DOCSLIB.ORG

Patent Office: Manual of Patent Office Practice

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Patent Office: Manual of Patent Office Practice Patent Office Manual of Patent Office Practice Ottawa-Gatineau, Canada K1A 0C9 1998 Edition Last update: April 2006 (blank sheet) MANUAL OF PATENT OFFICE PRACTICE FOREWORD This Manual of Patent Office Practice (MPOP) has been prepared by the Patent Office staff in consultation with the public and members of the patent profession. This Manual is published to provide patent examiners, applicants, agents, and the public in general with a guide on the procedures and practices relative to the prosecution of patent applications in Canada under the current Patent Act and Patent Rules. The present manual applies to applications filed on or after October 1, 1989 and certain practices which apply only to applications filed prior to this date, such as conflict or the restrictions regarding applicable prior art, are not covered by this manual. For applications filed prior to October 1, 1989 an older version of the manual must be consulted. This manual is to be considered solely as a guide, and should not be quoted as an authority. Authority must be found in the Patent Act, the Patent Rules, and in decisions of the Courts interpreting them. The MPOP is maintained to ensure that it reflects the latest developments in the Canadian patent laws and practices. Suggestions for improvement or amendment of this document will be welcome. More information can be found at the “MOPOP Updates” website (http://strategis.gc.ca/sc_mrksv/cipo/patents/mopop/mopop_dnld-e.html) All suggestions should be directed to: Félix Dionne Industry Canada Patent Office 50 Victoria Street Place du Portage I Gatineau, Quebec K1A 0C9 Fax: 819-994-1989 E-mail:[email protected] The list of chapters on the Manual of Patent Office Practice linking page ( http://strategis.gc.ca/sc_mrksv/cipo/patents/mopop/mopop_dnld-e.html ) will indicate the presence of an amended version of that chapter with the appropriate date. For the present time, the Manual of Patent Office Practice is being made available only in electronic form. Barney de Schneider Director, Patent Branch Chapter List Contacting The Patent Office 1 Version - April 2006 Opening And Inspection of Documents 2 Version - May 1998 Inquiries And Information on Pending Applications 3 Version - March 1998 Petitions And Appointment of Agents or Representatives 4 Version - March 1998 Filing And Completion Requirements 5 Version - March 1998 Ownership And Registration 6 Version - March 1998 Internal Priority And Convention Priority 7 Version - March 1998 Abstracts 8 Version - September 2004 Description 9 Version - March 1998 Drawings 10 Version - September 2004 Claims 11 Version - March 1998 Utility and subject-matter 12 Version - February 2005 Examination of Applications 13 Version - March 1998 Unity of Invention 14 Version - March 1998 Requirements for Patentability 15 Version - March 1998 Computer implemented inventions 16 Version - February 2005 Biotechnology 17 Version - March 1998 Protest and Filing Prior Art 18 Version - December 2003 Amendments to Patent Applications 19 Revised Version - November 2003 Time Limits, Withdrawal, Abandonment and Lapse 20 Version - March 1998 Final Action Practice 21 Version - March 1998 Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) 22 Version - September 2004 Amendments to Patents 23 Version - March 2004 Maintenance Fees 24 Version - September 2004 Tariff of Fees 25 Version - September 2004 Table of contents Chapter 1 Contacting the Patent Office .................................1-1 1.01 Location of the Patent Office .................................1-1 1.02 Correspondence in person or by mail ..........................1-2 1.03 Electronic correspondence ..................................1-2 1.03.01 Facsimile transmissions ............................1-3 1.03.02 Online correspondence with CIPO’s website ............1-3 1.04 Date of reception..........................................1-3 1.04.01 Filing of a document on statutory holidays (Dies non)......1-4 1.05 Interviews ...............................................1-5 1.06 Client Feedback system ....................................1-6 1.07 Publications related to Canadian documents ....................1-7 Chapter 2 Opening and inspection of documents ........................2-1 2.01 Inspection of documents....................................2-1 2.01.01 Opening of applications .............................2-1 2.01.02 Confidentiality of unopened applications ................2-2 2.01.03 Effect of withdrawal of priority on opening to public inspection..................................2-3 2.01.04 Legal Implication of date of opening to public inspection . 2-3 2.02 Information on applications..................................2-3 2.02.01 Numbering of applications...........................2-3 2.02.02 Status information relating to applications identified by serial numbers ..........................2-4 2.03 Searches by the public .....................................2-4 2.04 Opinions on opened applications .............................2-4 2.04.01 Validity and interpretation of patents ...................2-4 Chapter 3 Inquiries and information on pending applications ..............3-1 3.01 Inquiries by applicants ......................................3-1 3.01.01 Status inquiries ...................................3-1 3.01.02 Action inquiries ...................................3-2 3.02 Inquiries on pending applications (Section 11 of the Patent Act) .....3-2 3.02.01 Searches based on foreign patents only................3-2 3.02.02 How the search is conducted ........................3-3 Chapter 4 Petitions and appointment of agents or