MPEP Subject Matter Index (E) – Subject Matter Index

Easily erasable paper 608.01; 714.07
Effective date of reference patent 707.05(e); 715; 901.05(b); 2121.01; 2139.01; 2152.01
Effective filing date
1. Claimed invention 804; 2152.01
2. Continuing application 211.02; 708; 804; 2139.01; 2152.01; 2159.03
3. Continuation-in-part 2133.01; 2135.01; 2159.03
4. Foreign priority effect 2139.01; 2152.01
5. International convention (See alsoForeign application and Treaties) 213.01
6. Provisional application 2139.01; 2152.01
7. Publication 715.01(c)
8. Reissue application 804; 1440
Eighteen-month publication (SeePre-Grant Publication (PG-Pub))
Election (See alsoRestriction and Election of species) 800
1. Action on nonelected claims 819
2. After multiplicity rejection 2173.05(n)
3. After restriction 818
4. Between applications, Conflicting claims 804; 822
5. Constructive 818.02(a); 818.02(c)
  1. In reissue application 1440; 1450; 1457
6. Fixed by action on merits 818.01; 818.02(a)
7. Implied 818.02(a); 818.02(c)
8. Interference 819
9. Optional cancellation 818.02(c)
10. Original presentation 818.02(a)
11. Shift 819
  1. Design application 1504.05
12. Treatment of nonelected claims 803.02; 821 - 821.03
  1. In reissue application 1450
13. With traverse 818; 821.01
14. Without traverse 821.02
Election of species
1. Allowable generic claim lacking 809.02(a)
2. Basis 806.04; 808.01(a)
3. Canceling species claims 818.02(c); 821.01; 821.02
4. Design application 1504.05
5. Implied 818.02(a); 818.02(c)
6. Reissue application 1450
7. Requirement 806.01; 809.02(a)
8. Requirement, prior to search 808.01(a)
9. Species claims lacking 806.01; 818.02(b)
Electronic access to published applications 1128
Electronic databases 707.05(e); 719.05; 901.06(a); 902.03(e); 1730
1. Chemical abstracts services 901.05; 901.07
2. Derwent’s World Patents Index (WPI) 901.05; 901.07
3. Dialog 719.05; 901.07
4. e-Official Gazette – Patents (eOG:P) 1703
5. Full-text and full-page images of U.S. patent related databases 1730
6. International Patent Documentation Center (INPADOC) 901.05; 901.07
7. Lexis-Nexis 719.05
8. Official Gazette Notices 1703
9. Patent Grants Database 1703; 1730
10. Questel-Orbit 719.05; 901.07
11. SEARCH (PE2E) 901.05(c); 902.03(e)
12. TESS (Trademark Electronic Search System) 1703; 1730
Electronic Business Center (EBC) 1730
Electronic document 707.05(e)
Electronic filing system, USPTO Patent (Patent Center) 502.05; 503; 708.02(a)
1. Actions permitted by registered users 502.05
2. Actions permitted by unregistered users 502.05
3. Alternatives to using EFS-Web 502.05
  1. During unscheduled outages (EFS-Web Contingency Option) 502.05
4. Certificate of Transmission 512
5. Document description codes 502.05
6. Document formats 502.05
7. Electronic Acknowledgement Receipt 502.05
8. Ex parte reexamination request and follow-on papers 502.05; 2224
9. Legal Framework 708.02(b)
10. Petition to accept unintentionally delayed payment of maintenance fee 502.05; 711.03(c); 2590
11. Pre-grant (eighteen month) publication submissions via 502.05; 1121; 1129; 1130; 1132; 1133
12. Reissue application and follow-on papers 502.05; 1410
13. Sequence listing submissions via 215.02(b); 2422.03; 2422.03(a); 2422.04
Electronic funds transfer to replenish deposit account 509.01
Electronic Information Disclosure Statement (eIDS) 609.07
Electronic mail 502.03; 713; 713.01; 713.04; 713.05
1. to notify customer of Office communications (e-Office Action Program) 502.05; 710.06
Electronic patent assignment system (EPAS) 302.10; 502.01; 502.05
Electronic Priority Document Exchange (See alsoPDX) 215.01; 215.02(a)
Electronic Processing of Information Disclosure Statement 609.08
