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 .
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 1-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamada et al. (JP 2020-026506 A) (refer to online translation as provided) in view of Amano (JP 2007-227717 A) (refer to online translation as provided).
Regarding claims, 1, 6 and 8, Yamada discloses an organic light-emitting device (paragraphs [0049], [0063] -[0064], [0066], [0080], [0083], [0091] - [0092], [0096] - [0097], [0118] - [0120], [0122], [0173] - [0178], [0180] - [0181], and Fig. 1), comprising, in sequence:
at least an anode 21 (" anode "),
a first light emitting layer ("first light emitting layer "),
a second light emitting layer (" second light emitting layer"), and
a cathode 23 (" cathode ") in this order,
wherein the first light emitting layer includes only a first host ("first host”) made of EM11, a first guest ("first guest that emits fluorescent light ") made of C2, which is a red light emitting material, and a third guest made of GD9, which is a green light emitting material, and
wherein the second light emitting layer includes a second host ("second host") made of EM11. Only a second guest ("second guest that emits fluorescent light") made of BD6, which is a blue light-emitting material, is included, the first light-emitting layer and the second light-emitting layer do not include an amine compound, the first host and the second host are hydrocarbon compounds composed only of SP2 carbon.
However, Yamada does not disclose each of the first and second hosts has any of the claimed structures represented by formula [1] to [6].
However, Yamada describes that by improving the sublimability of the compound used in the organic light emitting element, a decrease in luminous efficiency due to impurities and a decrease in drive durability are suppressed ([0049]). In addition, Yamada describes that the sublimability of the compound is enhanced by substituting a phenyl group in the basic skeleton and providing a phenyl group at the ortho position of the phenyl group (paragraph [0074]). In addition, Yamada describe that the host material preferably has an anthracene, tetracene, perylene, and pyrene skeleton in the molecular skeleton, and is not limited to EM11 (paragraphs [0095] - [0096]).
Amano (see paragraphs [0006] and [0054]- [0055]) describes an invention of "a host material contained in a light emitting layer of an organic EL element, which is represented by General Formula [2], and a compound 41 in which a phenyl group is substituted on an anthracene skeleton and a phenyl group is provided at the ortho position of the phenyl group".
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to have used compound 41 of Amano instead of EM11 in order to suppress a decrease in luminous efficiency and a decrease in drive durability due to impurities by improving the sublimability of the host material used for the organic light emitting element.
Regarding claims 2-3 and 7, Yamada further discloses that D1 is used as a guest material that emits red light and has a higher sublimation property than C2 ([0063] - [0064], [0068], [0074], and [0181]). Thus, a person skilled in the art could have easily conceived of obtaining the configuration of the invention according to Claim 2 by using D1 instead of C2 in consideration of the sublimability of the guest material that emits red light.
Regarding claim 4, Yamada further discloses that the film thickness of the first light emitting layer is the same as the film thickness of the second light emitting layer ([0178] and [0180]).
Regarding claim 5, Yamada further discloses that
Regarding claim 5, Yamada further discloses that the concentration of the guest is 0.01 wt% or more and 20 wt% or less with respect to the entire light emitting layer ([0081]).
Regarding claim 9, Yamada further discloses that the emission color of the organic
light emitting element may be white ([0084]).
Regarding claim 10, Yamada discloses the organic light emitting element is used as a pixel and the display device 10 is configured by using a switching element using a transistor further discloses that ([0101], [0109], [0118] - [0123] and Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 11, Yamada discloses an organic light emitting element is used in a display unit of an imaging device having an optical unit having a plurality of lenses, an imaging
element that receives light passing through the optical unit, and a display unit that displays information acquired by the imaging element ([0118], [0127] - [0128] and Fig. 2 ).
Regarding claim 12, Yamada further discloses that an organic light emitting element is used for a display unit of an electronic device having a display unit, a housing provided with the display unit, and a communication unit ([0118], [0134] and Fig. 3 (b))
Regarding claim 13, Yamada further discloses that an organic light emitting element is used as a light source of a lighting device having a light source and an optical filter that transmits light emitted from the light source ([0139] and Fig. 5 (a)).
Regarding claim 14, Yamada further discloses that an organic light emitting element is used for a tail lamp of an automobile provided with a tail lamp ([0142] - [0143] and Fig. 5 (b)).
Regarding claim 15, Yamada further discloses that an organic light emitting element is used in a viewfinder of a digital camera having a viewfinder ([0128] - [0129] and Fig. 3 (a)).
Conclusion
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/GOLAM MOWLA/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1721