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 .
Claims 1-27 as filed on May 12, 2023 are pending.
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.
Claims 1, 3, 5, 7-9, and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ji et al. (US 2022/0310941 A1).
Regarding a compound of claim 1, Ji et al. teaches organometallic complexes for a light emitting device according to formulas I and II (see abstract):
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More specifically, an example compound includes at least the following (see top left pg. 153), which is the same as instant 440 of instant claim 11 and anticipates the claims:
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Regarding claim 3, claim 5, and claim 7, the above example compound has the recited structure. The office notes the formula 5A of claim 5 is not drawn to require any specific bonding site to the benzothiophene substituent group as the line is into the middle of a ring of the group as a whole in the instant formula 5A. Regarding claim 8, the ancillary ligand of the above example compound is of instant formula 8B. Regarding claim 9, the above example meets the definitions.
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 1-23 and 27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ji et al. (US 2022/0310941 A1).
Regarding a compound of claim 1, Ji et al. teaches organometallic complexes for a light emitting device according to formulas I and II (see abstract):
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Definitions of the variables are provided at par. 6. Formula I reads upon instant claim 1, 3, 5, and 7 complexes and Formula II reads upon instant claim 1, 2, 4, and 6 complexes. Regarding claim 8, the ancillary ligand of the above Formulas I and II is according to instant formula 8B (see also par. 64, page 48). Regarding claim 9, RC groups may include dibenzothiophene of RH112 or RH113 (see page 33) or dibenzofuran of RH171 or RH172 (page 38) (see also pages 38-41). Regarding claims 10 and groups on compounds of claim 12, group RC is defined to include heteroaryl (see par.6), which is further explained to include hetero-polycyclic ring systems with two or more rings fused that can include heteroaryl that are described to include furan and pyridine rings (see par. 40) and additionally, benzothiazole and benzofuran are specifically listed as heteroaryl groups with the further explanation that aza-analogs of any of the listed groups are included (see par. 40). Resulting described heterocyclic group(s) of par. 40 include groups within claims 10 and substituents shown within claim 12 compounds. Regarding claims 11 and 12, the above Formula I and Formula II as defined (see par. 6) encompass compounds of claims 11 and 12 and substituents may include substituted heteroaryl groups as discussed above the same as for claims 1-7 and 9-10. While all possible compounds within the defined Formula I and II are not exemplified, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have formed compounds defined by the formulas I and II as described above wherein the resultant compounds would also meet the limitations of the instant claims. One would expect to achieve functional compounds within the disclosure of Ji et al. with a predictable result and a reasonable expectation of success.
With respect to claim 13, Ji et al. teaches organometallic complexes for a light emitting device structure according to formulas I and II (see abstract):
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Definitions of the variables are provided at par. 6. The complexes are used in a light emitting layer (see par. 159) per instant claim 13 as dopant per instant claim 23 (see also par. 112, 115). Formula I reads upon instant claims 13, 15, 17, and 19 complexes and Formula II reads upon instant claims 13, 14, 16, and 18 complexes. Regarding claim 20, the ancillary ligand of the above Formulas I and II is according to instant formula 8B (see also par. 64, page 48). Regarding claim 21, RC groups may include dibenzothiophene of RH112 or RH113 (see page 33) or dibenzofuran of RH171 or RH172 (page 38) (see also pages 38-41). Regarding claim 22, group RC is defined to include heteroaryl (see par.6), which is further explained to include hetero-polycyclic ring systems with two or more rings fused that can include heteroaryl that are described to include furan and pyridine rings (see par. 40) and additionally, benzothiazole and benzofuran are specifically listed with the further explanation that aza-analogs of any of the listed groups are included (see par. 40). Resulting heterocyclic group(s) include those of claim 22. Regarding claim 27, the device is disposed upon a substrate (see par. 100-102). While a device structure is not exemplified having a specific Formula I or II complex the same as claimed, Ji et al. clearly teaches complexes of Formula I or II for the purpose of dopant in a light emitting layer of a device. Given the teachings of the reference, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to form complexes as described by Ji et al. for a device structure described by Ji et al. wherein the result materials and device would also meet the limitations of the instant claims. One would expect to achieve an operational device within the disclosure of Ji et al. with a predictable result and a reasonable expectation of success.