Electronic publications
1. Availability as prior art 2128
2. Citation of 707.05(e)
3. Hyperlinks to 608.01; 608.01(p)
4. Search for 904.02(c)
Employee number 711.04(b)
Employees of U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, property interest in patent 309
Enablement 2164; 2166
1. Burden on the examiner 2164.04
2. Commensurate in scope with claims 2164.08
  1. Critical feature not claimed 2164.08(c)
  2. Inoperative subject matter 2164.08(b)
  3. Single means claim 2164.08(a)
3. Compared to utility 2164.07
4. Design patent application 1503.02; 1504.04
5. Duty or disclosure of information relevant to 2001.04
6. Evidence of 2164.05
7. Examples of enablement issues 2164.06 - 2164.06(c)
8. Form paragraphs used to reject 2166
9. How to make the invention 2164.01(b)
10. How to use the invention 2164.01(c)
11. Quantity of experimentation 2164.06
12. Reduction to practice 2164.02
13. Relationship of predictability 2164.03
14. Specification must be enabling
  1. As of the filing date 2164.05(a)
  2. To persons of ordinary skill 2164.05(b)
15. Test of enablement 2164.01
16. Undue experimentation factors 2164.01(a)
17. Working example 2164.02
18. 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph limitations 2181; 2185
Energy, Department of 115; 2104.01
Energy, related applications, special status 708.02
English language faulty, new specification 608.01(q)
English language required 302.02; 608.01
Enrollment and Discipline, Office of (SeeOffice of Enrollment and Discipline)
Entity, micro, claiming status as (SeeMicro entity status)
Entity, small, claiming status as (SeeSmall entity status)
Entry of amendment (See alsoAmendment) 714.18
Environmental Quality Program 708.02
Equity (civil action)
1. Under 35 U.S.C. 145 1216; 1216.02
2. Under 35 U.S.C. 146 1216
Equivalents in art 904.01(b); 2144; 2144.06
Erasable (specially coated) paper 608.01
Erasure in specification, before execution 608.01
Errors (See alsoCorrection of patent)
1. Correction of patents 1400
2. Deceptive intent 1401; 1412.02; 1412.03; 1412.04; 1414; 1414.02; 1414.03; 1444; 1448; 1451; 1457; 1481.02; 1490; 2022.05
3. Reissue 1401 - 1470
4. Title documents 323
5. Withdrawal from issue 1308
Essential material 608.01(p)
Establishing right of assignee to take action in application 324; 325
Estoppel
1. Abandonment 711.03(c)
2. Collateral 2012.01
  1. In ex parte reexamination 2259
3. Defensive publications 711.06
4. Different inventive entities and commonly owned applications 804.03
5. Interference 715; 2138.01
6. Reasons for allowance 1302.14
7. Reissue proceedings 2012.01
8. Terminal disclaimer 804; 804.02
European Community Design treaty (SeeTreaties)
European Patent Convention (SeeTreaties)
European Patent Office (EPO) 120; 609; 901.05; 901.07; 1801; 1840; 1840.01; 1850; 1860; 1865
1. As a PCT Chapter I international searching authority 1840.01
Evidence, of public use or on sale 2133.03 - 2133.03(b); 2152.02(c); 2152.02(d)
Evidence submitted with protest 1901.02
Examination guidelines for AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 2150
Examination guidelines for applying reference under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(e) 2136; 2136.01
Examination of application 700
1. Accelerated Examination 708.02(a)
2. Confidentiality during 101
3. Deferral of 709; 1002.02(d)
4. Order of 708 - 708.03
5. Piecemeal 707.07(g)
6. Purpose 701
7. Reissue 1440; 1443; 1445
8. Secrecy order application 130
9. Statutory authority 701
10. Suspension of 709
Examiner
1. Action 707
2. Action counted 1705
3. Affidavit 2144.03
4. Assignment of application for examination 909.01(b); 909.02(b)
5. Assignment of ex-parte reexamination 2236
