Manual of Patent Examining Procedure, Ninth Edition, Revision of June 2020, 41571 [2020-14931]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 133 / Friday, July 10, 2020 / Notices DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Patent and Trademark Office [Docket No.: PTO–P–2020–0030] Manual of Patent Examining Procedure, Ninth Edition, Revision of June 2020 United States Patent and Trademark Office, Department of Commerce. ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO or Office) issued a revision of the ninth edition of the Manual of Patent Examining Procedure (MPEP), published in June 2020, to provide updated information on patent examination policy and procedure (June 2020 revision). The MPEP provides patent examiners and the public with a reference work on the practices and procedures relative to the prosecution of patent applications and other proceedings before the USPTO. The MPEP contains instructions to examiners, as well as other material on the nature of information and interpretation, and outlines the current procedures that examiners are required or authorized to follow in the normal examination of patent applications and during other Office proceedings. ADDRESSES: The USPTO prefers that suggestions for improving the form and content of the MPEP be submitted via email to mpepfeedback@uspto.gov or via the IdeaScale® tool available at https://uspto-mpep.ideascale.com/a/ index. Written comments may also be submitted by mail addressed to: Commissioner for Patents, P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313–1450, marked to the attention of Editor, Manual of Patent Examining Procedure. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert A. Clarke, Editor of the MPEP, by email at Robert.Clarke@uspto.gov, or by telephone at 571–272–7735; or James Lisehora, Patent Examination Policy Advisor, by email at James.Lisehora@ uspto.gov, or by telephone at 571–272– 8180. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The USPTO issued a revision to the ninth edition of the MPEP, published in June 2020, which provides USPTO patent examiners, applicants, attorneys, agents, representatives of applicants, and other members of the public with a reference work on the practices and procedures relative to the prosecution of patent applications before the USPTO. The MPEP contains instructions to examiners, as well as other material on the nature of information and jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES SUMMARY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:28 Jul 09, 2020 Jkt 250001 interpretation, and outlines the current procedures that examiners are required or authorized to follow in the normal examination of patent applications and during other Office proceedings. Although the MPEP does not have the force of law or the force of the rules in 37 CFR, it ‘‘is well known to those registered to practice in the [US]PTO and reflects the presumptions under which the [US]PTO operates.’’ Critikon, Inc. v. Becton Dickinson Vascular Access, Inc., 120 F.3d 1253, 1257 (Fed. Cir. 1997). In the June 2020 publication of the MPEP revision, sections of chapters 100–1000, 1200–1500, and 1700–2800 have been updated. The updated sections have a revision indicator of [R– 10.2019], meaning these sections have been updated to reflect USPTO patent practice and relevant case law as of October 31, 2019. In addition, Chapter FPC—Form Paragraphs Consolidated, the Foreword, Introduction, Subject Matter Index, and all appendices except Appendix I and Appendix P have been updated. The changes in the June 2020 publication are discussed in the Change Summary for the Ninth Edition, Revision 10.2019. The Change Summary is available in three renditions at https://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/pac/ mpep/. Citation to a section in the current revision of the MPEP should be to ‘‘e9 r10.2019,’’ e.g., MPEP 2163 (e9 r10.2019). The June 2020 publication of the revision of the ninth edition of the MPEP may be viewed or downloaded free of charge from the USPTO website at https://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/ pac/mpep/ and is available to search online at https://mpep.uspto.gov. Archived copies of each of the prior revisions and editions of the MPEP continue to be available for reference on the USPTO website at https:// www.uspto.gov/web/offices/pac/mpep/ old/index.htm. Dated: July 2, 2020. Andrei Iancu, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office. [FR Doc. 2020–14931 Filed 7–9–20; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–16–P COMMITTEE FOR PURCHASE FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND OR SEVERELY DISABLED Procurement List; Proposed Additions Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled. AGENCY: PO 00000 Frm 00057 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 41571 Proposed additions to the Procurement List. ACTION: The Committee is proposing to add products to the Procurement List that will be furnished by nonprofit agencies employing persons who are blind or have other severe disabilities. DATES: Comments must be received on or before: August 9, 2020. ADDRESSES: Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled, 1401 S Clark Street, Suite 715, Arlington, Virginia 22202–4149. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information or to submit comments contact: Michael R. Jurkowski, Telephone: (703) 603–2117, Fax: (703) 603–0655, or email CMTEFedReg@AbilityOne.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice is published pursuant to 41 U.S.C. 8503(a)(2) and 41 CFR 51–2.3. Its purpose is to provide interested persons an opportunity to submit comments on the proposed actions. SUMMARY: Additions If the Committee approves the proposed additions, the entities of the Federal Government identified in this notice will be required to procure the products listed below the nonprofit identified. The following products are proposed for addition to the Procurement List for production by the nonprofit agencies listed: Products NSN(s)—Product Name(s): 8415–00–NIB–1374—Face Covering/ Mask, Universally Sized, Olive Green, PG/5 8415–00–NIB–1375—Face Covering/ Mask, Universally Sized, Brown, PG/5 8415–00–NIB–1376—Face Covering/ Mask, Universally Sized, Tan, PG/5 8415–00–NIB–1378—Face Covering/ Mask, Universally Sized, Camo, PG/ 5 8415–00–NIB–1379—Face Covering/ Mask, Universally Sized, Black, PG/ 5 8415–00–NIB–1380—Face Covering/ Mask, Universally Sized, Olive Green, PG/50 8415–00–NIB–1381—Face Covering/ Mask, Universally Sized, Brown, PG/50 8415–00–NIB–1382—Face Covering/ Mask, Universally Sized, Tan, PG/ 50 8415–00–NIB–1383—Face Covering/ Mask, Universally Sized, Camo, PG/ 50 8415–00–NIB–1384—Face Covering/ E:\FR\FM\10JYN1.SGM 10JYN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 133 (Friday, July 10, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Page 41571]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-14931]



