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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of:
the first compound represented by Chemical Formula I; and
(D) the second compound represented by Formula III, and ring B is represented by Chemical Formula III-2, Chemical Formula III-3, or Chemical Formula III-4, for prosecution in the subject application
in the reply filed on 12/22/2025 is acknowledged.
Claims 4 and 8 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected species (B) and (C), there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 12/22/2025.
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in parent Application No.KR 10-2021-0117784, filed on 09/03/2021.
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in parent Application No.KR 10-2022-0108580, filed on 08/29/2022.
Claim Objections
Claim 5 is objected to because of the following informalities: claim 5 recites Chemical Formula IV-2 wherein (R36)n32 is represented twice. The other Chemical Formulae recited in claim 5 have (R37)n33 instead of one of the (R36)n32 (circled below). Therefore, the circled (R36)n32 will be interpreted as (R37)n33. Appropriate correction is required.
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Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1–2, 5, 9–15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and (a)(2) as being anticipated by Park et al. (WO 2021/101117 A1, hereafter Park).
Regarding Claim 1, Park teaches an organic light-emitting device comprising a first electrode, a second electrode, and one or more organic layers between the two electrodes comprising one or more compounds represented by chemical formula 1 [93]. Compound 1-38 is represented by chemical formula 1 [86]. Compound 1-38 reads on Applicants’ Chemical Formula I (shown below),
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wherein:
Z1–Z3 are each N,
L1-–L3 are each a single bond,
R1 is an unsubstituted C25 aryl group (spirobifluorene), R2 is a C18 heterocyclic group (indolocarbazole) substituted with a C6 aryl group (phenyl),
R3–R5 are each hydrogen,
n1 is 3, while n2 and n3 are 4.
Compound 1-38 also reads on Applicants’ Chemical Formula III (shown below),
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wherein:
L7 is an C3 heterocyclic group (triazine) substituted with a C18 aryl group (triphenylene),
Ar1 is an unsubstituted C25 aryl group (spirobifluorene),
R25 is hydrogen,
n21 is 4,
ring B is represented by Chemical Formula III-3,
L9 is a single bond,
Ar3 is an unsubstituted C6 aryl group (phenyl),
R30 is hydrogen,
n26 is 4
Compound 1-38 also reads on Applicants’ Chemical Formula III (shown below),
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wherein:
L11 is C3 heterocyclic group (triazine) substituted with a C18 heterocyclic group (indolocarbazole) which is further substituted by a C6 aryl group (phenyl),
R31–R37 are each hydrogen,
n27, n28, n31, n32, n33 are each 4,
n29, n30 are each 3.
A composition for an organic optoelectronic device (e.g. an organic layer) will comprise more than three discrete molecules. Additionally, Applicant does not preclude that Compound 1, Compound 2, and Compound 3 may be the same substance. Therefore, a composition of Compound 1-38 reads Applicants’ limitation, wherein at least one molecule is interpreted as Compound 1, at least one molecule is interpreted as Compound 2, and at least one molecule is interpreted as Compound 3, since Compound 1-38 reads on Applicants’ Chemical Formula I, Chemical Formula III, and Chemical Formula IV.
Regarding Claim 2, Compound 1-38 reads on Applicants’ Chemical Formula I-A (shown below), wherein L1–L3, Z1–Z3, R1–R5, and n1–n3 are each the same as defined above.
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Regarding Claim 5, Compound 1-38 reads on Applicants’ Chemical Formula IV-2 (shown below), wherein L11, R31–R37, n27–n33 are each the same as defined above.
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Regarding Claim 9, Park teaches an organic light-emitting device comprising a first electrode, a second electrode, and one or more organic layers between the two electrodes comprising one or more compounds represented by chemical formula 1 [93]. Compound 1-38 is represented by chemical formula 1 [86].
Regarding Claims 10, 11, 13, and 14, Park teaches the organic light-emitting device of Experimental Example 1 wherein the light-emitting layer comprises a host represented by chemical formula 1 and a green phosphorescent dopant [211] – [215]. Compound 1-38 is represented by chemical formula 1 [86].
Regarding Claim 12, Park teaches the organic light-emitting device of Experimental Example 1 wherein the light-emitting layer comprises a host represented by chemical formula 1 and a green phosphorescent dopant [211]- – [215]. Compound 1-38 is represented by chemical formula 1 [86]. Since Compound 1-38 represents the first compound, second compound, and third compound recited in claim 12, it will fall in the ranges recited for each compound.
Regarding Claim 15, Park teaches that light-emitting devices are a type of self-emitting display element [3].
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.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1-–3, 5–7, 9–15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ahn et al. (WO 2012/039561, hereafter Ahn) in view of Tanaka et al. (US 2016/028516 A1, hereafter Tanaka).
Regarding Claim 1, Ahn teaches an organic electroluminescent device, which comprises a first electrode; a second electrode; and one or more organic layer(s) interposed between the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein the organic layer comprises one or more organic electroluminescent compounds represented by Chemical Formula 1. The organic layer includes an electroluminescent layer, and the organic electroluminescent compound of Chemical Formula 1 may be used as a host in the electroluminescent layer [68].
