US 12158250

U.S. Patent 12158250, titled "Organic-light emitting diode," was issued to Pictiva Displays International Ltd on December 3, 2024. The patent lists Ulrich Kastner-Jung, Markus Klein, Stan Maes, Romana Sigl, Annette Haid, Stephan Lintner, Julian Herget, and Gregor Matjan as inventors. The filing date for application US18/492,397 was October 23, 2023, with a priority date of December 11, 2008.

Abstract:
The patent describes an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) comprising an organic layer sequence, a radiation exit area, and an encapsulation. The organic layer sequence includes at least one radiation-emitting region that generates electromagnetic radiation from infrared to UV wavelengths during operation. The radiation exit area is structured to provide a directional emission profile for the electromagnetic radiation, and the encapsulation seals the organic layer sequence from environmental influences.

Plain-Language Overview of Independent Claims:

• Claim 1: This claim describes an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) that has a specific type of protective layer. This protective layer is placed between the organic light-emitting layers and one of the electrodes. Its purpose is to shield the organic layers from damage, particularly during the manufacturing process when the electrode material is applied using a technique called sputtering. This sputtering protective layer is made of or contains a transition metal oxide.

• Claim 2 (implicitly depends on Claim 1): This claim details the construction of a luminaire (a complete lighting unit). The luminaire includes an organic light-emitting diode as described in Claim 1. This luminaire is particularly designed for use in a wet environment, specifically as a splash guard, like in a shower cubicle or integrated into a shower head. It is designed to be in direct contact with water during operation.

• Claim 10 (likely depends on Claim 1, but presented as independent in the provided text): This claim describes a luminaire (a lighting device) that serves multiple functions. In addition to providing general lighting, it also functions as a mirror and a display device for simple graphics. The luminaire has at least three operating states: one for general lighting, one as an active mirror (no light emission), and one for displaying graphical elements.