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Manual of Patent Examining Procedure (MPEP)
Chapter Form-Paragraph
Form-Paragraph-Chapter-1500
Form Paragraphs 15.01 - 15.90
United States Patent and Trademark Office
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fp15.01
Conditions Under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), 172, 386(a) and (b)
fp15.01.01
Conditions Under 35 U.S.C. 172 Not Met
fp15.02
Claimed Foreign Priority, No Certified Copy Filed
fp15.03
Certified Copy Filed, But Proper Claim Not Made
fp15.03.01.fti
Foreign Filing More Than 6 Months Before U.S. Filing, Application Filed Before March 16, 2013
fp15.04
Priority Under Bilateral or Multilateral Treaties
fp15.05
Design Patent Specification Arrangement (Ch. 16 Design Application)
fp15.05.01
Title of Design Invention
fp15.05.03
Drawing/Photograph Disclosure Objected To
fp15.05.04
Replacement Drawing Sheets Required
fp15.05.041
Color Drawing(s)/Photograph(s) Submitted
fp15.05.05
Drawing Correction Required Prior to Appeal
fp15.07
Avoidance of New Matter
fp15.07.01
Statutory Basis, 35 U.S.C. 171
fp15.08
Lack of Ornamentality (Article Visible in End Use)
fp15.08.01
Lack of Ornamentality (Article Not Visible in its Normal and Intended Use)
fp15.08.02
Simulation (Entire Article)
fp15.08.03
Explanation of evidence cited in support of simulation rejection
fp15.09
35 U.S.C. 171 Rejection
fp15.09.01
Offensive Subject Matter
fp15.09.02.aia
Statement of Statutory Bases, 35 U.S.C. 171 and 35 U.S.C. 115-Improper Inventorship
fp15.09.03.aia
Statement of Statutory Basis, 35 U.S.C. 115-Improper Inventorship
fp15.10.aia
Application Examined Under AIA First Inventor to File Provisions
fp15.10.fti
Application Examined Under First Inventor to File Provisions
fp15.10.15
Notice re prior art available under both pre-AIA and AIA
fp15.11.aia
35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) Rejection
fp15.11.fti
Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(a) Rejection
fp15.12.fti
Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(b) Rejection
fp15.13.fti
Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(c) Rejection
fp15.14.fti
Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(d)/35 U.S.C. 172 Rejection
fp15.15.aia
35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) Rejection
fp15.15.fti
Pre-AIA 135 U.S.C. 102(e) Rejection
fp15.15.01.aia
Explanation of rejection under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) or 102(a)(2)
fp15.15.01.fti
Explanation of rejection under Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(a), (b), (d), or (e)
fp15.15.02.aia
35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) Provisional rejection - design disclosed in another application with common inventor and/or assignee
fp15.15.02.fti
Provisional Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(e) rejection - design disclosed but not claimed in another application with common inventor and/or assignee
fp15.15.03.fti
Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(e) provisional rejection - design claimed in an earlier-filed design patent application with common inventor and/or assignee
fp15.15.04.aia
35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) rejection - design disclosed in a patent
fp15.15.04.fti
Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(e) rejection - design disclosed but not claimed in a patent
fp15.16.fti
Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(f) Rejection
fp15.17.aia
Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(g) Rejection
fp15.17.fti
Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(g) Rejection
fp15.18.aia
35 U.S.C. 103 Rejection (Single Reference)
fp15.18.fti
Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) Rejection (Single Reference)
fp15.19.aia
35 U.S.C. 103 Rejection (Multiple Reference)
fp15.19.fti
Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) Rejection (Multiple References)
fp15.19.01
Summary Statement of Rejections
fp15.19.02.aia
Preface 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2)/103 rejection - Different inventors, common assignee, obvious designs, no evidence of common ownership not later than effective filing date of claimed design
fp15.19.02.fti
Preface pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(e)/103(a) rejection - Different inventors, common assignee, obvious designs, no evidence of common ownership at time later design was made
fp15.19.03.aia
35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2)/103 Provisional Rejection - design disclosed in another application with common inventor and/or assignee
fp15.19.03.fti
Provisional Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(e)/103(a) rejection - design disclosed but not claimed in another application with common inventor and/or assignee
fp15.19.04.fti
Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(e)/103(a) Provisional Rejection - design claimed in an earlier-filed design patent application with common inventor and/or assignee
fp15.19.05.aia
35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2)/103 rejection - design disclosed, no common inventors or common assignees
fp15.19.05.fti
Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(e)/103(a) rejection - design disclosed but not claimed
fp15.19.06.fti
Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(e)/103(a) rejection - design claimed in a design patent with an earlier prior art date and common assignee
fp15.19.07.fti
Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(e)/103(a) rejection - design claimed in a design patent having an earlier prior art date and no common assignee
fp15.20.02
Suggestion To Overcome Rejection Under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) and (b) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, First and Second Paragraphs (Ch. 16 Design Application)
fp15.21
