DETAILED ACTION
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, 18-24, and 30-35 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; hereinafter “Defranco”).
Regarding claim 1, Hamaguchi teaches a light-emitting apparatus comprising a first light-emitting device (2a, 11a, and a portion of 15-16 overlapping with 2a) and a second light-emitting device (2b, 11b, and a portion of 15-16 overlapping with 2b) adjacent each other over an insulating plane (paragraph 34, 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 overlapping with 2a), and a first EL layer (12a, 13a, and 14a of 2a) 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 overlapping with 2b), and a second EL layer (12b, 13b, and 14b of 2b) 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, wherein the first heteroaromatic compound comprises comprising a first heteroaromatic ring (for example, 14a of 2a containing a phenanthroline, which is a heteroaromatic compound having a heteroaromatic ring as a material property), wherein the second electron-transport layer comprises at least a second heteroaromatic compound, wherein the first heteroaromatic compound comprises comprising a first heteroaromatic ring (for example, 14a of 2a containing a phenanthroline, which is a heteroaromatic compound having a heteroaromatic ring as a material property), wherein the first heteroaromatic ring is the same as the second heteroaromatic ring (both 14a and 14b formed by the same method and containing phenanthroline, which is the heteroaromatic compound having a heteroaromatic ring as the material property) (paragraphs 33-35 and 64),
wherein an edge portion of the first light-emitting layer and an edge portion of the first electron-transport layer are aligned or 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 (a top and bottom vertical-direction in Fig. 1) 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 aligned or 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 electron-transport layer also comprises a first organic compound different from the first heteroaromatic compound, wherein the first heteroaromatic compound and the first organic compound are mixed in the first electron-transport layer, and the second electron-transport layer comprises a second organic compound different from the second heteroaromatic compound, wherein the second heteroaromatic compound and the second organic compound are mixed in the second electron-transport layer and 2) a distance between the first edge portion and the second edge portion facing each other is 2 μm to 5 μm.
Regarding the limitation 1) above, 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, wherein the heteroaromatic compound and the organic compound are mixed in the electron-transport layer (for example, ETL 17 including a mixture of organic materials including phenanthroline and triazole, wherein phenanthroline is a heteroaromatic compound having a heteroaromatic ring as a material property) (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 electron transport layer having predictable electron transporting characteristics with readily available organic electron transport materials known in the art.
Regarding the limitation 2) above, Defranco also teaches a light-emitting apparatus (a full-color OLED display) comprising: a first organic EL element having a first edge portion (a right-side edge of 216, which is equivalent to 20) and a second organic EL element having a second edge portion (a left-side edge of 226, which is equivalent to 20), 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 (for example, 216 is spaced 4 μm from 226) (Figs. 1 and 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 has the first heteroaromatic compound and the first organic compound, and wherein the second electron-transport layer has the second heteroaromatic compound and the second organic 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 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 (triazole has a heteroaromatic ring as a material property) (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 the first organic compound and the second organic compound are heteroaromatic compounds each comprising two or more nitrogen atoms (triazole is a heteroaromatic compound having three nitrogen atoms) (Hamaguchi, Fig. 1 and Defranco, paragraph 38).
Regarding claim 30, Hamaguchi in view of Defranco teaches wherein the first heteroaromatic compound and the second heteroaromatic compound are organic compounds each comprising π-electron deficient heteroaromatic ring (phenanthroline is π-electron deficient) (Hamaguchi, Fig. 1 and Defranco, paragraph 38).
Regarding claim 31, Hamaguchi in view of Defranco teaches wherein the first heteroaromatic ring and the second heteroaromatic ring each comprise any of a polyazole skeleton, a pyridine skeleton, a diazine skeleton, and 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 at least one of a sensor, an operation button, a speaker and 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 at least one of the sensor, the operation button, the speaker and the microphone.
Regarding claim 35, Hamaguchi teaches wherein the first EL layer comprises a first electron-injection layer (a first portion of 15 overlapping 2a) that is between the first electron-transport layer and the first cathode and in contact with the first cathode, and wherein the first electron-injection layer is in contact with the edge portion of the first light-emitting layer and the edge portion of the first electron-transport layer (Fig. 1 and paragraph 30).
Claims 7-16 and 36-39 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 (2a, 11a, and a portion of 15-16 overlapping with 2a) and a second light-emitting device (2b, 11b, and a portion of 15-16 overlapping with 2b) adjacent to each other over an insulating plane (paragraph 34, 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 overlapping with 2a), 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 overlapping with 2b), 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, wherein the first heteroaromatic compound comprises comprising a first heteroaromatic ring (for example, 14a of 2a containing a phenanthroline, which is a heteroaromatic compound having a heteroaromatic ring as a material property), wherein the electron-transport layer 2b comprises at least a second heteroaromatic compound, wherein the first heteroaromatic compound comprises comprising a first heteroaromatic ring (for example, 14a of 2a containing a phenanthroline, which is a heteroaromatic compound having a heteroaromatic ring as a material property), wherein the first heteroaromatic ring is the same as the second heteroaromatic ring (both 14a and 14b formed by the same method and containing phenanthroline, which is the heteroaromatic compound having a heteroaromatic ring as the material property) (paragraphs 33-35 and 64),
wherein an edge portion of the light-emitting layer 1b and an edge portion of the electron-transport layer 1b are aligned or 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 (a top and bottom vertical-direction in Fig. 1) 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 aligned or 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 intermediate layer and the second EL layer further comprises a light emitting layer 2a and a second intermediate layer and 2) the electron-transport layer 1b also comprises a first organic compound different from the first heteroaromatic compound and the electron-transport layer 2b also comprises a second organic compound different from the second heteroaromatic compound and 3) a distance between the first edge portion and the second edge portion facing each other is 2 μm to 5 μm.