Claims 24-26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ji et al. (US 2022/0310941 A1) in view of in view of Liao et al. (US 2003/0170491 A1).
Ji et al. is relied upon for the rejection of claim 13 as set forth above.
While Ji et al. teaches Formula I and II complexes (par. 6) for dopant of a light emitting device, it is not seen where the same multiple light emitting layers as recited in claims 24 to 26 are specifically described. Ji et al. does not appear specifically to teach that the organic light emitting diode comprises a second and third light emitting part in addition to the light-emitting layer described above. In analogous art, Liao teaches a white light emitting organic light emitting device that comprises three organic layers, each comprising a stack of layers, between the first organic layer and the second electrode (Fig. 7 as described in paragraphs [0071]-[0072]). Each organic layer is an individual stack of organic layers ((paragraph [0072]: Organic EL unit 220.1, organic EL unit 220.2, and organic EL unit 220.3 are being equated with the organic layers of the instant claims.), (paragraph [0049] describes the generalized structure of a stacked structure of the disclosure of which Fig. 7 is a specific embodiment. Elements 220.1 to 220.N are the organic EL units and N is the number of organic EL units.), (paragraph [0054]: Each organic EL unit in the stacked OLED device can be the same and can comprise a multilayer structure.)). Each organic layer emits a different color light, one emitting blue light—the layer nearest the anode, one emitting green light—the middle layer, and one emitting red light—the layer nearest the cathode (paragraph [0072]: Organic EL unit 220.1, organic EL unit 220.2, and organic EL unit 220.3 are being equated with the organic layers of the instant claims and emit blue light, green light, and red light, respectively.). Liao further teaches that the stacked configuration contains a charge generation layer between each of the organic layers ((Fig. 7 as described in paragraph [0072]: Doped connectors 230.1 and 230.2 are between the organic layers.),(p. 3, par.[0049]; Disposed between any two adjacent organic EL units is a doped organic connector 230.1 through 230.(N-1) where N is the number of organic EL units, which are being equated with the organic layers of the claims.), (paragraph [0050]; Electrons and holes are generated in, and separated from, each of the doped organic connectors.),(p. 4, par.[0059]; The doped organic connectors provide for efficient electron and hole injection into adjacent organic EL units.)). The Liao stacked structure allows for white light generation at improved efficiency and operational lifetime (paragraph [0072]). It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed inventio to have modified the organic light emitting device taught by Ji et al. by stacking two duplicate organic layer stacks (the organic EL elements of Liao) in addition to layer(s) of Ji et al. described above using the configuration of Liao where one organic layer emits blue light, one organic layer emits green light, and one organic layer emits red light, as taught by Liao. The motivation for doing so would have been to provide a device comprising a white light emitting organic light emitting device with improved brightness through implementation of a stacked configuration, as well as to provide a white light emitting organic light emitting device with high efficiency, and increased operational lifetime, easy color adjustment, decreased driving voltage, decreased optical absorption as a result of the stacked configuration, as taught by Liao. It is noted that none of the claims require the first or second electrodes to be either the anode or the cathode. Therefore, the first electrode can be interpreted as being either the anode or the cathode, and the second electrode can be interpreted as being either the anode or the cathode.
With further respect to claim 23, adjacent two of the three light emitting units of the device taught by Ji et al. in view of Liao are equated with a second emitting material layer comprising second emitting material layer includes a lower emitting material layer disposed between the first charge generation layer and the second electrode and an upper emitting material layer disposed between the lower emitting material layer and the second electrode. Whether the material layer comprising the modified compound of Ji et al. is located in the middle emitting material layer or one of the emitting material layers adjacent to an electrode, the layer comprising the compound of Ji et al. can be equated with one of a lower emitting material layer disposed between the first charge generation layer and the second electrode and an upper emitting material layer disposed between the lower emitting material layer and the second electrode of the second emitting material layer described above.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Bejoymohandas, Kochan Sathyaseelan, et al. "Cationic iridium (III) complexes with benzothiophene-quinoline ligands for deep-red light-emitting electrochemical cells." Inorganic Chemistry 62.1 (2022): 43-55.
The non-patent literature reference discusses complexes for light emitting that include a benzothiophene group. The reference is considered relevant to the field of the endeavor.
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
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