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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election elected claims 1-17 which is belong to first invention instead of Species 1 as see response to election filed on 04/01/2026. Therefore, correction of invention I has been made as below:
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I (Claims 1-17) in the reply filed on 04/04/2026 is acknowledged.
Claims 18-20 have been withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 04/01/2026.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of papers submitted under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), which papers have been placed of record in the file.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 12/14/2023M. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 1-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claims 1 line 7 and claim 17 line recited the limitation “each core-shell quantum dot” is unclear as core-shell quantum dot of which quantum dot light emitting-layer?
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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1, 3, 8-9, 12 and 14-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Murayama et al. (US 2016/0233449).
As for claim 1, Murayama et al. disclose in Figs. 1-5 and the related text a quantum dot light-emitting device, comprising:
an anode 2, a cathode 7, and a light-emitting layer 5 disposed between the anode and the cathode (Fig. 1),
wherein the light-emitting layer 5 comprises a first quantum dot light-emitting layer 11 to an Nth quantum dot light-emitting layer 9 sequentially arranged in a direction from the anode to the cathode (Fig. 1), N is an integer greater than or equal to 2, the first quantum dot light-emitting layer 11 comprises a first core-shell quantum dot 10, the Nth quantum dot light- emitting layer 9 comprises an Nth core-shell quantum dot 8, each core-shell quantum dot 10/8 comprises a core 18/12 and at least one shell layer 17/13 coated on a surface of the core (Fig 1), and thicknesses of respective outermost shell layers of the first core-shell quantum dot 10 to the Nth core-shell quantum dot 8 become sequentially increased (Fig. 1).
As for claim 3, Murayama et al. disclose the quantum dot light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the light-emitting layer 5 is composed of the first quantum dot light- emitting layer 11 and a second quantum dot light-emitting layer 9, the first quantum dot light-emitting layer comprises the first core-shell quantum dot 10, the second quantum dot light-emitting layer comprises a second core-shell quantum dot 8, a thickness of an outermost shell layer of the second core-shell quantum dot 8 is greater than that of the first core-shell quantum dot 10 (fig. 1).
Murayama et al. teach the outermost shell layers of the first and second core-shell quantum dots having the same material as the claimed invention therefore it is capable to have energy level widths of the outermost shell layers of the first core-shell quantum dot and the second core-shell quantum dot are greater than an energy level width of the core, respectively.
As for claim 8, Murayama et al. disclose the quantum dot light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein energy level widths of corresponding shell layers of one or more of the first core-shell quantum dot to the Nth core-shell quantum dot become sequentially widened from a center of the core-shell quantum dots outward (Fig. 1, [0122]).
As for claim 9, Murayama et al. disclose the quantum dot light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein shell layers 18/13, except for the outermost shell layers, of the first core- shell quantum dot to the Nth core-shell quantum dot have a same thickness distribution (Fig. 1).
As for claim 12, Murayama et al. disclose the quantum dot light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein cores 17 of the first core-shell quantum dot to the Nth core-shell quantum dot are each independently selected from one or more of CdSe, CdS, ZnSe, ZnS, CdTe, ZnTe, CdZnS, CdZnSe, CdZnTe, ZnSeS, ZnSeTe, ZnTeS, CdSeS, CdSeTe, CdTeS, CdZnSeS, CdZnSeTe, CdZnSTe, CdSeSTe, ZnSeSTe, CdZnSeSTe, InP, InAs, InAsP, PbS, PbSe, PbTe, PbSeS, PbSeTe, or PbSTe [0121]; and the shell layers 18 of the first core-shell quantum dot to the Nth core-shell quantum dot are each independently selected from one or more of CdSe, CdS, ZnSe, ZnS, CdTe, ZnTe, CdZnS, CdZnSe, CdZnTe, ZnSeS, ZnSeTe, ZnTeS, CdSeS, CdSeTe, CdTeS, CdZnSeS, CdZnSeTe, CdZnSTe, CdSeSTe, ZnSeSTe, CdZnSeSTe, InP, InAs, InAsP, PbS, PbSe, PbTe, PbSeS, PbSeTe, or PbSTe [0122].
As for claim 14, Murayama et al. disclose the quantum dot light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the quantum dot light-emitting device further comprises a hole transport layer 4 disposed between the light-emitting layer 5 and the anode 2 (Fig. 1), and an electron transport layer 6 disposed between the light-emitting layer 5 and the cathode 7 (Fig. 1), preferably, the quantum dot light-emitting device further comprises a hole injection layer 3 disposed between the anode 2 and the hole transport layer 4 (Fig. 1).
