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INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS

NATIONAL LEGISLATION - USA

Patent Laws and Regulations

Regulations: Title 37, Chapter I (Subchapter A, Parts 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, 15, and 15a and Subchapter B); Chapter IV and Chapter V, Code of Federal Regulations


(Continuation)

 

37 C.F.R. § 1.294   Examination of request for publication of a statutory invention registration and patent application to which the request is directed.

(a) Any request for a statutory invention registration will be examined to determine if the requirements of § 1.293 have been met. The application to which the request is directed will be examined to determine (1) if the subject matter of the application is appropriate for publication, (2) if the requirements for publication are met, and (3) if the requirements of 35 U.S.C. 112 and § 1.293 of this part are met.

(b) Applicant will be notified of the results of the examination set forth in paragraph (a) of this section. If the requirements of § 1.293 and this section are not met by the request filed, the notification to applicant will set a period of time within which to comply with the requirements in order to avoid abandonment of the application. If the application does not meet the requirements of 35 U.S.C. 112, the notification to applicant will include a rejection under the appropriate provisions of 35 U.S.C. 112. The periods for reply established pursuant to this section are subject to the extension of time provisions of § 1.136. After reply by the applicant, the application will again be considered for publication of a statutory invention registration. If the requirements of § 1.293 and this section are not timely met, the refusal to publish will be made final. If the requirements of 35 U.S.C. 112 are not met, the rejection pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 112 will be made final.

(c) If the examination pursuant to this section results in approval of the request for a statutory invention registration the applicant will be notified of the intent to publish a statutory invention registration.

[50 FR 9382, Mar. 7, 1985; 62 FR 53132, 53198, Oct. 10, 1997]

37 C.F.R. § 1.295   Review of decision finally refusing to publish a statutory invention registration.

(a) Any requester who is dissatisfied with the final refusal to publish a statutory invention registration for reasons other than compliance with 35 U.S.C. 112 may obtain review of the refusal to publish the statutory invention registration by filing a petition to the Commissioner accompanied by the fee set forth in § 1.17(h) within one month or such other time as is set in the decision refusing publication. Any such petition should comply with the requirements of § 1.181(b). The petition may include a request that the petition fee be refunded if the final refusal to publish a statutory invention registration for reasons other than compliance with 35 U.S.C. 112 is determined to result from an error by the Patent and Trademark Office.

(b) Any requester who is dissatisfied with a decision finally rejecting claims pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 112 may obtain review of the decision by filing an appeal to the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences pursuant to § 1.191. If the decision rejecting claims pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 112 is reversed, the request for a statutory invention registration will be approved and the registration published if all of the other provisions of § 1.293 and this section are met.

[50 FR 9382, Mar. 7, 1985]

37 C.F.R. § 1.296   Withdrawal of request for publication of statutory invention registration.

   A request for a statutory invention registration, which has been filed, may be withdrawn prior to the date of the notice of the intent to publish a statutory invention registration issued pursuant to § 1.294(c) by filing a request to withdraw the request for publication of a statutory invention registration. The request to withdraw may also include a request for a refund of any amount paid in excess of the application filing fee and a handling fee of $130.00 which will be retained. Any request to withdraw the request for publication of a statutory invention registration filed on or after the date of the notice of intent to publish issued pursuant to § 1.294(c) must be in the form of a petition pursuant to § 1.183 accompanied by the fee set forth in § 1.17(h).

[56 FR 65153, Dec. 13, 1991]

37 C.F.R. § 1.297   Publication of statutory invention registration.

(a) If the request for a statutory invention registration is approved the statutory invention registration will be published. The statutory invention registration will be mailed to the requester at the correspondence address as provided for in § 1.33(a). A notice of the publication of each statutory invention registration will be published in the Official Gazette.

(b) Each statutory invention registration published will include a statement relating to the attributes of a statutory invention registration. The statement will read as follows:

   A statutory invention registration is not a patent. It has the defensive attributes of a patent but does not have the enforceable attributes of a patent. No article or advertisement or the like may use the term patent, or any term suggestive of a patent, when referring to a statutory invention registration. For more specific information on the rights associated with a statutory invention registration see 35 U.S.C. 157.

