Who conducts the reexamination review?
The reexamination review is conducted by specialized personnel within the USPTO. According to MPEP 2689: “After a reexamination case is acted on by the examiner and all premailing clerical processing is completed, the case is forwarded to the Central Reexamination Unit (CRU) Supervisory Patent Reexamination Specialist (SPRS) or Technology Center (TC) Quality Assurance Specialist (QAS).“…
Read MoreHow should USPTO personnel handle inquiries from third parties about supplemental examination?
USPTO personnel should not engage in discussions with third parties regarding specific supplemental examination proceedings. The MPEP 2803.01 states: “Office personnel, including both the examining and the technical support staff, should not enter into a discussion with, or answer inquiries from, third parties (i.e., parties who are not the patent owner) regarding a supplemental examination…
Read MoreHow should USPTO personnel respond to status inquiries about patent applications?
USPTO personnel are instructed to handle status inquiries about patent applications promptly and professionally. According to MPEP 203.08: “Inquiries as to the status of applications, by persons entitled to the information, should be answered promptly. The examiner, correspondent, or other appropriate personnel should provide the information requested within the following time periods: (A) For information…
Read MoreHow can USPTO personnel determine the current location or status of an application?
USPTO personnel should use Patent Data Portal to determine the current location or status of an application. For Image File Wrapper (IFW) applications, no location is associated with the file. As stated in MPEP 102: When it is desired to determine the current location or status of an application, Office personnel should use Patent Data…
Read More