What is the time limit for filing a U.S. application claiming foreign priority?
The U.S. nonprovisional application must generally be filed within 12 months of the filing date of the foreign application to claim priority. For design applications, this period is 6 months. Specifically, 37 CFR 1.55(b) states: “The nonprovisional application must be: (1) Filed not later than twelve months (six months in the case of a design…
Read MoreWhat does it mean if a patent application has a status of “rejected”?
A nonprovisional patent application is designated as “rejected” if, during prosecution before allowance, it contains an examiner’s action that has not been replied to by the applicant. As stated in MPEP 203.02: A nonprovisional application which, during its prosecution in the examining group and before allowance, contains an unanswered examiner’s action is designated as a…
Read MoreWhat is the status of a new nonprovisional patent application?
A “new” nonprovisional patent application is one that has not yet received an action by the examiner. Its status as a “new” application continues until the examiner takes action, even if the applicant files an amendment prior to the first Office Action. A request for continued examination (RCE) under 37 CFR 1.114 is not considered…
Read MoreWhen is a patent application considered “amended”?
According to MPEP 203.03, a nonprovisional patent application is considered “amended” after it has been initially acted on by the examiner, and the applicant has filed a reply to the examiner’s action. The applicant’s reply may include: An election A traverse of the examiner’s action An amendment to the application
Read MoreWhat is the status of a patent application after a notice of allowance is mailed?
Once a nonprovisional patent application has been examined and determined to meet all statutory requirements, a notice of allowance is sent to the applicant. The status of the application is then considered “allowed” or “in issue”. As per MPEP 203.04: An “allowed” nonprovisional application or an application “in issue” is one which has been examined…
Read MoreWhat is the significance of the March 16, 2013 date in patent applications?
March 16, 2013 is a crucial date in U.S. patent law due to the implementation of the America Invents Act (AIA). This date marks the transition from the pre-AIA first-to-invent system to the AIA first-inventor-to-file system. The significance includes: Applications filed on or after this date are generally subject to AIA provisions The effective filing…
Read MoreWhat is the significance of the filing date for foreign applications in priority claims?
The filing date of foreign applications is significant in priority claims for the following reasons: It establishes the effective date of the priority claim. The date accorded is the date on which the specification and drawing were filed, not necessarily the date of the petition (which is called the application in some countries). This date…
Read MoreWhat are the potential risks or drawbacks of filing a continuation-in-part application?
Filing a continuation-in-part (CIP) application can present several risks and potential drawbacks: 1. Different Effective Filing Dates: New matter in the CIP only gets the benefit of the CIP filing date, potentially exposing those claims to more prior art. 2. Reduced Patent Term: The patent term is measured from the filing date of the earliest…
Read MoreWhat is the right of priority for foreign patent applications?
The right of priority allows an applicant who has filed a patent application in a foreign country to claim priority to that earlier filing date when filing a subsequent U.S. application for the same invention. This right is established by 35 U.S.C. 119 and gives the U.S. application the benefit of the earlier foreign filing…
Read MoreCan I restore the right of priority if I miss the 12-month filing deadline?
Yes, it is possible to restore the right of priority if you miss the 12-month filing deadline (6 months for design applications). As provided in 37 CFR 1.55(c), if the subsequent application is filed within two months from the expiration of the priority period, the right of priority may be restored upon petition. The petition…
Read More