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201 Types of Applications

35 U.S.C. 111. Application.

(a)IN GENERAL.—

(1)WRITTEN APPLICATION.—An application for patent shall be made, or authorized to be made, by the inventor, except as otherwise provided in this title, in writing to the Director.

(2)CONTENTS.—Such application shall include—

(A)a specification as prescribed by section 112 of this title;

(B)a drawing as prescribed by section 113 of this title; and

(C)an oath by the applicant as prescribed by section 115 of this title.

(3)FEE AND OATH.—The application must be accompanied by the fee required by law. The fee and oath may be submitted after the specification and any required drawing are submitted, within such period and under such conditions, including the payment of a surcharge, as may be prescribed by the Director.

(4)FAILURE TO SUBMIT.—Upon failure to submit the fee and oath within such prescribed period, the application shall be regarded as abandoned, unless it is shown to the satisfaction of the Director that the delay in submitting the fee and oath was unavoidable or unintentional. The filing date of an application shall be the date on which the specification and any required drawing are received in the Patent and Trademark Office.

(b)PROVISIONAL APPLICATION.—

(1)AUTHORIZATION.—A provisional application for patent shall be made or authorized to be made by the inventor, except as otherwise provided in this title, in writing to the Director. Such application shall include—

(A)a specification as prescribed by the first paragraph of section 112 of this title; and

(B)a drawing as prescribed by section 113 of this title.

(2)CLAIM.—A claim, as required by the second through fifth paragraphs of section 112, shall not be required in a provisional application.

(3)FEE.—

(A)The application must be accompanied by the fee required by law.

(B)The fee may be submitted after the specification and any required drawing are submitted, within such period and under such conditions, including the payment of a surcharge, as may be prescribed by the Director.

(C)Upon failure to submit the fee within such prescribed period, the application shall be regarded as abandoned, unless it is shown to the satisfaction of the Director that the delay in submitting the fee was unavoidable or unintentional.

(4)FILING DATE.—The filing date of a provisional application shall be the date on which the specification and any required drawing are received in the Patent and Trademark Office.

(5)ABANDONMENT.—Notwithstanding the absence of a claim, upon timely request and as prescribed by the Director, a provisional application may be treated as an application filed under subsection (a). Subject to section 119(e)(3) of this title, if no such request is made, the provisional application shall be regarded as abandoned 12 months after the filing date of such application and shall not be subject to revival after such 12-month period.

(6)OTHER BASIS FOR PROVISIONAL APPLICATION.— Subject to all the conditions in this subsection and section 119(e) of this title, and as prescribed by the Director, an application for patent filed under subsection (a) may be treated as a provisional application for patent.

(7)NO RIGHT OF PRIORITY OR BENEFIT OF EARLIEST FILING DATE.—A provisional application shall not be entitled to the right of priority of any other application under section 119 or 365(a) of this title or to the benefit of an earlier filing date in the United States under section 120, 121, or 365(c) of this title.

(8)APPLICABLE PROVISIONS.—The provisions of this title relating to applications for patent shall apply to provisional applications for patent, except as otherwise provided, and except that provisional applications for patent shall not be subject to sections 115, 131, 135, and 157 of this title.

37 CFR 1.9. Definitions.

(a)(1)A national application as used in this chapter means a U.S. application for patent which was either filed in the Office under 35 U.S.C. 111, or which entered the national stage from an international application after compliance with 35 U.S.C. 371.

(2)A provisional application as used in this chapter means a U.S. national application for patent filed in the Office under 35 U.S.C. 111(b).

(3)A nonprovisional application as used in this chapter means a U.S. national application for patent which was either filed in the Office under 35 U.S.C. 111(a), or which entered the national stage from an international application after compliance with 35 U.S.C. 371.

(b)An international application as used in this chapter means an international application for patent filed under the Patent Cooperation Treaty prior to entering national processing at the Designated Office stage.

NATIONAL APPLICATIONS (35 U.S.C. 111) VS. NATIONAL STAGE APPLICATIONS (35 U.S.C. 371)

Nonprovisional and provisional applications are national applications. Treatment of a national application under 35 U.S.C. 111 and a national stage application (a national application which entered the national stage from an international application after compliance with 35 U.S.C. 371) are similar but not identical. Note the following examples:

(A)Restriction practice under MPEP § 806+ is applied to national applications under 35 U.S.C. 111(a) while unity of invention practice under MPEP Chapter 1800 is applied to national stage applications.

(B)National nonprovisional applications filed under 35 U.S.C. 111(a) without an executed oath or declaration , basic filing fee, search fee, or examination fee are governed by the notification practice set forth in 37 CFR 1.53(f) while national stage applications filed without an oath or declaration or national stage fee are governed by the notification practice set forth in 37 CFR 1.495.

37 CFR 1.9(a)(1) defines a national application as a U.S. application which was either filed in the Office under 35 U.S.C. 111, or which entered the national stage from an international application after compliance with 35 U.S.C. 371. Domestic national patent applications fall under three broad types:

(A)applications for patent under 35 U.S.C. 101relating to a “new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, etc.”;

(B)applications for plant patents under 35 U.S.C. 161; and

(C)applications for design patents under 35 U.S.C. 171.