[50 FR 9383, Mar. 7, 1985, as amended at 50 FR 31826, Aug. 6, 1985]

37 C.F.R. § 1.301   Appeal to U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

   Any applicant or any owner of a patent involved in a reexamination proceeding dissatisfied with the decision of the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences, and any party to an interference dissatisfied with the decision of the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences, may appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. The appellant must take the following steps in such an appeal: (a) In the Patent and Trademark Office file a written notice of appeal directed to the Commissioner (see §§ 1.302 and 1.304); and (b) in the Court, file a copy of the notice of appeal and pay the fee for appeal, as provided by the rules of the Court.

[54 FR 29552, July 13, 1989]

37 C.F.R. § 1.302   Notice of appeal.

(a) When an appeal is taken to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, the appellant shall give notice thereof to the Commissioner within the time specified in § 1.304.

(b) In interferences, the notice must be served as provided in § 1.646.

(c) A notice of appeal, if mailed to the Office, shall be addressed as follows: Box 8, Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks, Washington, DC 20231.

[50 FR 9383, Mar. 7, 1985, as amended at 53 FR 16414, May 9, 1988]

37 C.F.R. § 1.303   Civil action under 35 U.S.C. 145, 146, 306.

(a) Any applicant or any owner of a patent involved in a reexamination proceeding dissatisfied with the decision of the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences, and any party dissatisfied with the decision of the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences, may, instead of appealing to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (§ 1.301), have remedy by civil action under 35 U.S.C. 145 or 146, as appropriate. Such civil action must be commenced within the time specified in § 1.304.

(b) If an applicant in an ex parte case or an owner of a patent involved in a reeexamination proceeding has taken an appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, he or she thereby waives his or her right to proceed under 35 U.S.C. 145.

(c) If any adverse party to an appeal taken to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit by a defeated party in an interference proceeding files notice with the Commissioner within twenty days after the filing of the defeated party's notice of appeal to the court (§ 1.302), that he or she elects to have all further proceedings conducted as provided in 35 U.S.C. 146, the notice of election must be served as provided in § 1.646.

[47 FR 47381, Oct. 26, 1982, as amended at 49 FR 48454, Dec. 12, 1984; 54 FR 29553, July 13, 1989]

37 C.F.R. § 1.304   Time for appeal or civil action.

(a)

(1) The time for filing the notice of appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (§ 1.302) or for commencing a civil action (§ 1.303) is two months from the date of the decision of the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences. If a request for rehearing or reconsideration of the decision is filed within the time period provided under § 1.197(b) or § 1.658(b), the time for filing an appeal or commencing a civil action shall expire two months after action on the request. In interferences, the time for filing a cross-appeal or cross-action expires:

(i) 14 days after service of the notice of appeal or the summons and complaint; or

(ii) Two months after the date of decision of the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences, whichever is later.

(2) The time periods set forth in this section are not subject to the provisions of §§ 1.136, 1.550(c) or 1.645 (a) or (b).

(3) The Commissioner may extend the time for filing an appeal or commencing a civil action:

(i) For good cause shown if requested in writing before the expiration of the period for filing an appeal or commencing a civil action, or

(ii) Upon written request after the expiration of the period for filing an appeal or commencing a civil action upon a showing that the failure to act was the result of excusable neglect.

(b) The times specified in this section in days are calendar days. The times specified herein in months are calendar months except that one day shall be added to any two-month period which includes February 28. If the last day of the time specified for appeal or commencing a civil action falls on a Saturday, Sunday or Federal holiday in the District of Columbia, the time is extended to the next day which is neither a Saturday, Sunday nor a Federal holiday.

(c) If a defeated party to an interference has taken an appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and an adverse party has filed notice under 35 U.S.C. 141 electing to have all further proceedings conducted under 35 U.S.C. 146 (§ 1.303(c)), the time for filing a civil action thereafter is specified in 35 U.S.C. 141. The time for filing a cross-action expires 14 days after service of the summons and complaint.