[[Page 41571]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Patent and Trademark Office

[Docket No.: PTO-P-2020-0030]


Manual of Patent Examining Procedure, Ninth Edition, Revision of 
June 2020

AGENCY: United States Patent and Trademark Office, Department of 
Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO or 
Office) issued a revision of the ninth edition of the Manual of Patent 
Examining Procedure (MPEP), published in June 2020, to provide updated 
information on patent examination policy and procedure (June 2020 
revision). The MPEP provides patent examiners and the public with a 
reference work on the practices and procedures relative to the 
prosecution of patent applications and other proceedings before the 
USPTO. The MPEP contains instructions to examiners, as well as other 
material on the nature of information and interpretation, and outlines 
the current procedures that examiners are required or authorized to 
follow in the normal examination of patent applications and during 
other Office proceedings.

ADDRESSES: The USPTO prefers that suggestions for improving the form 
and content of the MPEP be submitted via email to 
[email protected] or via the IdeaScale[supreg] tool available at 
https://uspto-mpep.ideascale.com/a/index. Written comments may also be 
submitted by mail addressed to: Commissioner for Patents, P.O. Box 
1450, Alexandria, VA 22313-1450, marked to the attention of Editor, 
Manual of Patent Examining Procedure.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert A. Clarke, Editor of the MPEP, 
by email at [email protected], or by telephone at 571-272-7735; 
or James Lisehora, Patent Examination Policy Advisor, by email at 
[email protected], or by telephone at 571-272-8180.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The USPTO issued a revision to the ninth 
edition of the MPEP, published in June 2020, which provides USPTO 
patent examiners, applicants, attorneys, agents, representatives of 
applicants, and other members of the public with a reference work on 
the practices and procedures relative to the prosecution of patent 
applications before the USPTO. The MPEP contains instructions to 
examiners, as well as other material on the nature of information and 
interpretation, and outlines the current procedures that examiners are 
required or authorized to follow in the normal examination of patent 
applications and during other Office proceedings. Although the MPEP 
does not have the force of law or the force of the rules in 37 CFR, it 
``is well known to those registered to practice in the [US]PTO and 
reflects the presumptions under which the [US]PTO operates.'' Critikon, 
Inc. v. Becton Dickinson Vascular Access, Inc., 120 F.3d 1253, 1257 
(Fed. Cir. 1997).
    In the June 2020 publication of the MPEP revision, sections of 
chapters 100-1000, 1200-1500, and 1700-2800 have been updated. The 
updated sections have a revision indicator of [R-10.2019], meaning 
these sections have been updated to reflect USPTO patent practice and 
relevant case law as of October 31, 2019. In addition, Chapter FPC--
Form Paragraphs Consolidated, the Foreword, Introduction, Subject 
Matter Index, and all appendices except Appendix I and Appendix P have 
been updated. The changes in the June 2020 publication are discussed in 
the Change Summary for the Ninth Edition, Revision 10.2019. The Change 
Summary is available in three renditions at https://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/pac/mpep/. Citation to a section in the current 
revision of the MPEP should be to ``e9 r10.2019,'' e.g., MPEP 2163 (e9 
r10.2019).
    The June 2020 publication of the revision of the ninth edition of 
the MPEP may be viewed or downloaded free of charge from the USPTO 
website at https://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/pac/mpep/ and is available 
to search online at https://mpep.uspto.gov. Archived copies of each of 
the prior revisions and editions of the MPEP continue to be available 
for reference on the USPTO website at https://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/pac/mpep/old/index.htm.

    Dated: July 2, 2020.
Andrei Iancu,
Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of 
the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
[FR Doc. 2020-14931 Filed 7-9-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-16-P

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