representatives .........4-1 4.01 The petition..............................................4-1 4.01.01 Amendment to the petition ..........................4-1 4.01.02 The title.........................................4-2 4.01.03 Public Servants Inventions Act .......................4-2 4.02 Appointment of agents .....................................4-2 4.02.01 Appointment of associate agents .....................4-3 4.03 Appointment of representative ...............................4-3 4.04 Status as small entity ......................................4-3 4.05 Representative drawing.....................................4-4 Page TOC-1 Table of contents 4.06 Jurisprudence ............................................4-4 Chapter 5 Filing and completion requirements ..........................5-1 5.00 Scope of chapter ..........................................5-1 5.01 Filing of applications .......................................5-1 5.02 Requirements for a filing date ................................5-1 5.03 Completing the application ..................................5-2 5.03.01 Completing applications filed prior to October 1, 1996 .....5-3 5.04 Jurisprudence ............................................5-4 Chapter 6 Ownership and registration ..................................6-1 6.01 Introduction ..............................................6-1 6.02 Evidence ................................................6-1 6.03 Registration..............................................6-2 6.04 Applicant for PCT applications at National Entry ..................6-5 6.05 Refusal of a joint inventor to proceed ..........................6-6 6.06 Correction of transfer documents .............................6-7 6.07 Certificate of registration....................................6-7 6.08 Certified copies...........................................6-8 6.09 Maintaining chain of title ....................................6-8 6.10 Ownership rights..........................................6-8 6.11 Ownership information .....................................6-9 Chapter 7 Internal priority and convention priority .......................7-1 7.01 Filing requirements when priority Is requested ...................7-1 7.01.01 Internal priority ...................................7-3 7.01.02 PCT priority......................................7-3 7.02 Time limits for requesting priority under the Paris Convention .......7-4 7.03 Priority and OPI date in Canada ..............................7-4 7.03.01 Withdrawal of priority...............................7-4 7.04 Petty Patents and Authors' Certificates .........................7-5 7.05 U.S. Continuation-in-part applications ..........................7-5 7.06 Multiple priorities..........................................7-6 Chapter 8 Abstracts .................................................8-1 8.01 Abstracts................................................8-1 8.02 Reference characters in abstracts.............................8-3 8.03 Examination of abstracts....................................8-3 8.04 Applications ready for allowance ..............................8-3 8.05 Examples of abstracts......................................8-3 Page TOC-2 Table of contents Chapter 9 Description ...............................................9-1 9.01 The description...........................................9-1 9.02 Title of the invention .......................................9-3 9.03 Reference to drawings .....................................9-3 9.04 Reference to other documents in the description .................9-4 9.05 Insufficient description......................................9-4 9.06 Trade-marks in the description ...............................9-5 9.07 Amendments to the description ...............................9-6 9.08 Jurisprudence ............................................9-6 Chapter 10 Drawings ...............................................10-1 10.01Drawings...............................................10-1
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Patent Law: a Handbook for Congress
    Patent Law: A Handbook for Congress September 16, 2020 Congressional Research Service https://crsreports.congress.gov R46525 SUMMARY R46525 Patent Law: A Handbook for Congress September 16, 2020 A patent gives its owner the exclusive right to make, use, import, sell, or offer for sale the invention covered by the patent. The patent system has long been viewed as important to Kevin T. Richards encouraging American innovation by providing an incentive for inventors to create. Without a Legislative Attorney patent system, the reasoning goes, there would be little incentive for invention because anyone could freely copy the inventor’s innovation. Congressional action in recent years has underscored the importance of the patent system, including a major revision to the patent laws in 2011 in the form of the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act. Congress has also demonstrated an interest in patents and pharmaceutical pricing; the types of inventions that may be patented (also referred to as “patentable subject matter”); and the potential impact of patents on a vaccine for COVID-19. As patent law continues to be an area of congressional interest, this report provides background and descriptions of several key patent law doctrines. The report first describes the various parts of a patent, including the specification (which describes the invention) and the claims (which set out the legal boundaries of the patent owner’s exclusive rights). Next, the report provides detail on the basic doctrines governing patentability, enforcement, and patent validity. For patentability, the report details the various requirements that must be met before a patent is allowed to issue.
