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 .
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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 1-6, 8-9, 14-18 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Ishihara et al. (US 20090242911), hereinafter Ishihara.
Regarding claim 1, Ishihara teaches a light-emitting device (organic light-emitting display device; Abstract), having a first sub-pixel region (fig. 7, red R sub-pixel; para. 0121), a second sub-pixel region (green G sub-pixel; para. 0181), and a third sub-pixel region (blue B sub-pixel; para. 0181), wherein the light-emitting device (organic light-emitting display device) comprises a cathode (upper electrode 15; para. 0116), an anode (lower electrodes 3, 4, 5; para. 0116), and a light-emitting structure (structure between a lower electrode and an upper electrode; para. 0007) provided between the cathode (15) and the anode (3, 4, 5), the light-emitting structure (structure) comprises a light-emitting layer (layers of the structure between a lower electrode and an upper electrode; para. 0007) comprising a single first light-emitting body (light-emitting layers 9; para. 0116) located in the first sub-pixel region (R), at least two second light-emitting bodies (fig. 8, light-emitting layers 47 and 50; para. 0193) located in the second sub-pixel region (G) and arranged in a stacked manner (stack), and at least two third light-emitting bodies (light-emitting layers 41 and 46; para. 0194) located in the third sub-pixel region (B) and arranged in a stacked manner (stack), the cathode (15) is used for providing electrons (cathode providing electrons to anode) and the anode (3, 4, 5) is used for providing holes (anode providing electrons to cathode).
Regarding claim 2, Ishihara further teaches the light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the electrons provided by the cathode (fig. 7, electrons from cathode 15) and the holes provided by the anode (holes from anode 3, 4, 5) recombine into excitons in the first light-emitting body (electrons recombine with holes into 9; para. 0149) so that the first light-emitting body (9) emits light (red light; para. 0149).
Regarding claim 3, Ishihara further teaches the light-emitting device according to claim 2, wherein the first light-emitting body (fig. 7, 9) emits blue light, or the first light-emitting body emits red light (red light), or the first light-emitting body emits green light.
Regarding claim 4, Ishihara further teaches the light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the light-emitting layer (fig. 7, layers of the structure between a lower electrode and an upper electrode) further comprises a charge production layer (fig. 8, n doped electron transportation layer 43, p doped hole transportation layer 44 as a charge generating layer; para. 0127, 0187) arranged between (fig. 8, 43, 44 between 47, 50) every two adjacent second light-emitting bodies (47, 50) and between (fig. 8, 43, 44 between 41, 46) every two adjacent third light-emitting bodies (41, 46), and the charge production layer (43, 44) is used for generating holes (generating holes and electrons; para. 0127) moving (43 transporting holes) in a direction close to the cathode (15 as cathode receiving holes) and electrons moving (44 transporting electrons) in a direction close to the anode (3, 4, 5 as anode receiving electrons) under the action of an electric field (voltage; para. 0127) between the cathode (15) and the anode (3, 4, 5).
Regarding claim 5, Ishihara further teaches the light-emitting device according to claim 4, wherein the charge production layer (fig. 8, 43, 44) covers only the second light-emitting bodies (47, 50) and the third light-emitting bodies (41, 46), and the charge production layer (fig. 7-8, 43, 44 is only in G, B not in R) is separated from the first light-emitting body (9 in R).
Regarding claim 6, Ishihara further teaches the light-emitting device according to claim 4, wherein the charge production layer (fig. 8, in an alternative consideration, layers between 41, 47 and 46, 50 including 43, 44) comprises a body (43, 44), a first hole transport layer (hole transportation layer 45; para. 0189) and a first electron transport layer (electron transportation layer 42; para. 0186), and wherein the first hole transport layer (45) is arranged on a first side (fig. 8, 45 attach to top side) of the body (43, 44) close to the cathode (15), and the first electron transport layer (42) is arranged on a second side (fig. 8, 42 attach to bottom side) of the body (43, 44) close to the anode (3, 4, 5).