As for claim 15, Murayama et al. disclose the quantum dot light-emitting device according to claim 14, wherein a valence band energy level of the hole injection layer is higher than that of the hole transport layer, the valence band energy level of the hole transport layer is higher than that of the outermost shell layer of the first core-shell quantum dot in the adjacent first quantum dot light-emitting layer, and a valence band energy level of the electron transport layer is lower than that of the outermost shell layer of the Nth core-shell quantum dot in the adjacent Nth quantum dot light-emitting layer; and a conduction band energy level of the hole injection layer is lower than that of the hole transport layer, the conduction band energy level of the hole transport layer is higher than that of the outermost shell layer of the first core-shell quantum dot in the adjacent first quantum dot light-emitting layer, and a conduction band energy level of the electron transport layer is lower than that of the outermost shell layer of the Nth core-shell quantum dot in the adjacent Nth quantum dot light-emitting layer.
Murayama et al. teach the hole injection layer, the hole transport layer, the outermost shell layer and the electron transport layer comprising the same materials as the claimed invention, therefore it is capable to have the limitations of claim 14.
As for claim 16, Murayama et al. disclose the quantum dot light-emitting device according to claim 14, wherein a material of the hole transport layer 4 is selected from one or more of poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene-CO-N-(4-butylphenyl)diphenylamine), poly(3- hexylthiophene), poly(9-vinylcarbazole), poly[bis(4-phenyl)(4-butylphenyl)amine], 4,4',4'-tris(carbazol-9-yl)triphenylamine, 4,4'-bis(9-carbazol)biphenyl; a material of the electron transport layer is selected from a N-type nano-metal oxide, and the N-type nano-metal oxide is selected from one or more of zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, magnesium oxide, aluminum oxide, or oxides of alloys of the metals; a material of the hole injection layer is selected from one or more of poly(3,4- ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly(styrene sulfonate), 4,4',4"-tris(N-3-methylphenyl-N- phenylamino)triphenylamine, 4,4',4"-tris[2-naphthylphenylamino]triphenylamine, 2,3,6,7,10,11-hexacyano-1,4,5,8,9,12-hexaazatriphenylene, 2,3,5,6-tetrafluoro- 7,7',8,8'-tetracyanodimethyl-p-benzoquinone, molybdenum trioxide [0124];
a material of the anode is selected from ITO or FTO [0160], and a material of the cathode 7 is selected from one or more of aluminum, magnesium, calcium, silver or alloys thereof [0022].
As for claim 17, Murayama et al. disclose in Figs. 1-5 and the related text a display apparatus, comprising a quantum dot light- emitting device, wherein the quantum dot light-emitting device comprises:
an anode 2, a cathode 7, and a light-emitting layer 5 disposed between the anode and the cathode (Fig. 1), and the light-emitting layer 5 comprises a first quantum dot light-emitting layer 11 to an Nth quantum dot light-emitting layer 9 sequentially arranged in a direction from the anode to the cathode (Fig. 1), N is an integer greater than or equal to 2 (Fig. 1), the first quantum dot light-emitting layer 11 comprises a first core-shell quantum dot 10, the Nth quantum dot light-emitting layer comprises an Nth core-shell quantum dot 8, each core-shell quantum dot 10/8 comprises a core 17/12 and at least one shell layer 18/13 coated on a surface of the core (Fig. 1), and thicknesses of respective outermost shell layers of the first core-shell quantum dot 11 to the Nth core-shell quantum dot 8 become sequentially increased (Fig. 1).
Claims 1, 4, and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Sakakibara et al. (US 2021/0028385).
As for claim 1, Sakakibara et al. disclose in Figs. 1-5 and the related text a quantum dot light-emitting device, comprising:
an anode 4, a cathode 12, and a light-emitting layer 8 disposed between the anode and the cathode (Fig. 1),
wherein the light-emitting layer 8 comprises a first quantum dot light-emitting layer (lower portion 8) to an Nth quantum dot light-emitting layer (middle/upper portion of 8) sequentially arranged in a direction from the anode to the cathode (Fig. 1), N is an integer greater than or equal to 2, the first quantum dot light-emitting layer 11 comprises a first core-shell quantum dot QR, the Nth quantum dot light- emitting layer 9 comprises an Nth core-shell quantum dot QG/QB, each core-shell quantum dot QR comprises a core CR and at least one shell layer SR coated on a surface of the core (Fig 3), and thicknesses of respective outermost shell layers SR of the first core-shell quantum dot to the Nth core-shell quantum dot become sequentially increased (Fig. 1 and 3).
As for claim 4, Sakakibara et al. disclose the quantum dot light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the light-emitting layer is composed of the first quantum dot light- emitting layer (lower portion of 8), a second quantum dot light-emitting layer (middle portion of 8), and a third quantum dot light- emitting layer (upper portion of 8), the first quantum dot light-emitting layer comprises the first core-shell quantum dot QR, the second quantum dot light-emitting layer comprises a second core- shell quantum dot QR, the third quantum dot light-emitting layer comprises a third core- shell quantum dot QB, the thicknesses of the respective outermost shell layers SR/SG/SB of the first core-shell quantum dot to the third core-shell quantum dot become sequentially increased (Fig. 1 and 3).