[54 FR 29553, July 13, 1989; 58 FR 54510, Oct, 22, 1993; 62 FR 53132, 53198, Oct. 10, 1997]

37 C.F.R. § 1.311   Notice of allowance.

(a) If, on examination, it shall appear that the applicant is entitled to a patent under the law, a notice of allowance will be sent to applicant at the correspondence address indicated in § 1.33, calling for the payment of a specified sum constituting the issue fee (§ 1.18), which shall be paid within 3 months from the date of the mailing of the notice of allowance.

(b) An authorization to charge the issue fee (§ 1.18) to a deposit account may be filed in an individual application, either before or after mailing of the notice of allowance. Where an authorization to charge the issue fee to a deposit account has been filed before the mailing of the notice of allowance, the issue fee will be automatically charged to the deposit account at the time of mailing the notice of allowance.

[47 FR 41279, Sept. 17, 1982]

37 C.F.R. § 1.312   Amendments after allowance.

(a) No amendment may be made as a matter of right in an application after the mailing of the notice of allowance. Any amendment pursuant to this paragraph filed before the payment of the issue fee may be entered on the recommendation of the primary examiner, approved by the Commissioner, without withdrawing the case from issue.

(b) Any amendment pursuant to paragraph (a) of this section filed after the date the issue fee is paid must be accompanied by a petition including the fee set forth in § 1.17(i) and a showing of good and sufficient reasons why the amendment is necessary and was not earlier presented. For reissue applications, see § 1.175(b), which requires a supplemental oath or declaration to accompany the amendment.

[47 FR 41280, Sept. 17, 1982; 58 FR 54510, Oct. 22, 1993, as corrected at 58 FR 64155, Dec. 6, 1993; 60 FR 20227, Apr. 25, 1995; 62 FR 53132, 53198, Oct. 10, 1997]

37 C.F.R. § 1.313   Withdrawal from issue.

(a) Applications may be withdrawn from issue for further action at the initiative of the Office or upon petition by the applicant. Any such petition by the applicant must include a showing of good and sufficient reasons why withdrawal of the application is necessary and, if the reason for the withdrawal is not the fault of the Office, must be accompanied by the fee set forth in § 1.17(i). If the application is withdrawn from issue, a new notice of allowance will be sent if the application is again allowed. Any amendment accompanying a petition to withdraw an application from issue must comply with the requirements of § 1.312.

(b) When the issue fee has been paid, the application will not be withdrawn from issue for any reason except:

(1) A mistake on the part of the Office;

(2) A violation of § 1.56 or illegality in the application;

(3) Unpatentability of one or more claims;

(4) For interference; or

(5) For abandonment to permit consideration of an information disclosure statement under § 1.97 in a continuing application.

[47 FR 41280, Sept. 17, 1982; as amended at 54 FR 6903, Feb. 15, 1989; 54 FR 9432, Mar. 7, 1989; 57 FR 2035, Jan. 17, 1992; 60 FR 20227, Apr. 25, 1995]

37 C.F.R. § 1.314   Issuance of patent.

   If payment of the issue fee is timely made, the patent will issue in regular course unless the application is withdrawn from issue (§ 1.313), or issuance of the patent is deferred. Any petition by the applicant requesting a deferral of the issuance of a patent must be accompanied by the fee set forth in § 1.17(i) and must include a showing of good and sufficient reasons why it is necessary to defer issuance of the patent.

[54 FR 6903, Feb. 15, 1989; 60 FR 20227, Apr. 25, 1995]

37 C.F.R. § 1.315   Delivery of patent.

   The patent will be delivered or mailed upon issuance to the correspondence address of record. See § 1.33(a).

