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 .
Claim Objections
Claim 7 is objected to because of the following informalities: the claim is composed of two sentences; on page 7, line 6 ends with a period and line 7 starts with a capital letter. Appropriate correction is required.
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 person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(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.
Claims 1-2, 4-5, 8-18, and 22-27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Irobe (US 20220158135 A1), Irobe hereinafter.
Regarding claim 1, Irobe discloses a light emitting apparatus (100, ¶ [42], fig. 1) comprising an organic light emitting element (20, ¶ [52], fig. 2) disposed on a principal surface of a substrate (10, ¶ [63], fig. 4), wherein the organic light emitting element (20) includes a first electrode (23, ¶ [52], fig. 4), a second electrode (25), and an organic layer (24) including a light emitting layer (240, ¶ [52], fig. 4) and interposed between the first electrode (23) and the second electrode (25), a light extraction structure (8, ¶ [63], fig. 8) disposed on a light emission side of the organic layer (24), and a reflection surface (26, ¶ [65], fig. 8) disposed so as to sandwich (see fig. 8) the organic layer (24) with the light extraction structure (8), the light emitting layer (240) contains a first light emitting material (¶ [74]), an optical distance (L, ¶ [87], figs. 4, 5 & 8) between the light emitting layer (240) and the reflection surface (26) is a value with which, where a wavelength included in a peak wavelength range of a PL spectrum of the first light emitting material is a first wavelength (WG, ¶ [94], fig. 6), light with the first wavelength (WG), traveling through the light emitting layer (240) in a first direction (X1, ¶ [42], fig. 8) that intersects with a normal direction (Z) of the principal surface of the substrate (10), and light with the first wavelength (WG), traveling through the light emitting layer (240) in a second direction (X2, ¶ [42], fig. 8) that intersects with the normal direction (Z) of the principal surface of the substrate (10) and that is different from the first direction (X1), both are intensified (¶ [86], discloses that the light emitting element 20G1 has an optical resonance structure 29G that increases intensity of light of the green wavelength region between the reflective layer 261G1 and the common electrode 25), an absolute value of an angle (θ, ¶s [101] & [106], figs. 8 & 9) formed between the normal direction (Z) of the principal surface of the substrate (10) and the first direction (X1) and an absolute value of an angle (θ) formed between the normal direction (Z) of the principal surface of the substrate (10) and the second direction (X2) are the same (see fig. 8), the light extraction structure (8) has a first inclined portion (IP1, hereinafter as denoted on the figure below) and a second inclined portion (IP2, hereinafter as denoted on the figure below), first incident light that is light with the first wavelength (WG), traveling through the light emitting layer (240) in the first direction (X1) and having reached the first inclined portion (IP1), is refracted at the first inclined portion (IP1) and emitted in a third direction (Z1, fig. 8) from the light extraction structure (8), second incident light that is light with the first wavelength (WG), traveling through the light emitting layer (240) in the second direction (X2) and having reached the second inclined portion (IP2), is refracted at the second inclined portion (IP2) and emitted in a fourth direction (Z1) from the light extraction structure (8), and an absolute value of an angle (θ) formed between the normal direction (Z) of the principal surface of the substrate (10) and the third direction (Z1) and an absolute value of an angle (θ) formed between the normal direction (Z) of the principal surface of the substrate (10) and the fourth direction (Z1) both are greater than or equal to zero degrees and less than or equal to five degrees (¶ [106], figs. 8 & 9).
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Regarding claim 2, Irobe discloses that the first incident light is light obtained such that light with the first wavelength (WG), emitted from the light emitting layer (240) toward the first electrode (23), reflected on the reflection surface (26), and traveling in the first direction (X1) toward the second electrode (25), and light with the first wavelength (WG), emitted in the first direction (X1) from the light emitting layer (240) toward the second electrode (25) constructively interfere with each other, and the second incident light is light obtained such that light with the first wavelength (WG), emitted from the light emitting layer (240) toward the first electrode (23), reflected on the reflection surface (26), and traveling in the second direction (X2) toward the second electrode (25), and light with the first wavelength (WG), emitted in the second direction (X2) from the light emitting layer (240) toward the second electrode (25) constructively interfere with each other (¶ [86] discloses that intensity of light of a desired wavelength region can be increased for each sub pixel P0 due to an optical resonance effect, i.e. constructively interfere).