[0032] of Sakakibara et al. teach the shell layers and core having the same materials as claimed invention. Therefore, it is capable energy level widths of the outermost shell layers of the first core-shell quantum dot, the second core-shell quantum dot, and the third core-shell quantum dot are greater than an energy level width of the core, respectively.
As for claim 6, Sakakibara et al. disclose the quantum dot light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein emission peak wavelengths of any two of the first quantum dot light- emitting layer to the Nth quantum dot light-emitting layer are same as each other (Fig. 1), or an absolute value of a difference between emission peak wavelengths of any two of the first quantum dot light-emitting layer to the Nth quantum dot light-emitting layer is less than 1 nm.
Sakakibara et al. teach the first quantum dot light emitting layer to Nth quantum dot light-emitting layer having the same structure and material therefore it is capable to have emission peak wavelengths of any two of the first quantum dot light-emitting layer to the Nth quantum dot light-emitting layer are same as each other, or an absolute value of a difference between emission peak wavelengths of any two of the first quantum dot light-emitting layer to the Nth quantum dot light-emitting layer is less than 1 nm (fig. 1 and [0026])
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 2, 7 and 10-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Murayama et al. in view of Park et al. (US 2021/0104696).
As for claims 2, 7 and 10-11, Murayama et al. disclose the quantum dot light-emitting device according to claim 1, except one or more of the first core-shell quantum dot to the Nth core-shell quantum dot are of a multi-shell layer structure, respectively; wherein one or more of the first core-shell quantum dot to the Nth core-shell quantum dot have two shell layers, three shell layers, or four shell layers, respectively; and the quantum dot light-emitting device is a red quantum dot light- emitting device, a blue quantum dot light- emitting device or a green quantum dot light-emitting device, the first core-shell quantum dot to the Nth core-shell quantum dot each independently have three or four shell layers, and all shell layers of the first core-shell quantum dot to the Nth core-shell quantum dot become sequentially increased, and thicknesses of respective secondary outer shell layers of the first core-shell quantum dot to the Nth core-shell quantum dot become sequentially increased.
Park et al. teach in Figs. 4-5 and the related text one or more of the first core-shell quantum dot to the Nth core-shell quantum dot 141a’-2/142a’-2 have two shell layers, three shell layers, or four shell layers, respectively [0149]; and the quantum dot light-emitting device is a red quantum dot light- emitting device ([0102] and [0176]), the first core-shell quantum dot to the Nth core-shell quantum dot each independently have three or four shell layers [0149], and all shell layers of the first core-shell quantum dot to the Nth core-shell quantum dot become sequentially increased (in view of Fig. 1/3 Murayama et al.), and thicknesses of respective secondary outer shell layers of the first core-shell quantum dot to the Nth core-shell quantum dot become sequentially increased (in view of Fig. 1/3 of Murayama et al.)
Murayama et al. and Park et al. are analogous art because they both are directed light-emitting devices and one of ordinary skill in the art would have had a reasonable expectation of success to modify Murayama et al. because they are from the same field of endeavor.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify Murayama et al. to include the limitations as taught by Park et al., in order to improve luminous efficiency (Park et al. [0005]).
Murayama et al. teach the outermost shell layer of the core having the same materials as the claimed invention therefore it is capable to have an energy level width of an outermost shell layer of the multi-shell layer structure is greater than an energy level width of the core.
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Murayama et al. in view Palles-Dimmock (US 10,6)
As for claim 5, Murayama et al. disclose the quantum dot light-emitting device according to claim 1, except the first core-shell quantum dot to the Nth core-shell quantum dot are a type I quantum dot.
Palles-Dimmock teach in col. 2 lines 5-25 core-shell quantum dots are a type I quantum dot.
Murayama et al. and Palles-Dimmock are analogous art because they both are directed light-emitting devices and one of ordinary skill in the art would have had a reasonable expectation of success to modify Murayama et al. because they are from the same field of endeavor.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify Murayama et al. to include the limitations as taught by Palles-Dimmock, in order to provide optimum quantum dot use for light emitting device (Palles-Dimmock col. 2 lines 5-25).
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Murayama et al. in view Xu et al. (US 2017/0271549).
As for claim 13, Murayama et al. disclose the quantum dot light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein one or more of the first core-shell quantum dot 10 to the Nth core-shell quantum dot 8 are one of a CdSe//ZnSe//ZnS quantum dot, a CdSe//CdZnSe//CdZnS quantum dot, or a InP//GaP//ZnS quantum dot.
Xu et al. teach in [0073] quantum dots comprise a CdSe//ZnSe//ZnS quantum dot.
Murayama et al. and Xu et al. are analogous art because they both are directed light-emitting devices and one of ordinary skill in the art would have had a reasonable expectation of success to modify Murayama et al. because they are from the same field of endeavor.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify Murayama et al. to include the limitations as taught by Xu et al. in order to emit light with different color (Xu et al. [0073])
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TRANG Q TRAN whose telephone number is (571)270-3259. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Thursday (9am-4pm).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Lynne Gurley can be reached on 5712721670. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TRANG Q TRAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2811
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