- 701-Statutory Authority for Examination
- 702-Requisites of the Application
- 703-[Reserved]
- 704-Search and Requirements for Information
- 705-Patentability Reports
- 706-Rejection of Claims
- 706.01-Contrasted With Objections
- 706.02-Rejection on Prior Art
- 706.03-Rejections Not Based on Prior Art
- 706.03(a)-[Reserved]
- 706.03(b)-[Reserved]
- 706.03(c)-[Reserved]
- 706.03(d)-[Reserved]
- 706.03(e)-[Reserved]
- 706.03(f) - 706.03(j)-[Reserved]
- 706.03(k)-[Reserved]
- 706.03(l) - 706.03(n)-[Reserved]
- 706.03(o)-[Reserved]
- 706.03(p) - 706.03(r)-[Reserved]
- 706.03(s)-[Reserved]
- 706.03(t)-[Reserved]
- 706.03(u)-[Reserved]
- 706.03(v)-[Reserved]
- 706.03(w)-[Reserved]
- 706.03(x)-[Reserved]
- 706.03(y)-[Reserved]
- 706.04-Rejection of Previously Allowed Claims
- 706.05-Rejection After Allowance of Application
- 706.06-Rejection of Claims Copied From Patent
- 706.07-Final Rejection
- 706.07(a)-Final Rejection, When Proper on Second Action
- 706.07(b)-Final Rejection, When Proper on First Action
- 706.07(c)-Final Rejection, Premature
- 706.07(d)-Final Rejection, Withdrawal of, Premature
- 706.07(e)-Withdrawal of Final Rejection, General
- 706.07(f)-Time for Reply to Final Rejection
- 706.07(g)-Transitional After-Final Practice
- 706.07(h)-Request for Continued Examination (RCE) Practice
- 707-Examiner’s Letter or Action
- 707.01-Primary Examiner Indicates Action for New Assistant
- 707.02-Applications Up for Third Action and 5-Year Applications
- 707.03‑707.04-[Reserved]
- 707.05-Citation of References
- 707.05(a)-Copies of Cited References
- 707.05(b)-Citation of Related Art and Information by Applicants
- 707.05(c)-Order of Listing
- 707.05(d)-Reference Cited in Subsequent Actions
- 707.05(e)-Data Used in Citing References
- 707.05(f)-Non-Patent Documents Having a Lengthy Citation
- 707.05(g)-Incorrect Citation of References
- 707.06-Citation of Decisions, Orders Memorandums, and Notices
- 707.07-Completeness and Clarity of Examiner’s Action
- 707.07(a)-Complete Action on Formal Matters
- 707.07(b) - 707.07(c)-[Reserved]
- 707.07(d)-Language To Be Used in Rejecting Claims
- 707.07(e)-Note All Outstanding Requirements
- 707.07(f)-Answer All Material Traversed
- 707.07(g)-Piecemeal Examination
- 707.07(h)-Notify of Inaccuracies in Amendment
- 707.07(i)-Each Claim To Be Mentioned in Each Office Action
- 707.07(j)-State When Claims Are Allowable
- 707.07(k)-Numbering Paragraphs
- 707.07(l)-Comment on Examples
- 707.08-Reviewing and Initialing by Assistant Examiner
- 707.09-Signing by Primary or Other Authorized Examiner
- 707.10-Entry
- 707.11-Date
- 707.12-Mailing
- 707.13-Returned Office Action
- 708-Order of Examination
- 709-Suspension of Action
- 710-Period for Reply
- 711-Abandonment of Patent Application
- 711.01-Express or Formal Abandonment
- 711.02-Failure To Take Required Action During Statutory Period
- 711.03-Reconsideration of Holding of Abandonment; Revival
- 711.04-Public Access to Abandoned Applications
- 711.05-Letter of Abandonment Received After Application Is Allowed
- 711.06-Abstracts, Abbreviatures, and Defensive Publications
- 712-[Reserved]
- 713-Interviews
- 713.01-General Policy, How Conducted
- 713.02-Interviews Prior to First Official Action
- 713.03-Interview for “Sounding Out” Examiner Not Permitted
- 713.04-Substance of Interview Must Be Made of Record
- 713.05-Interviews Prohibited or Granted, Special Situations
- 713.06-No Inter Partes Questions Discussed Ex Parte
- 713.07-Exposure of Other Cases
- 713.08-Demonstration, Exhibits, Models
- 713.09-Interviews Between Final Rejection and Notice of Appeal
- 713.10-Interview Preceding Filing Amendment Under 37 CFR 1.312
- 714-Amendments, Applicant’s Action
- 714.01-Signatures to Amendments
- 714.02-Must Be Fully Responsive
- 714.03-Amendments Not Fully Responsive, Action To Be Taken
- 714.04-Claims Presented in Amendment With No Attempt To Point Out Patentable Novelty
- 714.05-Examiner Should Immediately Review
- 714.06-[Reserved]
- 714.07-Amendments Not in Permanent Ink
- 714.08-714.09-[Reserved]
- 714.10-Claims Added in Excess of Claims Previously Paid For
- 714.11-Amendment Filed During Interference Proceedings
- 714.12-Amendments and Other Replies After Final Rejection or Action
- 714.13-Amendments and Other Replies After Final Rejection or Action, Procedure Followed
- 714.14-Amendments After Allowance of All Claims
- 714.15-Amendment Received in Technology Center After Mailing of Notice of Allowance
- 714.16-Amendment After Notice of Allowance, 37 CFR 1.312
