What is unauthorized participation by a protestor in patent examination?
Unauthorized participation by a protestor refers to any ex parte communication between the protestor and Office personnel, including examiners, regarding substantive matters of a patent application. The Manual of Patent Examining Procedure (MPEP) Section 1907 explicitly states:
“Office personnel must exercise care to ensure that substantive matters relating to the application are not discussed ex parte with protestor or communicated in writing ex parte to protestor.”
This rule is designed to maintain the integrity and fairness of the patent examination process.
To learn more:
Topics:
MPEP 1900 - Protest,
MPEP 1907 - Unauthorized Participation By Protestor,
Patent Law,
Patent Procedure