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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Species A, claims 1-10, in the reply filed on 7/17/2026 is acknowledged.
Information Disclosure Statement
Acknowledgement is made of Applicant’s Information Disclosure Statement (IDS) form PTO-1449. The IDS has been considered.
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.
Claims 1 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li et al. (US 2021/0226155), Zhang (US 2019/0088899), Essiet et al. (US 2014/0065400), and Ito et al. (US 2010/0244073).
(Re Claim 1) Li teaches a top-emitting pixel device comprising: a bottom electrode (109; Fig. 4) disposed over a substrate (101; Fig. 4); an insulating bank (112; Fig. 4) patterned around the bottom electrode (Fig. 4); an emissive layer (110; Fig. 4, ¶51) disposed over the first charge transport layer; a patterned electrode (111; Fig. 4, ¶54) extending laterally to cover an emissive area (coextensive with the widest part of the opening in the insulating bank 112 for the OLED element; Fig. 4) of the top-emitting pixel device; and a patterned auxiliary electrode (1151+1152; Fig. 4) disposed at least partially over the patterned electrode (Fig. 4) outside of the emissive area of the top-emitting pixel device to make direct electrical contact (1151 is conductive; ¶64) with the patterned electrode, wherein in a cross-sectional view, the patterned auxiliary electrode covers a part of an upper surface (top part coextensive with the area contacting 1152; Fig. 4) of the patterned electrode and a part of an outer peripheral end surface (coextensive with the area contacting 1151; Fig. 4), which is different from the upper surface (Fig. 4), of the patterned electrode on the insulating bank (Fig. 4).
Li has not been explicitly shown to teach a bottom electrode is reflective;
a first charge transport layer disposed over the reflective bottom electrode; an emissive layer disposed over the first charge transport layer; a second charge transport layer disposed over the emissive layer; the patterned electrode is a patterned transparent polymer electrode disposed over the second charge transport layer and extending laterally to cover an emissive area of the top-emitting pixel device.
Zhang teaches that it is conventional for a bottom electrode in a top-emitting pixel device to be a reflective bottom electrode (¶3).
A person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would find it obvious to form the bottom electrode of Li as a reflective bottom electrode as taught by Zhang, as that is a conventional configuration, and it allows for more light generated in the emissive layer to exit from the emissive area. See Ruiz v. A.B. Chance Co., 357 F.3d 1270, 69 USPQ2d 1686 (Fed. Cir. 2004).
Essiet teaches the use of a transparent conductive polymer known as PEDOT (¶15).
A PHOSITA would find it obvious to form the transparent patterned electrode 111 of modified Li using PEDOT as taught by Essiet, as PEDOT is a simpler material to work with compared to alternative transparent electrode materials because vacuum is not required for deposition (Essiet: ¶7).
Ito teaches forming a first charge transport layer (Hole transport layer; ¶61), an emissive layer (Light emitting layer; ¶61) over the first charge transport layer, and a second charge transport layer (Electron transport layer; ¶61) over the emissive layer, between two electrodes (structure o; ¶¶61-62).
A PHOSITA would find it obvious to form a first charge transport layer, the emissive layer, and a second charge transport layer, between the reflective bottom electrode and patterned transparent polymer electrode of modified Li in the manner taught by Ito, as the first and second charge transport layers provide an electron and hole blocking function (¶¶55, 57).
(Re Claim 7) Modified Li teaches the top-emitting pixel device of claim 1, wherein: the reflective bottom electrode comprises an anode (¶51), the first charge transport layer comprises a hole transport layer (Ito: ¶61), the second charge transport layer comprises an electron transport layer (Ito: ¶61), and a combination of the patterned transparent polymer electrode and the patterned auxiliary electrode forms a cathode (Modified Li: a cathode is formed due to electrical contact between the transparent polymer electrode and the patterned auxiliary electrode, as the transparent polymer electrode serves as a cathode connection; modified Li’s patterned transparent polymer electrode is a cathode; Li: ¶54).
Claims 2-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li et al. (US 2021/0226155), Zhang (US 2019/0088899), Essiet et al. (US 2014/0065400), and Ito et al. (US 2010/0244073) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Touwslager et al. (EP 1,727,220).
(Re Claim 2) Modified Li teaches the top-emitting pixel device of claim 1, but has not been shown explicitly to teach the patterned transparent polymer electrode comprises a conductive polymer that is crosslinked by an ultraviolet-activated (UV-activated) crosslinking agent.