- 714.16(a)-Amendments Under 37 CFR 1.312, Copied Patent Claims
- 714.16(b)-Amendments Under 37 CFR 1.312 Filed With a Motion Under 37 CFR 41.208
- 714.16(c)-Amendments Under 37 CFR 1.312, Additional Claims
- 714.16(d)-Amendments Under 37 CFR 1.312, Handling
- 714.16(e)-Amendments Under 37 CFR 1.312, Entry in Part
- 714.17-Amendment Filed After the Period for Reply Has Expired
- 714.18-Entry of Amendments
- 714.19-List of Amendments, Entry Denied
- 714.20-List of Amendments Entered in Part
- 714.21-Amendments Inadvertently Entered, No Legal Effect
- 714.22-714.24-[Reserved]
- 714.25-Discourtesy of Applicant or Attorney
- 715-Swearing Behind a Reference — Affidavit or Declaration Under 37 CFR 1.131(a)
- 715.01-37 CFR 1.131(a) Affidavits Versus 37 CFR 1.132 Affidavits
- 715.02-How Much of the Claimed Invention Must Be Shown, Including the General Rule as to Generic Claims
- 715.03-Genus-Species, Practice Relative to Cases Where Predictability Is in Question
- 715.04-Who May Make Affidavit or Declaration Under 37 CFR 1.131(a); Formal Requirements of Affidavits and Declarations
- 715.05-U.S. Patent or Application Publication Claiming Same Invention
- 715.06-[Reserved]
- 715.07-Facts and Documentary Evidence
- 715.08-Decided by Primary Examiner
- 715.09-Timely Presentation
- 715.10-Review of Affidavit or Declaration for Evidence of Prior Public Use or Sale or Failure to Disclose Best Mode
- 716-Affidavits or Declarations Under 37 CFR 1.132 and Other Evidence Traversing Rejections
- 716.01-Generally Applicable Criteria
- 716.02-Allegations of Unexpected Results
- 716.02(a)-Evidence Must Show Unexpected Results
- 716.02(b)-Burden on Applicant
- 716.02(c)-Weighing Evidence of Expected and Unexpected Results
- 716.02(d)-Unexpected Results Commensurate in Scope With Claimed Invention
- 716.02(e)-Comparison With Closest Prior Art
- 716.02(f)-Advantages Disclosed or Inherent
- 716.02(g)-[Reserved]
- 716.03-Commercial Success
- 716.04-Long-Felt Need and Failure of Others
- 716.05-Skepticism of Experts
- 716.06-Copying
- 716.07-Inoperability of References
- 716.08-Utility and Operability of Applicant’s Disclosure
- 716.09-Sufficiency of Disclosure
- 716.10-Attribution Affidavit or Declaration to Overcome Rejection Under Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 or 103
- 717-Prior Art Exceptions under AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) and (2)
- 717.01-Affidavit or Declaration Under 37 CFR 1.130
- 717.01(a) -Declarations or Affidavits under 37 CFR 1.130(a) – Attribution
- 717.01(b) -Declarations or Affidavits under 37 CFR 1.130(b) – Prior Public Disclosure
- 717.01(c) -Who May Make Affidavit or Declaration; Formal Requirements of Affidavits and Declarations
- 717.01(d)-U.S. Patent or Application Publication Claiming Same Invention
- 717.01(e) -Passed Upon (or Decided by) by Primary Examiner
- 717.01(f) -Seasonable (or Timely) Presentation
- 717.02 -Prior Art Exception for Commonly Owned or Joint Research Agreement Subject Matter under AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C)
- 717.02(a) -Invoking the Prior Art Exception under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C)
- 717.02(b) -Evaluating Whether the Prior Art Exception under AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) is Properly Invoked
- 717.02(c) -Examination Procedure With Respect to the Prior Art Exception under AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C)
- 717.02(d) -Form Paragraphs With Respect to the Prior Art Exception under AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C)
- 717.01-Affidavit or Declaration Under 37 CFR 1.130
- 718-Affidavit or Declaration to Disqualify Commonly Owned Patent as Prior Art, 37 CFR 1.131(c)
- 719-File Wrapper
- 720-Public Use Proceedings
- 721‑723-[Reserved]
- 724-Trade Secret, Proprietary, and Protective Order Materials
- 724.01-Completeness of the Patent File Wrapper
- 724.02-Method of Submitting Trade Secret, Proprietary, and/or Protective Order Materials
- 724.03-Types of Trade Secret, Proprietary, and/or Protective Order Materials Submitted Under MPEP § 724.02
- 724.04-Office Treatment and Handling of Materials Submitted Under MPEP § 724.02
- 724.05-Petition To Expunge Information or Copy of Papers in Application File
- 724.06-Handling of Petitions To Expunge Information or Copy of Papers in Application File
Chapter 0700
Examination of Applications
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Last Modified:
03/09/2026 20:46:20