    [Show full text]
  • U.S. Department of Commerce U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
    Template Version Number: 01-2020 U.S. Department of Commerce U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Privacy Threshold Analysis for the Patent End to End (PE2E) System Template Version Number: 01-2020 U.S. Department of Commerce Privacy Threshold Analysis USPTO Patent End to End (PE2E) System Unique Project Identifier: PTOP-003-00 Introduction: This Privacy Threshold Analysis (PTA) is a questionnaire to assist with determining if a Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) is necessary for this IT system. This PTA is primarily based from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) privacy guidance and the Department of Commerce (DOC) IT security/privacy policy. If questions arise or further guidance is needed in order to complete this PTA, please contact your Bureau Chief Privacy Officer (BCPO). Description of the information system and its purpose: Provide a general description (in a way that a non-technical person can understand) of the information system that addresses the following elements: The E-Government Act of 2002 defines “ information system” by reference to the definition section of Title 44 of the United States Code. The following is a summary of the definition: “ Information system” means a discrete set of information resources organized for the collection, processing, maintenance, use, sharing, dissemination, or disposition of information. See: 44. U.S.C. § 3502(8). Patents End-to-End (PE2E) is a Master system portfolio consisting of next generation Patents Automated Information Systems (AIS). The goal of PE2E is to make the interaction of USPTO’s users as simple and efficient as possible in order to accomplish user goals.
    [Show full text]
  • Patent Litigation and USPTO Trials: Implications for Patent Examination Quality
    U.S. Patent and Trademark Office U.S. Department of Commerce Patent Litigation and USPTO Trials: Implications for Patent Examination Quality January 2015 PROJECT TEAM Office of Chief Economist Alan C. Marco Richard D. Miller Office of Patent Legal Administration Kathleen Kahler Fonda Pinchus M. Laufer Office of Patent Quality Assurance Paul Dzierzynski Martin Rater United States Patent and Trademark Office 600 Dulany Street Alexandria, VA 22314 Page 1 of 80 Executive Summary Introduction In response to a recommendation from the Government Accountability Office’s (GAO) Report GAO-13-465, the United States Patent and Trademark Office has conducted a study regarding the relationship between certain patent- and patent examination-related characteristics and the likelihood of subsequent patent infringement litigation initiated by the patent holder or inter partes review (IPR) petitions filed by a third party at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB). The goal was to gather information that could lead to enhanced patent quality. A review of the existing literature revealed that significant empirical work has been conducted relating the likelihood of litigation to various characteristics of the patents and parties involved. However, we have found few attempts to relate characteristics of the patent examination process to subsequent litigation. Also, because the IPR option is relatively new, no work has been done to find any systematic differences between patents that undergo IPR and those that do not. The purpose of this report is to begin to fill in some of these gaps in the existing literature, and to determine the extent to which such studies can inform improvements to patent quality.
    [Show full text]
  • Inventions and Patents
    MODULE 03 Inventions and Patents MODULE 03. Inventions and Patents OUTLINE LEARNING POINT 1: Basics of invention and patent 1. One way of adding value to a product 2. Reasons for patenting an invention LEARNING POINT 2: Patent application 1. Evaluating the patentability of an invention 2. Deciding whether to patent an invention 3. Preparing a patent application (1) Detailed description of the invention (2) Claims (3) Who prepares (4) After filing a patent application LEARNING POINT 3: Patent infringement 1. Definition of patent infringement 2. If you come across your competitor’s patent LEARNING POINT 4: Patent management system 1. Basic elements of a patent management system 2. Patent portfolio INTRODUCTION The term "intellectual property (IP)" is defined as the property resulting from creations of the human mind, the intellect. In this regard, it is fair that the person making efforts for an intellectual creation has some benefit as a result of this endeavor. Probably, the most important among intellectual properties is “patent.” A patent is an exclusive right granted by a government for an invention, which is a product or a process that provides, in general, a new way of doing something, or offers a new technical solution to a problem. The details on the way of acquiring patents will be provided for protecting precious intellectual properties. LEARNING OBJECTIVES 1. You understand how to decide whether your new technology or invention should be protected by one or more patents and, if so, how to do so. 2. You know how the grant of a patent over an invention or technology helps you to prevent or have an upper hand in legal disputes that may arise later on.
