What are the requirements for acceptable patent drawings?
According to MPEP 608.02(b), drawings are considered either acceptable or unacceptable. The Office of Patent Application Processing (OPAP) will accept drawings if they are readable and reproducible for publication purposes. Additionally, examiners review drawings for: Disclosure of the claimed invention Proper use of reference numerals The MPEP states: Drawings will be accepted by the Office…
Read MoreWhat steps were taken if an inventor’s signature was missing from a continuation or divisional application?
If an inventor’s signature was missing from a continuation or divisional application, the Office of Patent Application Processing (OPAP) would typically take the following steps: Send a “Notice to File Missing Parts” requiring the signature of the nonsigning inventor. If a copy of the decision according status under pre-AIA 37 CFR 1.47 was not included…
Read MoreWhat happens if the OPAP finds patent drawings unacceptable?
If the Office of Patent Application Processing (OPAP) finds patent drawings unacceptable, the following process occurs: OPAP sends a Notice to File Corrected Application Papers to the applicant. The applicant is given a two-month period from the mailing date to file acceptable drawings. This period is extendable under 37 CFR 1.136(a). The application will not…
Read MoreWhat happens if the reference to a prior application is not in the first sentence of the specification?
If the reference to a prior application is not in the first sentence of the specification, it may still be acceptable under certain conditions. According to MPEP 211.02: If the reference to the prior application is not in the first sentence of the specification, it may be given limited review. For example, if an application…
Read MoreWhat happens if drawings submitted in a patent application are marked as ‘informal’?
If drawings submitted in a patent application are marked as ‘informal’ but are considered acceptable by the Office of Patent Application Processing (OPAP), the examiner will not require replacement of the drawings. As stated in the MPEP: If the drawings submitted in an application have been indicated by the applicant as “informal,” but the drawings…
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