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Manual of Patent Examining Procedure - MPEP
Table of Contents
700 Examination of Applications
700 Examination of Applications
- 701 Statutory Authority for Examination
- 702 Requisites of the Application
- - 702.01 Obviously Informal Cases
- 703 "General Information Concerning Patents"
- 704 Search and Requirements for Information
- - 704.01 Search
- - 704.10 Requirements for Information
- - 704.11 What Information May Be Required
- - - 704.11(a) Examples of Information Reasonably Required
- - - 704.11(b) When May a Requirement for Information Be Made
- - 704.12 Replies to a Requirement for Information
- - 704.12(a) Relationship of Requirement for Information to Duty of Disclosure
- - 704.12(b) What Constitutes a Complete Reply
- - 704.12(c) Treatment of an Incomplete Reply
- - 704.13 Time Periods for Reply
- - 704.14 Making a Requirement for Information
- - - 704.14(a) Format of the Requirement
- - - 704.14(b) Examiner's Obligation Following Applicant's Reply
- - - 704.14(c) Petitions to Requirements Under 37 CFR 1.105
- - - 704.14(d) Relationship to Information Disclosure Statements
- 705 Patentability Reports
- - 705.01 Instructions re Patentability Reports
- - - 705.01(a) Nature of P.R., Its Use and Disposal
- - - 705.01(b) Sequence of Examination
- - - 705.01(c) Counting and Recording P.R.s
- - - 705.01(d) Duplicate Prints of Drawings
- - - 705.01(e) Limitation as to Use
- - - 705.01(f) Interviews With Applicants
- 706 Rejection of Claims
- - 706.01 Contrasted With Objections
- - 706.02 Rejection on Prior Art
- - - 706.02(a) Rejections Under 35 U.S.C. 102(a), (b), or (e); Printed Publication or Patent
- - - 706.02(b) Overcoming a 35 U.S.C. 102 Rejection Based on a Printed Publication or Patent
- - - 706.02(c) Rejections Under 35 U.S.C. 102(a) or (b); Knowledge by Others or Public Use or Sale
- - - 706.02(d) Rejections Under 35 U.S.C. 102(c)
- - - 706.02(e) Rejections Under 35 U.S.C. 102(d)
- - - 706.02(f) Rejection Under 35 U.S.C. 102(e)
- - - 706.02(f)(1) Examination Guidelines for Applying References Under 35 U.S.C. 102(e)
- - - 706.02(f)(2) Provisional Rejections Under 35 U.S.C. 102(e); Reference Is a Copending U.S. Patent Application
- - - 706.02(g) Rejections Under 35 U.S.C. 102(f)
- - - 706.02(h) Rejections Under 35 U.S.C. 102(g)
- - - 706.02(i) Form Paragraphs for Use in Rejections Under 35 U.S.C. 102
- - - 706.02(j) Contents of a 35 U.S.C. 103 Rejection
- - - 706.02(k) Provisional Rejection (Obviousness) Under 35 U.S.C. 102(e)/103
- - - 706.02(l) Rejections Under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) Using Prior Art Under Only 35 U.S.C. 102 (e), (f), or (g)
- - - 706.02(l)(1) Rejections Under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) Using Prior Art Under 35 U.S.C. 102(e), (f), or (g); Prior Art Disqualification Under 35 U.S.C. 103(c)
- - - 706.02(l)(2) Establishing Common Ownership or Joint Research Agreement
- - - 706.02(l)(3) Examination Procedure With Respect to 35 U.S.C. 103(c)
- - - 706.02(m) Form Paragraphs for Use in Rejections Under 35 U.S.C. 103
- - - 706.02(n) Biotechnology Process Applications; 35 U.S.C. 103(b)
- - 706.03 Rejections Not Based on Prior Art
- - - 706.03(a) Rejections Under 35 U.S.C. 101
- - - 706.03(b) Barred by Atomic Energy Act
- - - 706.03(c) Rejections Under 35 U.S.C. 112, First Paragraph
- - - 706.03(d) Rejections Under 35 U.S.C. 112, Second Paragraph
- - - 706.03(k) Duplicate Claims
- - - 706.03(m) Nonelected Inventions
- - - 706.03(o) New Matter
