MPEP Subject Matter Index (O) – Subject Matter Index

Oath (See alsoDeclaration)
1. After appeal 1212.02
2. Antedating reference (SeeAffidavit, swearing back of reference (37 CFR 1.131))
3. Minor, by 409
4. Non-English 602.06
5. Original (See alsoOath, Original, Rule 1.63) 602
6. Plant application (Rule 1.162) 1604
7. Reissue (Rule 1.175) 706.03(x); 1414; 1444
  1. Supplemental 1414.01
8. Supplemental 602.02; 603
9. Supplemental and allowance 603.01
10. Traversing rejection (Rule 1.132) 716
Oath, Antedating reference (See alsoAffidavit, swearing back of reference (37 CFR 1.131)) 715
Oath, International application 1893.01(e)
Oath, Original, Rule 1.63 602
1. Administering 604
2. Amendment 602.01
3. Attorney administers 604.06
4. Consular certificate 604.04
5. Continuing application 201.06(c)
6. Copies, filing of 602
7. Date of execution 602.05
8. Declaration in lieu of, Rule 1.68 602
9. Defective 602.01; 602.02; 602.03
10. Delayed filing 506
11. Divisional application 602.05(a)
12. Executed before alteration of specification 605.04(a)
13. Execution 604
14. Facsimile 602
15. Foreign execution 602.04
16. Foreign-filed applications listed 201.14; 201.14(c); 202.04
17. Invalid, By attorney in case 604.06
18. Jurisdiction of notary 604.02; 604.03(a)
19. New required 602.01; 602.02
20. Notary 602; 602.01; 602.04(a); 604.01; 604.02; 604.03(a); 604.06
21. Notary certificate 602.01
22. Notary jurisdiction 604.02; 604.03(a)
23. Refers to preliminary amendment 601.01(a); 602
24. Seal 604.01
25. Seal, Foreign application 602.04(a)
26. Seal, Not required 604.01; 604.03(a)
27. Signed before alteration of specification 605.04(a)
28. Substitute 602.02
29. Venue 604.02
Oath, Supplemental, Rule 1.67 603
1. After allowance 603.01; 714.16
2. Change of inventorship 201.03
Oaths, Conflicting 201.03
Object of invention 608.01(d)
Objection contrasted with rejection 706.01
Objection, Dependent claims 608.01(n)
Objection to formal matters, When made 707.07(a); 707.07(j); 710.02(b); 714.14
Obvious error, correction 1302.04; 1305
Obviously informal application 702.01
Obviousness 706.02; 706.02(j); 2141 - 2146
1. Age of reference 2145
2. Analogous prior art 1504.03; 2141.01(a); 2145
3. Design applications 1504.03
4. Form paragraphs used for rejection 706.02(m)
5. Number of references 2145
6. Ordinary skill, level of 2141.03
7. Prima facie case 2142 - 2143.03; 2144.02
  1. Predictability 2143.02
  2. Rebuttal against 2145
8. Process claims, nonobvious product 2116.01
9. Provisional rejection 706.02(k)
10. Ranges 2144.05
11. Rationale for 2144 - 2144.09
  1. Adjustable, making 2144.04
  2. Aesthetic design changes 2144.04
  3. Automating manual activity 2144.04
  4. Duplication of parts 2144.04
  5. Elimination of element or step 2144.04
  6. Equivalence, art-recognized 2144.06
  7. Genus-species 2144.08
  8. Integral, making 2144.04
  9. Omission of element or step 2144.04
  10. Portable, making 2144.04
  11. Proportion changes 2144.04
  12. Purifying old product 2144.04
  13. Ranges 2144.05
  14. Rearrangement of parts 2144.04
  15. Reversal of parts 2144.04
  16. Separable, making 2144.04
  17. Sequence, change in 2144.04
  18. Shape changes 2144.04
  19. Size changes 2144.04
  20. Species-genus 2144.08
12. Rebuttal arguments by applicant 2145
13. Teaching away in prior art 2141.02; 2145
Offenlegungsshriften 901.05(b)
Offensive language 608; 1504.01(e)
1. Redacted in Pre-Grant Publication 1120
Offensive subject matter 1003; 1504.01(e)
Offer to sell 706.02(c); 2133.03(b)
Offer to surrender original patent (not required) 1416
Office action (SeeAction)
Office action in ex partereexamination 2260; 2262
Office action in inter partes reexamination 2660; 2671
1. Not closing prosecution 2671.01
