specular function layer [102] comprising the specular reflection area and the light-transmitting area [EA] on the transparent base [101] comprises:
depositing a metal reflective material on the transparent base [101];
patterning the metal reflective material to form a metal reflective material reserved area and a metal reflective material removed area, the metal reflective material reserved area is formed as the specular reflection area, and the metal reflective material removed area is formed as the light-transmitting area [EA].
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (US Pub. 20180005574), hereafter Kim574 in view of Kim et al. (US Pub. 20180151120), hereafter Kim120 and Park et al. (US Pub. 20210217835) as applied to claim 12 above and further in view of Nimura (US Pub. 20060066229), Han et al. (US Pub. 20050110403) and Nakashima et al. (US Pub. 20040227159).
Regarding claim 14, Kim574 discloses in Fig. 6
wherein the first OLED light-emitting unit [221,223a,224a,225a] comprises a first anode [221], a first cathode [224a] and a first light-emitting layer [223a] between the first anode [221] and the first cathode [224a]; the second OLED light-emitting unit [222, 223b, 224b, 225b] comprises a second anode [222], a second cathode [224b] and a second light-emitting layer [223b] between the second anode [222] and the second cathode [224b];
the forming the display function layer on the specular function layer comprises:
forming the first anode [221] and the second anode [222] through patterning process [paragraph [0107]];
forming the first light-emitting layer [223a] and the second light-emitting layer [224a] through one deposition process [paragraph [0112]]; and
forming the first cathode [224a] and the second cathode [224b] of the same material through the same deposition process [Fig. 6 shows the first and second cathodes having the same thickness. Paragraph [0090] suggests cathodes having the same thickness can substantially simultaneously be formed to simplify the manufacturing process of the common electrode].
Kim574 further suggests in paragraph [0094], the first cathode [224a] and the second cathode [224b] can be formed through different deposition processes if they are different from each other.
Kim574 fails to disclose
forming the first anode and the second anode through two patterning processes; and
forming the first light-emitting layer and the second light-emitting layer through one evaporation process;
forming the first cathode and the second cathode of the same material through the same vapor deposition process.
Nimura discloses in Fig. 4, Fig. 5D, Fig. 6A-6C, Fig. 7A
forming the first light-emitting layer [portion of 12 overlapping region 73] and the second light-emitting layer [portion of 12 overlapping region 74] through one evaporation process [liquid discharging method would have at least one evaporation process for evaporating solvent to dry the deposited film][paragraph [0218]];
Han et al. discloses in Fig. 8 and paragraph [0067]
forming the first anode [710a] and the second anode [710b] through two patterning processes.
Nakashima et al. discloses in Fig. 2, paragraph [0089]-[0090]
forming the first cathode [113 overlapped region 141] and the second cathode [113 overlapped region 141] of the same material through the same vapor deposition process.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filling date of the invention to incorporate the teachings of Nimura, Han et al. and Nakashima et al. into the method of Kim574 to include forming the first anode and the second anode through two patterning processes; forming the first light-emitting layer and the second light-emitting layer through one evaporation process; and forming the first cathode and the second cathode of the same material through the same vapor deposition process. The ordinary artisan would have been motivated to modify Nimura in the above manner for the purpose of providing suitable method for forming anodes of OLEDs having different materials and providing suitable method for forming light-emitting layers or cathodes of OLED having the same material. Further, it would have been obvious to try one of the known methods with a reasonable expectation of success. KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 82 USPQ2d 1385 (2007).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-3, 5-6, 8-14 have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground of rejection.
In addition, Applicant's arguments filed 08/21/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
As stated above, the first anode is now interpreted as a second transparent conductive layer of 221 which is capable of performing the intended function as a transparent electrode. See paragraph [0108] of Kim574 “the first pixel electrode 221 may include the first transparent conductive layer, the reflective layer, and the second transparent conductive layer… the second pixel electrode 222 may include at least one of the first transparent conductive layer and the second transparent conductive layer… function as a transmission electrode.” A recitation of the intended use of the claimed invention must result in a structural difference between the claimed invention and the prior art in order to patentably distinguish the claimed invention from the prior art. If the prior art structure is capable of performing the intended use, then it meets the claim.
Overall, Applicant’s arguments are not persuasive. The claims stand rejected and the Action is made FINAL.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SOPHIA T NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-1686. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00am -5:00 pm, Monday-Friday.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, BRITT D HANLEY can be reached at (571)270-3042. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/SOPHIA T NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2893