What is the international preliminary examination procedure?
The international preliminary examination is conducted according to PCT Article 34 and PCT Rule 66. The MPEP states:
The examiner takes into consideration any comments or amendments made by the applicant when establishing the international preliminary examination report.
This process involves studying the application’s description, drawings, claims, prior art cited in the international search report, and the written opinion of the International Searching Authority. The examiner also updates the previous search and records any new prior art discovered.
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