The first type of patents are sometimes referred to as "utility" patents when being contrasted with plant or design patents. The specialized procedure which pertains to the examination of applications for design and plant patents are treated in detail in Chapters 1500and 1600, respectively. Domestic national applications include original (nonprovisional), provisional, plant, design, reissue, divisional, and continuation applications (which may be filed under 37 CFR 1.53(b)), continued prosecution applications (CPA) (filed under 37 CFR 1.53(d), only applicable if the application is for a design patent) and continuation-in- part applications (which may be filed under 37 CFR 1.53(b)).

201.01 Sole

An application wherein the invention is presented as that of a single person is termed a sole application.

201.02 Joint

A joint application is one in which the invention is presented as that of two or more persons. See MPEP § 605.07.

201.03 Correction of Inventorship in an Application

Correction of inventorship in an application is permitted by amendment under 35 U.S.C. 116, which is implemented by 37 CFR 1.48. The utilization of a request under 37 CFR 1.48 will generally correct the inventorship in the application in which it is filed. 37 CFR 1.48(a) is directed at correcting the inventorship in an application where the inventorship was improperly set forth in the executed oath or declaration filed in the application. 37 CFR 1.48(b) is directed at correcting the inventorship where the executed oath or declaration had correctly set forth the inventorship but due to prosecution of the application, e.g., claim cancellation or amendment, fewer than all of the currently named inventors are the actual inventors of the remaining claims. 37 CFR 1.48(c) is directed at correcting the inventorship where the executed oath or declaration had correctly set forth the inventorship but due to amendment of the claims to include previously unclaimed but disclosed subject matter, one or more inventors of the amended subject matter must be added to the current inventorship. 37 CFR 1.48(d) is directed at provisional applications where an inventor is to be added. 37 CFR 1.48(e) is directed at provisional applications where an inventor is to be deleted. 37 CFR 1.48(f) operates to automatically correct the inventorship upon filing of a first executed oath or declaration under 37 CFR 1.63 by any of the inventors in a nonprovisional application or upon filing of a cover sheet in a provisional application.

Correction of inventorship may also be obtained by the filing of a continuing application under 37 CFR 1.53 without the need for filing a request under 37 CFR 1.48, either in the application containing the inventorship err(using a copy of the executed oath or declaration from the parent application)or (to be abandoned) or in the continuing application. The continuing application must be filed with the correct inventorship named therein. The filing of a continuing application to correct the inventorship is appropriate if at least one of the correct inventors has been named in the prior application (35 U.S.C. 120 and 37 CFR 1.78(a)(1)). That is, at least one of the correct inventors must be named in the executed oath or declaration filed in the prior application, or where no executed oath or declaration has been submitted in the prior application, the name of at least one correct inventor must be set forth in the application papers pursuant to 37 CFR 1.41(a)(1). Where the name of at least one inventor is to be added, correction of inventorship can be accomplished by filing a continuing application under 37 CFR 1.53(b) with a newly executed oath or declaration under 37 CFR 1.63(a). Where the name of an inventor(s) is to be deleted, applicant can file a continuation or divisional application (using a copy of the executed oath or declaration from the parent application) with a request for deletion of the name of the inventor(s). See 37 CFR 1.63(d)(2). If a continuing application is filed with a new executed oath or declaration properly naming the correct inventors, a request for deletion of the name(s) of the person(s) who are not inventors in the continuing application is not necessary. The continuing application may be filed under 37 CFR 1.53(b) or, if the application is for a design patent, under 37 CFR 1.53(d). Note the requirements of 37 CFR 1.78 (a)(1)(ii).

In certain instances where the statement of the lack of deceptive intent of the inventor to be added or deleted cannot be obtained, a petition under 37 CFR 1.183 requesting waiver of that requirement may be possible.

For provisional applications, it may not be necessary to correct the inventorship under 37 CFR 1.48 (d) and (e) unless there would be no overlap of inventors upon the filing of the nonprovisional application with the correct inventorship. See subsections V. and VI. below.

The need to correct the inventorship in any U.S. nonprovisional or provisional application may in part be dependent upon whether a foreign filing under the Paris Convention will occur subsequent to the U.S. filing. See MPEP § 201.13.

37 CFR 1.48 does not apply to reissue applications as is noted in its title, whether correcting an inventorship error in the patent to be reissued or in the reissue application itself. Where an error in inventorship in a patent is to be corrected via a reissue application, see MPEP § 1412.04. Where such an error is to be corrected via a certificate of correction under 37 CFR 1.324, see MPEP § 1481.

Where a request under 37 CFR 1.48 is denied in a final agency action, the examiner must determine whether a rejection under 35 U.S.C. 102(f) or (g) is appropriate. Where the request under 37 CFR 1.48has been entered (for a decision thereon) and is dismissed (due to a defect that can be corrected) consideration under 35 U.S.C. 102(f) or (g) would be premature.

Although 37 CFR 1.48 does not contain a diligence requirement for filing the request, once an inventorship error is discovered, timeliness requirements under 37 CFR 1.116 and 37 CFR 1.312 apply. For allowed applications where the issue fee has been paid prior to the entry of a request under 37 CFR 1.48, if the request under 37 CFR 1.48 is dismissed or denied in an Office action, the application must be withdrawn from issue so that applicant would be given time to correct the defect(s). If the request under 37 CFR 1.48 is granted, then it would not be necessary to withdraw the application from issue.