2. Reopening prosecution after ACP 2673; 2673.01
3. Reopening prosecution after Examiner’s Answer 2679
4. Reopening prosecution after RAN 2676; 2677
Office date stamp 505; 506; 710.01(a); 714.18
Office hours 510
Office of Congressional Relations 203.08(a)
Office of Electronic Information Products ; 1730
Office of Enrollment and Discipline 406; 407; 410; 502; 510; 601.03; 604.06; 714.01(a); 714.13; 1002.02(k)(1); 1002.02(m); 2205; 2220; 2620
1. Mailing address 501
Office of General Law 1002.02(k)(2)
Office of Initial Patent Examination (Office of Patent Application Processing) (See alsoIncoming-Mail Section) 201.03; 201.06(c); 201.06(d); 202.02; 202.03; 203.08; 501; 502; 503; 506; 601; 601.01(d); 601.01(f); 601.01(g); 601.01(h); 602.05(a); 605.04(c); 605.04(f); 605.04(g); 607; 608.01; 608.02(a); 608.02(z); 609.07; 707.07(a); 714.16(d); 719.01(b); 719.02; 719.02(b); 903.08(a); 1306; 1414; 2501; 2560
1. Application Assistance Unit 1730
2. Contact information 1730
3. Petitions handled 1002.02(q)
Office of International Relations 201.13; 203.08(a)
Office of Patent Classification 903; 903.05; 903.09
Office of Patent Legal Administration (OPLA) (See alsoCentral Reexamination Unit (CRU)) 103; 409.03; 409.03(h); 409.03(j); 506.02; 706.02(l)(2); 720; 720.01; 720.03; 720.04; 1002.02(b); 1430; 1449; 1449.01; 1451; 1456; 1457; 2227; 2236; 2237; 2239; 2285; 2289; 2294; 2626; 2642; 2666.50; 2667; 2668; 2686.01 - 2687; 2694
Office of Patent Publications (Office of Data Management) 104; 201.14(c); 203.04; 502; 502.01; 603.01; 608.01(m); 608.02(z); 711.01; 711.05; 714.16(d); 724.05; 903.07; 1302.05; 1302.05(a); 1302.12; 1303.01; 1308; 1309; 1309.02; 1611; 2229; 2235; 2283; 2287; 2289; 2635; 2686.01; 2687
1. Hand-delivery of papers to 502
2. Petitions decided 1002.02(r)
3. Pre-Grant Publications Division 502; 502.01; 1120; 1122; 1125; 1126; 1730
  1. Telephone number 1730
Office of Patent Quality Review 1302.04; 1308.03
Office of Patent Training ; 713.01
Office of PCT Legal Administration 103; 1730
Office of Petitions 106; 201.03; 502; 605.04(c); 605.04(f); 605.04(g); 609.04(b); 1002.02(b); 1308
1. Location and phone number 1730
Office of Public Records 103; 104; 711.04; 1128; 1309; 1730
1. Hand-delivery of papers to 502
Office of Solicitor 302.04; 311; 1002.02(k)(3); 1216.01; 1216.02; 1701.01; 1720; 1721; 2207; 2240; 2681
1. Mailing address 501
Office of the Commissioner for Patents 409.03; 1721; 1901.03; 1902.01
1. Duty of disclosure to 2001.03
Office of the Deputy Commissioner (Associate Commissioner) for Patent Examination Policy 502.03; 720; 720.01; 720.03; 1002.02(b); 1721; 2677
1. Petitions decided by 1002.02(b)
Official action 707
Official Gazette(O.G.) ; 409.03; 1703
1. Claim published 1302.09
  1. Reissue application 1455
  2. From ex parte reexamination certificate 2287
  3. From inter partes reexamination certificate 2691
2. Copies and Subscriptions 1703
3. Defensive publications 711.06(a)
4. Designating classification 1302.09
5. Drawing figure 1302.09
6. eOG:P 1703
7. Issuing as U.S. patent 901.05
8. Notice of ex partereexamination certificate 2288; 2291
9. Notice of inter partes reexamination certificate 2688; 2691
10. Notice of Certificate of Correction 1480; 1485
11. Notices 1703
12. Notices of maintenance fees due 2501; 2575
13. Notice of ex parte reexamination request 2229
14. Notice of inter partes reexamination request 2627; 2629 - 2631
15. Online 1703
16. Patents 1703
17. Published electronically 1703
18. Publishing disclaimers 1490
19. Reissue application filing notice 1430; 1441; 1441.01; 1443; 1453; 1457; 1470; 1703
20. Statutory Invention Registration (SIR) 1111
21. Trademarks 1703
Official inquiries 203.08(a)
Official Notice 2144.03
