International Design Applications Quick Statistics: Number of Pages: 55 pgsSections: 2901 – 2950 Brief Summary: This chapter was new as of the 9th Edition 07.2015. It covers details on International Design Applications. A single International Design Application may be filed…
Supplemental Examination Quick Statistics: Number of Pages: 65 pgsSections: 2801 – 2823 Brief Summary: Chapter 2800 provides guidance on Supplemental Examination, which was created by the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act (AIA) effective September 16, 2012. Supplemental examination provides a patent…
Patent Terms, Adjustments, and Extensions Quick Statistics: Number of Pages: 93 pgsSections: 2701 – 2766 Brief Summary: This chapter discusses the intricacies involved with patent terms including how a term may be adjusted or extended. Key Terms: Patent Term…
Optional Inter Partes Reexamination Quick Statistics: Number of Pages: 176 pgsSections: 2601 – 2696 Brief Summary: This chapter discusses inter partes reexamination proceedings. These involve the initiator of the reexamination as well as the patent holder and an examiner. Many…
Maintenance Fees Quick Statistics: Number of Pages: 33 pgsSections: 2501 – 2595 Brief Summary: Maintenance fees must be paid on all utility applications filed after December 12, 1980. Maintenance fees are not required on design or plant patents. The fees…
Biotechnology Quick Statistics: Number of Pages: 114 pgsSections: 2401 – 2435 Brief Summary: The biotechnology chapter focuses on the rules for biological deposits and sequences. Due to the nature of biological based inventions, it may not always be sufficient for…
Interference and Derivation Proceedings Quick Statistics: Number of Pages: 29 pgsSections: 2301 – 2315 Brief Summary: An interference is a proceeding that is held before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board to determine who should receive the right to a…
Citation of Prior Art and Ex Parte Reexamination of Patents Quick Statistics: Number of Pages: 199 pgsSections: 2201 – 2296 Brief Summary: This chapter serves as a guide regarding the processing and filing of prior art citations and reexamination requests.…
Patentability Quick Statistics: Number of Pages: 524 pgsSections: 2101 – 2190 Brief Summary: Determining whether specific subject matter is patentable is a very difficult task. Therefore, the PTO has many rules and guidelines used to help sort out this dilemma.…
Duty of Disclosure Quick Statistics: Number of Pages: 22 pgsSections: 2000 – 2022 Brief Summary: This chapter deals with the duties of disclosure. Each inventor and every other individual who is substantially involved in the preparation or prosecution of the…
Protest Quick Statistics: Number of Pages: 12 pgsSections: 1901 – 1920 Brief Summary: If any member of the public becomes aware of a pending application which he or she believes should not gain patent status, that individual has the right…
Patent Cooperation Treaty Quick Statistics: Number of Pages: 199 pgsSections: 1801 – 1896 Brief Summary: A Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) application enables a U.S. applicant to file one international application (known as the international phase) to the U.S. and have…
Miscellaneous Quick Statistics: Number of Pages: 12 pgsSections: 1701 – 1730 Brief Summary: This chapter discusses several miscellaneous topics such as the restrictions placed on former examiners aiding in the writing or prosecution of a patent application. It also outlines…
Plant Patents Quick Statistics: Number of Pages: 13 pgsSections: 1601 – 1613 Brief Summary: This chapter provides an overview of plant patents. Note that these patents will only be granted for certain plants. One of the major criteria for a…
Design Patents Quick Statistics: Number of Pages: 79 pgsSections: 1501 – 1513 Brief Summary: The details of design patents are discussed here. Design patents protect the way an article “looks” as opposed to how an article “works” (which is provided…
Correction of Patents Quick Statistics: Number of Pages: 176 pgsSections: 1400 – 1490 Brief Summary: A reissue application may be filed to correct an error made without any deceptive intent in the original patent. In order to qualify for reissue,…
Allowance and Issue Quick Statistics: Number of Pages: 33 pgsSections: 1301 – 1309 Brief Summary: Once the decision to allow an application to patent has been made by the PTO, a Notice of Allowance will be sent out to the…
Appeal Quick Statistics: Number of Pages: 77 pgsSections: 1201 – 1216 Brief Summary: An applicant may appeal to the Patent Trial and Appeal Board when he or she believes their application deserves to be allowed to patent in spite of…
Statutory Invention Registration (SIR); Pre-Grant Publication (PGPub) and Preissuance Submissions Quick Statistics: Number of Pages: 58 pgsSections: 1101 – 1135 Brief Summary: Statutory invention registration (SIR) provided inventors with a means for placing their invention in the public domain and…
Matters Decided by Various U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Officials Quick Statistics: Number of Pages: 21 pgsSections: 1001 – 1005 Brief Summary: An applicant dissatisfied with a decision made by the PTO may file either a petition to the Commissioner…
Prior Art, Search, Classification, and Routing Quick Statistics: Number of Pages: 58 pgsSections: 901 – 909 Brief Summary: This chapter gives a basic overview for patent examiners on how to conduct a prior art search. The prior art section discusses…
Restriction in Applications Filed Under 35 U.S.C. 111; Double Patenting Quick Statistics: Number of Pages: 107 pgsSections: 801 – 823 Brief Summary: A restriction may occur when a single application claims two or more independent and distinct inventions within it.…
Examination of Applications Quick Statistics: Number of Pages: 310Sections: 701 – 724 Brief Summary: Learn about the many aspects of the examination process including; appropriate replies to a first Office action, second Office action and final rejections. Rejections are commonly…
Parts, Form, and Content of Application Quick Statistics: Number of Pages: 240 pgsSections: 601 – 609 Brief Summary: Chapter 600 explicitly describes the contents required for filing an application and gaining a filing date. Detailed descriptions and guidelines for the…
Receipt and Handling of Mail and Papers Quick Statistics: Number of Pages: 134 pgsSections: 501 – 513 Brief Summary: There are proper methods for sending documents to the PTO in order to insure that the documents are received on time.…
Representative of Applicant or Owner Quick Statistics: Number of Pages: 60 pgsSections: 401 – 410 Brief Summary: Chapter 400 provides an overview of the individuals who are legally capable of helping an inventor file a patent application. The power of…
Ownership and Assignment Quick Statistics: Number of Pages: 40pgsSections: 301 – 325 Brief Summary: Inventorship is always granted to the individual who invented the subject matter of the patent. However, the inventor(s) may sell or transfer the rights to the…
Types and Status of Application; Benefit and Priority Claims Quick Statistics: Number of Pages: 120 pgsSections: 201 – 217 Brief Summary: Chapter 200 discusses many important topics. These include the differences between national and international applications and a general overview…
Secrecy, Access, National Security, and Foreign Filing Quick Statistics Number of Pages: 36 pgsSections: 101 – 151 Brief Summary This chapter covers the confidentiality of patent applications and patent related documents. The focus is on who may or may not…