However, Ahn does not teach a device example of three compounds represented by Chemical Formula 1 as host materials in an electroluminescent layer.
Tanaka teaches host compounds may be used in combination of two or more compounds. By using plural host compounds, it is possible to adjust transfer of charge, thereby it is possible to achieve high efficiency of an organic EL element [0190]. Ahn further teaches Compound 3 [47], Compound 13 [51], and Compound 22 [54], which are represented by Ahn’s Chemical Formula 1.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the pertinent art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use three compounds represented by Chemical Formula 1 (Compound 3, Compound 13, and Compound 22) as host materials in an electroluminescent layer, based on the teaching of Tanaka. The motivation for doing so would have been to provide a device with high efficiency, as taught by Tanaka.
Compound 3 reads on Applicants’ Chemical Formula I (shown below),
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wherein:
Z1 is C-La-Ra, while Z2 and Z3 are each N,
La, L1-–L3 are each a single bond,
R1 is an unsubstituted C6 aryl group, R2 is an unsubstituted C18 heterocyclic group (benzofurocarbazole),
R3–R5 and Ra are each hydrogen,
n1 is 3, while n2 and n3 are 4.
Compound 13 reads on Applicants’ Chemical Formula III (shown below),
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wherein:
L7 is an unsubstituted C6 arylene group (phenylene),
Ar1 is an unsubstituted C18 aryl group (triphenylene),
R25 is hydrogen,
n21 is 4,
ring B is represented by Chemical Formula III-4,
L9 is a single bond,
Ar3 is an unsubstituted C6 aryl group (phenyl),
R30 is hydrogen,
n26 is 4
Compound 22 reads on Applicants’ Chemical Formula IV (shown below),
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wherein:
L11 is a single bond,
R31–R34 and R36–R37 are each hydrogen, R35 is an unsubstituted C21 heterocyclic group (indenocarbazole).
n27, n28, n32, n33 are each 4,
n29, n30 are each 3,
n31 is 1.
Regarding Claim 2, Compound 3 reads on Applicants’ Chemical Formula I-A (shown below), wherein L1–L3, Z1–Z3, R1–R5, and n1–n3 are each the same as defined above.
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Regarding Claim 3, Compound 13 reads on Applicants’ Chemical Formula III-F (shown below), wherein L7, L9, Ar1, Ar3, R25, R29, R30, n21, n25, and n26 are each the same as defined above.
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Regarding Claim 5, Compound 22 reads on Applicants’ Chemical Formula IV-2 (shown below), wherein L11, R31–R37, n27–n33 are each the same as defined above.
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Regarding Claim 6, Compound 22 reads on Applicants’ limitation since L11 is a single bond, R31–R34 and R36–R37 are each hydrogen, R35 is an unsubstituted C21 heterocyclic group (indenocarbazole).
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Regarding Claim 7, Compound 3 reads on Applicants Chemical Formula I as described above.
However, Compound 3 does not read on Chemical Formula I-1 since Z1 is C-La-Ra instead of N (circled in both Chemical Formula I-1 and Compound 3, shown below).
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Ahn teaches Chemical Formula 1 [13], which represents Compound 3 (shown below).
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In Compound 3, L1 is a C4 heteroaryl (pyrimidine) substituted with a C6 aryl (phenyl). Ahn teaches that L1 may be represented by a substituted or unsubstituted C2–C30 heteroaryl [21]. Ahn further teaches specific examples of a heteroaryl include triazinyl (triazine) [29].
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the pertinent art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Compound 3 by changing the L1 or pyrimidine to triazine, because it would have been choosing from the specific heteroaryl examples taught by Ahn [29], which would have been a choice from a finite number of identified, predictable solutions of a compound useful as the host material in the electroluminescent layer of the electroluminescent device of Ahn possessing the high luminous efficiency and superior operating lifetime taught by Ahn [105]. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to produce additional compounds represented by Chemical Formula 1 having the benefits taught by Ahn in order to pursue the known options within his or her technical grasp with a reasonable expectation of success. See MPEP 2143.I.(E).
The modified version of Compound 3 reads on Applicants’ Chemical Formula I-1 (shown below),
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Wherein:
L1-–L3 are each a single bond,
R1 is an unsubstituted C6 aryl group, R2 is an unsubstituted C18 heterocyclic group (benzofurocarbazole),
R3–R5 and Ra are each hydrogen,
n1 is 3, while n2 and n3 are 4.
Compound 13 reads on Applicants’ Chemical Formula III-F (shown below), wherein L7, L9, Ar1, Ar3, R25, R29, R30, n21, n25, and n26 are each the same as defined above.
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Compound 22 reads on Applicants’ Chemical Formula IV as described above.
However, Compound 22 does not read on Applicants’ Chemical Formula IV-4 since L11 is attached at a different position (the arrow indicates the correct attachment position).
