How long can issuance of a patent be deferred?
According to the MPEP, the standard deferment period is typically limited:
“It has been the policy of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to defer issuance of a patent, upon request, for a period of up to 1 month only, in the absence of extraordinary circumstances or requirement of the regulations (e.g., 37 CFR 1.177) which would dictate a longer period.”
This means that under normal circumstances, the maximum deferment period is one month. However, extraordinary circumstances or specific regulatory requirements may allow for a longer deferment period.
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