Rejection, 35 U.S.C. 112(a) and (b) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, First And Second Paragraphs
fp15.21.01
Rejection, 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, (Second Paragraph) (Additional Information Requested)
fp15.22
Rejection, 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, 2nd Paragraph
fp15.22.02
Rejection, 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, 2nd Paragraph ("Or the Like" In Claim)
fp15.22.03
Rejection, 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, Second Paragraph (Title Fails to Specify a Known Article of Manufacture)
fp15.23
35 U.S.C. 171 Double Patenting Rejection (Design-Design)
fp15.23.01
35 U.S.C. 171 Provisional Double Patenting Rejection (Design-Design)
fp15.23.02
Summary for "Same Invention" – Type Double Patenting Rejections
fp15.24
Nonstatutory Double Patenting Rejection (Single Reference)
fp15.24.03
Provisional Nonstatutory Double Patenting Rejection (Single Reference)
fp15.24.04
Provisional Nonstatutory Double Patenting Rejection (Multiple References)
fp15.24.05.fti
Identical Claim: Common Assignee
fp15.24.06
Basis for Nonstatutory Double Patenting, "Heading Only"
fp15.24.07
Double Patenting Rejection (Design-Utility)
fp15.24.08
Provisional Double Patenting Rejection (Design-Utility)
fp15.25
Nonstatutory Double Patenting Rejection (Multiple References)
fp15.26
Identification of Prior Application(s) in Nonprovisional Applications - Benefit Claimed
fp15.27
Restriction Under 35 U.S.C. 121
fp15.27.01
Restriction Under 35 U.S.C. 121 (Obvious Variations Within Group)
fp15.27.02
Restriction Not Required - Change In Appearance (First Action - Non Issue)
fp15.27.03
Restriction Not Required - Change In Appearance (First Action Issue)
fp15.27.04
Restriction Not Required – Change In Scope (First Action – Non Issue)
fp15.27.05
Restriction Not Required – Change In Scope (First Action Issue)
fp15.27.06
Restriction Not Required (Change in Appearance and Scope – First Action Non Issue)
fp15.27.07
Restriction Not Required (Change in Appearance and Scope – First Action Issue)
fp15.27.08
Restriction with Differences in Appearance and Scope
fp15.28
Telephone Restriction Under 35 U.S.C. 121
fp15.28.01
Telephone Restriction Under 35 U.S.C.121 (Obvious Variations Within Group)
fp15.28.02
Telephone Restriction with Differences in Appearance and Scope
fp15.29
Restriction Under 35 U.S.C. 121 (Segregable Parts or Combination/Subcombination)
fp15.30
Telephone Restriction Under 35 U.S.C. 121 (Segregable Parts or Combination/Subcombination)
fp15.31
Provisional Election Required (37 CFR 1.143)
fp15.33
Qualifying Statement To Be Used In Restriction When A Common Embodiment Is Included In More Than One Group
fp15.34
Groups Withdrawn From Consideration After Traverse
fp15.35
Cancel Nonelected Design (Traverse)
fp15.36
Groups Withdrawn From Consideration Without Traverse
fp15.37
Cancellation of Nonelected Groups, No Traverse
fp15.38
Rejection Maintained
fp15.39.02.aia
Final Rejection Under 35 U.S.C. 103 (Single Reference)
fp15.39.02.fti
Final Rejection Under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) (Single Reference)
fp15.40.aia
Final Rejection Under 35 U.S.C. 103 (Multiple References)
fp15.40.fti
Final Rejection Under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) (Multiple References)
fp15.40.01
Final Rejection Under Other Statutory Provisions
fp15.41
Functional, Structural Features Not Considered
fp15.42
Visual Characteristics
fp15.43
Subject Matter of Design Patent
fp15.44
Design Inseparable From Article to Which Applied
fp15.46.01
Impermissible Descriptive Statement
fp15.47
Characteristic Feature Statement
fp15.47.01
Feature Statement Caution
fp15.48
Necessity for Good Drawings
fp15.50
Use of Broken Lines for Indicating Unimportant Features Not Permitted
fp15.50.01
Use of Broken Lines in Drawing (Ch. 16 Design Application)
fp15.50.02
Description of Broken Lines (Ch. 16 Design Application)
fp15.50.04
Proper Drawing Disclosure With Use of Broken Lines
fp15.50.05
Description of Broken Lines as Boundary of Design (Ch. 16 Design Application)
fp15.51
35 U.S.C. 112(a) Rejection (Written Description)
fp15.51.01
Amendment to Disclosure Not Affecting Claim - 35 U.S.C. 132 Objection (New Matter)
fp15.55
Design Patent-Copyright Overlap
fp15.55.01
Design Patent - Trademark Overlap
fp15.58
Claimed Design Is Patentable (Ex parte Quayle Actions)
fp15.58.01
Claimed Design Is Patentable (35 U.S.C. 112 Rejections)
fp15.59
Amend Title
fp15.60
Amend All Figure Descriptions
fp15.61
Amend Selected Figure Descriptions
fp15.61.01
Amend Specification to Add Reference to Color Drawing(s)/ Photograph(s) (Ch. 16 Design Application)
fp15.62
Amend Claim "As Shown"
fp15.63
Amend Claim "As Shown and Described"
fp15.64
Addition of "And Described" to Claim
fp15.65
Amendment May Not Be Possible
fp15.66
Employ Services of Patent Attorney or Agent (Design Application Only)
fp15.66.01
Employ Services of Professional Patent Draftsperson (Design Application Only)
fp15.67
Rationale for 35 U.S.C. 103 Rejection (Single Reference)
fp15.68
Rationale for 35 U.S.C. 103 Rejection (Multiple References)
fp15.69.01
Remove Indefinite Language ("Or The Like") by Examiner’s Amendment
fp15.70.aia
Preface, 35 U.S.C. 103 Rejection
fp15.70.fti
Preface, Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) Rejection
fp15.72
Quayle Action
fp15.73
Corrected Drawing Sheets Required
fp15.74
Continuation-In-Part
fp15.74.01
Continuation-In-Part – Not Entitled To Benefit of Earlier Filing Date
fp15.75.fti
Preface to Rejection in CIP Based on pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(d)/35 U.S.C.172
fp15.75.01fti
C-I-P Caution, Claim to Foreign Priority in Earlier Filed Application - Status of Foreign Application Unknown
fp15.76
Trademark in Drawing
fp15.85
Undisclosed visible surface(s)/portion(s) of article not forming part of the claimed design
fp15.90
Indication of allowability withdrawn