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 .
Claims 1-14 as filed on June 5, 2023 are pending.
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 1-10 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Min et al. (US 2015/0001488 A1) in view of Ryu et al. (US 2020/0010460 A1).
Min et al. teaches compositions for organic optoelectronic devices (see abstract) comprising a first host with an electron characteristic (see par. 33 and 35) and a second host with a hole characteristic (see par. 32 and 35) per instant claims 1 and 13. The second host may include a compound according to Formula 4 where the “R” substituents may include deuterium (see par. 62-69) per instant “second host”. At least one specific Formula 4 compound is the following example 13 compound 2-511 (see Table 23, page 42):
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162
196
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The Min et al. first host with an electron characteristic has an ET group (i.e., electron transport, par. 46) that may be a triazine group (see par. 53), but it is not seen where a specific triazine derivative the same as instant Formula 1 is shown. In analogous art, Ryu et al. teaches compounds with a benzazole group according to Formula 1 (see abstract) for an organic electroluminescent device per instant “first host” of claim 1:
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148
274
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In Ryu et al. Formula 1, Z1 may be O or S (par. 12), Ar3 may be C6 aryl (i.e., phenyl) (par. 16), each X1 to X3 may be nitrogen (see par. 15), Ar1 may independently be substituted or unsubstituted C6 to C30 aryl or C2 to C30 heteroaryl (see par. 16). The Ryu et al. Formula 1 derivatives are described as having excellent electron transporting ability (see par. 27). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have selected a compound of Ryu et al. Formula 1 as a compound with excellent electron transport ability as a first host material in a device according to Min et al., because one would expect the Ryu et al. derivatives to provide the electron characteristic of a first host material for a host composition of a light emitting device. One would expect to achieve a functional device comprising materials according to Min et al. and Ryu et al. with a predictable result and a reasonable expectation of success.
Further regarding claim 2, Ryu et al. teaches Ar1 groups may include at least phenyl, dibenzofuran, or dibenzothiophene (see par. 61). Regarding claim 9, in Ryu et al. Formula 1 two Ar1 may be phenyl and Ar3 may be phenyl per at least instant compound C-1 (see first compound in Ryu et al. par. 70).
Further regarding claim 3, Min et al. teaches any of R7-R11 (see par. 64) can include deuterium (see par. 68). Further regarding claim 4, substituted groups are defined for Min et al. Formula 4 derivatives (par. 64-69) and the term “substituted” refers to deuterium (see par. 20) where substitution may be selected to meet the claimed rate of at least 40% deuterium substitution rate. Further regarding claim 5, substituted groups are defined for Min et al. Formula 4 derivatives (par. 64-69) and the term “substituted” refers to deuterium (see par. 20) where substitution may be selected to meet the claimed rate of at least 25% deuterium substitution rate of deuterium and/or groups upon the carbazole groups of Formula 4. Regarding claim 6, Formula 4 of Min et al. (par. 64) provides for bonding attachments per any of instant 2-1 to 2-8 compound bonding locations as Formula 4 shows bonding into the center of rings of adjoining carbazole groups of Min et al. Formula 4. Regarding claim 7, Min et al. Ar2 and Ar3 may include at least phenyl (see par. 69). Regarding claim 10, the core structure of specific compound 2-943 of Min et al. (see par. 124) is identical to instant H2-1 and Min et al. further defines Formula 4 such that a deuterium may be present (see at least Min par. 68).
Further regarding claim 8, at least Ryu et al. teaches substitution groups at par. 20.
Claims 11, 12, and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ryu et al. (US 2020/0010460 A1).
Ryu et al. teaches compounds with a benzazole group according to Formula 1 (see abstract) for an organic electroluminescent device per instant “first host” of claim 1 and instant formula 3 compound of instant claim 11:
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In Ryu et al. Formula 1, Z1 may be O or S (par. 12), Ar3 may be C6 aryl (i.e., phenyl) (par. 16), each X1 to X3 may be nitrogen (see par. 15), Ar1 may independently be substituted or unsubstituted C6 to C30 aryl or C2 to C30 heteroaryl (see par. 16). Further regarding claim 11, the Ar1 groups are defined as independent (see par. 61), so each Ar1 may be selected as different from another per instant “Ar’1 and Ar’2 are different from each other”. Per instant claim 12, one Ryu et al. Ar1 may be selected as dibenzofuran and the other as phenyl (see par. 61) while the Ar3 may be selected as phenyl (see par. 61) per at least instant compound C-116 of instant claim 12. Regarding claim 14, the Ryu et al. Formula 1 derivatives are described as having excellent electron transporting ability (see par. 27) for use in an organic light emitting device (see title and abstract). While an example compound the same as an instant claim 11 compound does not appear to be shown, given the teachings of the reference defining a Formula 1, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have formed a compound of Formula 1 as defined wherein the resultant compound and a device including the compound would also meet the limitations of the instant claims. One would expect to achieve a functional compound for an operational light emitting device with a predictable result and a reasonable expectation of success.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
A machine translation for KR 20200035905 A is provided. The patent document was cited on applicant’s I.D.S.
No et al. (US 2020/0119285 A1) teaches bis-carbazole derivatives (see par. 9) used in combination with another heteroaryl compound. The reference is considered relevant to the field of the endeavor.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Dawn Garrett whose telephone number is (571)272-1523. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Thursday (Eastern Time).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jennifer Boyd can be reached at 571-272-7783. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DAWN L GARRETT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1786
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