Touwslager teaches the addition of a crosslinking agent to PEDOT that is ultra-violet activated (Diazide initiates crosslinking at UV wavelength; ¶8).
Essiet teaches a conductive polymer composition of PEDOT (¶69).
A person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would find it obvious to add diazide as taught by Touwslager to the conductive polymer composition of PEDOT taught by Essiet to prevent photoinitiation due to normal light (¶12).
(Re Claim 3) Modified Li teaches the top-emitting pixel device of claim 1, but has not been explicitly shown to teach the patterned transparent polymer electrode comprises a conductive polymer within a crosslinked matrix.
Touwslager teaches the addition of a crosslinking agent to PEDOT that is ultra-violet activated (Diazide initiates crosslinking at UV wavelength; ¶8).
Essiet teaches a conductive polymer composition of PEDOT (¶69).
A person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would find it obvious to add diazide as taught by Touwslager to the conductive polymer composition of PEDOT taught by Essiet to prevent photoinitiation due to normal light (¶12).
After crosslinking, this results in the patterned transparent polymer electrode comprising a conductive polymer within a crosslinked matrix.
(Re Claim 4) Modified Li teaches the top-emitting pixel device of claim 3, wherein the crosslinked matrix is formed using a crosslinking agent (Touwslager: ¶¶8, 12), a photoinitiator, and a monomer (Essiet: conductive polymer solution contains PEDOT, a monomer resin, and a photoinitiator; ¶¶25, 69).
(Re Claim 5) Modified Li teaches the top-emitting pixel device of claim 3, wherein the crosslinked matrix is formed using an ultraviolet-activated (UV-activated) crosslinking agent and a monomer.
(Re Claim 6) Modified Li teaches the top-emitting pixel device of claim 3, wherein the crosslinked matrix is formed using an ultraviolet-activated (UV-activated) crosslinking agent (Essiet: Conductive polymer solution contains PEDOT, a monomer resin, and a photoinitiator; ¶¶25, 69; Touwslager addition of crosslinking agent to PEDOT; ¶¶8, 12).
Claim 8 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Claims 1 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li et al. (US 2021/0226155), Zhang (US 2019/0088899), Essiet et al. (US 2014/0065400), and Ito et al. (US 2010/0244073) as applied to claim 7 above, and further in view of evidentiary reference Kawase (US 2003/0141807).
(Re Claim 8) Modified Li teaches the top-emitting pixel device of claim 7, wherein the patterned transparent polymer electrode of the cathode has an energy level in a range of -3.8 electron-volts (eV) to -4.7 eV (Kawase: demonstrates PEDOT has an energy level -4.6 to -4.7 eV; ¶107).
Rejection 2/2
Claims 1 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li et al. (US 2021/0226155), Zhang (US 2019/0088899), Essiet et al. (US 2014/0065400), Ito et al. (US 2010/0244073), and Wang et al. (US 2010/0097303).
(Re Claim 1) Li teaches a top-emitting pixel device comprising: a bottom electrode (109; Fig. 4) disposed over a substrate (101; Fig. 4); an insulating bank (112; Fig. 4) patterned around the bottom electrode (Fig. 4); an emissive layer (110; Fig. 4, ¶51) disposed over the first charge transport layer; a patterned electrode (111; Fig. 4, ¶54) extending laterally to cover an emissive area (coextensive with the widest part of the opening in the insulating bank 112 for the OLED element; Fig. 4) of the top-emitting pixel device; and a patterned auxiliary electrode (1151+1152; Fig. 4) disposed at least partially over the patterned electrode (Fig. 4) outside of the emissive area of the top-emitting pixel device to make direct electrical contact (1151 is conductive; ¶64) with the patterned electrode, wherein in a cross-sectional view, the patterned auxiliary electrode covers a part of an upper surface (top part coextensive with the area contacting 1152; Fig. 4) of the patterned electrode and a part of an outer peripheral end surface (coextensive with the area contacting 1151; Fig. 4), which is different from the upper surface (Fig. 4), of the patterned electrode on the insulating bank (Fig. 4).
