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821.03 Claims for Different Invention Added After an Office Action - 800 Restriction in Applications Filed Under 35 U.S.C. 111; Double Patenting
821.03 Claims for Different Invention Added After an Office Action
Claims added by amendment following action by the examiner, MPEP § 818.01, § 818.02(a), to an invention other than previously claimed, should be treated as indicated by 37 CFR 1.145.
37 CFR 1.145 Subsequent presentation of claims for different invention.
If, after an office action on an application, the applicant presents claims directed to an invention distinct from and independent of the invention previously claimed, the applicant will be required to restrict the claims to the invention previously claimed if the amendment is entered, subject to reconsideration and review as provided in §§ 1.143 and 1.144
The action should include form paragraph 8.04.
¶ 8.04 Election by Original Presentation
Newly submitted claim [1] directed to an invention that is independent or distinct from the invention originally claimed for the following reasons: [2]
Since applicant has received an action on the merits for the originally presented invention, this invention has been constructively elected by original presentation for prosecution on the merits. Accordingly, claim [3] withdrawn from consideration as being directed to a non-elected invention. See 37 CFR 1.142(b) and MPEP § 821.03.
Of course, a complete action on all claims to the elected invention should be given.
Note that the above practice is intended to have no effect on the practice stated in MPEP § 2303.
An amendment canceling all claims drawn to the elected invention and presenting only claims drawn to the nonelected invention should not be entered. Such an amendment is nonresponsive. Applicant should be notified by using form paragraph 8.26.
¶ 8.26 Canceled Elected Claims, Non-Responsive
The amendment filed on [1] canceling all claims drawn to the elected invention and presenting only claims drawn to a non-elected invention is non-responsive ( MPEP § 821.03). The remaining claims are not readable on the elected invention because [2].
Since the above-mentioned amendment appears to be a bona fide attempt to reply, applicant is given a TIME PERIOD of ONE (1) MONTH or THIRTY (30) DAYS, whichever is longer, from the mailing date of this notice within which to supply the omission or correction in order to avoid abandonment. EXTENSIONS OF THIS TIME PERIOD UNDER 37 CFR 1.136(a) ARE AVAILABLE.
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