In addition to continuation applications, there is also what's known as a Continued Prosecution Application (CPA).  These are phased out for plant and utility applications (you must use a request for continued examination for these as discussed in the next section), but CPA’s may still be used for design applications.

These may be used if you have a design application that isn't doing so well during its prosecution.  In this case you may file a CPA rewriting the application. Although the application may be rewritten, the claimed design will have to be the same as the one filed in the original. In addition, the parent application will be abandoned as a result of filing a CPA.   The CPA must be filed while the parent application is still pending, meaning before the parent is abandoned or the issue fee has been paid.