What is the purpose of the Issue Classification sheet in patent examination?
The Issue Classification sheet serves several important purposes in the patent examination process:
- It provides a final classification of the allowed patent application.
- It serves as a record of the examiners involved in the allowance decision.
- It includes the E-Signatures of both the primary and assistant examiners, as stated in MPEP 1302.13: “The primary examiner and the assistant examiner involved in the allowance of an application will apply E-Signatures on the Issue Classification sheet.”
- It determines which examiners’ names will appear on the printed patent.
The Issue Classification sheet is a crucial document that bridges the examination process and the issuance of the patent, ensuring proper documentation and attribution of the allowance decision.
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