Patent Law FAQ
This FAQ answers all your questions about patent law, patent procedure, and the patent examination process.
MPEP 2600 – Optional Inter Partes Reexamination (1)
When submitting new drawing sheets in a reexamination proceeding, there are specific requirements that must be followed:
- New sheets must be submitted for each drawing sheet that is changed or amended.
- If a new drawing sheet contains multiple figures, each figure must be properly identified according to 37 CFR 1.530(d)(3):
“Amended figures must be identified as “Amended,” and any added figure must be identified as “New.” In the event a figure is canceled, the figure must be surrounded by brackets and identified as “Canceled.”
It’s important to note that:
- Changes cannot be made on the original patent drawings.
- It is not sufficient to generally indicate that the entire sheet is amended (e.g., by placing “Amended” in the header of the drawing sheet).
- Each individual figure that has been amended must be clearly marked as “Amended.”
- New figures must be identified as “New.”
- Canceled figures must be surrounded by brackets and labeled “Canceled.”
After proper identification and labeling, the new sheets of drawings should be entered into the reexamination file.
To learn more:
MPEP 2666.02 – Correction Of Patent Drawings (1)
When submitting new drawing sheets in a reexamination proceeding, there are specific requirements that must be followed:
- New sheets must be submitted for each drawing sheet that is changed or amended.
- If a new drawing sheet contains multiple figures, each figure must be properly identified according to 37 CFR 1.530(d)(3):
“Amended figures must be identified as “Amended,” and any added figure must be identified as “New.” In the event a figure is canceled, the figure must be surrounded by brackets and identified as “Canceled.”
It’s important to note that:
- Changes cannot be made on the original patent drawings.
- It is not sufficient to generally indicate that the entire sheet is amended (e.g., by placing “Amended” in the header of the drawing sheet).
- Each individual figure that has been amended must be clearly marked as “Amended.”
- New figures must be identified as “New.”
- Canceled figures must be surrounded by brackets and labeled “Canceled.”
After proper identification and labeling, the new sheets of drawings should be entered into the reexamination file.
To learn more:
Patent Law (2)
When submitting new drawing sheets in a reexamination proceeding, there are specific requirements that must be followed:
- New sheets must be submitted for each drawing sheet that is changed or amended.
- If a new drawing sheet contains multiple figures, each figure must be properly identified according to 37 CFR 1.530(d)(3):
“Amended figures must be identified as “Amended,” and any added figure must be identified as “New.” In the event a figure is canceled, the figure must be surrounded by brackets and identified as “Canceled.”
It’s important to note that:
- Changes cannot be made on the original patent drawings.
- It is not sufficient to generally indicate that the entire sheet is amended (e.g., by placing “Amended” in the header of the drawing sheet).
- Each individual figure that has been amended must be clearly marked as “Amended.”
- New figures must be identified as “New.”
- Canceled figures must be surrounded by brackets and labeled “Canceled.”
After proper identification and labeling, the new sheets of drawings should be entered into the reexamination file.
To learn more:
When canceling a figure in a patent application, the following procedure should be followed:
- Submit a replacement sheet of drawings without the canceled figure.
- If the canceled figure was the only drawing on the sheet, provide a marked-up copy of the drawing sheet with an annotation showing the cancellation.
- Label the marked-up copy as “Annotated Sheet”.
- Present the annotated sheet in the amendment or remarks section explaining the changes.
- Amend the brief description of the drawings to reflect the change.
This procedure is outlined in MPEP 608.02(t), which states: “If a drawing figure is canceled, a replacement sheet of drawings must be submitted without the figure (see 37 CFR 1.121(d)). If the canceled drawing figure was the only drawing on the sheet, then only a marked-up copy of the drawing sheet including an annotation showing that the drawing has been cancelled is required.”
To learn more:
Patent Procedure (2)
When submitting new drawing sheets in a reexamination proceeding, there are specific requirements that must be followed:
- New sheets must be submitted for each drawing sheet that is changed or amended.
- If a new drawing sheet contains multiple figures, each figure must be properly identified according to 37 CFR 1.530(d)(3):
“Amended figures must be identified as “Amended,” and any added figure must be identified as “New.” In the event a figure is canceled, the figure must be surrounded by brackets and identified as “Canceled.”
It’s important to note that:
- Changes cannot be made on the original patent drawings.
- It is not sufficient to generally indicate that the entire sheet is amended (e.g., by placing “Amended” in the header of the drawing sheet).
- Each individual figure that has been amended must be clearly marked as “Amended.”
- New figures must be identified as “New.”
- Canceled figures must be surrounded by brackets and labeled “Canceled.”
After proper identification and labeling, the new sheets of drawings should be entered into the reexamination file.
To learn more:
When canceling a figure in a patent application, the following procedure should be followed:
- Submit a replacement sheet of drawings without the canceled figure.
- If the canceled figure was the only drawing on the sheet, provide a marked-up copy of the drawing sheet with an annotation showing the cancellation.
- Label the marked-up copy as “Annotated Sheet”.
- Present the annotated sheet in the amendment or remarks section explaining the changes.
- Amend the brief description of the drawings to reflect the change.
This procedure is outlined in MPEP 608.02(t), which states: “If a drawing figure is canceled, a replacement sheet of drawings must be submitted without the figure (see 37 CFR 1.121(d)). If the canceled drawing figure was the only drawing on the sheet, then only a marked-up copy of the drawing sheet including an annotation showing that the drawing has been cancelled is required.”
To learn more: