What happens to papers filed after the mailing of a Notice of Allowance in an IFW application?
Source: FAQ (MPEP-Based)BlueIron Update: 2024-09-10
This page is an FAQ based on guidance from the Manual of Patent Examining Procedure. It is provided as guidance, with links to the ground truth sources. This is information only: it is not legal advice.
For Image File Wrapper (IFW) applications, papers filed after the mailing of a Notice of Allowance are handled as follows:
- Papers are scanned into the IFW.
- The papers are forwarded to the Office of Data Management.
As stated in MPEP 719.01: ‘For Image File Wrapper applications, papers filed after the mailing of a Notice of Allowance will be scanned into IFW and forwarded to the Office of Data Management.’
This process ensures that all post-allowance documents are properly recorded and processed, maintaining the integrity of the application file and facilitating efficient patent issuance procedures.