When is a patent application considered ‘allowed’ or ‘in issue’?

MPEP 203.04 defines an ‘allowed’ or ‘in issue’ patent application as follows: An ‘allowed’ nonprovisional application or an application ‘in issue’ is one which has been examined and determined to meet all statutory requirements, and in which a notice of allowance has been sent to the applicant. Its status as an ‘allowed’ application continues from…

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What 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…

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What is the difference between an ‘allowed’ application and an application ‘in issue’?

According to the MPEP, there is no substantial difference between an ‘allowed’ application and an application ‘in issue’. The MPEP uses these terms interchangeably: “An ‘allowed’ nonprovisional application or an application ‘in issue’ is one which has been examined and determined to meet all statutory requirements, and in which a notice of allowance has been…

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What is the typical timeframe for receiving a Notice of Allowance after a Notice of Allowability?

The timeframe for receiving a Notice of Allowance (PTOL-85) after a Notice of Allowability (Form PTOL-37) is generally within three months. However, if you don’t receive the Notice of Allowance within this period, it may be appropriate to make a status inquiry. The MPEP states: A Notice of Allowability, Form PTOL-37, is routinely mailed in…

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What should applicants do upon receiving a Notice of Allowance regarding PDX?

When applicants receive a Notice of Allowance, they should take specific actions regarding PDX as outlined in MPEP 215.01: Upon receipt of a Notice of Allowance, applicants should check to see whether the Office has received a copy of the foreign application under the priority document exchange program because successful retrieval of priority documents cannot…

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