- - - 706.03(s) Foreign Filing Without License
- - - 706.03(u) Disclaimer
- - - 706.03(v) After Interference or Public Use Proceeding
- - - 706.03(w) Res Judicata
- - - 706.03(x) Reissue
- - 706.04 Rejection of Previously Allowed Claims
- - 706.05 Rejection After Allowance of Application
- - 706.06 Rejection of Claims Copied From Patent
- - 706.07 Final Rejection
- - - 706.07(a) Final Rejection, When Proper on Second Action
- - - 706.07(b) Final Rejection, When Proper on First Action
- - - 706.07(c) Final Rejection, Premature
- - - 706.07(d) Final Rejection, Withdrawal of, Premature
- - - 706.07(e) Withdrawal of Final Rejection, General
- - - 706.07(f) Time for Reply to Final Rejection
- - - 706.07(g) Transitional After-Final Practice
- - - 706.07(h) Request for Continued Examination (RCE) Practice
- 707 Examiner's Letter or Action
- - 707.01 Primary Examiner Indicates Action for New Assistant
- - - 707.02 Applications Up for Third Action and 5-Year Applications
- - 707.05 Citation of References
- - - 707.05(a) Copies of Cited References
- - - 707.05(b) Citation of Related Art and Information by Applicants
- - - 707.05(c) Order of Listing
- - - 707.05(d) Reference Cited in Subsequent Actions
- - - 707.05(e) Data Used in Citing References
- - - 707.05(f) Effective Dates of Declassified Printed Matter
- - - 707.05(g) Incorrect Citation of References
- - 707.06 Citation of Decisions, Orders Memorandums, and Notices
- - 707.07 Completeness and Clarity of Examiner's Action
- - - 707.07(a) Complete Action on Formal Matters
- - - 707.07(b) Requiring New Oath
- - - 707.07(c) Draftsperson's Requirement
- - - 707.07(d) Language To Be Used in Rejecting Claims
- - - 707.07(e) Note All Outstanding Requirements
- - - 707.07(f) Answer All Material Traversed
- - - 707.07(g) Piecemeal Examination
- - - 707.07(h) Notify of Inaccuracies in Amendment
- - - 707.07(i) Each Claim To Be Mentioned in Each Office Action
- - - 707.07(j) State When Claims Are Allowable
- - - 707.07(k) Numbering Paragraphs
- - - 707.07(l) Comment on Examples
- - 707.08 Reviewing and Initialing by Assistant Examiner
- - 707.09 Signing by Primary or Other Authorized Examiner
- - 707.10 Entry
- - 707.11 Date
- - 707.12 Mailing
- - 707.13 Returned Office Action
- 708 Order of Examination
- - 708.01 List of Special Cases
- - 708.02 Petition To Make Special
- - 708.03 Examiner Tenders Resignation
- 709 Suspension of Action
- - 709.01 Overlapping Applications by Same Applicant or Owned by Same Assignee
- 710 Period for Reply
- - 710.01 Statutory Period
- - - 710.01(a) Statutory Period, How Computed
- - 710.02 Shortened Statutory Period and Time Limit Actions Computed
- - - 710.02(b) Shortened Statutory Period: Situations in Which Used
- - - 710.02(c) Specified Time Limits: Situations in Which Used
- - - 710.02(d) Difference Between Shortened Statutory Periods for Reply and Specified Time Limits
- - - 710.02(e) Extension of Time
- - 710.04 Two Periods Running
- - - 710.04(a) Copying Patent Claims
- - 710.05 Period Ending on Saturday, Sunday, or a Federal Holiday
- - 710.06 Situations When Reply Period Is Reset or Restarted
- 711 Abandonment of Patent Application
- - 711.01 Express or Formal Abandonment
- - 711.02 Failure To Take Required Action During Statutory Period
- - - 711.02(a) Insufficiency of Reply
- - - 711.02(b) Special Situations Involving Abandonment
- - - 711.02(c) Termination of Proceedings
- - 711.03 Reconsideration of Holding of Abandonment; Revival
- - - 711.03(a) Holding Based on Insufficiency of Reply