Requests under 37 CFR 1.48 are generally decided by the primary examiner except:

(A)When the application is involved in an interference (decided by the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences);

(B)When the application is a national stage application filed under 35 U.S.C. 371 which, as of the date of filing of the request, has not been accepted as satisfying the requirements for entry into the national stage (decided in the PCT Legal Office); and

(C)When accompanied by a petition under 37 CFR 1.183 requesting waiver of a requirement under 37 CFR 1.48(a) or (c), e.g., waiver of the statement of lack of deceptive intent by an inventor to be added or deleted, or waiver of the reexecution of the declaration by all of the inventors (decided in the Office of Petitions).

The grant or denial of a request under 37 CFR 1.48(a) may result in the lack of inventorship overlap between a parent application and a continuing application and the consequent inability to claim benefit in the continuing application of the parent application’s filing date under 35 U.S.C. 120. Intervening references must then be considered.

For correction of inventorship in a patent, see 37 CFR 1.324 and MPEP § 1481.

A request under 37 CFR 1.48 will not be required:

(A)Where an application is to issue with the correct inventorship based on the allowed claims even though the application may have been filed with an incorrect inventorship based on the claims as originally submitted;

(B)Where a typographical or transliteration error in the spelling of an inventor’s name is discovered, the Office should simply be notified of the error. A new oath or declaration is not required. See MPEP § 605.04(g). Reference to the notification will be made on the previously filed oath or declaration;

(C)Where an inventor’s name has been changed after the application has been filed, see MPEP § 605.04(c);

(D)Where a court has issued an order under 35 U.S.C. 256 for correction of the inventorship of a patent, it should be submitted directly to the Certificate of Correction Division along with form PTO/ SB/44 (see MPEP § 1485). A new oath or declaration under 37 CFR 1.63 is not required;

(E)Where there is no change of individual but an incorrect name was given, a petition under 37 CFR 1.182 should be filed requesting correction of applicant’s name;

(F)In a nonprovisional application filed under 35 U.S.C. 111(a), where the first-filed executed oath or declaration was filed on or after December 1, 1997 and names the correct inventors, but the inventive entity on the executed oath or declaration differs from that which was set forth on filing of the application, e.g., the application transmittal letter or an unexecuted oath or declaration. See 37 CFR 1.48(f)(1);

(G)In a provisional application filed under 35 U.S.C. 111(b), where the cover sheet was filed on or after December 1, 1997 which names the correct inventors, but the inventive entity on the cover sheet differs from that which was set forth on filing of the provisional application without a cover sheet. See 37 CFR 1.48(f)(2).

I.APPLICATIONS FILED UNDER 37 CFR 1.53(f) - NO OATH/DECLARATION

The Office will issue a filing receipt listing the inventors identified at the time of filing of the application even if the application was filed under 37 CFR 1.53(f) without an executed oath or declaration. Where the first-filed executed oath or declaration was filed on or after December 1, 1997 and sets forth an inventive entity which is different from the inventive entity initially set forth at the time of filing of the application, the actual inventorship of the application will be taken from the executed oath or declaration. See 37 CFR 1.41(a)(1). A request under 37 CFR 1.48(a), (b), or (c) will not be necessary. See 37 CFR 1.48(f).

Where the first-filed executed oath or declaration was submitted prior to December 1, 1997 in an application filed without an executed oath or declaration, if the inventive entity identified on the executed oath or declaration differs from the inventive entity identified at the time of filing of the application, a request under 37 CFR 1.48(a) or (c) must also be submitted.

The original named inventors should not execute or submit an oath or declaration under 37 CFR 1.63merely to timely complete the filing requirements in reply to a “Notice to File Missing Parts of Application” where the possibility of an error in inventorship has been discovered, nor should the oath or declaration be signed by someone who cannot properly make the averments therein. Additional time to reply to the Notice is available under 37 CFR 1.136(a) and possibly under 37 CFR 1.136(b). See MPEP § 710.02(d).

Example

A nonprovisional application is filed (either prior to, on or after December 1, 1997) naming A as the sole inventor without an executed oath or declaration under 37 CFR 1.63. Only claim 1 is presented.

A "Notice to File Missing Parts of Application" is mailed to the applicant requiring an oath or declaration under 37 CFR 1.63. In timely reply thereto after December 1, 1997, a preliminary amendment adding claim 2, and a declaration under 37 CFR 1.63 executed by inventors A and B are submitted with B being added in view of claim 2. A request under 37 CFR 1.48(c) is not required, in that 37 CFR 1.48(f)(1) will act to set forth an inventorship of A and B.

Similarly, where a preliminary amendment canceling or amending claims concomitantly requires the deletion of an inventor, such deletion may be accomplished by the submission of a first-filed executed oath or declaration on or after December 1, 1997 naming the actual inventive entity. A request under 37 CFR 1.48(b) would not be necessary.

II.37 CFR 1.48(a)

37 CFR 1.48. Correction of inventorship in a patent application, other than a reissue application, pursuant to 35. U.S.C. 116.

