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 .
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
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 14-16 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.
Regarding claim 14, the limitation “the composition of the electron-transport layer 1a is the same as that of the electron-transport layer 1b and the composition of the electron-transport layer 2a is the same as that of the electron-transport layer 2b” would render the claim indefinite since the limitation of claim 14 discussed above conflicts with the limitation of claim 13 reciting “a composition of the electron-transport layer 1a is different from that of the electron-transport layer 1b and a composition of the electron-transport layer 2a is different from that of the electron-transport layer 2b” and claim 14 depends from claim 13. As such, it is unclear to one of ordinary skill in the art to determine the metes and bounds of the claimed limitation. Claims 15-16, which depend from claim 14, are also rejected by virtue of their dependencies.
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 1-6 and 17-34 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hamaguchi et al. (US 2013/0084531 A1; hereinafter “Hamaguchi”) in view of Defranco et al. (US 2017/0256754 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Hamaguchi teaches a light-emitting apparatus comprising a first light-emitting device (a first organic EL element comprising 2a) and a second light-emitting device (a second organic EL element comprising 2b) adjacent each other over an insulating plane (a planarized passivation film, not shown, formed on 10), wherein the first light-emitting device comprises a first anode (11a), a first cathode (a first portion of 16 for the first organic EL element), and a first EL layer (12a, 13a, and 14a) interposed between the first anode and the first cathode, wherein the second light-emitting device comprises a second anode (11b), a second cathode (a second portion of 16 for the second organic EL element), and a second EL layer (12b, 13b, and 14b) interposed between the second anode and the second cathode, wherein the first EL layer comprises at least a first light-emitting layer (13a) and a first electron-transport layer (14a), wherein the first electron-transport layer is positioned between the first light-emitting layer and the first cathode, wherein the second EL layer comprises at least a second light-emitting layer (13b) and a second electron-transport layer (14b), wherein the second electron-transport layer is positioned between the second light-emitting layer and the second cathode (Fig. 1 and paragraphs 29-34 and 65), wherein the first electron-transport layer comprises at least a first heteroaromatic compound comprising a first heteroaromatic ring (for example, 14a of 2a containing a phenanthroline skeleton) (paragraphs 33-35), wherein the second electron-transport layer comprises at least a second heteroaromatic compound comprising a second heteroaromatic ring (for example, 14a of 2a containing a phenanthroline skeleton) (paragraphs 33-35), wherein an edge portion of the first light-emitting layer and an edge portion of the first electron-transport layer are substantially aligned at a first edge portion (a right-side edge of aligned 13a and 14a for the first organic EL element) when seen from a direction perpendicular to the insulating plane (Fig. 1), wherein an edge portion of the second light-emitting layer and an edge portion of the second electron-transport layer are substantially aligned at a second edge portion (a left-side edge of aligned 13b and 14b for the second organic EL element) when seen from the direction perpendicular to the insulating plane (Fig. 1).
Hamaguchi does not explicitly teach that the first electron-transport layer comprises a first organic compound different from the first heteroaromatic compound, wherein the second electron-transport layer comprises a second organic compound different from the second heteroaromatic compound and a distance between the first edge portion and the second edge portion facing each other is 2 μm to 5 μm.
Defranco teaches a light-emitting apparatus (a full-color OLED display) comprising: a light-emitting device (10) comprising an electron transport layer (17), wherein the electron transport layer comprises at least a heteroaromatic compound comprising a heteroaromatic ring and an organic compound different from the heteroaromatic compound (for example, ETL 17 including a mixture of organic materials including phenanthroline and triazole) (Fig. 1 and paragraphs 6, 31-32 and 38). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teaching of Hamaguchi with that of Defranco in order to obtain the predictable electron transporting characteristics with readily available electron transport materials known in the art. Defranco also teaches a light-emitting apparatus (a full-color OLED display) comprising: a first organic EL element having a first edge portion and a second organic EL element having a second edge portion, wherein the first edge portion and the second edge portion facing each other, wherein a distance between the first edge portion and the second edge portion facing each other is 2 μm to 5 μm (Fig. 3K and paragraphs 44 and 235-237). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teaching of Hamaguchi with that of Defranco in order to provide the full color light-emitting display device comprising subpixels with the desired spacing between adjacent subpixels as a design choice.
Regarding claim 2, Hamaguchi in view of Defranco teaches wherein the first electron-transport layer comprises the first heteroaromatic compound comprising the first heteroaromatic ring and the first organic compound different from the first heteroaromatic compound, and wherein the second electron-transport layer comprises the second heteroaromatic compound comprising the second heteroaromatic ring and the second organic compound different from the second heteroaromatic compound (See the rejection of claim 1 above).