[24 FR 10332, Dec. 22, 1959, as amended at 54 FR 34880, Aug. 22, 1989; 55 FR 18245, May 1, 1990; 61 FR 42790, 42807, Aug. 19, 1996]

37 C.F.R. § 1.316   Application abandoned for failure to pay issue fee.

   If the issue fee is not paid within three months from the date of the notice of allowance, the application will be regarded as abandoned. Such an abandoned application will not be considered as pending before the Patent and Trademark Office.

[47 FR 41280, Sept. 17, 1982; 58 FR 44281, Aug. 20, 1993; 60 FR 20228, Apr. 25, 1995; 62 FR 53132, 53198, Oct. 10, 1997]

37 C.F.R. § 1.317   Lapsed patents; delayed payment of balance of issue fee.

   If the issue fee paid is the amount specified in the notice of allowance, but a higher amount is required at the time the issue fee is paid, any remaining balance of the issue fee is to be paid within three months from the date of notice thereof and, if not paid, the patent will lapse at the termination of the three-month period.

[47 FR 41280, Sept. 17, 1982; 58 FR 44281, Aug. 20, 1993; 60 FR 20228, Apr. 25, 1995; 62 FR 53132, 53198, Oct. 10, 1997]

37 C.F.R. § 1.318   [This section was removed and reserved.]

[43 FR 20465, May 11, 1978; 62 FR 53132, 53198, Oct. 10, 1997]

37 C.F.R. § 1.321   Statutory disclaimers, including terminal disclaimers.

(a) A patentee owning the whole or any sectional interest in a patent may disclaim any complete claim or claims in a patent. In like manner any patentee may disclaim or dedicate to the public the entire term, or any terminal part of the term, of the patent granted. Such disclaimer is binding upon the grantee and its successors or assigns. A notice of the disclaimer is published in the Official Gazette and attached to the printed copies of the specification. The disclaimer, to be recorded in the Patent and Trademark Office, must:

(1) Be signed by the patentee, or an attorney or agent of record;

(2) Identify the patent and complete claim or claims, or term being disclaimed. A disclaimer which is not a disclaimer of a complete claim or claims, or term will be refused recordation;

(3) State the present extent of patentee's ownership interest in the patent; and

(4) Be accompanied by the fee set forth in § 1.20(d).

(b) An applicant or assignee may disclaim or dedicate to the public the entire term, or any terminal part of the term, of a patent to be granted. Such terminal disclaimer is binding upon the grantee and its successors or assigns. The terminal disclaimer, to be recorded in the Patent and Trademark Office, must:

(1) Be signed:

(i) By the applicant, or

(ii) If there is an assignee of record of an undivided part interest, by the applicant and such assignee, or

(iii) If there is an assignee of record of the entire interest, by such assignee, or

(iv) By an attorney or agent of record;

(2) Specify the portion of the term of the patent being disclaimed;

(3) State the present extent of applicant's or assignee's ownership interest in the patent to be granted; and

(4) Be accompanied by the fee set forth in § 1.20(d).

(c) A terminal disclaimer, when filed to obviate a judicially created double patenting rejection in a patent application or in a reexamination proceeding, must:

(1) Comply with the provisions of paragraphs (b)(2) through (b)(4) of this section;

(2) Be signed in accordance with paragraph (b)(1) of this section if filed in a patent application or in accordance with paragraph (a)(1) of this section if filed in a reexamination proceeding; and

(3) Include a provision that any patent granted on that application or any patent subject to the reexamination proceeding shall be enforceable only for and during such period that said patent is commonly owned with the application or patent which formed the basis for the rejection.

[47 FR 41281, Sept. 17, 1982; 58 FR 54510, Oct, 22, 1993, as corrected at 58 FR 64155, Dec. 6, 1993; 61 FR 42790, 42807, Aug. 19, 1996]

37 C.F.R. § 1.322   Certificate of correction of Office mistake.

(a) A certificate of correction under 35 U.S.C. 254 may be issued at the request of the patentee or the patentee's assignee. Such certificate will not be issued at the request or suggestion of anyone not owning an interest in the patent, nor on motion of the Office, without first notifying the patentee (including any assignee of record) and affording the patentee an opportunity to be heard. When the request relates to a patent involved in an interference, the request shall comply with the requirements of this section and shall be accompanied by a motion under § 1.635.