OIPE (SeeOffice of Initial Patent Examination (Office of Patent Application Processing))
"Old art" use in deciding request for reexamination 2242; 2642
Old combination 2173.05(j)
Omission in reply, inadvertent 710.02(c); 2266.01; 2666.30
Omnibus claim 706.03(d); 2173.05(r)
1. Cancellation 1302.04(b)
On-line search (See alsoElectronic databases) 706.02(e); 901.06(a); 902.03(e)
On sale (See alsoPublic Use) 706.02(c); 2133.03; 2133.03(b)
1. Affidavit or declaration 715.10
2. Anticipation rejection 2133.03(b)
3. Buyer 2133.03(b)
4. Commercial activities 2133.03; 2133.03(c); 2133.03(e); 2133.03(e)(1)
5. Completion of the invention 2133.03; 2133.03(b); 2133.03(c); 2133.03(e)(1); 2133.03(e)(3)
  1. Admission of completion by 37 CFR 1.131 affidavit 2133.03(c)
6. Definition of 2133.03(b)
  1. Conditional sale 2133.03(b)
  2. Nonprofit sale 2133.03(b)
  3. Sale of rights 2133.03(b)
  4. Single sale 2133.03(b)
7. Delivery of offered goods 2133.03(b)
8. Device embodying process 2111.03(c)
9. Evidence of (prior art publications) 2133.03(b)
10. Experimental use (See alsoExperimental use) 2133.03; 2133.03(e)
11. Goods "on hand" 2133.03(b)
12. "In this country" 2133.03(d)
13. Invention 2133.03(c)
14. Intent to sell 2133.03(b); 2133.03(e)(2)
15. Offer for sale 2133.03(b)
16. Policy considerations 2133.03
17. "Ready for patenting" 2111.03(c)
18. Reduction to practice 2133.03(c); 2133.03(e)
19. Sale by inventor or associate 2133.03(b)
20. Sale by third party 2133.03(b)
  1. Testing by third party 2133.03(e)(5); 2133.03(e)(7)
21. Sale of a process 2133.03(c)
22. Sale of "rights" 2133.03(b)
23. Secrecy 2133.03; 2133.03(b)
24. Supervision and control over invention 2133.03(e)(5); 2133.03(e)(7)
25. Test for determining if impermissible sale occurred 2133.03(b)
Operating hours (SeeHours of operation)
Operative 2164.07; 2164.08(b)
Operative example 608.01(p)
Operative, Showing 608.03; 716
Opposition to issue of patent (SeeProtest)
Oral hearing in reexamination
1. Ex parte 2276
2. Inter partes 2662; 2675; 2677; 2680
  1. Open to public 2680
Oral hearing on appeal 1209
Order, citation of 707.06
Order, Classification 902.04
Order granting ex parte reexamination 2246
Order granting inter partes reexamination 2646; 2660
1. Returned as undelivered 2654
Order of examination 707.02; 708 - 708.03
1. Patentability report 705.01(b)
Order of papers in file wrapper 719.01(a)
Order for compliance 1210.01
Ordering
1. Abandoned file 711.04(b); 905.03
2. Allowed applications 1306.03
3. Foreign patent 901.05(c)
4. Patented file 711.04(b); 905.03
5. Publication 901.06(b)
6. Reexamination, decision
  1. Ex parte 2246; 2247; 2247.01
  2. Inter partes 2646
7. Subclass list 902.03(c)
Orders (See alsoPublication) ; 707.06
Ordinary and customary meaning of claim term 2106; 2111.01
1. Evidence of 2111.01
Original application (SeeNonprovisional application)
Original carries title to some continuing applications 201.12
Original disclosure, inherent characteristics 608.04(a); 714.01(e)
Ornamentality lacking in design applications 1504.01(c)
Outstanding requirements 707.07(e)
Overcoming a reference, Right of priority 201.15; 706.02(b)
Overlapping applications
1. Same applicant 709.01; 715.01(a); 804; 804.02; 822; 822.01
2. Same assignee 706.02(f)(2); 706.02(k); 706.02(l) - 706.02(l)(3); 709.01; 715.01(b); 822
3. Subject to joint research agreement 706.02(l)(1) - 706.02(l)(3); 804; 804.02; 804.03; 2136.01; 2141.01
Overlapping claims 804.02
Oversight of inter partes reexamination 2689
Owner’s representative 400
Ownership and assignment 300; 706.02(l)(2); 706.02(l)(3)
Ownership at time invention made 706.02(k); 706.02(l) - 706.02(l)(3)
Ownership of applications filed subsequent to recording of assignment 201.12; 306