Regarding claim 3, Hamaguchi in view of Defranco teaches wherein the first heteroaromatic compound and the first organic compound are each contained in the first electron-transport layer at 10 weight % or more, and wherein the second heteroaromatic compound and the second organic compound are each contained in the second electron-transport layer at 10 weight % or more (ETL including the mixture of phenanthroline and triazole would be 50 % each) (Hamaguchi, Fig. 1 and Defranco, paragraph 38).
Regarding claim 4, Hamaguchi in view of Defranco teaches wherein the first electron-transport layer and the second electron-transport layer do not comprise a metal complex (ETL including the mixture of phenanthroline and triazole) (Hamaguchi, Fig. 1 and Defranco, paragraph 38).
Regarding claim 5, Hamaguchi in view of Defranco teaches wherein the first electron-transport layer and the second electron-transport layer do not comprise an alkali metal complex or an alkaline earth metal complex (ETL including the mixture of phenanthroline and triazole) (Hamaguchi, Fig. 1 and Defranco, paragraph 38).
Regarding claim 6, Hamaguchi in view of Defranco teaches wherein the first electron-transport layer and the second electron-transport layer do not comprise alkali metal quinolinolato or alkaline earth metal quinolinolato (ETL including the mixture of phenanthroline and triazole) (Hamaguchi, Fig. 1 and Defranco, paragraph 38).
Regarding claim 17, Hamaguchi in view of Defranco teaches wherein the first heteroaromatic ring is the same as the second heteroaromatic ring (Hamaguchi, Fig. 1 and Defranco, paragraph 38).
Regarding claim 18, Hamaguchi in view of Defranco teaches wherein the first heteroaromatic compound is the same as the second heteroaromatic compound (Hamaguchi, Fig. 1 and Defranco, paragraph 38).
Regarding claim 19, Hamaguchi in view of Defranco teaches wherein the first organic compound is the same as the second organic compound (Hamaguchi, Fig. 1 and Defranco, paragraph 38).
Regarding claim 20, Hamaguchi in view of Defranco teaches wherein the first organic compound is an organic compound comprising a heteroaromatic ring (Hamaguchi, Fig. 1 and Defranco, paragraph 38).
Regarding claim 21, Hamaguchi in view of Defranco teaches wherein the first organic compound is an organic compound comprising a heteroaromatic ring that is the same as the first heteroaromatic ring (Hamaguchi, Fig. 1 and Defranco, paragraph 38).
Regarding claim 22, Hamaguchi in view of Defranco teaches wherein the second organic compound is an organic compound comprising a heteroaromatic ring (Hamaguchi, Fig. 1 and Defranco, paragraph 38).
Regarding claim 23, Hamaguchi in view of Defranco teaches wherein the second organic compound is an organic compound comprising a heteroaromatic ring that is the same as the second heteroaromatic ring (Hamaguchi, Fig. 1 and Defranco, paragraph 38).
Regarding claim 24, Hamaguchi in view of Defranco teaches wherein one or both of the first organic compound and the second organic compound are heteroaromatic compounds each comprising two or more nitrogen atoms (for example, triazole is a heteroaromatic compound having three nitrogen atoms) (Hamaguchi, Fig. 1 and Defranco, paragraph 38).
Regarding claim 25, Hamaguchi in view of Defranco teaches wherein one or both of the first organic compound and the second organic compound comprise heteroaromatic rings comprising two or more nitrogen atoms (for example, triazole is a heteroaromatic compound having three nitrogen atoms) (Hamaguchi, Fig. 1 and Defranco, paragraph 38).
Regarding claim 26, Hamaguchi in view of Defranco teaches wherein one or both of the first heteroaromatic compound and the second heteroaromatic compound comprise two or more nitrogen atoms (for example, phenanthroline is a heteroaromatic compound having two nitrogen atoms) (Hamaguchi, Fig. 1 and Defranco, paragraph 38).
Regarding claim 27, Hamaguchi in view of Defranco teaches wherein one or both of the first heteroaromatic ring and the second heteroaromatic ring comprise two or more nitrogen atoms (for example, phenanthroline is a heteroaromatic compound having two nitrogen atoms) (Hamaguchi, Fig. 1 and Defranco, paragraph 38).
Regarding claim 28, Hamaguchi in view of Defranco teaches wherein one or both of the first heteroaromatic ring and the second heteroaromatic ring are π-electron deficient heteroaromatic rings (for example, phenanthroline is π-electron deficient) (Hamaguchi, Fig. 1 and Defranco, paragraph 38).
Regarding claim 29, Hamaguchi in view of Defranco teaches wherein one or both of the first heteroaromatic ring and the second heteroaromatic ring are condensed heteroaromatic rings (for example, phenanthroline is fused) (Hamaguchi, Fig. 1 and Defranco, paragraph 38).
