37 CFR § 1.137 — Revival of abandoned application, or terminated (MPEP Index) – BlueIron IP
37 CFR § 1.137 Revival of abandoned application, or terminated
This page consolidates MPEP guidance interpreting 37 CFR § 1.137, including 255 rules from the Manual of Patent Examining Procedure. It is provided as guidance, with links to the ground truth sources. This is information only, it is not legal advice.
Summary
The revival of an abandoned patent application due to unintentional delay involves filing a petition that includes all required elements.
What this section covers
- This section covers petitions for unintentional delays leading to the abandonment of patent applications, including specific requirements and conditions.
Key obligations
- The primary requirement is to file a petition for revival of the abandoned application, which must include all necessary elements.
- For abandoned applications, a copy of the specification and drawings must be included in the petition.
- Payment of issue or publication fees is required if applicable, as per the authority (USC/CFR).
Practice notes
- Ensure all required elements are included in the petition to avoid delays or rejections.
- Timely filing and compliance with all requirements are crucial to successfully revive an abandoned application.
Official MPEP § 1.137 — Revival of abandoned application, or terminated
Source: USPTOLast Modified: 10/30/2024 08:50:22
1.137 Revival of abandoned application, or terminated or limited reexamination prosecution.
- (a) Revival on the basis of unintentional delay. If the delay in reply by applicant or patent owner was unintentional, a petition may be filed pursuant to this section to revive an abandoned application or a reexamination prosecution terminated under § 1.550(d) or § 1.957(b) or limited under § 1.957(c) .
- (b)
Petition requirements. A grantable petition
pursuant to this section must be accompanied by:
- (1) The reply required to the outstanding Office action or notice, unless previously filed;
- (2) The petition fee as set forth in § 1.17(m) ;
- (3) Any terminal disclaimer (and fee as set forth in § 1.20(d) ) required pursuant to paragraph (d) of this section; and
- (4) A statement that the entire delay in filing the required reply from the due date for the reply until the filing of a grantable petition pursuant to this section was unintentional. The Director may require additional information where there is a question whether the delay was unintentional.
- (c) Reply. In an application abandoned under § 1.57(a) , the reply must include a copy of the specification and any drawings of the previously filed application. In an application or patent abandoned for failure to pay the issue fee or any portion thereof, the required reply must include payment of the issue fee or any outstanding balance. In an application abandoned for failure to pay the publication fee, the required reply must include payment of the publication fee. In a nonprovisional application abandoned for failure to prosecute, the required reply may be met by the filing of a continuing application. In a nonprovisional utility or plant application filed on or after June 8, 1995, abandoned after the close of prosecution as defined in § 1.114(b) , the required reply may also be met by the filing of a request for continued examination in compliance with § 1.114 .
- (d)
Terminal disclaimer.
- (1) Any petition to revive pursuant to this
section in a design application must be accompanied by a
terminal disclaimer and fee as set forth in §
1.321
dedicating to the public a terminal part of the term of any
patent granted thereon equivalent to the period of
abandonment of the application. Any petition to revive
pursuant to this section in either a utility or plant
application filed before June 8, 1995, must be accompanied by
a terminal disclaimer and fee as set forth in §
1.321
dedicating to the public a terminal part of the term of any
patent granted thereon equivalent to the lesser of:
- (i) The period of abandonment of the application; or
- (ii) The period extending beyond twenty years from the date on which the application for the patent was filed in the United States or, if the application contains a specific reference to an earlier filed application(s) under 35 U.S.C. 120 , 121 , 365(c) , or 386(c) from the date on which the earliest such application was filed.
- (2) Any terminal disclaimer pursuant to paragraph (d)(1) of this section must also apply to any patent granted on a continuing utility or plant application filed before June 8, 1995, or a continuing design application, that contains a specific reference under 35 U.S.C. 120 , 121 , 365(c) , or 386(c) to the application for which revival is sought.
- (3) The provisions of paragraph (d)(1) of this section do not apply to applications for which revival is sought solely for purposes of copendency with a utility or plant application filed on or after June 8, 1995, to reissue applications, or to reexamination proceedings.
- (1) Any petition to revive pursuant to this
section in a design application must be accompanied by a
terminal disclaimer and fee as set forth in §
1.321
dedicating to the public a terminal part of the term of any
patent granted thereon equivalent to the period of
abandonment of the application. Any petition to revive
pursuant to this section in either a utility or plant
application filed before June 8, 1995, must be accompanied by
a terminal disclaimer and fee as set forth in §
1.321
dedicating to the public a terminal part of the term of any
patent granted thereon equivalent to the lesser of:
- (e)
Request for reconsideration. Any request for
reconsideration or review of a decision refusing to revive an
abandoned application, or a terminated or limited reexamination
prosecution, upon petition filed pursuant to this section, to be
considered timely, must be filed within two months of the decision
refusing to revive or within such time as set in the decision.
Unless a decision indicates otherwise, this time period may be
extended under:
- (1) The provisions of § 1.136 for an abandoned application;
- (2) The provisions of § 1.550(c) for a terminated ex parte reexamination prosecution, where the ex parte reexamination was filed under § 1.510 ; or
- (3) The provisions of § 1.956 for a terminated inter partes reexamination prosecution or an inter partes reexamination limited as to further prosecution, where the inter partes reexamination was filed under § 1.913 .
- (f) Abandonment for failure to notify the Office of a foreign filing. A nonprovisional application abandoned pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 122(b)(2)(B)(iii) for failure to timely notify the Office of the filing of an application in a foreign country or under a multinational treaty that requires publication of applications eighteen months after filing, may be revived pursuant to this section. The reply requirement of paragraph (c) of this section is met by the notification of such filing in a foreign country or under a multinational treaty, but the filing of a petition under this section will not operate to stay any period for reply that may be running against the application.
- (g) Provisional applications. A provisional application, abandoned for failure to timely respond to an Office requirement, may be revived pursuant to this section. Subject to the provisions of 35 U.S.C. 119(e)(3) and § 1.7(b) , a provisional application will not be regarded as pending after twelve months from its filing date under any circumstances.
[47 FR 41272, Sept. 17, 1982, effective Oct. 1, 1982; para. (b) 48 FR 2696, Jan. 20, 1983, effective Feb. 27, 1983; paras. (a) – (c), paras. (d) & (e) added, 58 FR 44277, Aug. 20,1993, effective Sept. 20, 1993; para. (c) revised, 60 FR 20195, Apr. 25, 1995, effective June 8, 1995; revised, 62 FR 53132, Oct. 10, 1997, effective Dec. 1, 1997; para. (c) revised, 65 FR 54604, Sept. 8, 2000, effective Sept. 8, 2000; revised, 65 FR 57024, Sept. 20, 2000, effective Nov. 29, 2000; para. (d)(3) revised, 69 FR 56481, Sept. 21, 2004, effective Sept. 21, 2004; heading, paras. (a) introductory text, (b) introductory text, and (e) revised, 72 FR 18892, Apr. 16, 2007, effective May 16, 2007; revised, 78 FR 62368, Oct. 21, 2013, effective Dec. 18, 2013; paras. (d)(1)(ii) and (d)(2) revised, 80 FR 17918, Apr. 2, 2015, effective May 13, 2015]
- Abandonment
- Express Abandonment
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