Regarding claim 4, Irobe discloses a half-reflection surface (surface of the second electrode 25, HR hereinafter; second electrode 25 is made of a semi-transmissive reflective layer, ¶ [65]) is provided between the organic layer (24) and the light extraction structure (8), and an optical distance (L) between the reflection surface (26) and the half-reflection surface (HR) is a value with which light with the first wavelength (WG), traveling through the light emitting layer (240) in the first direction (X1), and light with the first wavelength (WG), traveling through the light emitting layer (240) in a second direction (X2) line-symmetric from the first direction (X1) with respect to an axis that coincides with a normal line to the principal surface of the substrate (10), both are intensified (¶ [85], fig. 8).
Regarding claim 5, Irobe discloses that the first incident light is light obtained such that light with the first wavelength (WG), emitted from the light emitting layer (240) toward the second electrode (25), reflected on the half-reflection surface (HR) toward the first electrode (23), reflected on the reflection surface (26) toward the second electrode (25), and traveling in the first direction (X1), and light with the first wavelength (WG), emitted from the light emitting layer (240) toward the second electrode (25) in the first direction (X1) (¶ [85], fig. 8), constructively interfere with each other (¶ [86] discloses that intensity of light of a desired wavelength region can be increased for each sub pixel P0 due to an optical resonance effect, i.e. constructively interfere), and the second incident light is light obtained such that light with the first wavelength (WG), emitted from the light emitting layer (240) toward the second electrode (25), reflected on the half-reflection surface (HR) toward the first electrode (23), reflected on the reflection surface (26) toward the second electrode (25), and traveling in the second direction (X2), and light with the first wavelength (WG), emitted from the light emitting layer (240) toward the second electrode (25) in the second direction (X2) (¶ [85], fig. 8), constructively interfere with each other (¶ [86] discloses that intensity of light of a desired wavelength region can be increased for each sub pixel P0 due to an optical resonance effect, i.e. constructively interfere).
Regarding claim 8, Irobe discloses a reflective layer (261, ¶ [66], fig. 4) disposed across the first electrode (23) from the light extraction structure (8), wherein the reflective layer (261) has the reflection surface (26) (see fig. 4).
Regarding claim 9, Irobe discloses that the peak wavelength range is a wavelength range of greater than or equal to (λp1 - 5) nm and less than or equal to (λp1 + 5) nm where a peak wavelength of the PL spectrum of the first light emitting material is λp1 (nm) (¶ [74], fig. 6).
Regarding claim 10, Irobe discloses that the first wavelength (WG) is a peak wavelength of the PL spectrum of the first light emitting material (¶ [74], fig. 6).
Regarding claim 11, Irobe discloses that the light extraction structure (8) has a curved surface at least at a part including the inclined portion (see fig. 8 above).
Regarding claim 12, Irobe discloses that the light extraction structure (8) has a spherical surface (81, ¶ [83], fig. 3) at least at a part including the inclined portion (see fig. 8 above).
Regarding claim 13, Irobe discloses that the light extraction structure (8) is a microlens (81, ¶ [83], fig. 3).
Regarding claim 14, Irobe discloses that a light emitting point of the incident light in the light emitting layer (240) lies between a center of a light emission area of the light emitting layer (240) and an outer periphery of the light emission area in a plan view of the substrate (10) (see figs. 7 & 8).
Regarding claim 15, Irobe discloses that a light emitting point of the incident light in the light emitting layer (240) surrounds a center of a light emission area of the light emitting layer (240) in a plan view of the substrate (10) (see figs. 7 & 8).
