What is a provisional rejection under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) using provisional prior art under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(e)?

A provisional rejection under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) using provisional prior art under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(e) is a specific type of rejection made in certain patent examination situations. The MPEP explains: “Where two applications of different inventive entities are copending, not published under 35 U.S.C. 122(b), and the filing dates differ, a provisional rejection under…

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How can a provisional rejection under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) based on provisional prior art under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(e) be overcome?

There are several ways to overcome a provisional rejection under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) based on provisional prior art under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(e). The MPEP outlines the following methods: Arguing patentability over the earlier filed application Combining the subject matter of the copending applications into a single application Filing an affidavit or declaration under 37…

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