How should long documents be handled in a supplemental examination request?

When submitting documents as part of a supplemental examination request, special handling is required for lengthy documents. According to MPEP 2811:

“For any document submitted as part of the request having a length in excess of 50 pages, a summary of the relevant portions of the document with citations to the particular pages containing the relevant portions must be provided.”

This requirement ensures that the examiner can efficiently review the most pertinent parts of long documents. When preparing a summary for a document over 50 pages:

• Focus on the portions most relevant to the aspects of the patent to be examined
• Provide specific page citations for each relevant portion
• Keep the summary concise but comprehensive enough to capture key information

This approach helps streamline the supplemental examination process and allows for a more effective review of the submitted information.

To learn more:

• supplemental examination
• long documents
• document summary