Regarding claim 8, Ishihara further teaches the light-emitting device according to claim 4, wherein the light-emitting structure (fig. 8, structure between a lower electrode and an upper electrode) further comprises an electron injection layer (electron injection layer 14; para. 0140) arranged on a side (fig. 8, 14 attach to bottom side) of the cathode (15) close to the light-emitting layer (50), a second electron transport layer (electron transportation layer 13; para. 0140) arranged between (fig. 8, 13 is between 14 and 50) the electron injection layer (14) and the light-emitting layer (50), a hole injection layer (hole injection layer 7; para. 0143) arranged on a side (fig. 8, 7 attach to top side) of the anode (3, 4, 5) close to the light-emitting layer (47), and a second hole transport layer (hole transportation layer 8; para. 0143) arranged between (fig. 8, 8 between 7 and 47) the hole injection layer (7) and the light-emitting layer (47).
Regarding claim 9, Ishihara further teaches the light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein a thickness of the first light-emitting body (fig. 7, 9) is greater than 5 nm and less than 100 nm (40nm; para. 0122, 0123).
Regarding claim 14, Ishihara further teaches a display panel (screen of the display device; para. 0102), comprising the light-emitting device (organic light-emitting display device) according to claim 1.
Regarding claim 15, Ishihara further teaches a display apparatus (organic light-emitting display apparatuses; para. 0106), comprising the display panel (screen of the display device) according to claim 14.
Regarding claim 16, Ishihara further teaches the light-emitting device according to claim 2, wherein the light-emitting layer (fig. 7, layers of the structure between a lower electrode and an upper electrode) further comprises a charge production layer (fig. 8, n doped electron transportation layer 43, p doped hole transportation layer 44 as a charge generating layer; para. 0127, 0187) arranged between (fig. 8, 43, 44 between 47, 50) every two adjacent second light-emitting bodies (47, 50) and between (fig. 8, 43, 44 between 41, 46) every two adjacent third light-emitting bodies (41, 46), and the charge production layer (43, 44) is used for generating holes (generating holes and electrons; para. 0127) moving (43 transporting holes) in a direction close to the cathode (15 as cathode receiving holes) and electrons moving (44 transporting electrons) in a direction close to the anode (3, 4, 5 as anode receiving electrons) under the action of an electric field (voltage; para. 0127) between the cathode (15) and the anode (3, 4, 5).
Regarding claim 17, Ishihara further teaches the light-emitting device according to claim 16, wherein the charge production layer (fig. 8, 43, 44) covers only the second light-emitting bodies (47, 50) and the third light-emitting bodies (41, 46), and the charge production layer (fig. 7-8, 43, 44 is only in G, B not in R) is separated from the first light-emitting body (9 in R)
Regarding claim 18, Ishihara further teaches the light-emitting device according to claim 16, wherein the charge production layer (fig. 8, in an alternative consideration, layers between 41, 47 and 46, 50 including 43, 44) comprises a body (43, 44), a first hole transport layer (hole transportation layer 45; para. 0189) and a first electron transport layer (electron transportation layer 42; para. 0186), and wherein the first hole transport layer (45) is arranged on a first side (fig. 8, 45 attach to top side) of the body (43, 44) close to the cathode (15), and the first electron transport layer (42) is arranged on a second side (fig. 8, 42 attach to bottom side) of the body (43, 44) close to the anode (3, 4, 5).
Regarding claim 20, Ishihara further teaches the light-emitting device according to claim 16, wherein the light-emitting structure (fig. 8, structure between a lower electrode and an upper electrode) further comprises an electron injection layer (electron injection layer 14; para. 0140) arranged on a side (fig. 8, 14 attach to bottom side) of the cathode (15) close to the light-emitting layer (50), a second electron transport layer (electron transportation layer 13; para. 0140) arranged between (fig. 8, 13 is between 14 and 50) the electron injection layer (14) and the light-emitting layer (50), a hole injection layer (hole injection layer 7; para. 0143) arranged on a side (fig. 8, 7 attach to top side) of the anode (3, 4, 5) close to the light-emitting layer (47), and a second hole transport layer (hole transportation layer 8; para. 0143) arranged between (fig. 8, 8 between 7 and 47) the hole injection layer (7) and the light-emitting layer (47).
