What are the general guidelines for conducting interviews in patent applications?

The general guidelines for conducting interviews in patent applications are outlined in MPEP 713.01. Key points include:

• Interviews must be conducted on Office premises and within Office hours, as designated by examiners.
• Interviews for discussing patentability typically won’t occur before the first Office action, unless it’s a continuing or substitute application.
• Face-to-face interviews may be accomplished via video conferencing or in-person.
• In-person interviews should normally be granted and conducted on Office premises during normal business hours.
• Video conferencing interviews should be offered when in-person meetings are not possible.

As stated in the MPEP: “A request for a face-to-face interview will normally be granted. Other times, a telephone interview provides an appropriate level of interaction.”

To learn more:

• patent interviews
• USPTO guidelines
• patent examination
• video conferencing
• in-person interviews