Patent Bar Mpep Q & A Podcast

Question: What does a petition under 37 C.F.R. 1.78 require? Answer: A petition under 37 CFR 1.78(b) requires: the reference required by 35 U.S.C. 119(e) and 37 CFR 1.78 to the prior-filed provisional application, which must be included in application data sheet (unless previously submitted in an application data sheet); the petition fee; and a statement that the delay in filing the nonprovisional application or international application designating the United States within the twelve-month period was unintentional. Chapter Details: The answer to this question can be found in chapter 200 of the MPEP. This chapter covers types and status of… The post MPEP Q & A 176: What Does a Petition Under 37 C.F.R. 1.78 Require? appeared first on Patent Education Series.

Question: List a concept related to tracking or organizing information. Answer: Examples of concepts related to tracking or organizing information include; i. classifying and storing digital images in an organized manner ii. collecting information, analyzing it, and displaying certain results of the collection and analysis iii. encoding and decoding image data – RecogniCorp, LLC v. Nintendo Co; iv. organizing information through mathematical correlations v. receiving, screening, and distributing email Chapter Details: The answer to this question can be found in chapter 2100 of the MPEP. This chapter covers patentability. The answer is from the 9th Edition, Revision 08.2017. Depending on future… The post MPEP Q & A 175: Concepts Related to Tracking or Organizing Information appeared first on Patent Education Series.

Question: List 2 submission types that may not be filed via EFS Web. Answer: The following is a list of submission types that are not permitted to be filed using EFS-Web: Plant patent applications and follow-on documents associated with plant patent applications, other than third party preissuance submissions. Requests for Reexamination for plant patents and documents associated with reexamination proceedings for plant patents. Requests for inter partes review. Any third party inquiries, petitions or papers unless specifically authorized by the EFS-Web Legal Framework (e.g., citation of prior art and written statements in patent files) and/or provided for via dedicated EFS-Web interface (e.g.,… The post MPEP Q & A 174: Submission Types that May Not be Filed Via EFS Web. appeared first on Patent Education Series.

Question: What is a complete nonprovisional application comprised of? Answer: A complete nonprovisional application comprises the following: a specification, including claims, drawings, an oath or declaration, the prescribed filing fee, search fee, examination fee and application size fee Chapter Details: The answer to this question can be found in chapter 600 of the MPEP. This chapter covers parts, form, and content of application. The answer is from the 9th Edition, Revision 08.2017. Depending on future changes to the MPEP, the question and answer may or may not be applicable in later Editions or revisions. Section Summary: This question and answer… The post MPEP Q & A 173: What is a Complete Nonprovisional Application Comprised of? appeared first on Patent Education Series.

Question: Name two fees that must be paid upon filing a request for prioritized examination. Answer: Upon filing the request for prioritized examination, the following fees must be paid for the application: (1) the prioritized examination fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(c), (2) the processing fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(i)(1), (3) the publication fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.18(d), (4) the basic filing fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.16(a), or for a plant application, 37 CFR 1.16(c), (5) the search fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.16(k), or for a plant application, 37 CFR 1.16(m),… The post MPEP Q & A 172: Fees that Must be Paid Upon Filing a Request for Prioritized Examination appeared first on Patent Education Series.

Question: When the publication or issue date is later than the current date (i.e., the date of the request), who will that information be given to? Answer: When the publication or issue date is later than the current date (i.e., the date of the request), such information may be given only to the applicant, an inventor, the assignee of record, or the attorney or agent of record. Chapter Details: The answer to this question can be found in chapter 100 of the MPEP. This chapter covers secrecy, access, national security, and foreign filing. The answer is from the 9th Edition,… The post MPEP Q & A 171: Instances Where Publication or Issue Date is Later Than the Current Date appeared first on Patent Education Series.

Question: Must a claim be identified to a correct category of subject matter? Answer: It is not necessary to identify a single category into which a claim falls, so long as it is clear that the claim falls into at least one category. It is also not necessary to identify a “correct” category into which the claim falls, because although in many instances it is clear within which category a claimed invention falls, a claim may satisfy the requirements of more than one category. Chapter Details: The answer to this question can be found in chapter 2100 of the MPEP.… The post MPEP Q & A 170: Must a Claim be Identified to a Correct Category of Subject Matter? appeared first on Patent Education Series.