Claims 1 and 11-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Park et al. (US 20110240970), hereinafter Park.
Regarding claim 1, Park teaches a light-emitting device (fig. 1, organic light-emitting display apparatus 100; 0017), having a first sub-pixel region (third sub-pixel SP3; para. 0018), a second sub-pixel region (first sub-pixel SP1; para. 0018), and a third sub-pixel region (second sub-pixel SP2; para. 0018), wherein the light-emitting device (100) comprises a cathode (second electrode 150 as cathode; para. 0025), an anode (first electrode 110 as anode; para. 0025), and a light-emitting structure (structure between 110, 150) provided between the cathode (150) and the anode (110), the light-emitting structure (structure) comprises a light-emitting layer (layers between 110, 150) comprising a single first light-emitting body (third organic emission layer 133 in SP3; para. 0020) located in the first sub-pixel region (SP3), at least two second light-emitting bodies (first organic emission layer 131 and 133 in SP1; para. 0020) located in the second sub-pixel region (SP1) and arranged in a stacked manner (stack of 131 on 133), and at least two third light-emitting bodies (second organic emission layer 132 and 133 in SP2; para. 0020) located in the third sub-pixel region (SP2) and arranged in a stacked manner (stack of 132 on 133), the cathode (150) is used for providing electrons (cathode providing electrons to anode) and the anode (110) is used for providing holes (anode providing electrons to cathode).
Regarding claim 11, Park further teaches the light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein a thickness of the first light-emitting body (fig. 1, thickness of 133 in SP3) is identical to that of one of the at least two second light-emitting bodies (thickness of 133 in SP1).
Regarding claim 12, Park further teaches the light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein a thickness of the first light-emitting body (fig. 1, thickness of 133 in SP3) is identical to that of one of the at least two third light-emitting bodies (thickness of 133 in SP2).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
The factual inquiries 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.
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ishihara.
Regarding claim 10, Ishihara teaches the light-emitting device according to claim 9 including the first light-emitting body (fig. 7, 9)
Ishihara fails to explicitly teach the thickness of the first light-emitting body is greater than 15 nm and less than 30 nm.
However, Ishihara teaches the thickness of the first light-emitting body (fig. 1, 2, in an alternative consideration, 9) is around 30 nm (thickness of 9 is around the total thickness of n doped electron transportation layer 11 and the p doped hole transportation layer 12, which is each 15 nm and total 30 nm; para. 0129), which overlaps the thickness range greater than 15 nm and less than 30 nm.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the thickness of the first light-emitting body range from around 30 nm to greater than 15 nm and less than 30 nm.
Doing so would make the device have a more compact structure to reduce material usage/cost. Here the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, it is not inventive to discover the optimum or workable ranges by routine experimentation.” In re Aller, 220 F.2d 454, 456, 105 USPQ 233, 235 (CCPA 1955) (MPEP Chapter 2100-Section 2144.05-Optimization of Ranges).
Claims 7 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ishihara in view of Jiao et al. (CN 111524463 from IDS and US 20230003927 as English translation).
Regarding claim 7, Ishihara further teaches the light-emitting device according to claim 6 including the charge production layer (fig. 8, layers between 41, 47 and 46, 50).
Ishihara fails to teach the charge production layer further comprises: a hole block layer, or an electron block layer, or a hole block layer and an electron block layer, wherein:
the hole block layer is arranged between a side of the first electron transport layer close to the anode and the second and third light-emitting bodies; and
the electron block layer is arranged between a side of the first hole transport layer close to the cathode and the second and third light-emitting bodies.
