Prosecution Insights
Last updated: October 01, 2026
Application No. 18/297,702

ORGANIC ELECTROLUMINESCENT MATERIALS AND DEVICES

Non-Final OA §102§103
Filed
Apr 10, 2023
Priority
Apr 18, 2022 — provisional 63/332,165 +18 more
Examiner
CLARK, GREGORY D
Art Unit
Tech Center
Assignee
UNIVERSAL DISPLAY Corporation
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
85%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
0m
Est. Remaining
93%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 85% — above average
85%
Career Allowance Rate
1042 granted / 1230 resolved
+24.7% vs TC avg
Moderate +8% lift
Without
With
+8.2%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 1m
Avg Prosecution
55 currently pending
Career history
1261
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.3%
-39.7% vs TC avg
§103
52.7%
+12.7% vs TC avg
§102
27.7%
-12.3% vs TC avg
§112
9.4%
-30.6% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 1230 resolved cases

Office Action

§102 §103
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 . The office acknowledges the receipt of applicants’ response to the restriction requirement dated 07/06/2026. Elected Species PNG media_image1.png 301 1114 media_image1.png Greyscale A search of the prior art did not show the elected species. As no claims where specifically drawn to applicants’ elected species in independent form, no claims have been indicated as allowable. Claims written in independent form which require all the limitations of the elected species along with any dependent claims which require all the limitations of the elected species would be allowable. Under MPEP 803.02, the search was expanded to find an examinable species. Examinable Species PNG media_image2.png 472 692 media_image2.png Greyscale RN 2916403-26-2 reads on claims 1-2, 4-7, 11-14, 17-20. Claims 3, 8-10, 15-16 as not reading on the examinable species. 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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. Claim(s) 1-2, 4, 7, 11-14, 17-18, 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Cai (US 2022/0384741). Regarding Claims 1-2, 4, 7, 11-14, Cai teaches iridium complexes wherein a ligand can be represented by La (page 10): PNG media_image3.png 290 376 media_image3.png Greyscale A specific example of the above ligand in an iridium complex material shown in the STN search report as registry number: RN 2916403-26-2 PNG media_image2.png 472 692 media_image2.png Greyscale RN 2916403-26-2 reads on applicant LA wherein RA and RB = H; RC Cy-R** = phenyl-CN; Y = O; X1-X8 = CH; K in direct bond (per claims 1-2, 4, 7). RN 2916403-26-2 reads on PNG media_image4.png 32 140 media_image4.png Greyscale wherein P = 1; q=2. R = o (per claim 11). RN 2916403-26-2 reads on PNG media_image5.png 34 94 media_image5.png Greyscale and PNG media_image6.png 30 98 media_image6.png Greyscale as PNG media_image7.png 472 692 media_image7.png Greyscale k = 1 (per claim 12). LB= PNG media_image8.png 274 130 media_image8.png Greyscale as PNG media_image9.png 178 92 media_image9.png Greyscale Ra and Rb = H; Y10Y8 = CH; K1 = direct bond (per claims 13 and 14). Regarding Claims 17-18, Cai teaches a Device 100 may include a substrate 101, an anode 110, a hole injection layer 120, a hole transport layer 130, an electron blocking layer 140, an emissive layer 150, a hole blocking layer 160, an electron transport layer 170, an electron injection layer 180 and a cathode 190 (paragraph 32). The organic layer comprising the metal complex is a light-emitting layer (paragraph 194) (per claim 17). The light-emitting layer also contains a host material (paragraph 197). The first host compound and/or the second host compound comprise at least one chemical group selected from the group consisting of: benzene, pyridine, pyrimidine, triazine, carbazole, azacarbazole, indolocarbazole, dibenzothiophene, aza-dibenzothiophene, dibenzofuran, azadibenzofuran, dibenzoselenophene, triphenylene, azatriphenylene, fluorene, silafluorene, naphthalene, quinoline, isoquinoline, quinazoline, quinoxaline, phenanthrene, azaphenanthrene and combinations thereof (paragraph 199) (per claim 18). Regarding Claim 20, Cai teaches that the OLED can be incorporated into a wide variety of consumer products (paragraph 37) (per claim 20). 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. Claim 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cai (US 2022/0384741) in view of Ma (US 2013/0181190 A1). Regarding Claim 19, Cai teaches the light-emitting layer also contains a host material (paragraph 197). The first host compound and/or the second host compound comprise at least one chemical group selected from the group consisting of: benzene, pyridine, pyrimidine, triazine, carbazole, azacarbazole, indolocarbazole, dibenzothiophene, aza-dibenzothiophene, dibenzofuran, azadibenzofuran, dibenzoselenophene, triphenylene, azatriphenylene, fluorene, silafluorene, naphthalene, quinoline, isoquinoline, quinazoline, quinoxaline, phenanthrene, azaphenanthrene and combinations thereof (paragraph 199). Cai fails to teach a specific material. Ma teaches an OLED wherein the host material for the emissive layer includes The host material for the emissive layer includes PNG media_image10.png 220 398 media_image10.png Greyscale (paragraph 30). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of invention to have selected from known host materials which would have included the host material of Ma which reads on the instant limitations, absent unexpected results (per claim19). Conclusion 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. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jennifer Chriss can be reached on 571-272-7783. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /GREGORY D CLARK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1786
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Apr 10, 2023
Application Filed
Apr 18, 2023
Response after Non-Final Action
Aug 27, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102, §103 (current)

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

Patent 12741981
METAL COMPLEX AND USE THEREOF
3y 10m to grant Granted Sep 22, 2026
Patent 12735437
ORGANIC MOLECULES FOR OPTOELECTRONIC DEVICES
3y 10m to grant Granted Sep 15, 2026
Patent 12740317
ORGANIC LIGHT EMITTING ELEMENT
3y 10m to grant Granted Sep 15, 2026
Patent 12727376
LIGHT EMITTING DIODE AND POLYCYCLIC COMPOUND FOR THE SAME
4y 2m to grant Granted Sep 01, 2026
Patent 12703824
ORGANIC ELECTROLUMINESCENT ELEMENT
3y 11m to grant Granted Aug 11, 2026
Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

Strategy Recommendation AI-generated — please review before filing

Get a prosecution strategy drawn from examiner precedents, rejection analysis, and claim mapping.
Typically takes 5-10 seconds — AI-generated, attorney review required before filing

Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
85%
Grant Probability
93%
With Interview (+8.2%)
3y 1m (~0m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 1230 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

Sign in with your work email

Enter your email to receive a magic link. No password needed.

Personal email addresses (Gmail, Yahoo, etc.) are not accepted.

Free tier: 3 strategy analyses per month