DETAILED ACTION
Response to Amendment
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
This office action is responsive to the amendment received on December 17, 2025. Claims 1-15 and 17-20 are cancelled claims. Claims 16 and 21 were amended. Claims 16 and 21-31 are pending.
The objections to claims 16 and 21 set forth in the last office action are withdrawn.
The rejection of claims 16-18 and 20-31 under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by WO 2021/020948 A1 (herein after “WO 948”) is withdrawn.
The rejection of claim 19 under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WO 2021/020948 (herein after “WO 948”) is withdrawn.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(d):
(d) REFERENCE IN DEPENDENT FORMS.—Subject to subsection (e), a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, fourth paragraph:
Subject to the following paragraph [i.e., the fifth paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112], a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
Claim 21 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(d) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, 4th paragraph, as being of improper dependent form for failing to further limit the subject matter of the claim upon which it depends, or for failing to include all the limitations of the claim upon which it depends. Applicant may cancel the claim(s), amend the claim(s) to place the claim(s) in proper dependent form, rewrite the claim(s) in independent form, or present a sufficient showing that the dependent claim(s) complies with the statutory requirements.
Claim 21 sets forth “wherein, optionally, any adjacent two from among RI, RII, RIII, RIV, RVI, RVII, RVIII, RIX and RX together form a monocyclic ring system with 5 to 8 C-atoms”. Claim 21 depends from claim 16, which defines these “R” variables independently. It is not seen where the definitions of the “R” groups in claim 16 provide for them joining to form a further ring in parent claim 16. Accordingly, dependent claim 21 is of a scope not recited within parent claim 16.
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 16 and 21-31 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (US 2023/0108169 A1).
Regarding compound claims, Kim et al. teaches compounds for an organic light emitting device according to Formula 1 (see abstract):
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182
306
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In Formula 1, rings A and B may be hydrocarbon ring (see par. 12). More specifically, Formula 1 may be Formula 1-1-3 (see par. 158-172):
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200
278
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With respect to instant Formula Ia-2, Kim et al. Formula 1-1-3 n2 and n3 may each be 1 (see par. 162) and with respect to instant Formula Ib-2, the n2 and n3 may each be zero (see par. 162). Each Kim et al. T15 to T18 may be hydrogen and each G20 to G27 and G30 to G37 may be hydrogen (see par. 164) per the instant unsubstituted cycloalkyl ring portions on instant Ia-2 and Ib-2. Each of Kim et al. CY1 and CY2 may be phenyl (see par. 160 and 90). The Kim et al. Formula 1 compounds require a Formula 2 (see par. 40) substituent group somewhere upon the Formula 1, but the instant compounds broadly provide for heteroaryl substitution group(s) be present. Kim et al. substitution groups are further described in par. 50-94. While Kim et al. does not appear to show an example Formula 1 compound where unsubstituted 5 or 6 membered cyclic rings were selected for a Formula 1-1-3 compound with respect to the “G” rings, the definitions for Formula 1-1-3 provide for these rings as discussed above. Given the teachings of the reference, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the instant invention to form Formula 1 compounds as defined in the reference as described above wherein the resultant compound, device comprising the compound, and forming the layer of a device would also meet the limitations of the instant claims. One would expect to achieve a Formula 1 compound for use in a light emitting device within the disclosure of Kim et al. with a predictable result and a reasonable expectation of success.
Further regarding claim 24, Kim et al. R2 may be selected as alkyl group of 1 carbon atom (see par. 163, 109, 39).
Regarding claims 25 and 29, the compound is used in the light emitting layer of a device (see Kim et al. claims 9-13 on page 2838).
Regarding claims 26 and 28, the devices are organic light emitting devices (OLEDs) (see par. 2-7, 22-35).
Regarding claims 27 and 28, the Formula 1 compound may be used as dopant within a host material (see par. 324 and claims 12-13 on page 2838).
Regarding the method of claims 30-31, both vacuum deposition and solution application methods are taught for forming a layer with the compound (see par. 311-312, 367).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the claims have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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 Dawn Garrett whose telephone number is (571)272-1523. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Thursday (Eastern Time).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jennifer Boyd can be reached at 571-272-7783. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DAWN L GARRETT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1786