(a) Nonprovisional application after oath/declaration filed. If the inventive entity is set forth in error in an executed § 1.63oath or declaration in a nonprovisional application, and such error arose without any deceptive intention on the part of the person named as an inventor in error or on the part of the person who through error was not named as an inventor, the inventorship of the nonprovisional application may be amended to name only the actual inventor or inventors. Amendment of the inventorship requires:

(1) A request to correct the inventorship that sets forth the desired inventorship change;

(2) A statement from each person being added as an inventor and from each person being deleted as an inventor that the error in inventorship occurred without deceptive intention on his or her part;

(3) An oath or declaration by the actual inventor or inventors as required by § 1.63 or as permitted by §§ 1.42, 1.43 or § 1.47;

(4) The processing fee set forth in § 1.17(i); and

(5) If an assignment has been executed by any of the original named inventors, the written consent of the assignee (see § 3.73(b) of this chapter).

Under 37 CFR 1.48(a), if the correct inventor or inventors are not named in an executed oath or declaration under 37 CFR 1.63 in a nonprovisional application for patent, the application can be amended to name only the actual inventor or inventors so long as the error in the naming of the inventor or inventors occurred without any deceptive intention on the part of the person named as an inventor in error or the person who through error was not named as an inventor.

37 CFR 1.48(a) requires that the amendment be accompanied by: (1) a request to correct the inventorship that sets forth the desired inventorship change; (2) a statement from each person being added and from each person being deleted as an inventor that the error occurred without deceptive intention on his or her part; (3) an oath or declaration by each actual inventor or inventors as required by 37 CFR 1.63 or as permitted by 37 CFR 1.42, 1.43 or 1.47; (4) the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17 (i); and (5) the written consent of any existing assignee, if any of the originally named inventors has executed an assignment.

Correction may be requested in cases where the person originally named as inventor was in fact not an inventor or the sole inventor of the subject matter being claimed. If such error occurred without any deceptive intention on the part of the inventor named and/or not named in error, the Office has the authority to substitute the true inventive entity for the erroneously named inventive entity. Instances where corrections can be made include changes from: a mistaken sole inventor to a different but actual sole inventor; a mistakenly identified sole inventor to different, but actual, joint inventors; a sole inventor to joint inventors to include the original sole inventor; erroneously identified joint inventors to different but actual joint inventors; erroneously identified joint inventors to a different, but actual, sole inventor. (Note that 35 U.S.C. 120 and 37 CFR 1.78 require an overlap of inventorship, hence, refiling, rather than requesting under 37 CFR 1.48, to change inventorship where the change would not result in an inventorship overlap may result in the loss of a benefit claim.)

A. Statement of Lack of Deceptive Intention

Where a similar inventorship error has occurred in more than one application for which correction is requested wherein petitioner seeks to rely on identical statements, only one original set need be supplied if copies are submitted in all other applications with a reference to the application containing the originals (original oaths or declarations under 37 CFR 1.63 and written consent of assignees along with separate processing fees must be filed in each application).

The statement required from each inventor being added or deleted may simply state that the inventorship error occurred without deceptive intention. The statement need not be a verified statement (see MPEP § 410).

On very infrequent occasions, the requirements of 37 CFR 1.48(a) have been waived upon the filing of a petition and fee under 37 CFR 1.183 (along with the request and fee under 37 CFR 1.48(a)) to permit the filing of a statement by less than all the parties required to submit a statement. In re Cooper, 230 USPQ 638, 639 (Dep. Assist. Comm’r Pat. 1986). However, such a waiver will not be considered unless the facts of record unequivocally support the correction sought. In re Hardee, 223 USPQ 1122, 1123 (Comm’r Pat. 1984). As 37 CFR 1.48(a) is intended as a simple procedural remedy and does not represent a substantive determination as to inventorship, issues relating to the inventors’ or alleged inventors’ actual contributions to conception and reduction to practice are not appropriate for consideration in determining whether the record unequivocally supports the correction sought.

In those situations where an inventor to be added refuses to submit a statement supporting the addition or such party cannot be reached, waiver under 37 CFR 1.183 of the requirement for a statement from that party would be appropriate upon a showing of such refusal or inability to reach the inventor. Every existing assignee of the original named inventors must give its consent to the requested correction. Where there is more than one assignee giving its consent, the extent of that interest (percentage) should be shown. Where no assignment has been executed by the inventors, or if deletion of a refusing inventor is requested, waiver will not be granted absent unequivocal support for the correction sought. Petitions under 37 CFR 1.47 are not applicable to the requirement for statements from each originally named inventor.

An available remedy to obtain correction of inventorship where waiver of a required statement is not available to correct the inventorship in a particular application is to refile the application naming the correct inventive entity. A request under 37 CFR 1.48(a) would not then be required in the newly filed application as no correction would be needed. Furthermore, a request under 37 CFR 1.48(a) would also not be required in the prior application that was refiled, since the prior application will be abandoned. Benefit of the parent application’s filing date would be available under 35 U.S.C. 120 provided there is at least one inventor overlap between the two applications. (Note: a sole-to-sole correction would not obtain benefit under 35 U.S.C. 120).

B.Oath or Declaration

An oath or declaration under 37 CFR 1.63 by each

actual inventor must be presented. While each inventor need not execute the same oath or declaration, each oath or declaration executed by an inventor must contain a complete listing of all inventors so as to clearly indicate what each inventor believes to be the appropriate inventive entity. Where individual declarations are executed, they must be submitted as individual declarations rather than combined into one declaration. For example, where the inventive entity is A and B, a declaration may not be executed only by A naming only A as the inventor and a different declaration may not be executed only by B naming only B as the inventor, which two declarations are then combined into one declaration with a first page of boiler plate, a second page with A’s signature, and a second page with B’s signature (so that it appears that the declaration was executed with the entire inventive entity appearing in the declaration when it did not).