(b) If the nature of the mistake on the part of the Office is such that a certificate of correction is deemed inappropriate in form, the Commissioner may issue a corrected patent in lieu thereof as a more appropriate form for certificate of correction, without expense to the patentee.

[24 FR 10332, Dec. 22, 1959, as amended at 49 FR 48454, Dec. 12, 1984]

37 C.F.R. § 1.323   Certificate of correction of applicant's mistake.

   Whenever a mistake of a clerical or typographical nature or of minor character which was not the fault of the Office, appears in a patent and a showing is made that such mistake occurred in good faith, the Commissioner may, upon payment of the fee set forth in § 1.20(a), issue a certificate, if the correction does not involve such changes in the patent as would constitute new matter or would require reexamination. A request for a certificate of correction of a patent involved in an interference shall comply with the requirements of this section and shall be accompanied by a motion under § 1.635.

[49 FR 48454, Dec. 12, 1984]

37 C.F.R. § 1.324   Correction of inventorship in patent.

(a) Whenever through error a person is named in an issued patent as the inventor, or through error an inventor is not named in an issued patent and such error arose without any deceptive intention on his or her part, the Commissioner may, on petition, or on order of a court before which such matter is called in question, issue a certificate naming only the actual inventor or inventors. A petition to correct inventorship of a patent involved in an interference must comply with the requirements of this section and must be accompanied by a motion under § 1.634.

(b) Any petition pursuant to paragraph (a) of this section must be accompanied by:

(1) A statement from each person who is being added as an inventor and from each person who is being deleted as an inventor that the inventorship error occurred without any deceptive intention on his or her part;

(2) A statement from the current named inventors who have not submitted a statement under paragraph (b)(1) of this section either agreeing to the change of inventorship or stating that they have no disagreement in regard to the requested change;

(3) A statement from all assignees of the parties submitting a statement under paragraphs (b)(1) and (b)(2) of this section agreeing to the change of inventorship in the patent, which statement must comply with the requirements of § 3.73(b) of this chapter; and

(4) The fee set forth in § 1.20(b).

[49 FR 48454, Dec. 12, 1984; 50 FR 23123, May 31, 1985; 62 FR 53132, 53199, Oct. 10, 1997]

37 C.F.R. § 1.325   Other mistakes not corrected.

   Mistakes other than those provided for in §§ 1.322, 1.323, 1.324, and not affording legal grounds for reissue or for reexamination, will not be corrected after the date of the patent.

[48 FR 2714, Jan. 20, 1983]

37 C.F.R. §§ 1.331--1.334   [Reserved]

[24 FR 10332, Dec. 22, 1959, as amended at 54 FR 34880, Aug. 22, 1989; 55 FR 18245, May 1, 1990]

37 C.F.R. § 1.335   Filing of notice of arbitration awards.

(a) Written notice of any award by an arbitrator pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 294 must be filed in the Patent and Trademark Office by the patentee, or the patentee's assignee or licensee. If the award involves more than one patent a separate notice must be filed for placement in the file of each patent. The notice must set forth the patent number, the names of the inventor and patent owner, and the names and addresses of the parties to the arbitration. The notice must also include a copy of the award.

(b) If an award by an arbitrator pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 294 is modified by a court, the party requesting the modification must file in the Patent and Trademark Office, a notice of the modification for placement in the file of each patent to which the modification applies. The notice must set forth the patent number, the names of the inventor and patent owner, and the names and addresses of the parties to the arbitration. The notice must also include a copy of the court's order modifying the award.

(c) Any award by an arbitrator pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 294 shall be unenforceable until any notices required by paragraph (a) or (b) of this section are filed in the Patent and Trademark Office. If any required notice is not filed by the party designated in paragraph (a) or (b) of this section, any party to the arbitration proceeding may file such a notice.

[48 FR 2714, Jan. 20, 1983]

37 C.F.R. § 1.351   Amendments to rules will be published.

   All amendments to the regulations in this part will be published in the Official Gazette and in the FEDERAL REGISTER.