Question: Provide an example of a non-limiting claim that is not directed to any of the statutory categories. Answer: Examples of a non-limiting claim that is not directed to any of the statutory categories include; Products that do not have a physical or tangible form, such as information (often referred to as “data per se”) or a computer program per se (often referred to as “software per se”) when claimed as a product without any structural recitations; Transitory forms of signal transmission (often referred to as “signals per se”), such as a propagating electrical or electromagnetic signal or carrier wave;… The post MPEP Q & A 169: Non-Limiting Claims Not Directed to Any of the Statutory Categories. appeared first on Patent Education Series.

Question: A practitioner shall provide competent representation to a client. What does competent representation to a client entail? Answer: Competent representation requires the legal, scientific, and technical knowledge, skill, thoroughness and preparation reasonably necessary for the representation. Chapter Details: The answer to this question can be found in the following supplement: Changes to Representation of Others Before the USPTO Final Rules. This is a special supplement that at the time of this recording is currently being tested on the Patent Bar exam. Depending on future changes to the supplement and the MPEP, the question and answer may not be applicable.… The post MPEP Q & A 168: Competent Representation to a Client appeared first on Patent Education Series.

Question: Name one circumstance where applicants must timely file a notice of foreign filing to avoid abandonment of a U.S. application. Answer: Applicants must timely file a notice of foreign filing to avoid abandonment of a U.S. application if: applicant filed a nonpublication request in the U.S. application filed under 35 U.S.C. 111(a); applicant subsequently filed a foreign or international application directed to the invention disclosed in the U.S. application in a foreign country, or under a multilateral international agreement, that requires publication of applications 18 months after filing (foreign filing or counterpart application); and applicant did not rescind the… The post MPEP Q & A 167: When Must Applicants Timely File a Notice of Foreign Filing to Avoid Abandonment of a U.S. Application? appeared first on Patent Education Series.

Question: Name one item any further written opinion established by the International Preliminary Examining Authority should set forth. Answer: Any further written opinion established by the International Preliminary Examining Authority should set forth, as applicable: (A) Any defects in the international application concerning subject matter which is not required to be examined or which is unclear or inadequately supported; (B) Any negative findings with respect to any of the claims because of a lack of novelty, inventive step (non-obviousness) or industrial applicability; (C) Any defects in the form or contents of the international application; (D) Any finding by the examiner… The post MPEP Q & A 166: Further Written Opinion Established by the International Preliminary Examining Authority appeared first on Patent Education Series.

Question: List one consequence for when the patent owner fails to file a timely response to any Office action prior to an Action Closing Prosecution (ACP). Answer: If the patent owner fails to file a timely response to any Office action prior to an Action Closing Prosecution (ACP), it will result in the following consequences: Where there were no claims found patentable in the Office action, the examiner will issue a Notice of Intent to Issue Inter Partes Reexamination Certificate (NIRC) terminating prosecution and indicating the status of the claims as canceled. Where at least one claim is found patentable,… The post MPEP Q & A 165: When Patent Owner Fails to File Timely Response to Any Office Action Prior to an Action Closing Prosecution (ACP) appeared first on Patent Education Series.

Question: Would a computer-implemented method that is deemed novel and non-obvious be effected by the tax strategy provision even if used for a tax purpose? Answer: A computer-implemented method that is deemed novel and non-obvious would not be affected by this provision even if used for a tax purpose. For example, a novel and non-obvious computer-implemented method for manipulating data would not be affected by this provision even if the method organized data for a future tax filing. Chapter Details: The answer to this question can be found in chapter 2100 of the MPEP. This chapter covers patentability. The answer… The post MPEP Q & A 164: Computer-Implemented Methods and the Tax Strategy Provision appeared first on Patent Education Series.

