2627 Incomplete Request for Inter Partes Reexamination
MPEP SECTION SUMMARY
No requests for inter partes reexamination may be filed on or after September 16, 2012. Guidance on the former practice is available in the 9th Edition of the MPEP.
2630 Constructive Notice to Patent Owner
MPEP SECTION SUMMARY
No requests for inter partes reexamination may be filed on or after September 16, 2012. Guidance on the former practice is available in the 9th Edition of the MPEP.
2632 Public Access
MPEP SECTION SUMMARY
Reexamination files are open to inspection by the general public by way of the Public PAIR via the USPTO Internet site.
2634 Fee Processing and Procedure
MPEP SECTION SUMMARY
This section covers details on the fees due for an inter partes reexamination proceeding. All petitions filed relating to a reexamination proceeding require fees.
In an inter partes reexamination proceeding, fees are due for the request, for the addition of claims by the patent owner during the proceeding, for an extension of time, and for any appeal, brief, and oral hearing.
All petitions filed relating to a reexamination proceeding require fees.
No fee is required for the issuance of a reexamination certificate.
Micro entity and small entity reductions are available to the patent owner for extension of time fees, appeal fees, brief fees, oral hearing fees, excess claims fees, and petition fees.
Small entity reductions are available to the third party requester for petition fees, appeal fees, brief fees, and oral hearing fees.
When a fee is required in a merged proceeding, only a single fee is needed, even though multiple copies of the submissions (one for each file) are required.