Li has not been explicitly shown to teach a bottom electrode is reflective;
a first charge transport layer disposed over the reflective bottom electrode; an emissive layer disposed over the first charge transport layer; a second charge transport layer disposed over the emissive layer; the patterned electrode is a patterned transparent polymer electrode disposed over the second charge transport layer and extending laterally to cover an emissive area of the top-emitting pixel device.
Zhang teaches that it is conventional for a bottom electrode in a top-emitting pixel device to be a reflective bottom electrode (¶3).
A person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would find it obvious to form the bottom electrode of Li as a reflective bottom electrode as taught by Zhang, as that is a conventional configuration, and it allows for more light generated in the emissive layer to exit from the emissive area. See Ruiz v. A.B. Chance Co., 357 F.3d 1270, 69 USPQ2d 1686 (Fed. Cir. 2004).
Essiet teaches the use of a transparent conductive polymer known as PEDOT (¶15).
A PHOSITA would find it obvious to form the transparent patterned electrode 111 of modified Li using PEDOT:PSS as taught by Essiet, as PEDOT:PSS is a simpler material to work with compared to alternative transparent electrode materials because vacuum is not required for deposition (Essiet: ¶7).
A PHOSITA would find it obvious to form a first charge transport layer, the emissive layer, and a second charge transport layer, between the reflective bottom electrode and patterned transparent polymer electrode of modified Li in the manner taught by Ito, as the first and second charge transport layers provide an electron and hole blocking function (¶¶55, 57).
Wang teaches inverting the structure of an OLED (¶7).
A PHOSITA would find it obvious to form the OLED of modified Li such that the bottom reflective electrode serves as the cathode and the patterned transparent polymer electrode serves as the anode, in the manner taught by Wang, to avoid the driving voltage of the thin film transistors being affected by the voltage applied to the display (Wang: ¶7).
Ito teaches a first charge transport layer (Ito: Electron transport layer; ¶61), an emissive layer (Ito: Light emitting layer; ¶61) over the first charge transport layer, and a second charge transport layer (Ito: Hole transport layer; ¶61) over the emissive layer.
A PHOSITA would find it obvious to form a first charge transport layer, the emissive layer, and a second charge transport layer, between the reflective bottom electrode and patterned transparent polymer electrode of modified Li in the manner taught by Ito, as the first and second charge transport layers provide an electron and hole blocking function (¶¶55, 57).
Ito teaches that structure o may be ordered such that the anode is farther from the substrate than the cathode (¶62).
A PHOSITA would find it obvious to order the layers of Ito’s structure o used to form the OLED of modified such that they are ordered from those farthest to those closest to the substrate, to allow for the hole transport and electron transport layers to serve their function (Ito: ¶¶55, 77).
This results in modified Li teaching a first charge transport layer (Ito: Electron transport layer; ¶61), an emissive layer (Ito: Light emitting layer; ¶61) over the first charge transport layer, and a second charge transport layer (Ito: Hole transport layer; ¶61) over the emissive layer.
(Re Claim 9) Modified Li teaches the top-emitting pixel device of claim 1, but has not been shown to teach wherein: the reflective bottom electrode comprises a cathode (see claim 1 rejection), the first charge transport layer comprises an electron transport layer (Ito: ¶61), the second charge transport layer comprises a hole transport layer (Ito: ¶61), and a combination of the patterned transparent polymer electrode and the patterned auxiliary electrode forms an anode (Ito: ¶61; Modified Li: an anode is formed due to electrical contact between the transparent polymer electrode and the patterned auxiliary electrode, as the transparent polymer electrode serves as an anode connection; modified Li’s patterned transparent polymer electrode that was originally a cathode is an anode in view of Wang).
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li et al. (US 2021/0226155), Zhang (US 2019/0088899), Essiet et al. (US 2014/0065400), Ito et al. (US 2010/0244073), and Wang et al. (US 2010/0097303) as applied to claim 9 above, and further in view of evidentiary reference Schoenfeld et al. (US 2012/0060910).
(Re Claim 10) Modified Li teaches the top-emitting pixel device of claim 9, wherein the patterned transparent polymer electrode of the anode has an energy level in a range of -4.7 electron-volts (eV) to -5.6 eV (Schoenfeld: demonstrates PEDOT:PSS has an energy level -5.2 eV; ¶26).
Conclusion
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/CHRISTOPHER A. SCHODDE/Examiner, Art Unit 2898
/JESSICA S MANNO/SPE, Art Unit 2898
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