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724.02 Method of Submitting Trade Secret, Proprietary, and/or Protective Order Materials [R-2] - 700 Examination of Applications
724.02 Method of Submitting Trade Secret, Proprietary, and/or Protective Order Materials [R-2]
Information which is considered by the party submitting the same to be either trade secret material or proprietary material, and any material subject to a protective order, must be clearly labeled as such and be filed in a sealed, clearly labeled, envelope or container. Each document or item must be clearly labeled as a "Trade Secret" document or item, a "Proprietary" document or item, or as an item or document "Subject To Protective Order." It is essential that the terms "Confidential," "Secret," and "Restricted" or "Restricted Data" not be used when marking these documents or items in order to avoid confusion with national security information documents which are marked with these terms (note also MPEP § 121). If the item or document is "Subject to Protective Order" the proceeding, including the tribunal, must be set forth on each document or item. Of course, the envelope or container, as well as each of the documents or items, must be labeled with complete identifying information for the file to which it is directed, including the Office or area to which the envelope or container is directed.
Examples of appropriate labels for such an envelope or container addressed to an application are as follows: (Appropriate changes would be made for papers filed in a reexamination file.)
A. "TRADE SECRET MATERIAL NOT OPEN TO PUBLIC. TO BE OPENED ONLY BY EXAMINER OR OTHER AUTHORIZED U.S. PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE EMPLOYEE.
>DO NOT SCAN<
In re Application of
Application No.
Filed:
For: (Title of Invention)
TC Art Unit:
Examiner:
**
B. "PROPRIETARY MATERIAL NOT OPEN TO PUBLIC. TO BE OPENED ONLY BY EXAMINER OR OTHER AUTHORIZED U.S. PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE EMPLOYEE.
>DO NOT SCAN<
In re Application of
Application No.
Filed:
For: (Title of Invention)
TC Art Unit:
Examiner:
**
C. "MATERIAL SUBJECT TO PROTECTIVE ORDER - NOT OPEN TO PUBLIC. TO BE OPENED ONLY BY EXAMINER OR OTHER AUTHORIZED U.S. PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE EMPLOYEE.
>DO NOT SCAN<
Tribunal Issuing Protective Order:
Civil Action or Other Identification No.:
Date of Order:
Current Status of Proceeding: (Pending, Stayed, etc.)
In re application of:
Application No.
Filed:
For: (Title of Invention)
TC Art Unit:
Examiner:
**
The envelope or container must be accompanied by a transmittal letter which also contains the same identifying information as the envelope or container. The transmittal letter must also state that the materials in the envelope or container are considered trade secrets or proprietary, or are subject to a protective order, and are being submitted for consideration under MPEP § 724. A petition under 37 CFR 1.59 and fee therefor ( 37 CFR 1.17(h)) to expunge the information, if found not to be important to a reasonable examiner in deciding whether to allow the application to issue as a patent, **>should< accompany the envelope or container.
In order to ensure that such an envelope or container is not mishandled, either prior to reaching the Office, or in the Office, the envelope or container should **>be hand-carried to the Customer Window located at:
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
2011 South Clark Place
Customer Window
Crystal Plaza Two, Lobby, Room 1B03
Arlington, VA 22202
The envelope or container may also be mailed to the Commissioner for Patents, P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313-1450.
Upon receipt of the envelope or container, the Office will place the envelope or container in an Artifact folder if the application is an Image File Wrapper (IFW) application. If the application is maintained in paper, the confidential or proprietary information will be retained in the envelope or container.<
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