Conflicting oaths or declarations filed: If the first executed oaths or declarations that are submitted name different inventive entities (e.g., one declaration names A, B, and C as inventors and a second declaration names D as the inventor) and are filed on the same day, the application will be considered to name the inventors named in both declarations (A, B, C, and D) and a new oath or declaration in compliance with 37 CFR 1.63 including the entire inventive entity will be required. Where an application is filed with an executed declaration under 37 CFR 1.63 naming an inventive entity that is in conflict with another paper filed in the application, such as the transmittal letter, the executed declaration will govern. However, where an executed declaration is never submitted and the application papers are in conflict as to the inventorship, each party identified as an inventor on filing will be considered to have been named as part of the inventive entity. See 37 CFR 1.41(a)(1).

37 CFR 1.47 is available to meet the requirement for an oath or declaration under 37 CFR 1.63 as for example where A, B, and C were originally named as inventors and D who refuses to cooperate is to be later added as an inventor. The oath or declaration under 37 CFR 1.63 of inventor D may be supplied pursuant to 37 CFR 1.47(a), but note that the required 37 CFR 1.48(a)(2) statement must still be supplied by inventor D (an unlikely event in view of the inability to obtain the executed oath or declaration under 37 CFR 1.63), or waiver thereof petitioned under 37 CFR 1.183. Alternatively, where D is to be added as an inventor (where inventors A, B, and C have previously executed the application under 37 CFR 1.63) and it is original inventor A who refuses to cooperate, the statement under 37 CFR 1.48(a)(2) is only required to be signed by inventor D. Originally named inventor A is merely required to reexecute an oath or declaration in compliance with 37 CFR 1.63. Petitions under 37 CFR 1.47 are only applicable to an original oath or declaration and are not applicable to the reexecution of another oath or declaration by A. In such circumstances, a petition under 37 CFR 1.183 should be considered requesting waiver of the requirement of 37 CFR 1.64 that each of the actual inventors, i.e., inventor A, execute the oath or declaration, particularly where assignee consent is given to the requested correction. Absent assignee consent, the petition under 37 CFR 1.183 requesting waiver of the reexecution of the oath or declaration will be evaluated as to whether the nonsigning inventor was actually given the opportunity to reexecute the oath or declaration, or whether the nonsigning inventor could not be reached.

Applications filed with a petition under 37 CFR 1.47 and a request under 1.48(a) will be forwarded to the Office of Petitions, after mailing the filing receipt by the Office of Initial Patent Examination, for consideration of the petition and the request. In those instances wherein a request under 37 CFR 1.48(a) and a petition under 37 CFR 1.47 have both been filed in an application, the Office of Petitions may first issue a decision on the request under 37 CFR 1.48(a) so as to determine the appropriate oath or declaration under 37 CFR 1.63 required for the petition under 37 CFR 1.47.

The oath or declaration submitted subsequent to the filing date (37 CFR 1.53(f)) of an application filed under 37 CFR 1.53(b) must clearly identify the previously filed specification it is intended to execute. See MPEP § 601.01(a) and § 602.

C.Fee

Where waiver under 37 CFR 1.183 is requested in

relation to a requirement under 37 CFR 1.48(a), a processing fee under 37 CFR 1.48(a) and a petition fee under 37 CFR 1.183 are required. Similarly, where in addition to a request under 37 CFR 1.48, two petitions under 37 CFR 1.183 are presented, e.g., one requesting waiver of a requirement under 37 CFR 1.48 and the other requesting waiver of the reexecution of an oath or declaration under 37 CFR 1.64, three fees are required (one for the request filed under 37 CFR 1.48and two for the petitions filed under 37 CFR 1.183).

Where a similar error has occurred in more than one application a separate processing fee must be submitted in each application in which correction is requested.

If the processing fee has not been submitted or authorized the request will be dismissed.

D.Written Consent of Assignee

The written consent of every existing assignee of

the original named inventors must be submitted. 37 CFR 1.48(a)(5). 37 CFR 1.48(a) does not limit assignees to those who are recorded in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office records. The Office employee deciding the request should check the file record for any indication of the existence of an assignee (e.g., a small entity assertion from an assignee).

Where no assignee exists requester should affirmatively state that fact. If the file record including the request is silent as to the existence of an assignee it will be presumed that no assignee exists. Such presumption should be set forth in the decision to alert requesters to the requirement.

The individual signing on behalf of the assignee giving its consent to the requested inventorship correction, should specifically state that he or she has the authority to act on behalf of the assignee. In the absence of such a statement, the consent will be accepted if it is signed by an appropriate official of the assignee (e.g., president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, or derivative thereof) if the official’s title has been made of record. A general statement of authority to act for the assignee, or on the specific matter of consent, or the appropriate title of the party signing on behalf of the assignee should be made of record in the consent. However, if it appears in another paper of record, e.g., small entity assertion, it is also acceptable. Further, the assignee must establish its ownership of the application in accordance with 37 CFR 3.73. MPEP § 324.

E.Continuing Applications

35 U.S.C. 120 permits a continuing application to claim the benefit of the filing date of a copending, previously filed, parent application provided there is inventorship overlap between the continuing application and the parent application. If the inventive entity of a continuing application includes an inventor named in the parent application, the inventorship overlap required by 35 U.S.C. 120 is met.