Regarding claim 16, Irobe discloses a light emitting apparatus (100, ¶ [42], fig. 1) comprising a first organic light emitting element (20G1, ¶ [60], fig. 3) and a second organic light emitting element (20G2) disposed on a principal surface of a substrate (10, ¶ [63], fig. 4), wherein each of the first organic light emitting element (20G1) and the second organic light emitting element (20G2) includes a first electrode (23, ¶ [52], fig. 4), a second electrode (25), and an organic layer (24) including a light emitting layer (240, ¶ [52], fig. 4) and interposed between the first electrode (23) and the second electrode (25), a light extraction structure (8, ¶ [63], fig. 8) disposed on a light emission side of the organic layer (24), and a reflection surface (26, ¶ [65], fig. 8) disposed so as to sandwich the organic layer (24) with the light extraction structure (8), the organic layer (24) of the first organic light emitting element (20G1) includes a first light emitting layer (240) containing a first light emitting material (¶ [74]), the organic layer (24) of the second organic light emitting element (20G2) includes a second light emitting layer (240) containing a second light emitting material (¶ [74]), in the first organic light emitting element (20G1), an optical distance (LG1, ¶ [98], figs. 4 & 8) between the first light emitting layer (240) and the reflection surface (26) is a value with which, where a wavelength included in a peak wavelength range of a PL spectrum of the first light emitting material is a first wavelength (WG, ¶ [94], fig. 6), light with the first wavelength (WG), traveling through the light emitting layer (240) in a first direction (X1, ¶ [42], fig. 8) that intersects with a normal direction (Z) of the principal surface of the substrate (10), and light with the first wavelength (WG), traveling through the light emitting layer (240) in a second direction (X2) that intersects with the normal direction (Z) of the principal surface of the substrate (10) and that is different from the first direction (X1), both are intensified (¶ [86], discloses that the light emitting element 20G1 has an optical resonance structure 29G that increases intensity of light of the green wavelength region between the reflective layer 261G1 and the common electrode 25), an absolute value of an angle (θ, ¶s [101] & [106], figs. 8 & 9) formed between the normal direction (Z) of the principal surface of the substrate (10) and the first direction (X1) and an absolute value of an angle (θ) formed between the normal direction (Z) of the principal surface of the substrate (10) and the second direction (X2) are the same (see fig. 8), the light extraction structure (8) has a first inclined portion (IP1, hereinafter as denoted on the figure below) and a second inclined portion (IP2, hereinafter as denoted on the figure below), first incident light that is light with the first wavelength (WG), traveling through the light emitting layer (240) in the first direction (X1) and having reached the first inclined portion (IP1), is refracted at the first inclined portion (IP1) and emitted in a third direction (Z1, fig. 8) from the light extraction structure (8), second incident light that is light with the first wavelength (WG), traveling through the light emitting layer (240) in the second direction (X2) and having reached the second inclined portion (IP2), is refracted at the second inclined portion (IP2) and emitted in a fourth direction (Z1, fig. 8) from the light extraction structure (8), in the second organic light emitting element (20G2), an optical distance (LG2, ¶ [98], figs. 5 & 8) between the second light emitting layer (240) and the reflection surface (26) is a value with which, where a wavelength included in a peak wavelength range of a PL spectrum of the second light emitting material (¶ [74]) is a second wavelength (WG, ¶ [94], fig. 6), light with the second wavelength (WG), traveling through the light emitting layer (240) in a fifth direction (X1, ¶ [42], fig. 8) that intersects with the normal direction (Z) of the principal surface of the substrate (10), and light with the second wavelength (WG), traveling through the light emitting layer (240) in a sixth direction (X2, ¶ [42], fig. 8) that intersects with the normal direction (Z) of the principal surface of the substrate (10) and that is different from the fifth direction (X1), both are intensified (¶ [86], discloses that the light emitting element 20G2 has an optical resonance structure 29G that increases intensity of light of the green wavelength region between the reflective layer 261G2 and the common electrode 25), an absolute value of an angle (θ, ¶s [101] & [106], figs. 