What are some special situations involving abandonment in patent applications?
The MPEP outlines several special situations involving abandonment in patent applications:
- Copying claims from a patent without USPTO suggestion
- Withdrawal of or failure to prosecute an appeal to the Patent Trial and Appeal Board
- Dismissal of appeal to the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit or civil action
- Claims suggested for interference near the end of the reply period
- Filing of a continued prosecution application (CPA)
- Improper filing of a Request for Continued Examination (RCE)
- Failure to submit a timely reply to a final Office action when an RCE is filed
- Improper RCE filing in an allowed application before payment of the issue fee
For detailed information on these situations, refer to MPEP § 711.02(b).
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