What sources of information are covered by the duty of disclosure under 37 CFR 1.56?
The duty of disclosure under 37 CFR 1.56 covers all material information that individuals are aware of, regardless of the source. This includes information from: Co-workers Trade shows Communications with competitors or potential infringers Related foreign applications Prior or copending U.S. patent applications Related litigation and post-grant proceedings Preliminary examination searches Information related to regulatory…
Read MoreHow should information from related foreign patent applications be handled?
Information from related foreign patent applications, particularly prior art cited or used in rejecting claims, must be brought to the attention of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The MPEP states: “Applicants and other individuals, as set forth in 37 CFR 1.56, have a duty to bring to the attention of the Office any material…
Read MoreWhat are the disclosure requirements for information related to regulatory review, such as FDA submissions?
Information submitted to regulatory review bodies, such as the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA), may be material to pending patent applications or reexamination proceedings and should be disclosed to the USPTO. The MPEP states: “Where relevant documentation is submitted to a regulatory review body, such as the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA), and…
Read MoreHow should information from related litigation and trial proceedings be handled?
Information from related litigation and trial proceedings, including those conducted by the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB), must be disclosed if it is material to pending related patent applications. The MPEP states: “Where the subject matter for which a patent is being sought is or has been involved in litigation and/or a trial proceeding,…
Read MoreWhat information from copending U.S. patent applications needs to be disclosed?
Individuals covered by 37 CFR 1.56 must disclose information about copending U.S. patent applications that are “material to patentability” of the application in question. This includes: Identification of pending or abandoned applications filed by at least one of the inventors or assigned to the same assignee Applications that disclose similar subject matter Prior art references…
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