- - - 711.03(b) Holding Based on Failure To Reply Within Period
- - - 711.03(c) Petitions Relating to Abandonment
- - - 711.03(d) Examiner's Statement on Petition To Set Aside Examiner's Holding
- - 711.04 Public Access to Abandoned Applications
- - - 711.04(a) Pulling and Forwarding Abandoned Applications
- - - 711.04(b) Ordering of Patented and Abandoned Files
- - - 711.04(c) Notifying Applicants of Abandonment
- - 711.05 Letter of Abandonment Received After Application Is Allowed
- - 711.06 Abstracts, Abbreviatures, and Defensive Publications
- - - 711.06(a) Citation and Use of Abstracts, Abbreviatures, and Defensive Publications as References
- 713 Interviews
- - 713.01 General Policy, How Conducted
- - 713.02 Interviews Prior to First Official Action
- - 713.03 Interview for "Sounding Out" Examiner Not Permitted
- - 713.04 Substance of Interview Must Be Made of Record
- - 713.05 Interviews Prohibited or Granted, Special Situations
- - 713.06 No Inter Partes Questions Discussed Ex Parte
- - 713.07 Exposure of Other Cases
- - 713.08 Demonstration, Exhibits, Models
- - 713.09 Finally Rejected Application
- - 713.10 Interview Preceding Filing Amendment Under 37 CFR 1.312
- 714 Amendments, Applicant's Action
- - 714.01 Signatures to Amendments
- - - 714.01(a) Unsigned or Improperly Signed Amendment
- - - 714.01(c) Signed by Attorney or Agent Not of Record
- - - 714.01(d) Amendment Signed by Applicant but Not by Attorney or Agent of Record
- - - 714.01(e) Amendments Before First Office Action
- - 714.02 Must Be Fully Responsive
- - 714.03 Amendments Not Fully Responsive, Action To Be Taken
- - - 714.03(a) Supplemental Amendment
- - 714.04 Claims Presented in Amendment With No Attempt To Point Out Patentable Novelty
- - 714.05 Examiner Should Immediately Inspect
- - 714.06 Amendments Sent to Wrong Technology Center
- - 714.07 Amendments Not in Permanent Ink
- - 714.10 Claims Added in Excess of Claims Previously Paid For
- - 714.11 Amendment Filed During Interference Proceedings
- - 714.12 Amendments and Other Replies After Final Rejection or Action
- - 714.13 Amendments and Other Replies After Final Rejection or Action, Procedure Followed
- - 714.14 Amendments After Allowance of All Claims
- - 714.15 Amendment Received in Technology Center After Mailing of Notice of Allowance
- - 714.16 Amendment After Notice of Allowance, 37 CFR 1.312
- - - 714.16(a) Amendments Under 37 CFR 1.312, Copied Patent Claims
- - - 714.16(b) Amendments Under 37 CFR 1.312 Filed With a Motion Under 37 CFR 41.208
- - - 714.16(c) Amendments Under 37 CFR 1.312, Additional Claims
- - - 714.16(d) Amendments Under 37 CFR 1.312, Handling
- - - 714.16(e) Amendments Under 37 CFR 1.312, Entry in Part
- - 714.17 Amendment Filed After the Period for Reply Has Expired
- - 714.18 Entry of Amendments
- - 714.19 List of Amendments, Entry Denied
- - 714.20 List of Amendments Entered in Part
- - 714.21 Amendments Inadvertently Entered, No Legal Effect
- - 714.25 Discourtesy of Applicant or Attorney
- 715 Swearing Back of Reference - Affidavit or Declaration Under 37 CFR 1.131
- - 715.01 37 CFR 1.131 Affidavits Versus 37 CFR 1.132 Affidavits
- - - 715.01(a) Reference Is a Joint Patent or Published Application to Applicant and Another
- - - 715.01(b) Reference and Application Have Common Assignee
- - - 715.01(c) Reference Is Publication of Applicant's Own Invention
- - - 715.01(d) Activities Applied Against the Claims
- - 715.02 How Much of the Claimed Invention Must Be Shown, Including the General Rule as to Generic Claims