Regarding claim 30, Hamaguchi in view of Defranco teaches wherein one or both of the first heteroaromatic compound and the second heteroaromatic compound are organic compounds comprising π-electron deficient heteroaromatic rings (for example, phenanthroline is π-electron deficient) (Hamaguchi, Fig. 1 and Defranco, paragraph 38).
Regarding claim 31, Hamaguchi in view of Defranco teaches wherein one or both of the first heteroaromatic ring and the second heteroaromatic ring are any of a heteroaromatic ring comprising a polyazole skeleton, a heteroaromatic ring comprising a pyridine skeleton, a heteroaromatic ring comprising a diazine skeleton, and a heteroaromatic ring comprising a triazine skeleton (for example, instead of phenanthroline as the claimed heteroaromatic compound, triazole/triazene is considered as the claimed heteroaromatic compound) (Hamaguchi, Fig. 1 and Defranco, paragraph 38).
Regarding claim 32, Hamaguchi teaches wherein the first EL layer comprises a first electron-injection layer (a first portion of 15 for the first organic EL element) that is between the first electron-transport layer and the first cathode and in contact with the first cathode, wherein the second EL layer comprises a second electron-injection layer (a second portion of 15 for the second organic EL element) that is between the second electron-transport layer and the second cathode and in contact with the second cathode, and wherein the first electron-injection layer and the second electron-injection layer are continuous in the first light-emitting device and the second light-emitting device (Fig. 1 and paragraphs 30-31).
Regarding claim 33, Hamaguchi teaches wherein the first cathode and the second cathode are continuous in the first light-emitting device and the second light-emitting device (Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 34, Hamaguchi teaches An electronic device comprising the light-emitting apparatus according to claim 1 (paragraph 4). While Hamaguchi does not further teach that the electronic device also comprises a sensor, an operation button, and a speaker or a microphone, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to implement the claimed light-emitting apparatus in the well-known electronic device such as the mobile phone including the sensor, the operation button, and the speaker or the microphone.
Claims 7-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hamaguchi in view of Nakamura et al. (US 2021/0242419 A1; hereinafter “Nakamura”) and Defranco.
Regarding claim 7, Hamaguchi teaches a light-emitting apparatus comprising a first light-emitting device (a first organic EL element comprising 2a) and a second light-emitting device (a second organic EL element comprising 2b) adjacent to each other over an insulating plane (a planarized passivation film, not shown, formed on 10), wherein the first light-emitting device comprises a first anode (11a), a first cathode (a first portion of 16 for the first organic EL element), and a first EL layer (12a, 13a, and 14a) interposed between the first anode and the first cathode, wherein the second light-emitting device comprises a second anode (11b), a second cathode (a second portion of 16 for the second organic EL element), and a second EL layer (12b, 13b, and 14b) interposed between the second anode and the second cathode, wherein the first EL layer comprises at least a light-emitting layer 1b (13a), and an electron-transport layer 1b (14a) in this order from the first anode side, wherein the electron-transport layer 1b is positioned between the light-emitting layer 1b and the first cathode, wherein the second EL layer comprises at least a light-emitting layer 2b (13b), and an electron-transport layer 2b (14b) in this order from the second anode side, wherein the electron-transport layer 2b is positioned between the light-emitting layer 2b and the second cathode (Fig. 1 and paragraphs 29-34 and 65), wherein the electron-transport layer 1b comprises at least a first heteroaromatic compound comprising a first heteroaromatic ring (for example, 14a of 2a containing a phenanthroline skeleton) (paragraphs 33-35), wherein the electron-transport layer 2b comprises at least a second heteroaromatic compound comprising a second heteroaromatic ring (for example, 14a of 2a containing a phenanthroline skeleton) (paragraphs 33-35), wherein an edge portion of the light-emitting layer 1b and an edge portion of the electron-transport layer 1b are substantially aligned at a first edge portion (a right-side edge of aligned 13a and 14a for the first organic EL element) when seen from a direction perpendicular to the insulating plane (Fig. 1), wherein an edge portion of the light-emitting layer 2b and an edge portion of the electron-transport layer 2b are substantially aligned at a second edge portion (a left-side edge of aligned 13b and 14b for the second organic EL element) when seen from the direction perpendicular to the insulating plane (Fig. 1).
Hamaguchi does not explicitly teach that 1) the first EL layer further comprises a light-emitting layer 1a and a first charge generation layer and the second EL layer further comprises a light emitting layer 2a and a second charge-generation layer and 2) the first electron-transport layer comprises a first organic compound different from the first heteroaromatic compound, wherein the second electron-transport layer comprises a second organic compound different from the second heteroaromatic compound and a distance between the first edge portion and the second edge portion facing each other is 2 μm to 5 μm.