Question: What are the most common basis for filing a reissue application? Answer: The most common bases for filing a reissue application are: the claims are too narrow or too broad; the disclosure contains inaccuracies; applicant failed to or incorrectly claimed foreign priority; and applicant failed to make reference to or incorrectly made reference to prior copending applications. Chapter Details: The answer to this question can be found in chapter 1400 of the MPEP. This chapter covers correction of patents. The answer is from the 9th Edition, Revision 08.2017. Depending on future changes to the MPEP, the question and answer… The post MPEP Q & A 163: What are the Most Common Basis for Filing a Reissue Application? appeared first on Patent Education Series.

Question: When is a 35 U.S.C. 102 rejection with multiple references proper? Answer: A 35 U.S.C. 102 rejection over multiple references has been held to be proper when the extra references are cited to: Prove the primary reference contains an “enabled disclosure;” Explain the meaning of a term used in the primary reference; or Show that a characteristic not disclosed in the reference is inherent. Chapter Details: The answer to this question can be found in chapter 2100 of the MPEP. This chapter covers patentability. The answer is from the 9th Edition, Revision 08.2017. Depending on future changes to the… The post MPEP Q & A 162: When is a 35 U.S.C. 102 Rejection with Multiple References Proper? appeared first on Patent Education Series.

Question: Is it true that living subject matter with markedly different characteristics from any found in nature, such as the claimed bacterium produced by genetic engineering, are excluded from patent protection by 35 U.S.C. 101? Answer: No, it is not true. For example, the Federal Circuit has indicated that “discoveries that possess ‘markedly different characteristics from any found in nature,’ … are eligible for patent protection.” Chapter Details: The answer to this question can be found in chapter 2100 of the MPEP. This chapter covers patentability. The answer is from the 9th Edition, Revision 08.2017. Depending on future changes to the… The post MPEP Q & A 161: Living Subject Matter and Patent Protection appeared first on Patent Education Series.

Question: Can an Appellant request to reopen prosecution if the examiner’s answer does not have a rejection that is designated as a new ground of rejection? Answer: No, an appellant cannot request to reopen prosecution if the examiner’s answer does not have a rejection that is designated as a new ground of rejection. Chapter Details: The answer to this question can be found in chapter 1200 of the MPEP. This chapter covers appeals. The answer is from the 9th Edition, Revision 08.2017. Depending on future changes to the MPEP, the question and answer may or may not be applicable in… The post MPEP Q & A 160: Rules for Appellant to Request to Reopen Prosecution appeared first on Patent Education Series.

Question: What are the two criteria for subject matter eligibility? Answer: First, the claimed invention must be in one of the four statutory categories. 35 U.S.C. 101 defines the four categories of invention that Congress deemed to be the appropriate subject matter of a patent: processes, machines, manufactures and compositions of matter. Second, the claimed invention also must qualify as patent-eligible subject matter, i.e., the claim must not be directed to a judicial exception unless the claim as a whole includes additional limitations amounting to significantly more than the exception. The judicial exceptions (also called “judicially recognized exceptions” or simply “exceptions”) are… The post MPEP Q & A 159: What are the Two Criteria for Subject Matter Eligibility? appeared first on Patent Education Series.

Question: Can maintenance fees be paid in cash? Answer: Maintenance fees may not be paid in cash. A maintenance fee may be paid: with Treasury notes with national bank notes with post office money orders with certified checks over the internet by electronic funds transfer (EFT), credit card, or deposit account payment methods Chapter Details: The answer to this question can be found in chapter 2500 of the MPEP. This chapter covers maintenance fees. The answer is from the 9th Edition, Revision 08.2017. Depending on future changes to the MPEP, the question and answer may or may not be applicable… The post MPEP Q & A 158: Can Maintenance Fees be Paid in Cash? appeared first on Patent Education Series.

Question: Name two ways a patent may be corrected or amended. Answer: A patent may be corrected or amended in eight ways, namely by: reissue, the issuance of a certificate of correction which becomes a part of the patent, disclaimer, reexamination, supplemental examination, inter partes review, post grant review, and covered business method review Chapter Details: The answer to this question can be found in chapter 1400 of the MPEP. This chapter covers correction of patents. The answer is from the 9th Edition, Revision 08.2017. Depending on future changes to the MPEP, the question and answer may or may not be… The post MPEP Q & A 157: Ways a Patent May be Corrected or Amended appeared first on Patent Education Series.