What is a Continued Prosecution Application (CPA) and when can it be filed?

A Continued Prosecution Application (CPA) is a type of continuation or divisional application that can be filed for design patent applications under 37 CFR 1.53(d). It allows an applicant to continue prosecution of a prior design application. As stated in the MPEP:

A continuation or divisional application (but not a continuation-in-part) of a prior nonprovisional application may be filed as a continued prosecution application under this paragraph, provided that:
(i) The application is for a design patent;

CPAs can only be filed before the earliest of: payment of the issue fee, abandonment, or termination of proceedings on the prior application.

For more information on continued prosecution application, visit: continued prosecution application.

For more information on CPA, visit: CPA.

For more information on design patents, visit: design patents.

For more information on patent applications, visit: patent applications.