Regarding 1) additional light emitting layer 1a/2a and the charge-generation layer, Nakamura teaches a light-emitting device, comprising: an EL layer, wherein the EL layer comprises a first light-emitting layer (132), a charge-generation layer (14), a second light-emitting layer (152), and an electron transport layer (153) between an anode 12 and a cathode 18 for improving lifetime of the light-emitting device (Fig. 1 and paragraphs 19-38). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teaching of Hamaguchi with that of Nakamura for improving lifetime of the light-emitting device.
Regarding 2) the first and second heteroaromatic compounds and the distance, Defranco teaches a light-emitting apparatus (a full-color OLED display) comprising: a light-emitting device (10) comprising an electron transport layer (17), wherein the electron transport layer comprises at least a heteroaromatic compound comprising a heteroaromatic ring and an organic compound different from the heteroaromatic compound (for example, ETL 17 including a mixture of organic materials including phenanthroline and triazole) (Fig. 1 and paragraphs 6, 31-32 and 38). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teaching of Hamaguchi with that of Defranco in order to obtain the predictable electron transporting characteristics with readily available electron transport materials known in the art. Defranco also teaches a light-emitting apparatus (a full-color OLED display) comprising: a first organic EL element having a first edge portion and a second organic EL element having a second edge portion, wherein the first edge portion and the second edge portion facing each other, wherein a distance between the first edge portion and the second edge portion facing each other is 2 μm to 5 μm (Fig. 3K and paragraphs 44 and 235-237). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teaching of Hamaguchi with that of Defranco in order to provide the full color light-emitting display device comprising subpixels with the desired spacing between adjacent subpixels as a design choice.
Regarding claim 8, Hamaguchi in view of Defranco teaches wherein the first electron-transport layer 1b comprises the first heteroaromatic compound comprising the first heteroaromatic ring and the first organic compound different from the first heteroaromatic compound, and wherein the second electron-transport layer 2b comprises the second heteroaromatic compound comprising the second heteroaromatic ring and the second organic compound different from the second heteroaromatic compound (See the rejection of claim 1 above).
Regarding claim 9, Hamaguchi in view of Defranco teaches wherein the first heteroaromatic compound and the first organic compound are each contained in the first electron-transport layer 1b at 10 weight % or more, and wherein the second heteroaromatic compound and the second organic compound are each contained in the second electron-transport layer 2b at 10 weight % or more (ETL including the mixture of phenanthroline and triazole would be 50 % each) (Hamaguchi, Fig. 1 and Defranco, paragraph 38).
Regarding claim 10, Hamaguchi in view of Defranco teaches wherein the electron-transport layer 1b and the electron-transport layer 2b do not comprise a metal complex (ETL including the mixture of phenanthroline and triazole) (Hamaguchi, Fig. 1 and Defranco, paragraph 38).
Regarding claim 11, Hamaguchi in view of Defranco teaches wherein the electron-transport layer 1b and the electron-transport layer 2b do not comprise an alkali metal complex or an alkaline earth metal complex (ETL including the mixture of phenanthroline and triazole) (Hamaguchi, Fig. 1 and Defranco, paragraph 38).
Regarding claim 12, Hamaguchi in view of Defranco teaches wherein the electron-transport layer 1b and the electron-transport layer 2b do not comprise alkali metal quinolinolato or alkaline earth metal quinolinolato (ETL including the mixture of phenanthroline and triazole) (Hamaguchi, Fig. 1 and Defranco, paragraph 38).
Regarding claim 13, Hamaguchi in view of Nakamura and Defranco teaches wherein the first EL layer comprises an electron-transport layer 1a between the light-emitting layer 1a and a first intermediate layer, wherein the second EL layer comprises an electron-transport layer 2a between the light-emitting layer 2a and a second intermediate layer, and wherein a composition of the electron-transport layer 1a is different from that of the electron-transport layer 1b and a composition of the electron-transport layer 2a is different from that of the electron-transport layer 2b (for example, Hamaguchi teaching the first EL layer and the second EL layer, Nakamura teaching first electron transporting zone 133 between a first emitting layer 132 and a second hole transporting zone 151 as the claimed electron-transport layer between the light-emitting layer and the intermediate layer, with the first electron transporting zone 133 formed of a material different than the heteroaromatic compound, and Defranco, the heteroaromatic compound) (Hamaguchi, Fig. 1, Nakamura, Fig. 1 and paragraph 201, and Defranco, paragraph 38).
Conclusion
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/DANIEL WHALEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2893