What is claim sorting in patent interference proceedings?

Claim sorting in patent interference proceedings refers to the process of organizing and consolidating claims from multiple related applications to streamline the examination process and manage potential interferences. The Manual of Patent Examining Procedure (MPEP) Section 2304.01(d) states:

“If an applicant has several related applications with interfering claims intermixed with claims that do not interfere, the examiner should consider whether the interfering claims should be consolidated in a single application or whether an application should be restricted to claims that do not interfere.”

This process allows for more efficient examination of non-interfering claims while addressing potential interferences separately.

To learn more:

• claim sorting
• patent interference
• patent examination
• patent claims
• USPTO procedures