Example

The parent application names inventors A and B and claims inventions 1 and 2. Inventor A contributes only to invention 1 and inventor B contributes only to invention 2. A restriction requirement is made and invention 1 was elected. Upon allowance of claims directed to invention 1 and cancellation of claims directed to invention 2, a request under 37 CFR 1.48(b) was filed requesting deletion of inventor B. The request under 37 CFR 1.48(b) was granted by the primary examiner. Prior to the issuance of the parent application, a divisional application claiming benefit under 35 U.S.C. 120 to the parent application, is filed claiming only invention 2 and naming only inventor B. The inventorship overlap required by 35 U.S.C. 120 is met in this instance even though at the time of filing of the divisional application, the inventorship overlap was lost as a result of the deletion of an inventor in the parent application. The overlap of inventorship need not be present on the date the continuing application is filed nor present when the parent application issues or becomes abandoned.

On filing a continuing application under 37 CFR 1.53(b) it should not be assumed that an error in inventorship made in a parent application was in fact corrected therein in response to a request under 37 CFR 1.48(a) unless a decision from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to that effect was received by the requester. A continuing application naming the additional inventor can be filed under 35 U.S.C. 111(a) and 37 CFR 1.53(b) with a newly executed oath or declaration by the new inventive entity along with a request for benefit under 35 U.S.C. 120 without the need for a decision on the request under 37 CFR 1.48 filed in the parent application.

Should an error in inventorship in a parent application be discovered, whether it is the need to add and/ or to delete inventors, when preparing to file a continuing application, the continuing application may be filed under 37 CFR 1.53(b) with the correct inventive entity without the need for a request under 37 CFR 1.48(a) in the parent or continuing application provided the parent application is to be abandoned on filing of the continuing application. In filing a continuation or divisional application under 37 CFR 1.53(b), a copy of an oath or declaration from the prior application can only be used where inventors are to be deleted (37 CFR 1.53(b)(1) and 37 CFR 1.63(d)(1)(ii)), but not where inventors are to be added. Where inventors are to be added, a newly executed oath or declaration must be submitted. See 37 CFR 1.63(d)(5).

In a continued prosecution application (CPA) filed under 37 CFR 1.53(d), a request under 37 CFR 1.48(a) or (c) to add an inventor to a parent application that was not acted on (e.g., filed after final rejection) will be automatically considered in the CPA. Until the request is granted, the inventorship remains the same as the prior application. Note, however, that effective July 14, 2003, CPA practice has been eliminated as to utility and plant applications. If the application is a design application, after discovery of an inventorship error, the application can also be refiled under 37 CFR 1.53(d)(4) as a CPA where inventors are only to be deleted.

In filing a continuing application to correct the inventorship, it is important to recognize that 37 CFR 1.78 requires for purposes of claiming the benefit of the prior application that the prior application must either have had the filing fee, or the retention fee as set forth in 37 CFR 1.21(l), paid within the period set forth in 37 CFR 1.53(f) so as to establish copendency. See 37 CFR 1.78(a)(1). Effective July 1, 2005, the processing and retention fee (37 CFR 1.21(l)) practice has been eliminated. The basic filing fee (rather than just the processing and retention fee set forth in former 37 CFR 1.21(l)) must be paid within the pendency of a nonprovisional application in order to permit benefit of the application to be claimed under 35 U.S.C. 120, 121, or 365(c) in a subsequent nonprovisional or international application. See 37 CFR 1.78(a)(1)(ii).

Should a continuation or divisional application be filed under 37 CFR 1.53(b)(1) where a copy of the oath or declaration from the prior application is utilized (or under 37 CFR 1.53(d) as a CPA if the prior application is a design application) purporting to add an inventor, the inventorship of the prior application will be retained in the continuing application as addition of an inventor is not permitted in these instances. The absence of a request to correct the inventorship submitted with the continuing application will not affect the filing date of the continuing application.

However, the retained inventorship must then be corrected by the filing of a request under 37 CFR 1.48(a) in the continuation or divisional application stating that the error in failing to name the additional inventor in the prior application was without deceptive intention. Where an inventor is to be added, it is recommended that a continuation or divisional application be filed under 37 CFR 1.53(b) with a newly executed oath or declaration and not be filed with a copy of the oath or declaration from the prior application. This procedure eliminates the need for a request under 37 CFR 1.48.

An inventorship error discovered while prosecuting a continuing application that occurred in both an abandoned parent application and the continuing application can be corrected in both applications by filing a single request in the continuing application (e.g., A + B named in parent, B + C named in continuing application, actual inventorship is C + D thereby eliminating inventorship overlap and resulting loss of benefit claim under 35 U.S.C. 120 if the error is not corrected in abandoned parent application as well as in continuation application). Absent such loss of inventorship overlap, correction need not be made in the abandoned application.

When entering the national stage under 35 U.S.C. 371, correction of inventorship is via the provisions of 37 CFR 1.497(d). See MPEP § 1893.01(e).

III.37 CFR 1.48(b)

37 CFR 1.48. Correction of inventorship in a patent application, other than a reissue application, pursuant to 35. U.S.C. 116.

. . .

