What is the statutory authority for patent examination?
The statutory authority for patent examination is outlined in 35 U.S.C. 131, which states:
The Director shall cause an examination to be made of the application and the alleged new invention; and if on such examination it appears that the applicant is entitled to a patent under the law, the Director shall issue a patent therefor.
This statute mandates that the USPTO Director must ensure that patent applications are examined to determine if they meet the legal requirements for patentability.
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