Therefore, in an application filed under 35 U.S.C. 111(a) prior to December 18, 2013 and in a design application, a claim is a statutory requirement for according a filing date to the application. 35 U.S.C. 171 makes 35 U.S.C. 112 applicable to design applications. 35 U.S.C. 162 specifically requires the specification in a plant patent application to contain a claim, but a claim is not required for receiving a filing date for plant patent applications filed on or after December 18, 2013. In addition, 35 U.S.C. 111(b)(2) provides that “[a] claim, as required by subsections (b) through (e) of section 112, shall not be required in a provisional application.” Thus, only design applications and nonprovisional applications filed prior to December 18, 2013 that are filed without at least one claim are incomplete and not entitled to a filing date.

Therefore, in an application filed under 35 U.S.C. 111(a) prior to December 18, 2013 and in a design application, a claim is a statutory requirement for according a filing date to the application. 35 U.S.C. 171 makes 35 U.S.C. 112 applicable to design applications. 35 U.S.C. 162 specifically requires the specification in a plant patent application to contain a claim, but a claim is not required for receiving a filing date for plant patent applications filed on or after December 18, 2013. In addition, 35 U.S.C. 111(b)(2) provides that “[a] claim, as required by subsections (b) through (e) of section 112, shall not be required in a provisional application.” Thus, only design applications and nonprovisional applications filed prior to December 18, 2013 that are filed without at least one claim are incomplete and not entitled to a filing date.

Therefore, in an application filed under 35 U.S.C. 111(a) prior to December 18, 2013 and in a design application, a claim is a statutory requirement for according a filing date to the application. 35 U.S.C. 171 makes 35 U.S.C. 112 applicable to design applications. 35 U.S.C. 162 specifically requires the specification in a plant patent application to contain a claim, but a claim is not required for receiving a filing date for plant patent applications filed on or after December 18, 2013. In addition, 35 U.S.C. 111(b)(2) provides that “[a] claim, as required by subsections (b) through (e) of section 112, shall not be required in a provisional application.” Thus, only design applications and nonprovisional applications filed prior to December 18, 2013 that are filed without at least one claim are incomplete and not entitled to a filing date.

If a nonprovisional application filed prior to December 18, 2013 or a design application does not contain at least one claim, a “Notice of Incomplete Application” will be mailed to the applicant(s) indicating that no filing date has been granted and setting a period for submitting a claim. The filing date will be the date of receipt of at least one claim. See In re Mattson, 208 USPQ 168 (Comm’r Pat. 1980). In applications filed before September 16, 2012, an oath or declaration in compliance with pre-AIA 37 CFR 1.63 and pre-AIA 37 CFR 1.64 referring to the claim being submitted is also required.

If a nonprovisional application filed prior to December 18, 2013 or a design application does not contain at least one claim, a “Notice of Incomplete Application” will be mailed to the applicant(s) indicating that no filing date has been granted and setting a period for submitting a claim. The filing date will be the date of receipt of at least one claim. See In re Mattson, 208 USPQ 168 (Comm’r Pat. 1980). In applications filed before September 16, 2012, an oath or declaration in compliance with pre-AIA 37 CFR 1.63 and pre-AIA 37 CFR 1.64 referring to the claim being submitted is also required.

If a nonprovisional application filed prior to December 18, 2013 or a design application is accompanied by a preliminary amendment which cancels all claims without presenting any new or substitute claims, the Office will disapprove such an amendment. See 37 CFR 1.115(b)(1) and Exxon Corp. v. Phillips Petroleum Co., 265 F.3d 1249, 60 USPQ2d 1368 (Fed. Cir. 2001). Thus, the application will not be denied a filing date merely because such a preliminary amendment was submitted on filing. For fee calculation purposes, the Office will treat such an application as containing only a single claim.

[Editor Note: This section is only applicable to nonprovisional applications filed prior to December 18, 2013 or to design applications. Nonprovisional applications, which are not design applications, filed under 35 U.S.C. 111(a) on or after December 18, 2013 are entitled to a filing date even if the specification does not contain claims. If such an application is filed without claims, it may be completed subsequent to its filing date. See MPEP § 601.01(a), subsection II.]

[Editor Note: This section is only applicable to nonprovisional applications filed prior to December 18, 2013 or to design applications. Nonprovisional applications, which are not design applications, filed under 35 U.S.C. 111(a) on or after December 18, 2013 are entitled to a filing date even if the specification does not contain claims. If such an application is filed without claims, it may be completed subsequent to its filing date. See MPEP § 601.01(a), subsection II.]

For nonprovisional applications filed prior to December 18, 2013 or design applications, the applicable version of 35 U.S.C. 111(a)(2) requires that an application for patent include, inter alia, “a specification as prescribed by section 112,” and the applicable version of 35 U.S.C. 111(a)(4) provides that the “filing date of an application shall be the date on which the specification and any required drawing are received in the Patent and Trademark Office.” 35 U.S.C. 112(a) provides, in part, that “[t]he specification shall contain a written description of the invention,” and 35 U.S.C. 112(b), provides that “[t]he specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.” Also, the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit stated in Litton Systems, Inc. v. Whirlpool Corp.:

If a nonprovisional application filed prior to December 18, 2013 or a design application does not contain at least one claim, a “Notice of Incomplete Application” will be mailed to the applicant(s) indicating that no filing date has been granted and setting a period for submitting a claim. The filing date will be the date of receipt of at least one claim. See In re Mattson, 208 USPQ 168 (Comm’r Pat. 1980). In applications filed before September 16, 2012, an oath or declaration in compliance with pre-AIA 37 CFR 1.63 and pre-AIA 37 CFR 1.64 referring to the claim being submitted is also required.

