What is the difference between reversing a holding of abandonment and reviving an abandoned application?
Reversing a holding of abandonment and reviving an abandoned application are two distinct processes in patent examination. According to MPEP 711.03(a):
This is not a revival of an abandoned application but merely a holding that the application was never abandoned.
When an examiner reverses a holding of abandonment, they are essentially stating that their initial determination of abandonment was incorrect, and the application was never actually abandoned. This is different from revival, which is a process used when an application has truly become abandoned and the applicant is seeking to reinstate it. Reversing a holding of abandonment corrects an error in the examination process, while revival addresses a lapse on the part of the applicant.
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