(b) Nonprovisional application—fewer inventors due to amendment or cancellation of claims. If the correct inventors are named in a nonprovisional application, and the prosecution of the nonprovisional application results in the amendment or cancellation of claims so that fewer than all of the currently named inventors are the actual inventors of the invention being claimed in the nonprovisional application, an amendment must be filed requesting deletion of the name or names of the person or persons who are not inventors of the invention being claimed. Amendment of the inventorship requires:

(1) A request, signed by a party set forth in § 1.33(b), to correct the inventorship that identifies the named inventor or inventors being deleted and acknowledges that the inventor's invention is no longer being claimed in the nonprovisional application; and

(2)The processing fee set forth in § 1.17(i).

37 CFR 1.48(b) provides for deleting the names of persons originally properly included as inventors, but whose invention is no longer being claimed in a nonprovisional application. Such a situation would arise where claims have been amended or deleted during prosecution because they are unpatentable or as a result of a requirement for restriction of the application to one invention, or for other reasons. A request under 37 CFR 1.48(b) to delete an inventor would be appropriate prior to an action by the TC where it is decided not to pursue particular aspects of an invention attributable to some of the original named inventors.

37 CFR 1.48(b) requires that the amendment be accompanied by: (1) a request including a statement identifying each named inventor who is being deleted and acknowledging that the inventor’s invention is no longer being claimed in the application; and (2) a fee under 37 CFR 1.17(i). The statement may be signed by applicant’s registered attorney or agent who then takes full responsibility for ensuring that the inventor is not being improperly deleted from the application. Written consent of any assignee is not required for requests filed under 37 CFR 1.48(b).

IV.37 CFR 1.48(c)

37 CFR 1.48. Correction of inventorship in a patent application, other than a reissue application, pursuant to 35. U.S.C. 116.

. . .

(c)Nonprovisional application—inventors added for claims to previously unclaimed subject matter. If a nonprovisional application discloses unclaimed subject matter by an inventor or inventors not named in the application, the application may be amended to add claims to the subject matter and name the correct inventors for the application. Amendment of the inventorship requires:

(1)A request to correct the inventorship that sets forth the desired inventorship change;

(2)A statement from each person being added as an inventor that the addition is necessitated by amendment of the claims and that the inventorship error occurred without deceptive intention on his or her part;

(3)An oath or declaration by the actual inventors as required by § 1.63 or as permitted by §§ 1.42, 1.43, or § 1.47;

(4)The processing fee set forth in § 1.17(i); and

(5)If an assignment has been executed by any of the original named inventors, the written consent of the assignee (see § 3.73(b) of this chapter).

37 CFR 1.48(c) provides for the situation where a nonprovisional application discloses unclaimed subject matter by an inventor or inventors not named in the application when an executed declaration under 37 CFR 1.63 was first filed. In such a situation, the nonprovisional application may be amended pursuant to 37 CFR 1.48(c) to add claims directed to the originally unclaimed but disclosed subject matter and also to name the correct inventors for the application based on the newly added claims. Any claims added to the application must be supported by the disclosure as filed and cannot add new matter.

37 CFR 1.48(c) requires that the amendment must be accompanied by: (1) a request to correct the inventorship that sets forth the desired inventorship change; (2) a statement from each person being added as an inventor that the amendment is necessitated by an amendment to the claims and that the inventorship error occurred without deceptive intention on his or her part; (3) an oath or declaration by each actual inventor; (4) the fee under 37 CFR 1.17(i); and (5) the written consent of any assignee of the original named inventors.

V.37 CFR 1.48(d)

37 CFR 1.48. Correction of inventorship in a patent application, other than a reissue application, pursuant to 35. U.S.C. 116.

. . .

(d)Provisional application—adding omitted inventors. If the name or names of an inventor or inventors were omitted in a provisional application through error without any deceptive intention on the part of the omitted inventor or inventors, the provisional application may be amended to add the name or names of the omitted inventor or inventors. Amendment of the inventorship requires:

(1)A request, signed by a party set forth in § 1.33(b), to correct the inventorship that identifies the inventor or inventors being added and states that the inventorship error occurred without deceptive intention on the part of the omitted inventor or inventors; and

(2)The processing fee set forth in § 1.17(q).

37 CFR 1.48(d) provides a procedure for adding the name of an inventor in a provisional application, where the name was originally omitted without deceptive intent.

37 CFR 1.48(d) requires that the amendment be accompanied by: (1) a request to correct the inventorship that sets forth the desired inventorship change; (2) a statement that the inventorship error occurred without deceptive intention on the part of the omitted inventor or inventors; and (3) the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(q). The statement of lack of deceptive intent may be included in the request and may be signed by a registered attorney or agent. A statement of lack of deceptive intent is not required from any of the original or to be added inventors.

See also discussion below regarding requests filed under 37 CFR 1.48(e).

VI.37 CFR 1.48(e)

37 CFR 1.48. Correction of inventorship in a patent application, other than a reissue application, pursuant to 35. U.S.C. 116.

. . .

(e)Provisional application—deleting the name or names of the inventor or inventors. If a person or persons were named as an inventor or inventors in a provisional application through error without any deceptive intention on the part of such person or persons, an amendment may be filed in the provisional application deleting the name or names of the person or persons who were erroneously named. Amendment of the inventorship requires:

(1)A request to correct the inventorship that sets forth the desired inventorship change;

(2)A statement by the person or persons whose name or names are being deleted that the inventorship error occurred without deceptive intention on the part of such person or persons;

(3)The processing fee set forth in § 1.17(q); and

(4)If an assignment has been executed by any of the original named inventors, the written consent of the assignee (see § 3.73(b) of this chapter).

