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§ 1.605 Suggestion of claim to applicant by examiner. - PATENT RULES
§ 1.605 Suggestion of claim to applicant by examiner.
(a) If no claim in an application is drawn to the same patentable invention claimed in another application or patent, the examiner may suggest that an applicant present a claim drawn to an invention claimed in another application or patent for the purpose of an interference with another application or a patent. The applicant to whom the claim is suggested shall amend the application by presenting the suggested claim within a time specified by the examiner, not less than one month. Failure or refusal of an applicant to timely present the suggested claim shall be taken without further action as a disclaimer by the applicant of the invention defined by the suggested claim. At the time the suggested claim is presented, the applicant may also call the examiner's attention to other claims already in the application or presented with the suggested claim and explain why the other claims would be more appropriate to be designated to correspond to a count in any interference which may be declared.
(b) The suggestion of a claim by the examiner for the purpose of an interference will not stay the period for response to any outstanding Office action. When a suggested claim is timely presented, ex parte proceedings in the application will be stayed pending a determination of whether an interference will be declared.
[49 FR 48416, Dec. 12, 1984, added effective Feb. 11, 1985; para. (a) revised, 60 FR 14488, Mar. 17, 1995, effective Apr. 21, 1995]
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