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 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.
Status of the application
This office Action is in response to Applicant's Application filled on 01/16/2026. Claims 1-16 are pending for this examination.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s reply filed on 01/16/2026 has been entered and considered. Applicant’s amendments necessitated the shift in grounds of rejection detailed below. The shift in grounds of rejection renders Applicant’s arguments moot. Thus, this rejection is properly made FINAL.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the limitation “an insulating layer between the first auxiliary electrode and the second auxiliary electrode” Claim 3, must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 3-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
Regarding Claim 3, The instant claims recite limitation “an insulating layer between the first auxiliary electrode and the second auxiliary electrode” is not clear because claim1 recites “wherein the second auxiliary electrode is in direct contact with the first auxiliary electrode”. It is not clear because, how an insulating layer between the first auxiliary electrode and the second auxiliary electrode. Therefore, the resulting claim is indefinite and is failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter. Appropriate corrections defining these limitations within metes and bounds of the claimed invention are required.
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, because of their dependency status from claim 3.
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)(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 and 11-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by WANG et al (US 2019/0363270 A1; hereafter WANG).
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Regarding claim 1. WANG discloses a display device (Fig [1, 6], Para [ 0021-0052]) comprising:
a first electrode (Fig [1, 6], anode 201, Para [ 0050]);
a second electrode (Fig [1, 6], cathode 202, Para [ 0050]);
a light emitting layer (Fig [1, 6], light emitting layer 203, Para [ 0022]) between the first electrode (Fig [1, 6], anode 201, Para [ 0050]) and the second electrode (Fig [1, 6], cathode 202, Para [ 0050]); and
an auxiliary electrode (Fig [1, 6], layers [ 211, 230], construed as auxiliary electrode, Para [ 0043]) connected to the second electrode (Fig 2, cathode 202, Para [ 0050]), wherein the auxiliary electrode (Fig [1, 6], layers [ 211, 230], construed as auxiliary electrode, Para [ 0043]) includes:
a first auxiliary electrode (Fig [1, 6], electron transport layer [ 211], construed as first auxiliary electrode, Para [ 0043]); and
a second auxiliary electrode (Fig [1, 6], an electron injection layer [ 230], construed as second auxiliary electrode, Para [ 0043]) between the first auxiliary electrode (Fig [1, 6], electron transport layer [ 211], construed as first auxiliary electrode, Para [ 0043]) and the second electrode (Fig [1, 6], cathode 202, Para [ 0050]), wherein the second auxiliary electrode (Fig [1, 6], an electron injection layer [ 230], construed as second auxiliary electrode, Para [ 0043]) is in direct contact with the first auxiliary electrode (Fig [1, 6], electron transport layer [ 211], construed as first auxiliary electrode, Para [ 0043]), and the second auxiliary electrode contains at least one of an alkaline earth metal element or a lanthanoid element (Fig [1, 6], layer [ 230], construed as second auxiliary electrode, Para [ 0043-0044]).
Regarding claim 2. WANG discloses the display device according to claim 1, WANG further discloses wherein the first auxiliary electrode is constituted by at least one of a metal layer or a metal oxide layer (Fig [1, 6], electron transport layer [ 211], Para [ 0041-0043])
Regarding claim 5. WANG discloses the display device according to claim 1, WANG further discloses wherein the auxiliary electrode (Fig [1, 6], layers [ 211, 230], construed as auxiliary electrode, Para [ 0043]) is in a peripheral edge portion of a display region (Fig [1, 6], in cross section views).
Regarding claim 11. WANG discloses the display device according to claim 1, WANG further discloses wherein the second electrode (Fig [1, 6], cathode 202, Para [ 0050]) is constituted by at least one of a metal layer or a metal oxide layer (cathode 202, Para [ 0050]).
Regarding claim 12. WANG discloses the display device according to claim 1, WANG further discloses wherein the first electrode is an anode (Fig [1, 6], anode 201, Para [ 0050]), and the second electrode is a cathode (cathode 202, Para [ 0050]).
Regarding claim 13. WANG discloses the display device according to claim 1, WANG further discloses wherein the light emitting layer contains an organic light emitting material (Fig [1, 6], Para [ 0039]).
Regarding claim 14. WANG discloses an electronic apparatus comprising the display device according to claim 1 (Fig [1, 6], WANG, Para [ 0051]).
Claim Rejection- 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 of this title, 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.
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WANG et al (US 2019/0363270 A1; hereafter WANG) as applied claims above and further in view of KIM et al (US 2019/0198796 A1; hereafter KIM).
Regarding claim 10. WANG discloses the display device according to claim 1, But, WANG does not disclose explicitly wherein the second auxiliary electrode has a smaller work function than the work function of the first auxiliary electrode.
In a similar field of endeavor, KIM discloses wherein the second auxiliary electrode has a smaller work function than the work function of the first auxiliary electrode (Para [ 0087]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine WANG in light of KIM teaching “wherein the second auxiliary electrode has a smaller work function than the work function of the first auxiliary electrode (Para [ 0087])” for further advantage such as enhance carrier mobility and improve efficiency of display device.
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WANG et al (US 2019/0363270 A1; hereafter WANG) as applied claims above and further in view of Yokoi et al (US 2007/0210705 A1; hereafter Yokoi).
Regarding claim 15. WANG discloses the display device according to claim 1, But, WANG does not disclose explicitly wherein the second auxiliary electrode has a film thickness of 5 nm.
In a similar field of endeavor, Yokoi discloses wherein the second auxiliary electrode has a film thickness of 5 nm (Para [ 0129, 0253]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine WANG in light of Yokoi teaching “wherein the second auxiliary electrode has a film thickness of 5 nm (Para [ 0129, 0253])” for further advantage such as enhance carrier mobility with a desire film thickness.
Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WANG et al (US 2019/0363270 A1; hereafter WANG) as applied claims above and further in view of OKUTANI et al (US 2007/0126352 A1; hereafter OKUTANI).
Regarding claim 16. WANG discloses the display device according to claim 1, But WANG does not disclose explicitly wherein the second auxiliary electrode comprises a MgAg alloy.
In a similar field of endeavor, OKUTANI discloses wherein the second auxiliary electrode comprises a MgAg alloy (Para [ 0064]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine WANG in light of OKUTANI teaching “wherein the second auxiliary electrode comprises a MgAg alloy (Para [ 0064])” for further advantage such as MgAg alloy is excellent as an electron injection layer (OKUTANI, Para [ 0064]).
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 MOIN M RAHMAN whose telephone number is (571)272-5002. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30-5:00pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Julio Maldonado can be reached at 571-272-1864. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MOIN M RAHMAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2898