How does MPEP 815 address the issue of claimed inventions in unfamiliar technologies?
MPEP 815 provides specific guidance for examiners dealing with claimed inventions in unfamiliar technologies. The section states:
“If some of the claimed inventions are classifiable in a technology that the examiner does not examine and the examiner has any doubt as to the proper restriction among the claimed inventions, the application should be referred to an examiner who regularly examines that technology, and such examiner should render the necessary assistance.”
This approach ensures that even when an examiner encounters unfamiliar technology, the restriction requirement can still be made accurately and completely. By seeking assistance from a more experienced examiner in the relevant field, the USPTO maintains the quality and consistency of patent examinations across various technologies.
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