However, Jiao teaches the charge production layer (Jiao: fig. 6, layers between top and bottom blue light-emitting layer B-EML; para. 0102, similar to layers between 41, 47 and 46, 50 of Ishihara) further comprises: a hole block layer, or an electron block layer, or a hole block layer (Jiao: hole blocking layer HBL; para. 0102) and an electron block layer (Jiao: electron blocking layer EBL; para. 0102), wherein:
the hole block layer (Jiao: bottom HBL) is arranged between a side (bottom side) of the first electron transport layer (Jiao: electron transport layer ETL; para. 0102, similar to 43 of Ishihara) close to the anode (Jiao: anode 22 at bottom; para. 0093, similar to 3, 4, 5 of Ishihara) and the second and third light-emitting bodies (Jiao: bottom blue light-emitting layer B-EML; para. 0102, similar to 41 or 47 of Ishihara; para. 0102, similar to 44 of Ishihara); and
the electron block layer (Jiao: top EBL) is arranged between a side (top side) of the first hole transport layer (Jiao: hole transport layer HTL) close to the cathode (Jiao: cathode 24 at top; para. 0093, similar to 15 of Ishihara) and the second and third light-emitting bodies (Jiao: top blue light-emitting layer B-EMLL; para. 0102, similar to 46 or 50 of Ishihara).
Jiao and Ishihara are considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of light-emitting devices.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to add a hole block layer and an electron block layer as taught by Jiao.
Doing so would realize a light-emitting structure to improve light-emitting stability (Jiao: para. 0102).
Regarding claim 19, Ishihara further teaches the light-emitting device according to claim 18 including the charge production layer (fig. 8, layers between 41, 47 and 46, 50).
Ishihara fails to teach the charge production layer further comprises: a hole block layer, or an electron block layer, or a hole block layer and an electron block layer, wherein:
the hole block layer is arranged between a side of the first electron transport layer close to the anode and the second and third light-emitting bodies; and
the electron block layer is arranged between a side of the first hole transport layer close to the cathode and the second and third light-emitting bodies.
However, Jiao teaches the charge production layer (Jiao: fig. 6, layers between top and bottom blue light-emitting layer B-EML; para. 0102, similar to layers between 41, 47 and 46, 50 of Ishihara) further comprises: a hole block layer, or an electron block layer, or a hole block layer (Jiao: hole blocking layer HBL; para. 0102) and an electron block layer (Jiao: electron blocking layer EBL; para. 0102), wherein:
the hole block layer (Jiao: bottom HBL) is arranged between a side (bottom side) of the first electron transport layer (Jiao: electron transport layer ETL; para. 0102, similar to 43 of Ishihara) close to the anode (Jiao: anode 22 at bottom; para. 0093, similar to 3, 4, 5 of Ishihara) and the second and third light-emitting bodies (Jiao: bottom blue light-emitting layer B-EML; para. 0102, similar to 41 or 47 of Ishihara; para. 0102, similar to 44 of Ishihara); and
the electron block layer (Jiao: top EBL) is arranged between a side (top side) of the first hole transport layer (Jiao: hole transport layer HTL) close to the cathode (Jiao: cathode 24 at top; para. 0093, similar to 15 of Ishihara) and the second and third light-emitting bodies (Jiao: top blue light-emitting layer B-EMLL; para. 0102, similar to 46 or 50 of Ishihara).
Jiao and Ishihara are considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of light-emitting devices.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to add a hole block layer and an electron block layer as taught by Jiao.
Doing so would realize a light-emitting structure to improve light-emitting stability (Jiao: para. 0102).
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ishihara in view of Kim et al. (US 20220140015 from IDS).
Regarding claim 19, Ishihara further teaches the light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the cathode (fig. 7, 15) is Mg:Ag (magnesium-silver alloys; para. 0094).
Ishihara fails to explicitly teach the anode is indium tin oxide ITO/Ag/ITO arranged in a stacked manner.
However, Kim teaches the anode (Kim: fig. 3, first pixel electrode 110; para. 0074, similar to 3, 4, 5 of Ishihara) is indium tin oxide ITO/Ag/ITO (Kim: ITO/Ag/ITO structure; para. 0074) arranged in a stacked manner (stack).
Kim and Ishihara are considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of light-emitting devices.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to add the anode is ITO/Ag/ITO as taught by Kim.
Doing so would realize an anode with a high-performance material. Furthermore, it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice. In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416.
Conclusion
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/ZHIJUN XU/Examiner, Art Unit 2818
/BRIAN TURNER/Examiner, Art Unit 2818
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