What types of continuing applications are recognized in patent law?

Patent law recognizes several types of continuing applications. According to the MPEP:

A continuing application is a continuation, divisional, or continuation-in-part application filed under the conditions specified in 35 U.S.C. 120, 121, 365(c), or 386(c) and 37 CFR 1.78.

The three main types of continuing applications are:

• Continuation: Pursues additional claims to an invention disclosed in an earlier application.
• Divisional: Separates distinct inventions from a parent application into separate applications.
• Continuation-in-part (CIP): Adds new matter to the disclosure of the earlier application.

Each type serves different purposes in patent prosecution strategy.

For more information on divisional, visit: divisional.

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