    [Show full text]
  • Unity of Invention
    National Workshop on the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) System Unity of Invention November 28, 2016 Japan Patent Office 0 Outline I. Definition and Purpose of “Unity” II. How to examine “Unity” 1 I. Definition and Purpose of “Unity” A. Definition The unity of invention is one invention or a group of inventions so linked as to form a single general inventive concept. The international application shall relate to one invention only or to a group of inventions so linked as to form a single general inventive concept ("requirement of unity of invention"). (Rule 13.1) Claim 1 : Antenna of high sensitivity for a cell phone. Claim 2 : Hinges for folding a cell phone. Satisfy the “Unity” requirement? 2 I. Definition and Purpose of “Unity” B. Purpose The search fee is intended to compensate ISA for carrying out an international search on the international application relating to one invention only or to a group of inventions so linked as to form a single general inventive concept. (PCT Applicant’s Guide 7.015) The international application shall comply with the prescribed requirement of unity of invention. (Art.3, (4)(iii)) If the International Searching Authority considers that the international application does not comply with the requirement of unity of invention as set forth in the Regulations, it shall invite the applicant to pay additional fees. (Art.17, (3)(a)) 3 II. How to examine “Unity” A. Finding Independent Claims Unity of invention has to be considered in the first place only in relation to the independent claims in an international application and not the dependent claims.
    [Show full text]
  • 1504.04 Considerations Under 35 USC
    DESIGN PATENTS 1504.04 The following form paragraphs may be used in a The drawing in a design application is incorporated second or subsequent action where appropriate. into the claim by use of the claim language “as shown.” ¶ 15.38 Rejection Maintained The arguments presented have been carefully considered, but Additionally, the drawing disclosure can be supple- are not persuasive that the rejection of the claim under [1] should mented by narrative description in the specification be withdrawn. (see MPEP § 1503.01, subsection II). This descrip- Examiner Note: tion is incorporated into the claim by use of the lan- In bracket 1, insert basis of rejection. guage “as shown and described.” See MPEP § 1503.01, subsection III. ¶ 15.39 Obviousness Under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) Repeated It remains the examiner’s position that the [1] design claimed is I. 35 U.S.C. 112, FIRST AND SECOND obvious under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) over [2]. PARAGRAPHS Examiner Note: In bracket 1, insert name of design. Enablement and Scope of Protection ¶ 15.39.01 35 U.S.C. 103(a) Rejection Repeated (Multiple Any analysis for compliance with 35 U.S.C. 112 References) should begin with a determination of whether the It remains the examiner’s position that the claim is obvious under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) over [1] in view of [2]. claims satisfy the requirements of the second para- graph before moving on to the first paragraph. See In ¶ 15.39.02 Final Rejection Under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) (Single re Moore, 439 F.2d 1232, 169 USPQ 236 (CCPA Reference) 1971).
    [Show full text]
  • THE 30Th ANNIVERSARY a Brief History of the Trilateral Cooperation
    THE 30th ANNIVERSARY A Brief History of the Trilateral Cooperation European Patent Office Japan Patent Office United States Patent and Erhardtstr. 27 3-4-3 Kasumigaseki, Trademark Office 80469 Munich Chiyoda-ku P.O. Box 1450 Germany Tokyo 100-8915 Alexandria, VA 22313-1450 www.epo.org Japan USA www.jpo.go.jp [email protected] www.uspto.gov DW3_AX072_表紙_欧文.indd 1-2 2012/11/01 14:02:03 プロセスシアンプロセスマゼンタプロセスイエロープロセスブラック Trilateral Cooperation The framework of the Trilateral Cooperation was set up in 1983 between the European Patent Offi ce (EPO), the Japan Patent Offi ce (JPO) and the United States Patent and Trademark Offi ce (USPTO). The Trilateral Offi ces process the greater part of all patent applications fi led worldwide, in- cluding PCT applications(i). In the early 1980s, as the Trilateral Offi ces, the world’s major IP of- fi ces, faced a rapid increase in the number of applications, we established a unique international cooperation framework in the patent fi eld. This is the “Trilateral Cooperation.” Filing activities of users of the patent systems have become more global in line with the recent pattern of economic globalization. The number of patent applications in the world has continu- ously increased, as patent applications for the same inventions are fi led with multiple patent of- fi ces. The Trilateral Offi ces are committed to eliminating unnecessary duplication of work among the Offi ces, enhancing patent examination effi ciency and quality, and aiming to grant stable patent rights smoothly. The Trilateral Offices continue to lead various projects in the patent field through the unique Trilateral Cooperation.
