MPEP § 2591 — Intervening Rights in Reinstated Patents (Annotated Rules)
§2591 Intervening Rights in Reinstated Patents
This page consolidates and annotates all enforceable requirements under MPEP § 2591, including statutory authority, regulatory rules, examiner guidance, and practice notes. It is provided as guidance, with links to the ground truth sources. This is information only, it is not legal advice.
Intervening Rights in Reinstated Patents
This section addresses Intervening Rights in Reinstated Patents. Primary authority: 35 U.S.C. 41(c)(2). Contains: 1 requirement and 1 other statement.
Key Rules
Intervening Rights After Reinstatement
Intervening rights in reinstated patents are provided by 35 U.S.C. 41(c)(2) which is reproduced in MPEP § 2501. No patent, the term of which has been maintained as a result of the acceptance of a late payment of a maintenance fee, shall abridge or affect the right of any person or his or her successors in business who made, purchased, imported, or used after the 6-month grace period but prior to the acceptance of the late maintenance fee anything protected by the patent, to continue the use or importation of, or to sell to others to be used or sold, the specific things made, purchased, imported, or used. A court before which such matter is in question may provide for the continued manufacture, use, importation, or sale of the thing made, purchased, imported, or used as specified, or for the manufacture, use, importation, or sale of which substantial preparation was made after the 6-month grace period but before the acceptance of the late maintenance fee, and it may also provide for the continued practice of any process, practiced, or for the practice of which substantial preparation was made, after the 6-month grace period but prior to the acceptance of the late maintenance fee, to the extent and under such terms as the court deems equitable for the protection of investments made or business commenced after the 6-month grace period but before the acceptance of the late maintenance fee.
Grace Period Window
Intervening rights in reinstated patents are provided by 35 U.S.C. 41(c)(2) which is reproduced in MPEP § 2501. No patent, the term of which has been maintained as a result of the acceptance of a late payment of a maintenance fee, shall abridge or affect the right of any person or his or her successors in business who made, purchased, imported, or used after the 6-month grace period but prior to the acceptance of the late maintenance fee anything protected by the patent, to continue the use or importation of, or to sell to others to be used or sold, the specific things made, purchased, imported, or used. A court before which such matter is in question may provide for the continued manufacture, use, importation, or sale of the thing made, purchased, imported, or used as specified, or for the manufacture, use, importation, or sale of which substantial preparation was made after the 6-month grace period but before the acceptance of the late maintenance fee, and it may also provide for the continued practice of any process, practiced, or for the practice of which substantial preparation was made, after the 6-month grace period but prior to the acceptance of the late maintenance fee, to the extent and under such terms as the court deems equitable for the protection of investments made or business commenced after the 6-month grace period but before the acceptance of the late maintenance fee.
Citations
| Primary topic | Citation |
|---|---|
| Grace Period Window Intervening Rights After Reinstatement | 35 U.S.C. § 41(c)(2) |
| Grace Period Window Intervening Rights After Reinstatement | MPEP § 2501 |
Source Text from USPTO’s MPEP
This is an exact copy of the MPEP from the USPTO. It is here for your reference to see the section in context.
Official MPEP § 2591 — Intervening Rights in Reinstated Patents
Source: USPTO2591 Intervening Rights in Reinstated Patents [R-08.2012]
Intervening rights in reinstated patents are provided by 35 U.S.C. 41(c)(2) which is reproduced in MPEP § 2501. No patent, the term of which has been maintained as a result of the acceptance of a late payment of a maintenance fee, shall abridge or affect the right of any person or his or her successors in business who made, purchased, imported, or used after the 6-month grace period but prior to the acceptance of the late maintenance fee anything protected by the patent, to continue the use or importation of, or to sell to others to be used or sold, the specific things made, purchased, imported, or used. A court before which such matter is in question may provide for the continued manufacture, use, importation, or sale of the thing made, purchased, imported, or used as specified, or for the manufacture, use, importation, or sale of which substantial preparation was made after the 6-month grace period but before the acceptance of the late maintenance fee, and it may also provide for the continued practice of any process, practiced, or for the practice of which substantial preparation was made, after the 6-month grace period but prior to the acceptance of the late maintenance fee, to the extent and under such terms as the court deems equitable for the protection of investments made or business commenced after the 6-month grace period but before the acceptance of the late maintenance fee.