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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 12/29/2025, 2/14/2025 and 10/21/2024 were filed 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 § 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.
1: Claim(s) 1-4, 9, 10 and 15-22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 2020/0358021 A1 Yamada et al.
2: As for Claim 1, Yamada et al teaches in Paragraphs [0114-0121] and depicts in Figure 3 A light emitting apparatus in which a plurality of pixels are arranged on a main surface of a substrate (element 11), wherein each pixel comprises a first electrode (23), a second electrode (element 17) arranged between the first electrode (23) and the main surface (viewed as the top surface of element 11), an organic function layer (organic compound layer 22) containing a light emitting material arranged between the first electrode (element 23)and the second electrode (element 17), a reflective electrode (viewed as element 22) (discussed in Paragraphs [0093 and 0094]) arranged between the second electrode (element 17) and the main surface (top surface of 11), and a contact electrode (element 20) connecting the second electrode (17) and the reflective electrode (21), in a section perpendicular to the main surface (top surface of 11), a first insulating portion (viewed as the portion of element 19 disposed above element 18) is arranged between the reflective electrode (21) and the second electrode (17) (see Figure 3), and a second insulating portion (viewed as the section of insulating layer between elements 21) is arranged between the reflective electrodes (elements 21) of pixels adjacent to each other among the plurality of pixels, and in the section perpendicular to the main surface (region of 19 above element 18 depicted in Figure 3), the contact electrode (20) includes a first portion (the contact 20 includes multiple sides touching electrodes and insulation portion 19) arranged on the second insulating portion, and a second portion extending continuously from the first portion and being in contact with the reflective electrode (element 21) (see Figure 3).
3: As for Claim 2, Yamada et al depicts in Figure 3 wherein the second electrode (element 17) is in contact with the first portion (the first portion is viewed as the insulating layer 19 in the region above element 18).
4: As for Claim 3, Yamada et al depicts in Figure 3 wherein the second electrode (element 17) is not in contact with the second portion (the second portion is viewed as the region of the insulation portion between elements 21 of each pixel as depicted in Figure 3).
5: As for Claim 4, Yamada et al depicts in Figure 3 an orthogonal projection to the main surface (top surface of element 11), the first portion (region of 19 above element 18) is larger than the second portion (region of insulating layer between elements 21 of each pixel).
6: As for Claim 9, Yamada et al depicts in Figure 3 wherein a height difference between a portion of the second electrode (top of element 17) farthest from the main surface (top surface of 11) and a portion of the contact electrode (element 20) in contact with the second electrode (element 17) is the same among the plurality of pixels (depicted in Figure 3).
7: As for Claim 10, Yamada et al depicts in Figure 3 wherein the first portion and the second portion are connected flatly (a flat surface is depicted along the bottom ow elements 21).
8: As for Claim 15, Yamada et al teaches in Paragraphs [0045, 0097 and 0098] wherein the second electrode contains a transparent conductive material, the reflective electrode contains aluminum, and the contact electrode contains titanium.
9: As for Claim 16, Yamada et al teaches in Paragraph [0112] An image forming apparatus comprising a photosensitive member, an exposure light source configured to expose the photosensitive member, a developing device (ink jet printer is discussed) configured to apply a developing agent (Ink) to the exposed photosensitive member (printing medium), and a transfer device configured to transfer an image developed by the developing device to a print medium (inkjet printer), wherein the exposure light source includes the light emitting apparatus according to claim 1.
10: As for Claim 17, Yamada et al teaches in Paragraph [0114] a display apparatus comprising the light emitting apparatus according to claim 1, and an active element (TFT) connected to the light emitting apparatus.
11: As for Claim 18, Yamada et al depicts in Figure 5A and teaches in Paragraphs [0125-0126] a photoelectric conversion apparatus (digital camera 1100) comprising an optical unit including a plurality of lenses, an image sensor configured to receive light having passed through the optical unit, and a display unit (1101) configured to display an image, wherein the display unit (1101) displays an image captured by the image sensor, and includes the light emitting apparatus according to claim 1.
12: As for Claim 19, Yamada et al depicts in Figure 5B and teaches in Paragraph [0131] an electronic equipment comprising a housing (1203) provided with a display unit (1201), and a communication unit (smart phone) provided in the housing (1203) and configured to perform external communication, wherein the display unit includes the light emitting apparatus according to claim 1.
13: As for Claim 20, Yamada et al teaches in Paragraph [0136] An illumination apparatus comprising a light source (1402), and at least one of a light diffusing unit (1405) and an optical film (1404), wherein the light source (1402) includes the light emitting apparatus according to claim 1.
14: As for Claim 21, Yamada et al teaches in Paragraphs [0139 and 0140] and depicts in Figure 7B a moving body (vehicle) comprising a main body (1500), and a lighting appliance (1501) provided in the main body (1500), wherein the lighting appliance (1501) includes the light emitting apparatus according to claim 1.
15: As for Claim 22, Yamada et al teaches in Paragraph [0130] A wearable device (head mounted display) comprising a display apparatus configured to display an image, wherein the display apparatus includes the light emitting apparatus according to claim 1.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-8 and 11-14 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAMES M HANNETT whose telephone number is (571)272-7309. The examiner can normally be reached 8:00 AM-5:00 PM Monday thru Thursday.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Twyler Haskins can be reached at 571-272-7406 The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JAMES M HANNETT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2639
JMH
April 23, 2026
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