    [Show full text]
  • Software Patent Law: United States and Europe Compared
    SOFTWARE PATENT LAW: UNITED STATES AND EUROPE COMPARED Software is a global business. Patents are increasingly the protection of choice; as a consequence, international software patent laws are of growing importance to software vendors. This article focuses on European patent law and how it differs from United States law in regards to software technology. Statutes and relevant case law of both unions are discussed and compared, providing an introductory secondary source for scholars and practitioners. Introduction In the past, industrial countries had their own patent laws and offices. Those seeking protection in a specific country had to apply for a national patent and obey local laws. With increasing globalization, international agreements were made and organizations founded to reconcile regional differences: The 1883 Paris Convention1 was based on the principle of reciprocal national treatment and therefore dealt more with international comity than the unification of patent laws. The 1970 Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT)2 finally implemented international one-stop patents.3 Both treaties are administered by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).4 1 The Paris Convention for the Protection of Intellectual Property was enacted on March 20, 1883. It has been amended most recently in 1970. http://www.wipo.int/clea/docs/en/wo/wo020en.htm. 2 The Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) was adopted on June 19, 1970 in Washington, D.C., and has been encoded in 35 U.S.C. §§ 351-76 (2000). 28 U.S.T. 7645. It has been modified most recently in October 2001. http://www.wipo.org/pct/en/index.html. 3 International one-stop patents—generally called PCTs after the enabling treaty—are patents that are recognized by all WIPO member countries (see n.4, infra).
    [Show full text]
  • Examination Guidelines for Patent Applications
    Examination Guidelines for Patent Applications Block I - Tittle, Specification, Claim Chart, Drawings and Abstract This text is an integral part of the Patent Application Examination Guidelines. The Guidelines set out the current understanding of the Brazilian IP Statute on the content of patent applications. Other inherent exam topics are listed and discussed in the general guidelines. Patent Division - December 4, 2013 FEDERAL CIVIL SERVICE MINISTRY FOR DEVELOPMENT, INDUSTRY AND FOREIGN TRADE BRAZILIAN PATENTS AND TRADEMARKS OFFICE EXAMINATION GUIDELINES FOR PATENT APPLICATIONS BLOCK I TITTLE, SPECIFICATION, LIST OF CLAIMS, DRAWINGS AND SUMMARY Project for Resolving Patent Backlog Presidential Rule #262 promulgated on January 13, 2011 PATENT DIVISION – JULY 2012 2/35 SUMMARY CHAPTER I. TITLE 5 CHAPTER II. SPECIFICATION 5 PRESENTATION MODE .................................................................................................................................................5 STATE OF THE ART .....................................................................................................................................................6 TECHNICAL PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION AND PROOF OF THE TECHNICAL EFFECT ATTAINED .............6 INDUSTRIAL APPLICATION ...........................................................................................................................................7 TITLE I. SUFFICIENCY OF DISCLOSURE ...........................................................................................................................7
    [Show full text]
  • Patent Families
    Topic 3: Patent Families Lutz Mailänder Bangkok 21-23 November 2012 Head, Patent Information Section Hanoi 26-28 November 2012 Global IP Infrastructure Sector Agenda Families – why Families – which Types Unity of patents Families – implications for examination External results, worksharing Prior art Families – where Resources WIPO Handbook: http://www.wipo.int/standards/en/pdf/08-01-01.pdf EPO: http://www.epo.org/searching/essentials/patent-families.html PIUG: http://wiki.piug.org/display/PIUG/Patent+Families Landon IP: http://www.intellogist.com/wiki/Patent_Families Origin of patent families Patent protection for particular invention is territorial, i.e. inventors have to seek protection in different countries Office of first filing (OFF) is usually in country of residence of inventor or applicant Subsequent filings of improvements at OFF Applicants seek protection abroad (“extensions”) Office(s) of second filing (OSF) Parallel with OFF (cost), or Deferred, delayed All filings/applications for “same invention” constitute a patent family Origin of patent families Patent applications can claim priorities of earlier applications (filed in same or other IPOs) Priorities create (legal) family relations between respective earlier and later filings Family relations may exist also without claiming priorities (e.g., technical families) Types of patent families Priorities are claimed National families Filings abroad: Paris convention (&TRIPS) family Filings abroad: PCT system family Without priorities Technical families Domestic families PCT Families on national level National second filings Patent of addition Improvement of original invention of parent patent Unity with parent patent to be given; i.e. as if further independent claim of parent patent Depends on validity of parent patent Request possible up to 18 months after filing of patent patent National second filings Division E.g.
