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 Group I (claims 22-35, 37, 39 and 43) in the reply filed on 12/1/2025 is acknowledged.
Claims 36, 38, 40-42 and 44 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected Groups II-III, there being no allowable generic or linking claim.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers submitted under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), which papers have been placed of record in the file.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 6/23/2023 has been considered by the examiner. Initialed copies accompany this action.
Drawings
The Drawings filed 6/13/2023 are approved by the examiner.
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.
Claim 27 is 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.
Claim 27 recites “the Ry radical bonded to the Y group adjacent to the Y group”. It is unclear that the italicized claim limitation means.
A claim is indefinite when it contains words or phrases whose meaning is unclear. In re Packard, 751 F.3d 1307, 1314, 110 USPQ 2d 1785, 1789 (Fed. Cir. 2014).
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 22, 23, 30, and 34 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Dunlop et al. (Journal of the Chemical Society (1939) 1945-56). Also see the search report dated 9/24/2025, page 41 for the details on the compound RN 858507-64-9.
Regarding claims 22, 23 and 30, Dunlop discloses a compound (IV) that meets the claimed compound of Formular (I), in particular compound of Formula I-95 recited claim 30, when Ra, Rb, Rc and one of Rd each is H, the other Rd is C(=O)R1, Ry and R1 each is an alkoxyl group having 2 carbons (ethoxy). Also see the search report dated 9/24/2025, page 41 for the details on the compound RN 858507-64-
Regarding claim 34, Dunlop discloses the compound is symmetric in relation to the Ra and Rc radicals.
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Claims 22, 30, 34, 35, 37, 39 and 43 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Parham et al. (US2012/0202997).
Regarding claims 22 and 30, Parham discloses a compound of formula (1), represented by (65), where R represents a group of the formula (4) (see para 0017 and 0039) that meets the claimed compound of Formular (I), in particular the claimed compound of Formula I-95 recited claim 30, when Ra, Rb, Rc and Rd each is H, Y is CO and Ry is same as R1 (para 0012).
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Regarding claim 34, Parham discloses the compound is symmetric in relation to the Ra and Rc radicals (both are H).
Regarding claim 35, Parham discloses the compound comprises two or three structures of formula (1) or (2) (when p is 2 or 3,para 0017).
Regarding claim 37, Parham discloses a formulation comprising at least one of the above compound and at least one further compound (para 0063-65).
Regarding claim 39, Parham discloses a composition comprising at least one of the above compound and at least one further compound selected from the group consisting of fluorescent emitters, phosphorescent emitters (para 0063).
Regarding claim 43, Parham discloses an electronic device comprising at least one of the above compound (para 0058-60).
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 22-35, 37, 39 and 43 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Parham et al. (US2012/0202997).
Regarding claims 22 and 30, Parham discloses a compound of formula (1) or formula (2), represented by (65), where R represents a group of the formula (4) (see para 0017 and 0039) that meets the claimed compound of Formular (I), in particular the claimed compound of Formula I-95 recited claim 30, when Ra, Rb, Rc and Rd each is H, Y is CO and Ry is same as R1 (para 0012). Parham also discloses that two Y groups stand for single bonds (para 0039) with the proviso that all three groups Y in one unit do not simultaneously stand for a single bond (para 0010); R is selected on each occurrence identically or differently from the group consisting of radicals listed in para 0011. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filling date of the invention to select different radical with each R group, for the purpose of formulating a compound, which can be employed as matrix material for fluorescent or phosphorescent emitters, in particular for phosphorescent emitters, and/or in a hole-blocking layer and/or in an electron-transport layer and/or in an electron-blocking or exciton-blocking layer and/or in a hole-transport layer, depending on the precise substitution.
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Regarding claim 23, Parham discloses R is selected on each occurrence differently from the group consisting of radicals listed in para 0011, therefore a person of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to select different radical with each R group, for the purpose of formulating a compound, which can be employed as matrix material for fluorescent or phosphorescent emitters, in particular for phosphorescent emitters, and/or in a hole-blocking layer and/or in an electron-transport layer and/or in an electron-blocking or exciton-blocking layer and/or in a hole-transport layer, depending on the precise substitution.
Regarding claim 24, Parham discloses R is selected on each occurrence identically or differently a straight-chain alkyl, alkoxy or thioalkyl group having 1 to 40 C atoms or a branched or cyclic alkyl, alkoxy or thioalkyl group having 3 to 40 C atoms or an alkenyl or alkynyl group having 2 to 40 C atoms, each of which may be substituted by one or more radicals R.sup.1, where one or more non-adjacent CH.sub.2 groups may be replaced by a radical listed in para 0011).
Regarding claim 25, Parham discloses R is selected on each occurrence identically or differently an aromatic or heteroaromatic ring system having 5 to 80, preferably 5 to 60, aromatic ring atoms, which may in each case be substituted by one or more radicals R1 listed in para 0011.
Regarding claims 26, 28 and 29, Parham discloses in R1 of formula (4) where two or more adjacent substituents R1 may form a monocyclic or polycyclic, aliphatic, aromatic or heteroaromatic ring system which may be substituted by one or more radicals R2 listed in para 0013 (para 0012).
Regarding claims 31-33, Parham discloses two or more adjacent substituents R may optionally form a monocyclic or polycyclic, aliphatic, aromatic or heteroaromatic ring system listed in para 0020-22, that meet the claimed formula (Cy-1) to (Cy-10)(para 0011).
Regarding claim 34, Parham discloses the compound is symmetric in relation to the Ra and Rc radicals.
Regarding claim 35, Parham discloses the compound comprises two or three structures of formula (1) or (2) (when p is 2 or 3, para 0017).
Regarding claim 37, Parham discloses a formulation comprising at least one of the above compound and at least one further compound (para 0063-65).
Regarding claim 39, Parham discloses a composition comprising at least one of the above compound and at least one further compound selected from the group consisting of fluorescent emitters, phosphorescent emitters (para 0063).
Regarding claim 43, Parham discloses an electronic device comprising at least one of the above compound (para 0058-60).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HAIDUNG D NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)270-5455. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th: 10a-3p.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Angela Brown-Pettigrew can be reached at 571-272-2817. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/HAIDUNG D NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1761
3/6/2026