Manual of Patent Examining Procedure - MPEP

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2200 Citation of Prior Art and Ex Parte Reexamination of Patents

2232.01 Determining if a Reexamination Was Filed for a Patent

TO DETERMINE FROM PAIR OR PALM IF A REEXAMINATION REQUEST HAS BEEN FILED FOR A GIVEN PATENT NUMBER

Both the Internet and the USPTO Intranet can be accessed to determine if a reexamination request has been filed for a particular patent.

A.    Using the Internet

- Log on to the Internet.

- Go to USPTO Website located at http://www.uspto.gov.

- Click on "Patents" located on the left side of the screen.

- Under "Check Status, View Papers." click on "Status & IFW."

- On the next screen, under "Patent Application Information Retrieval" click "Patent Number" as the "Select Search Method."

- Enter the patent number (e.g., 5806063 - no commas are to be inserted) in "Enter Number" box.

- Click on "Submit."

- Click the "Continuity Data" button.

- Scroll to "Child Continuity Data" where any related reexamination will be listed. Ex parte reexaminations are identified by the unique "90" series code, e.g., 90/005,727. Inter partes reexaminations are identified by the unique "95" series code, e.g., 95/000,001.

- Clicking on the underlined (hyperlinked) reexamination number will reveal the "Contents" for the reexamination file.

B.    Using the USPTO Intranet

- From the USPTO Intranet site http://ptoweb/ptointranet/index">Next section