- - 715.03 Genus-Species, Practice Relative to Cases Where Predictability Is in Question
- - 715.04 Who May Make Affidavit or Declaration; Formal Requirements of Affidavits and Declarations
- - 715.05 U.S. Patent or Application Publication Claiming Same Invention
- - 715.07 Facts and Documentary Evidence
- - - 715.07(a) Diligence
- - - 715.07(b) Interference Testimony Sometimes Used
- - - 715.07(c) Acts Relied Upon Must Have Been Carried Out in This Country or a NAFTA or WTO Member Country
- - - 715.07(d) Disposition of Exhibits
- - 715.08 Passed Upon by Primary Examiner
- - 715.09 Seasonable Presentation
- - 715.10 Review of Affidavit or Declaration for Evidence of Prior Public Use or Sale or Failure to Disclose Best Mode
- 716 Affidavits or Declarations Traversing Rejections, 37 CFR 1.132
- - 716.01 Generally Applicable Criteria
- - - 716.01(a) Objective Evidence of Nonobviousness
- - - 716.01(b) Nexus Requirement and Evidence of Nonobviousness
- - - 716.01(c) Probative Value of Objective Evidence
- - - 716.01(d) Weighing Objective Evidence
- - 716.02 Allegations of Unexpected Results
- - - 716.02(a) Evidence Must Show Unexpected Results
- - - 716.02(b) Burden on Applicant
- - - 716.02(c) Weighing Evidence of Expected and Unexpected Results
- - - 716.02(d) Unexpected Results Commensurate in Scope With Claimed Invention
- - - 716.02(e) Comparison With Closest Prior Art
- - - 716.02(f) Advantages Disclosed or Inherent
- - - 716.02(g) Declaration or Affidavit Form
- - 716.03 Commercial Success
- - - 716.03(a) Commercial Success Commensurate in Scope With Claimed Invention
- - - 716.03(b) Commercial Success Derived From Claimed Invention
- - 716.04 Long-Felt Need and Failure of Others
- - 716.05 Skepticism of Experts
- - 716.06 Copying
- - 716.07 Inoperability of References
- - 716.08 Utility and Operability of Applicant's Disclosure
- - 716.09 Sufficiency of Disclosure
- - 716.10 Attribution
- 718 Affidavit or Declaration to Disqualify Commonly Owned Patent as Prior Art, 37 CFR 1.130
- 719 File Wrapper
- - 719.01 Papers in File Wrapper
- - - 719.01(a) Arrangement of Papers in File Wrapper
- - - 719.01(b) Prints
- - 719.02 Data Entered on File Wrapper
- - - 719.02(b) Name or Residence of Inventor or Title Changed
- - 719.03 Classification During Examination
- - 719.04 Index of Claims
- - 719.05 Field of Search
- - 719.06 Foreign Filing Dates
- - 719.07 Related Applications
- 720 Public Use Proceedings
- - 720.01 Preliminary Handling
- - 720.02 Examiner Determination of Prima Facie Showing
- - 720.03 Preliminary Hearing
- - 720.04 Public Use Proceeding Testimony
- - 720.05 Final Decision
- 724 Trade Secret, Proprietary, and Protective Order Materials
- - 724.01 Completeness of the Patent File Wrapper
- - 724.02 Method of Submitting Trade Secret, Proprietary, and/or Protective Order Materials
- - 724.03 Types of Trade Secret, Proprietary, and/or Protective Order Materials Submitted Under MPEP § 724.02
- - 724.04 Office Treatment and Handling of Materials Submitted Under MPEP § 724.02
- - - 724.04(a) Materials Submitted in an Application Covered by 35 U.S.C. 122
- - - 724.04(b) Materials Submitted in Reissue Applications Open to the Public Under 37 CFR 1.11(b)
- - - 724.04(c) Materials Submitted in Reexamination File Open to the Public Under 37 CFR 1.11(d)
- - 724.05 Petition To Expunge Information or Copy of Papers in Application File
- - 724.06 Handling of Petitions To Expunge Information or Copy of Papers in Application File
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