[24 FR 10332, Dec. 22, 1959, as amended at 54 FR 34880, Aug. 22, 1989; 55 FR 18245, May 1, 1990]

37 C.F.R. § 1.352   [This section was removed and reserved].

[24 FR 10332, Dec. 22, 1959, as amended at 54 FR 34880, Aug. 22, 1989; 55 FR 18245, May 1, 1990; 58 FR 54511, Oct, 22, 1993, as corrected at 58 FR 64155, Dec. 6, 1993; 62 FR 53132, 53199, Oct. 10, 1997]

37 C.F.R. § 1.362   Time for payment of maintenance fees.

(a) Maintenance fees as set forth in §§ 1.20 (e) through (g) are required to be paid in all patents based on applications filed on or after December 12, 1980, except as noted in paragraph (b) of this section, to maintain a patent in force beyond 4, 8 and 12 years after the date of grant.

(b) Maintenance fees are not required for any plant patents or for any design patents. Maintenance fees are not required for a reissue patent if the patent being reissued did not require maintenance fees.

(c) The application filing dates for purposes of payment of maintenance fees are as follows:

(1) For an application not claiming benefit of an earlier application, the actual United States filing date of the application.

(2) For an application claiming benefit of an earlier foreign application under 35 U.S.C. 119, the United States filing date of the application.

(3) For a continuing (continuation, division, continuation-in-part) application claiming the benefit of a prior patent application under 35 U.S.C. 120, the actual United States filing date of the continuing application.

(4) For a reissue application, including a continuing reissue application claiming the benefit of a reissue application under 35 U.S.C. 120, United States filing date of the original non-reissue application on which the patent reissued is based.

(5) For an international application which has entered the United States as a Designated Office under 35 U.S.C. 371, the international filing date granted under Article 11(1) of the Patent Cooperation Treaty which is considered to be the United States filing date under 35 U.S.C. 363.

(d) Maintenance fees may be paid in patents without surcharge during the periods extending respectively from:

(1) 3 years through 3 years and 6 months after grant for the first maintenance fee,

(2) 7 years through 7 years and 6 months after grant for the second maintenance fee, and

(3) 11 years through 11 years and 6 months after grant for the third maintenance fee.

(e) Maintenance fees may be paid with the surcharge set forth in § 1.20(h) during the respective grace periods after:

(1) 3 years and 6 months and through the day of the 4th anniversary of the grant for the first maintenance fee.

(2) 7 years and 6 months and through the day of the 8th anniversary of the grant for the second maintenance fee, and

(3) 11 years and 6 months and through the day of the 12th anniversary of the grant for the third maintenance fee.

(f) If the last day for paying a maintenance fee without surcharge set forth in paragraph (d) of this section, or the last day for paying a maintenance fee with surcharge set forth in paragraph (e) of this section, falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or a federal holiday within the District of Columbia, the maintenance fee and any necessary surcharge may be paid under paragraph (d) or paragraph (e) respectively on the next succeeding day which is not a Saturday, Sunday, or federal holiday.

(g) Unless the maintenance fee and any applicable surcharge is paid within the time periods set forth in paragraphs (d), (e) or (f) of this section, the patent will expire as of the end of the grace period set forth in paragraph (e) of this section. A patent which expires for the failure to pay the maintenance fee will expire at the end of the same date (anniversary date) the patent was granted in the 4th, 8th, or 12th year after grant.

(h) The periods specified in §§ 1.362 (d) and (e) with respect to a reissue application, including a continuing reissue application thereof, are counted from the date of grant of the original non-reissue application on which the reissued patent is based.

[49 FR 34724, Aug. 31, 1984, as amended at 56 FR 65154, Dec. 13, 1991; 58 FR 54511, Oct, 22, 1993, as corrected at 58 FR 64155, Dec. 6, 1993]

 

Continuation: 37 C.F.R. § 1.363   Fee address for maintenance fee purposes.


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