Regarding the limitation 1) above, Nakamura teaches a light-emitting device, comprising: an EL layer, wherein the EL layer comprises a first light-emitting layer (132), a intermediate 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 the limitation 2) above, 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, wherein phenanthroline is a heteroaromatic compound having a heteroaromatic ring as a material property) (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 electron transport layer having predictable electron transporting characteristics with readily available organic electron transport materials known in the art.
Regarding the limitation 3) above, Defranco also teaches a light-emitting apparatus (a full-color OLED display) comprising: a first organic EL element having a first edge portion (a right-side edge of 216, which is equivalent to 20) and a second organic EL element having a second edge portion (a left-side edge of 226, which is equivalent to 20), 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 (for example, 216 is spaced 4 μm from 226) (Figs. 1 and 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 electron-transport layer 1b has the first heteroaromatic compound and the first organic compound, and wherein the electron-transport layer 2b has the second heteroaromatic compound and the second organic 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 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 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 (133) between the light-emitting layer 1a (132) and the first intermediate layer (14), wherein the second EL layer comprises an electron-transport layer 2a (133) between the light-emitting layer 2a (132) and the second intermediate layer (14) (Nakamura, Fig. 1 with Hamaguchi, Fig. 1 for teaching the first EL layer and the second EL 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 (Nakamura, Fig. 1, 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).
Regarding claim 14, Hamaguchi in view of Nakamura and Defranco teaches wherein the first EL layer comprises an electron-transport layer 1a (133) between the light-emitting layer 1a (132) and the first intermediate layer (14), wherein the second EL layer comprises an electron-transport layer 2a (133) between the light-emitting layer 2a (132) and the second intermediate layer (14) (Nakamura, Fig. 1 with Hamaguchi, Fig. 1 for teaching the first EL layer and the second EL layer).
While Hamaguchi does not explicitly teach that a composition of the electron-transport layer 1a is the same as that of the electron-transport layer 1b and a composition of the electron-transport layer 2a is the same as that of the electron-transport layer 2b, Nakamura teaches the electron-transport layer 1a/2a (133) and Hamaguchi in view of Defranco teaches the material choice for the electron-transport layer 1b/2b. Then, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the material choice for the electron-transport layer 1b/2b taught from Hamaguchi in view of Defranco to the electron-transport layer 1a/2a also in Nakamura in order to utilize the readily available electron transport material for forming the electron-transport layer.
Regarding claim 15, Hamaguchi in view of Nakamura and Defranco teaches wherein one or both the electron-transport layer 1a and the electron-transport layer 2a comprises one kind of organic compound (ETL including the mixture of phenanthroline and triazole) (Hamaguchi, Fig. 1 and Defranco, paragraph 38 and Nakamura, Fig. 1 for the electron-transport layer (133)).
Regarding claim 16, Hamaguchi in view of Nakamura teaches wherein the first intermediate layer and the second intermediate layer are charge-generation layers (Hamaguchi for the first EL element and the second EL element and Nakamura in Fig. 1 teaching 14 as a first charge generating layer).
Regarding claim 36, Hamaguchi in view of Defranco teaches wherein the first organic compound is the same as the second organic compound (Defranco teaching ETL including triazole with Hamaguchi teaching the first and second EL elements 2a and 2b) (Hamaguchi, Fig. 1 and Defranco, paragraph 38).
Regarding claim 37, Hamaguchi teaches wherein the first EL layer comprises a first electron-injection layer (a portion of 15 overlapping with 2a) that is between the electron-transport layer 1b and the first cathode and in contact with the first cathode, wherein the second EL layer comprises a second electron-injection layer (a portion of 15 overlapping with 2b) that is between the electron-transport layer 2b 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 paragraph 30).
Regarding claim 38, 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 39, Hamaguchi teaches wherein the first EL layer comprises a first electron-injection layer (a portion of 15 overlapping with 2a) that is between the electron-transport layer 1b and the first cathode and in contact with the first cathode, and wherein the first electron-injection layer is in contact with the edge portion of the light-emitting layer 1b and the edge portion of the electron-transport layer 1b (Fig. 1 and paragraph 30).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to amended claims have been considered but are moot in view of new grounds of rejections as set forth above in this Office Action.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANIEL B WHALEN whose telephone number is (571)270-3418. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F: 8AM-5PM.
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/DANIEL WHALEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2893
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