8 & 9) formed between the normal direction (Z) of the principal surface of the substrate (10) and the fifth direction (X1) and an absolute value of an angle (θ) formed between the normal direction (Z) of the principal surface of the substrate (10) and the sixth direction (X2) are the same (see fig. 8), the light extraction structure (8) has a third inclined portion (IP1, hereinafter as denoted on the figure below) and a fourth inclined portion (IP2, hereinafter as denoted on the figure below), third incident light that is light with the second wavelength (WG), traveling through the light emitting layer (240) in the fifth direction (X1) and having reached the third inclined portion (IP1), is refracted at the third inclined portion (IP1) and emitted in a seventh direction (Z1, fig. 8) from the light extraction structure (8), fourth incident light that is light with the second wavelength (WG), traveling through the light emitting layer (240) in the sixth direction (X2) and having reached the fourth inclined portion (IP2), is refracted at the fourth inclined portion (IP2) and emitted in an eighth direction (Z1, fig. 8) from the light extraction structure (8), and an absolute value of an angle (θ, ¶s [101] & [106], figs. 8 & 9) formed between the normal direction (Z) of the principal surface of the substrate (10) and the third direction (Z1), an absolute value of an angle (θ, ¶s [101] & [106], figs. 8 & 9) formed between the normal direction (Z) of the principal surface of the substrate (10) and the fourth direction (Z1), an absolute value of an angle (θ, ¶s [101] & [106], figs. 8 & 9) formed between the normal direction (Z) of the principal surface of the substrate (10) and the seventh direction (Z1), and an absolute value of an angle (θ, ¶s [101] & [106], figs. 8 & 9) formed between the normal direction (Z) of the principal surface of the substrate (10) and the eighth direction (Z1) all are greater than or equal to zero degrees and less than or equal to five degrees (¶ [106], figs. 8 & 9).
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Regarding claim 17, Irobe discloses that the organic layer (24) of the first organic light emitting element (20G1) includes the second light emitting layer (240, ¶ [52], fig. 4), and the organic layer (24) of the second organic light emitting element (20G2) includes the first light emitting layer (240, ¶ [52], fig. 5).
Regarding claim 18, Irobe discloses that the first wavelength (WG) is a peak wavelength of the PL spectrum of the first light emitting material (¶ [94], fig. 6), and the second wavelength (WG) is a peak wavelength of the PL spectrum of the second light emitting material (¶ [94], fig. 6).
Regarding claim 22, Irobe discloses a color filter (5, ¶ [63]) between the second electrode (25) and the light extraction structure (8) (see fig. 8).
Regarding claim 23, Irobe discloses a display apparatus (400, ¶ [175], fig. 31) comprising: the light emitting apparatus (100) according to Claim 1; and a transistor (31, ¶ [55], fig. 2) connected to the organic light emitting element (20).
Regarding claim 24, Irobe discloses a photoelectric conversion apparatus comprising: an optical unit having a plurality of lenses; an image pickup device arranged to receive light passing through the optical unit; and a display unit arranged to display an image picked up by the image pickup device (¶ [176] discloses a digital still camera; i.e. photoelectric conversion apparatus; which imply the claimed components), wherein the display unit includes the light emitting apparatus (100) according to Claim 1.
Regarding claim 25, Irobe discloses an electronic device (400, ¶ [175], fig. 31) comprising: a display unit including the light emitting apparatus (100) according to Claim 1, a housing (403) on which the display unit is provided, and a communication unit (402) provided in the housing (403) and arranged to communicate with an external source (user).
Regarding claim 26, Irobe discloses an illumination apparatus comprising: a light source including the light emitting apparatus (100) according to Claim 1, and a light diffusion unit or optical film arranged to transmit light emitted from the light source (¶ [176] discloses that the device 100 is applicable to an illumination for emitting light).
Regarding claim 27, Irobe discloses a moving object (400, ¶ [175], fig. 31) comprising: a lamp including the light emitting apparatus (100) according to Claim 1; and a body (403) on which the lamp is provided.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3 and 6-7 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if at least one the limitations indicated below were included in the base claim.