6. Assistant 707.01; 707.02
7. Citing prior art in an issued patent inappropriate 2203
8. Classification (See alsoClassification examiner) 903
9. Disposals 1705
10. Duty of candor and good faith to 2001.03; 2001.04
11. Employee number 711.04(b); 905.05
12. Expressing opinion of validity 1701
13. Name 502; 707.09; 1302.13
14. New action indicated by primary 707.01
15. Previous action by another examiner
  1. Allowed claims 706.04
  2. Interview 713.01
  3. Search 704.10
16. Primary
  1. Actions requiring personal attention 707.01; 714.16; 715.08; 1004
  2. Name on file wrapper 1302.13
17. Pursuit of bounties prohibited 1701
18. Reasons for allowance 1302.14
19. Resigns, old cases special 708.03
20. Suggestion of allowable claims 707.07(j)
21. Supervisory (SeeSupervisory patent examiner)
22. Telephoning attorney 408; 1302.14
23. Testimony as patent expert 1701.01
24. Time and Activity Report 1704; 1705
25. Time reporting for ex parte reexamination 2238
26. Treatment of protest 1901.06
Examiner docket, time, and activity recording 1704; 1705
Examiner Reissue Guide and Checklist 1443; 1445
Examiner’s action (See alsoAction and Letter, Examiner’s) 707
Examiner’s amendment 1302.04
1. Abstract changed by 608.01(b); 1302.01; 1302.04
2. By initialing 1302.04
3. Claim, antecedent basis in description 608.01(o)
4. Claim lost in interference 2308
5. Claim, numbers identifying 1302.01; 1302.04(g)
6. Claims, nonelected invention, canceled 821.01; 821.02
7. Defensive publication 711.06
8. Deposit account charge 1302.04; 1730
9. Drawing correction 608.02(w); 1302.04
10. Extension of time required for 706.07(f)
11. Formal matters 1302.01; 1302.04
12. Image file wrapper applications 1302.04
13. Informalities corrected 1302.04
14. Non-compliant amendment, treatment of 714; 1302.04
15. No new matter 608.01(o)
16. Plant patent application practice 1610
17. Reexamination
  1. Ex parte 2281; 2287
18. Reference citation corrected 707.05(g)
19. Title of application 606.01
Examiner’s Answer
1. Appeal conference not held 1003; 1207.01
2. Counted as a disposal 1705
3. New ground of rejection 1207.03
4. New interpretation of law 1207.02
  1. TC Director’s attention required 1003
5. Reexamination
  1. Ex parte 2275
  2. Inter-partes 2677
6. Reply brief 1208
7. Special status 708.01
Examiner’s letter (See alsoAction) 707
1. Abandonment 711.02
2. Advisory action 706.07(f); 714.13
3. Amendment after final rejection 714.13
4. Arguments answered 707.07(f)
5. Cancellation of nonelected claim 821.01; 821.02
6. Claim allowable except as to form 707.07(a); 707.07(j); 710.02(b); 714.15
7. Claim summary 707.07(i)
8. Complete and clear 707.07
9. Copies of references 707.05(a)
10. Copy to applicant 707.12
11. Correction, period for reply 707.05(g); 710.06
12. Correction of citation 707.05(g)
13. Date stamped 707.11
14. Decisions, cited 707.06
15. Election of species required, concluding paragraph 809.02(a)
16. Examiner signature at end of letter 707.09
17. Examiner’s amendments 706.07(f); 1302.04
18. File wrapper entry 707.10; 719.01
19. Final rejection, clearly stated 706.07
20. Final rejection, concluding statement 706.07
21. Final rejection, patentability report 705.01(a)
22. Formal matters 707.07(a); 707.07(e); 707.07(j); 714.02
23. Informal application 702.01
24. Initialed by examiner 707.08
25. Language in rejecting 707.07(d)
26. Mailing 707.12
27. Memorandum cited 707.06
28. New drawing required 608.02(b)
29. New examiner, primary examiner indicates 707.01
30. Notices cited 707.06
31. Numbering of paragraphs 707.07(k)
32. Omnibus rejection 2173.05(r); 2175
33. Orders cited 707.06
34. Outstanding requirements 707.07(e)
35. Personal matter excluded 707.07(d)
