DETAILED ACTION
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 § 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 6-7 and 12 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 applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claims 6-7 recites R8 while there is no apparent R8 substituent present which renders the claims indefinite.
Claim 12 recites numerous compounds wherein Ar2 and Ar3 are phenyl (C6) groups. As claim 12 depended from claim 1 wherein Ar2 and Ar3 are limited to aromatic group C7-C18, the compounds showing Ar2 and Ar3 as phenyl group (C6) have no antecedent basis, thus claim 12 is rendered indefinite.
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 11 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. Claim 11 has expanded the scope of Ar1 from how Ar1 is defined in claim 1 from 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.
Allowable Subject Matter
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance as applicant claims the compound of claims 1, 6, 8; the device of claim 13.
The prior art as exemplified by Hatakeyama (WO 2022185897 A1) teaches a material represented by Int-v-10123 (page 261):
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Int-v-10123 shows Ar1 = H; Ar2-Ar6 = phenyl; Z = NR3, R3 = phenyl; X = NR4, R4 = carbazole. The scope of Ar2 and Ar3 is C7-C18 but Int-v-10123 shows Ar2 and Ar3 = C6 which is out of scope.
Therefore claims 1-5, 8-10 and 13-20 are allowed.
Response to Amendment
Applicants’ argument concerning Ar2 and Ar3 were persuasive. However, clams 6-7 and 11-12 were found to have 112 2nd and 4th issues.
Conclusion
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GREGORY D CLARK whose telephone number is (571)270-7087. The examiner can normally be reached on 8AM-4PM M-F.
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/GREGORY D CLARK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1786