Regarding claim 3, the references of Prior Art of record fails to teach or suggest the combination of the limitations as set forth in claim 3, and specifically comprising the limitation directed to the expression (1) is satisfied, Lb/cosθ1× (1 + sin(90 - 2θ1)) = λ1× (m - φb/360) (1) (where, in the expression (1), λ1 denotes the first wavelength (nm), θ1 denotes the angle (degrees) formed between the first direction and the normal direction of the principal surface of the substrate, Lb denotes the optical distance (nm) between the light emitting layer and the reflection surface, φb denotes a phase change (degrees) when reflected on the reflection surface, and m is an integer greater than or equal to zero).
Regarding claim 6, the references of Prior Art of record fails to teach or suggest the combination of the limitations as set forth in claim 6, and specifically comprising the limitation directed to the expression (2) is satisfied, La/cosθ1× (1 + cos(2θ1)) = λ1× (l - φb/360 - φt/360) (2) (where, in the expression (2), λ1 denotes the first wavelength (nm), θ1 denotes the angle (degrees) formed between the first direction and the normal direction of the principal surface of the substrate, La denotes an optical distance (nm) between the reflection surface and the half-reflection surface, φb denotes a phase change (degrees) when reflected on the reflection surface, φt denotes a phase change (degrees) when reflected on the half-reflection surface, and l is an integer greater than or equal to zero).
Regarding claim 7, the references of Prior Art of record fails to teach or suggest the combination of the limitations as set forth in claim 7, and specifically comprising the limitation directed to the expressions (3) and (4) are satisfied, θn = arcsin(sinθ1'× N1/Nn) (3) θex = -arcsin(sin(-θn + ψ) × Nn/Nex) + ψ (4) (where, in the expressions (3) and (4), θn denotes an angle (degrees) formed between a traveling direction of the incident light through the light extraction structure and the normal direction of the principal surface of the substrate, θ1' denotes the angle (degrees) formed between the first direction and the normal direction of the principal surface of the substrate, θex denotes an angle (degrees) formed between the third direction and the normal direction of the principal surface of the substrate, θn denotes an angle (degrees) formed between a traveling direction of the incident light through the light extraction structure and the normal direction of the principal surface of the substrate, ψ denotes an angle (degrees) formed between a part of the first inclined portion, to which the first incident light enters, and a straight line parallel to the principal surface of the substrate or an angle (degrees) formed between a part of the second inclined portion, to which the second incident light enters, and the straight line parallel to the principal surface of the substrate, N1 denotes a refractive index of the light emitting layer, Nn denotes a refractive index of the light extraction structure, and Nex denotes a refractive index of a region from which the first incident light is emitted from the first inclined portion or a region from which the second incident light is emitted from the second inclined portion; in the expressions (3) and (4), θn, θ1', and θex are expressed in angle (θ) positive in a clockwise direction and negative in a counterclockwise direction with a normal line to the principal surface of the substrate (10) as an initial line, and ψ is expressed in angle (θ) positive in a clockwise direction and negative in a counterclockwise direction with a straight line parallel to the principal surface of the substrate (10) as an initial line).
Claims 19-21 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Regarding claim 19, the references of Prior Art of record fails to teach or suggest the combination of the limitations as set forth in claim 19, and specifically comprising the limitation directed to a full width at half maximum of the PL spectrum of the second light emitting material is greater than a full width at half maximum of the PL spectrum of the first light emitting material, and an absolute value of an angle formed between the normal direction of the principal surface of the substrate and the fifth direction and an absolute value of an angle formed between the normal direction of the principal surface of the substrate and the sixth direction are less than an absolute value of an angle formed between the normal direction of the principal surface of the substrate and the first direction and an absolute value of an angle formed between the normal direction of the principal surface of the substrate and the second direction, in combination with the remaining limitations. This limitation has not been found, taught, suggested or render obvious by the prior art of the record with a reasonable expectation of success, which it makes this claim allowable over the prior art.
Regarding claims 20-21, the claims are allowable for the reasons given in claim 19 because of their dependency status from claim 19.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSE M. DIAZ whose telephone number is (571)272-9822. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:00-4:00.
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/JOSE M DIAZ/Examiner, Art Unit 2875
/ANNE M HINES/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875