36. Piecemeal prosecution 707.07(g)
37. Power of attorney invalid or lacking 402
38. Preliminary amendment in new case 709; 714.01(e)
39. Primary examiner’s attention required, list 1004
40. References, citation 707.05 - 707.05(g); 901.04; 901.05(a)
41. Refusing entry of amendment after Board decision 1214.07
42. Rejection of claim corresponding to claim of patent 2302
43. Remailing 707.13; 710.06
44. Requirement for information 704.10; 2120.02; 2135; 2181
45. Restriction requirement 803; 817
46. Returned 707.13
47. Reviewed by examiner 707.08
48. Shortened time for reply 710.02
49. Signature 707.09; 707.10; 1302.13
50. Statement of rejection 707.07(d)
51. Status letter reply 203.08
52. Statutory basis 707.07(d)
53. Summary 707.07(i)
54. Supplemental 710.06
55. Undelivered 707.13
Examiner’s search facilities, use regulations 510
Example, Comments on 707.07(l)
Example, Operative 608.01(p); 2164.02
Example, Prophetic, simulated or predicted 608.01(p); 2164.02
Excess number of claims for fee, after notice of allowance 714.16(c)
Excess number of claims over number of claims previously paid for 607; 714.01(e); 714.10
Excluded attorney or agent 105; 407; 713.05; 714.19
Execution of oath 602.08(b)
Executive Order
1. No. 5464 1609
2. No. 9424 302; 302.06; 302.08
3. No 10,096 509.02
4. No. 11,582 710.05
5. No. 12,598 115; 120; 121
6. No. 13,292 115; 121
Executor or administrator 409.01(b)
1. Allowance and issue 409.01(b)
2. Application by, after discharge 409.01(b)
3. Assigned application, inventor dies 409.01(b)
4. Authority 409.01(b)
5. Consular certificate 409.01(b); 410
6. Foreign country 409.01(b)
7. Heir 409.01; 409.01(a); 409.01(b)
8. Intervention not required 409.01(b)
9. Joint inventors, inventor dies 409.01(b)
Exhibit 608.03
Exhibit, Affidavit under 37 CFR 1.131 715.07; 715.07(d)
Exhibit, during appeal 1209
Exhibit at interview 713.08
Exhibit, handling 608.03(a)
Ex parte questions 713.06
Experimental use (See alsoPublic use) 2133.03; 2133.03(e); 2152.02(c); 2152.02(d)
1. Commercial exploitation 2133.03(e)(1); 2152.02(c); 2152.02(d)
2. Completeness of the invention 2133.03(e)(3)
3. Factors indicative of 2133.03(e)(4); 2133.03(e)(5)
4. Intent to experiment 2133.03(e)(2)
5. Reduction to practice 2133.03(e)(3)
6. Testing by third party 2133.03(e)(5); 2133.03(e)(7)
7. Testing, developmental 2133.03(e)(6)
8. When experimental use ends 2133.03(e)(3)
Expert testimony 1504.03
Expiration date of patent (See alsoTerm, Patent)
1. Adjustment under 35 U.S.C. 154 1490; 2710; 2720; 2730
2. Design 1502.01; 1505
3. Extension under 35 U.S.C. 156 2750 - 2764; 2766
4. Plant 2701
5. Utility 2701
6. When Office personnel should express opinion 1701
Export control of patent applications 120
Exposure of papers during interviews 101; 713.07
Expounding patent law 713.02
Express abandonment 711; 711.01
1. To avoid publication of application 711.01; 1125
Expunge information in application file 724.05; 724.06; 1002.02(b); 1002.02(c); 1002.02(c)(4); 2267; 2269
Extension of shortened reply period 710.02(e)
Extension of time 706.07(f); 710.02(e); 1002.02(c)
1. For filing brief 1203; 1205.01; 1206; 1208; 1215.04
2. For filing continuing application 201.06(c)
3. General fee authorization 710.02(e)
4. Reexamination
  1. Ex parte 1002.02(c); 2265
  2. Inter partes 1002.02(c)(4)
5. Request 710.02(e); 1002.02(c)
Extension, patent term (SeeTerm, Patent)
Extraordinary situations
1. Abandonment, revival 711.03(c)
2. Deferring issue 502; 502.01; 1306.01
3. Interview after issue 713.10
4. Reexamination, ex parte 2227; 2265; 2274; 2283
5. Reply period reset 710.06
6. Suspension of rules 1002
7. Time to file 1205.01
8. Withdrawal from issue 502; 502.01; 711.01