The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is required by 35 U.S.C. 131 and 151 to examine applications and, when appropriate, allow applications and issue them as patents. Chapter 30 of Title 35 U.S.C. provides that any person at any time may file a request for reexamination by the USPTO of any claim of a patent on the basis of prior art patents or printed publications. Once initiated, the reexamination proceedings under Chapter 30 are substantially ex parte and do not permit input from third parties. The rules outlining ex parte reexaminations are found at 37 CFR 1.510-1.570.
35 U.S.C. 257 permits a patent owner to request supplemental examination of a patent by the USPTO to consider, reconsider, or correct information believed to be relevant to the patent. The rules outlining supplemental examination are found at 37 CFR 1.601-1.625.
The Leahy-Smith America Invents Act terminated inter partes reexamination effective September 16, 2012. However, inter partes reexamination proceedings based on inter partes reexamination requests filed before September 16, 2012, continue to be prosecuted. Therefore, this collection continues to include items related to the prosecution of inter partes reexamination proceedings. The rules outlining inter partes reexaminations are found at 37 CFR 1.903-1.931.
Thus, the items included in this collection cover (i) requests for ex parte reexamination, (ii) requests for supplemental examination, and (iii) information that may be submitted by patent owners and third party requesters in relation to the prosecution of an ex parte or inter partes reexamination proceeding. It should be noted that the Requests for Ex Parte Reexamination and Supplemental Examination are distinct collections from the Request for Ex Parte Reexamination and Supplemental Examination Transmittal Forms, respectively. Whereas the transmittal forms are used by a requester (patent owner or third party) as a checklist to ensure compliance with the requirements of the statutes and rules for ex parte reexaminations and supplemental examinations, the requests themselves represent the substantive analysis undertaken by requesters of ex parte reexamination and supplemental examination.
The public uses this information collection to request ex parte reexamination and supplemental examination, to prosecute reexamination proceedings, and to ensure that the associated documentation is submitted to the USPTO.
Filing fees have been added to collection 0651-0064 from collection 0651-0072, following the discontinuation 0651-0072. This is to provide accurate accounting of the fees. The program change results in an increase of responses, time burden, and cost burden.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.
Form PTO/SB/59 Request for Supplemental Examination Transmittal Form
0651-0064 January 2016 Change Worksheet.docx
0651-USPTO-InfoQuality-Guidelines-01_07_2013.pdf
Reexamination Petition