    [Show full text]
  • Copying in Patent Law Christopher A. Cotropia & Mark A. Lemley Patent Law Is Virtually Alone in Intellectual Property
    Copying in Patent Law Cotropia and Lemley DRAFT Copying in Patent Law1 Christopher A. Cotropia2 & Mark A. Lemley3 Patent law is virtually alone in intellectual property (IP) law in punishing independent development. To infringe a copyright or trade secret, defendants must copy the protected IP from the plaintiff, directly or indirectly.4 But patent infringement requires only that the defendant’s product falls within the scope of the patent claims. Not only doesn’t the defendant need to intend to infringe, but the defendant may be entirely unaware of the patent or the patentee and still face liability. Nonetheless, copying does play a role in some subsidiary patent doctrines. For example, the question of whether patent damages should be set in order to deter infringement depends critically on whether infringers are in fact aware they are infringing, or at least that they are using the plaintiff’s technology. Copying – or at least intent to infringe – is also an element of claims for indirect infringement. The definition of “willful infringement” also turns on the question of culpability, at least in the popular understanding of that term. More significantly, the rhetoric of patent law (and of IP law 1 © 2008 Christopher A. Cotropia & Mark A. Lemley. 2 Associate Professor, Intellectual Property Institute, University of Richmond School of Law. 3 William H. Neukom Professor, Stanford Law School; of counsel, Keker & Van Nest LLP. We thank the Stanford IP Litigation Clearinghouse for providing us with the complaint sample and Sarah Craven and Vinita Kailasanath for outstanding research assistance. 4 The Copyright Act defines the rights as ones involving a “copy” of a protected work, 17 U.S.C.
    [Show full text]
  • Outline of the Examination Guidelines for Patent and Utility Model
    Outline of the Examination Guidelines for Patent and Utility Model Examination Standards Office Japan Patent Office 2018.06 Flow of examination on patent applications (outline) Supreme Court Intellectual Property High Court If the reasons for refusal are not solved Appeal If there are new reasons for refusal Submission of written opinion/amendment Decision of refusal If there are reasons for refusal Notification of reasons If there are no for refusal reasons for refusal Substantive examination Decision to grant a patent Registration to establish patent If there are no reasons for refusal Request for examination Patent gazette Within 3 years Application is filed 18 months Publication for a patent 1 1. Introduction of the Examination Guidelines 2. Novelty and Inventive Step 3. Secret Prior Art 4. Double Patenting 5. Requirements for Description and Claims 6. Unity of Invention 7. Industrially Applicable Inventions (Patentable Subject Matter) 8. Amendment 9. Overview of the March 2016 revision 2 1. Introduction of the Examination Guidelines 2. Novelty and Inventive Step 3. Secret Prior Art 4. Double Patenting 5. Requirements for Description and Claims 6. Unity of Invention 7. Industrially Applicable Inventions (Patentable Subject Matter) 8. Amendment 9. Overview of the March 2016 revision 3 1. Introduction of Examination Guidelines The Examination Guidelines summarize, so as to ensure fairness and transparency, Basic ideas of when applying laws such as applying the regulations in the Patent Act to patent examinations Criteria for Indicator for examinations managing patents Examination Guidelines are available at JPO’s website: https://www.jpo.go.jp/e/system/laws/rule/guideline/patent/tukujitu_kijun/index.html 4 1.
    [Show full text]