What constitutes a “patent” for rejection purposes under 35 U.S.C. 102(a) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(a) and (b)?

The designation of a document as a “patent” by a foreign country does not automatically qualify it as a patent for rejection purposes under U.S. patent law. As stated in MPEP 2126: “It is the substance of the rights conferred and the way information within the ‘patent’ is controlled that is determinative.” This means that…

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How can an applicant overcome a rejection under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(e)?

An applicant can overcome a rejection under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(e) through several methods: Persuasively arguing that the claims are patentably distinguishable from the prior art Amending the claims to patentably distinguish over the prior art Filing an affidavit or declaration under 37 CFR 1.132 showing that the reference invention is not by “another” Filing…

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How can an applicant overcome a pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(b) rejection based on a printed publication?

To overcome a pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(b) rejection based on a printed publication, an applicant can take the following steps: Prove earlier invention date: Show that the invention was conceived and reduced to practice before the critical date (one year prior to the U.S. filing date). Challenge publication date: Provide evidence that the reference was…

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What are the form paragraphs used for lack of subject matter eligibility rejections?

The MPEP provides specific form paragraphs for rejections based on lack of subject matter eligibility: Form paragraphs 7.04.01, 7.05, and 7.05.01 are used for rejections at Step 1 of the eligibility analysis (failure to claim an invention within the statutory categories). Form paragraphs 7.04.01, 7.05, and 7.05.016 are used for rejections at Step 2B of…

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