If a nonprovisional application filed prior to December 18, 2013 or a design application does not contain at least one claim, a “Notice of Incomplete Application” will be mailed to the applicant(s) indicating that no filing date has been granted and setting a period for submitting a claim. The filing date will be the date of receipt of at least one claim. See In re Mattson, 208 USPQ 168 (Comm’r Pat. 1980). In applications filed before September 16, 2012, an oath or declaration in compliance with pre-AIA 37 CFR 1.63 and pre-AIA 37 CFR 1.64 referring to the claim being submitted is also required.

As 37 CFR 1.53(c)(2) permits the conversion of an application filed under 35 U.S.C. 111(a) to an application under 35 U.S.C. 111(b), an applicant in an application, other than for a design patent, filed under 35 U.S.C. 111(a) on or after June 8, 1995, without at least one claim has the alternative of filing a petition under 37 CFR 1.53(c)(2) to convert such application into an application under 35 U.S.C. 111(b), which does not require a claim to be entitled to its date of deposit as a filing date. Such a petition, however, must be filed prior to the expiration of 12 months after the date of deposit of the application under 35 U.S.C. 111(a), and comply with the other requirements of 37 CFR 1.53(c)(2). See MPEP § 601.01(c). For nonprovisional applications filed under 35 U.S.C. 111(a) on or after December 18, 2013, there is no need to request conversion to a provisional application because such applications do not require presentation of at least one claim to obtain a filing date.

As 37 CFR 1.53(c)(2) permits the conversion of an application filed under 35 U.S.C. 111(a) to an application under 35 U.S.C. 111(b), an applicant in an application, other than for a design patent, filed under 35 U.S.C. 111(a) on or after June 8, 1995, without at least one claim has the alternative of filing a petition under 37 CFR 1.53(c)(2) to convert such application into an application under 35 U.S.C. 111(b), which does not require a claim to be entitled to its date of deposit as a filing date. Such a petition, however, must be filed prior to the expiration of 12 months after the date of deposit of the application under 35 U.S.C. 111(a), and comply with the other requirements of 37 CFR 1.53(c)(2). See MPEP § 601.01(c). For nonprovisional applications filed under 35 U.S.C. 111(a) on or after December 18, 2013, there is no need to request conversion to a provisional application because such applications do not require presentation of at least one claim to obtain a filing date.

[Editor Note: This section is only applicable to nonprovisional applications filed prior to December 18, 2013 or to design applications. Nonprovisional applications, which are not design applications, filed under 35 U.S.C. 111(a) on or after December 18, 2013 are entitled to a filing date even if the specification does not contain claims. If such an application is filed without claims, it may be completed subsequent to its filing date. See MPEP § 601.01(a), subsection II.]

For nonprovisional applications filed prior to December 18, 2013 or design applications, the applicable version of 35 U.S.C. 111(a)(2) requires that an application for patent include, inter alia, “a specification as prescribed by section 112,” and the applicable version of 35 U.S.C. 111(a)(4) provides that the “filing date of an application shall be the date on which the specification and any required drawing are received in the Patent and Trademark Office.” 35 U.S.C. 112(a) provides, in part, that “[t]he specification shall contain a written description of the invention,” and 35 U.S.C. 112(b), provides that “[t]he specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.” Also, the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit stated in Litton Systems, Inc. v. Whirlpool Corp.:

Both statute, 35 U.S.C. 111[(a)], and federal regulations, 37 CFR 1.51[(b)], make clear the requirement that an application for a patent must include… a specification and claims…. The omission of any one of these component parts makes a patent application incomplete and thus not entitled to a filing date.

Both statute, 35 U.S.C. 111[(a)], and federal regulations, 37 CFR 1.51[(b)], make clear the requirement that an application for a patent must include… a specification and claims…. The omission of any one of these component parts makes a patent application incomplete and thus not entitled to a filing date.

Therefore, in an application filed under 35 U.S.C. 111(a) prior to December 18, 2013 and in a design application, a claim is a statutory requirement for according a filing date to the application. 35 U.S.C. 171 makes 35 U.S.C. 112 applicable to design applications. 35 U.S.C. 162 specifically requires the specification in a plant patent application to contain a claim, but a claim is not required for receiving a filing date for plant patent applications filed on or after December 18, 2013. In addition, 35 U.S.C. 111(b)(2) provides that “[a] claim, as required by subsections (b) through (e) of section 112, shall not be required in a provisional application.” Thus, only design applications and nonprovisional applications filed prior to December 18, 2013 that are filed without at least one claim are incomplete and not entitled to a filing date.

If a nonprovisional application filed prior to December 18, 2013 or a design application is accompanied by a preliminary amendment which cancels all claims without presenting any new or substitute claims, the Office will disapprove such an amendment. See 37 CFR 1.115(b)(1) and Exxon Corp. v. Phillips Petroleum Co., 265 F.3d 1249, 60 USPQ2d 1368 (Fed. Cir. 2001). Thus, the application will not be denied a filing date merely because such a preliminary amendment was submitted on filing. For fee calculation purposes, the Office will treat such an application as containing only a single claim.