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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
3. Claims 1-20 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, because the specification, while being enabling for an OLED:
“an organic electroluminescent device (OLED) comprising: an anode; a cathode; and an emissive region, disposed between the anode and the cathode; wherein the emissive region comprises a first phosphorescent sensitizer and a first host; wherein the first phosphorescent sensitizer is a metal complex; wherein the first host is partially or fully deuterated; wherein the emissive region further comprises an acceptor compound that is an emitter; and wherein the first phosphorescent sensitizer is capable of energy transfer to the acceptor compound”
does not reasonably provide a written description for the invention encompassed by the claims.
The written description of the first phosphorescent sensitizer, a first host, and an acceptor compound, does not allow for a determination of the metes and bounds to conduct a comprehensive structure search as said compounds are simply defined as generic materials with no limiting chemical features with exception of:
first phosphorescent sensitizer is a metal complex (paragraph 0262)
the first host is partially or fully deuterated (paragraphs 059, 001-004)
first phosphorescent sensitizer is capable of energy transfer to the acceptor compound
The specification while offering a number of examples is very limited in comparison to the unlimited scope of the claim 1.
Claim 1 lacks a defined scope fully supported by a written description relative to specific materials or the class of the compounds commensurate in scope with the claims. The unlimited scope makes a reasonable structural search very difficult to impossible to establish search parameters fully encompassing the scope of the claims. The specification fails to show that the applicant was in possession of the invention as recited. Therefore, claim 1 and all claims requiring the limitations claim 1 are rejected as lacking a suitable written description.
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
Prosecution Insights