37 CFR 1.48(e) provides a procedure for deleting the name of a person who was erroneously named as an inventor in a provisional application.

37 CFR 1.48(e) requires that the amendment be accompanied by: (1) a request to correct the inventorship that sets forth the desired inventorship change; (2) a statement of lack of deceptive intent by the person whose name is being deleted establishing that the error occurred without deceptive intention on his or her part; (3) the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(q); and (4) the written consent of any assignee.

Under 35 U.S.C. 119(e), as contained in Public Law 103-465, a later filed nonprovisional application under 35 U.S.C. 111(a) that is filed within twelve months of an earlier provisional application may claim benefits based on the earlier filed provisional application so long as both applications have at least one inventor in common. An error in not naming or in naming a person as an inventor in a provisional application would not require correction under either 37 CFR 1.48(d) (to add an inventor) or 37 CFR 1.48(e) (to delete an inventor) in the provisional application so long as the nonprovisional application naming the correct inventorship would contain an overlap of at least one inventor with the provisional application. The existence of inventorship overlap would prevent the original inventorship error from having any effect upon the ability of the provisional application to serve as a basis for a benefit claim under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

If, however, applicant chooses to correct the inventive entity of a provisional application, for example, to permit the provisional application to serve as the basis of a priority claim in a foreign country, 37 CFR 1.48(d) and (e) set forth the procedures for adding one or more actual inventors and for deleting one or more erroneously named inventors respectively.

In the situation where an inventor was not named in a provisional application and an inventor was also erroneously named in the same provisional application and correction is desired, a request under 37 CFR 1.48(d) and a request under 37 CFR 1.48(e) would be required.

Where an inventorship error in a provisional application is desired to be corrected after expiration of twelve months from the filing date of the provisional application, a request under 37 CFR 1.48(d) and/or 37 CFR 1.48(e) may still be filed with OIPE, which handles requests under 37 CFR 1.48(d) and (e), to correct the inventorship in provisional applications.

VII.37 CFR 1.48(f)

37 CFR 1.48. Correction of inventorship in a patent application, other than a reissue application, pursuant to 35. U.S.C. 116.

. . .

(f)(1) Nonprovisional application—filing executed oath/declaration corrects inventorship. If the correct inventor or inventors are not named on filing a nonprovisional application under § 1.53(b) without an executed oath or declaration under § 1.63 by any of the inventors, the first submission of an executed oath or declaration under § 1.63 by any of the inventors during the pendency of the application will act to correct the earlier identification of inventorship. See §§ 1.41(a)(4) and 1.497(d) and (f) for submission of an executed oath or declaration to enter the national stage under 35 U.S.C. 371 naming an inventive entity different from the inventive entity set forth in the international stage.

(2)Provisional application filing cover sheet corrects inventorship. If the correct inventor or inventors are not named on filing a provisional application without a cover sheet under § 1.51(c)(1), the later submission of a cover sheet under § 1.51(c)(1) during the pendency of the application will act to correct the earlier identification of inventorship.

37 CFR 1.48(f)(1) and (f)(2) will act to automatically correct an earlier identification of inventorship in a nonprovisional application by the filing of an initial executed oath or declaration and in a provisional application by the filing of an initial cover sheet. A request and fee is not required for the inventorship correction to occur.

The provision in 37 CFR 1.48(f)(1) for changing the inventorship only applies if an executed oath or declaration under 37 CFR 1.63 has not been submitted by any of the inventors. In this situation, the submission of an executed oath or declaration under 37 CFR 1.63 by any of the inventors is sufficient to correct an earlier identification of inventorship. A first-filed oath or declaration under 37 CFR 1.63 executed by less than all of the inventors initially identified will, under 37 CFR 1.48(f)(1), determine the inventorship in the application. Any subsequent oath or declaration filed by a different inventive entity will not be effective under 37 CFR 1.48(f)(1) to correct the inventorship that was specified in the first-filed oath or declaration.

37 CFR 1.48(f)(1) is not applicable for national stage applications filed under 35 U.S.C. 371 where the inventorship has been erroneously named in the international application. Accordingly, if the inventorship set forth in the oath or declaration filed in the national stage application differs from the inventorship specified in the international application, the requirements of 37 CFR 1.497(d) must be satisfied. See MPEP § 1893.01(e).

VIII.37 CFR 1.48(g)

37 CFR 1.48. Correction of inventorship in a patent application, other than a reissue application, pursuant to 35. U.S.C. 116.
. . . (g)Additional information may be required. The Office may require such other information as may be deemed appropriate under the particular circumstances surrounding the correction of inventorship.

201.04 Parent Application

The term "parent" is applied to an earlier application of an inventor disclosing a given invention. Such invention may or may not be claimed in the first application. Benefit of the filing date of copending parent application may be claimed under 35 U.S.C. 120. The term parent will not be used to describe a provisional application.

201.04(a) Original Application

"Original" is used in the patent statute and rules to refer to an application which is not a reissue application. An original application may be a first filing or a continuing application.

201.04(b) Provisional Application