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Ahn teaches Chemical Formula 1 [13], which represents Compound 3 (shown below).
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Ahn further teaches in a specific example, L1 is represented by a spirofluorene [45]. Ahn teaches Compound 38 and Compound 39 wherein L1 is a phenylene which is either linked para or meta [60]. Therefore, Ahn teaches L1 has variable attachment.
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the pertinent art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Compound 22 by changing the L1 attachment position, because it would have been choosing from the 4 positions possible on a spirobifluorene, which would have been a choice from a finite number of identified, predictable solutions of a compound useful as the host material in the electroluminescent layer of the electroluminescent device of Ahn possessing the high luminous efficiency and superior operating lifetime taught by Ahn [105]. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to produce additional compounds represented by Chemical Formula 1 having the benefits taught by Ahn in order to pursue the known options within his or her technical grasp with a reasonable expectation of success. See MPEP 2143.I.(E).
The modified version of Compound 22 reads on Applicants’ Chemical Formula I-1 (shown below),
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wherein:
L11 is a single bond,
R31–R34 and R36–R37 are each hydrogen, R35 is an unsubstituted C21 heterocyclic group (indenocarbazole).
n27, n28, n32, n33 are each 4,
n29, n30 are each 3,
n31 is 1.
A composition of Modified Compound 3, Compound 13, and Modified Compound 22 as host materials in the electroluminescent layer, as described above in regards to claim 1, reads on Applicants’ limitation of claim 7.
Regarding Claim 9, Ahn teaches an organic electroluminescent device, which comprises a first electrode; a second electrode; and one or more organic layer(s) interposed between the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein the organic layer comprises one or more organic electroluminescent compounds represented by Chemical Formula 1 [68]. Ahn further teaches an OLED device with a transparent electrode ITO thin film, and an aluminum cathode [213]. The composition of Compound 3, Compound 13, and Compound 22 as host materials in the electroluminescent layer, as described above in regards to claim 1, reads on Applicants’ limitation.
Regarding Claim 10, Ahn teaches the organic layer includes an electroluminescent layer, and the organic electroluminescent compound of Chemical Formula 1 may be used as a host in the electroluminescent layer [68] The composition of Compound 3, Compound 13, and Compound 22 as host materials in the electroluminescent layer, as described above in regards to claim 1, reads on Applicants’ limitation.
Regarding Claim 11, Ahn teaches in the electroluminescent layer, when the organic electroluminescent compound of Chemical Formula 1 is used as a host, one or more phosphorescent dopant(s) is included [69]. The composition of Compound 3, Compound 13, and Compound 22 as host materials in the electroluminescent layer, as described above, reads on Applicants’ limitation.
Regarding Claim 12, Ahn teaches a compound represented by Chemical Formula 1 and another host compound were evaporated at the same rate and a dopant was doped at 15 wt% with respect to the two hosts [213].
However, Ahn does not specifically teach what proportion each of the multiple host compounds may be present at.
Tanaka teaches host compounds may be used in combination of two or more compounds. By using plural host compounds, it is possible to adjust transfer of charge, thereby it is possible to achieve high efficiency of an organic EL element [0190].
Therefore, it is the Examiner’s position that a person of ordinary skill in the art would have mixed the compounds and adjusted the proportions of each compound, to an amount within the range claimed, motivated by the desire to optimize the transfer of charge to achieve a high efficiency organic electroluminescent device. See MPEP 2144.05.
Regarding Claim 13, Ahn teaches the phosphorescent dopant applied to the organic electroluminescent device according to the present invention is not specifically limited, but may be selected from among compounds represented by Chemical Formula 2 [69].
Regarding Claim 14, Ahn teaches Example 1, wherein dopant D-5 [87] was used [213]. As a result, green light was emitted [215]. The composition of Compound 3, Compound 13, and Compound 22 as host materials with D-5 as the dopant in the electroluminescent layer, as described above in regards to claim 1, reads on Applicants’ limitation.
Regarding Claim 15, Ahn teaches among display devices, electroluminescent (EL) devices, which are self-emissive display devices, are advantageous in that they provide wide viewing angle, superior contrast and a fast response rate [2]. Therefore, a electroluminescent device using the composition of Compound 3, Compound 13, and Compound 22 as host materials with D-5 as the dopant in the electroluminescent layer, as described above in regards to claim 1, reads on Applicants’ limitation.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Kim et al. (US 2015/0318511 A1, provided in Applicants’ IDS filed on 10/17/2024) contains compounds that read on Applicants’ Chemical Formula I, Chemical Formula III, and Chemical Formula IV.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Park et al. (KR 10-2021-0059273 A, provided in Applicants’ IDS filed on 10/17/2024) contains compounds that read on Applicants’ Chemical Formula I, Chemical Formula III, and Chemical Formula IV.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAMES RICHARD FORTWENGLER whose telephone number is (571)272-5433. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 8 am - 5 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Marla McConnell can be reached at (571) 270-7692. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/J.R.F./ Examiner, Art Unit 1789
/MARLA D MCCONNELL/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1789