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Patent Act (35 U.S.C.) Word Index

Executive summary:

The Patent Act is found in Title 35 of the U.S. Code and contains the federal statutes governing patent law in the United States. While the sections of the Act should be current as of November 2005, this word index contains an alphabetized index to the Patent Act adapted from the Manual of Patent Examining Procedure Sixth Edition, Revision 1, (September 1995). A particular section of the Patent Act can be found through the main index to this document.

INDEX OF PATENT LAWS

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z |

A


Abandoned applications, fee on petition to revive: 41(a)(7)
Abandonment of application by failure to prosecute: 133, 371
Abandonment of invention:
 Bar to patent: 102
 By violation of secrecy: 182
Administrator, executor, or guardian: 117
Affidavits and depositions in contested cases, rules for taking: 23
Agreement to terminate interference: 135
Agriculture, Secretary of, to furnish information, and detail employees to Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks for plant patent: 164
Allowance and issue of patents: 153
Allowance, notice of: 151
Amendment:
 Copying claim of issued patent: 135
 Time for: 133, 135
Annual indexes of patents: 11
Annual report of the Commissioner: 14
Apostille on assignment: 261
Appeals to Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences: 134
 Fee: 41(a)(6), 134
 Hearing of: 7
 Reexamination proceedings: 306
Appeals to Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit: 141
 Certificate of decision of Court recorded in the Patent and Trademark Office: 144
 Determination of Appeal; revision of decision: 144
 From Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences: 141
 Grounds of decision to be furnished court: 143
 Notice of appeal: 142
 Proceedings on appeal: 143
Applicant for foreign patent, license required: 184
Applicant for international application: 373
Applicant, notified of interference: 135
Application:
Abandonment of, by failure to prosecute: 133
Assignment of: 261
 Confidential while pending: 122
 Continuing: 120
 Description; specification and claim: 112
 Divisional: 121
 Drawings: 113
 Effect of defective execution: 26
 Effective as of date of earliest foreign application in certain cases: 119
 Examination of invention: 131
 Fee on filing: 41(a)(1), 111
 For deceased or insane inventors: 117
 (Application:)
 May be made by legal representative of deceased or incapacitated inventor: 117
 Must be made within specified time after foreign application for right of priority: 119
 Oath of applicant (See Oath in patent application)
 Owned by Government: 267
 Provisional: 111
 Reissue: 251
 Secrecy order: 181
 What to contain: 111
 When filed by other than inventor: 118, 121
Appointments, how made: 3
Arbitration of interferences: 135
Arbitration, voluntary: 294
Article patented marked with number of patent: 287
Assignee:
 May file application in certain cases: 118
 May file divisional application: 121
 May file reissue application: 251
 Patent may be issued to: 152
Assignments, patent: 261
 Establishing prima facie execution of: 261
 Fees for recording: 41(a)(10)
 Must be recorded in Patent and Trademark Officeto issue patent to assignee: 152
 Patent may issue to assignee: 152
 Recording in Patent and Trademark Office: 261
Assistant Commissioners:
 How appointed and duties: 3
 Member of Board: 7
Assistant Secretary of Commerce: 3
Attorney fees in infringement suit: 285
Attorneys and agents:
 May be refused recognition for misconduct: 32
 Petition to District Court, D.C 32
 Rules for recognition made by Commissioner: 31
 Suspension or exclusion from practice: 31, 32
 Unauthorized practitioners: 33

B


Bars to grant of a patent: 102, 103
Benefit of earlier filing date in foreign country: 119
Benefit of earlier filing date in United States: 120
Best mode required: 112
Bill in equity (See Civil action)
Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences, how constituted: 7

C


Certificate of correction:
 Applicant's mistake: 255
 Fee for applicant's mistake: 41(a)(8)
 Office mistake: 254
Certified copies:
 Fee for certification: 41(a)(11)
 Of drawings and specifications of patents issued: 10
 Of records, furnished to Court of Appeals for theFederal Circuit in appeals: 143
Citation of prior art in patent: 301
Citizenship required in oath: 115
Civil action:
 Election of in case of interference: 141
 Infringement: 291
 In case of interference: 146
 Jurisdiction, plurality of parties, foreign party: 146
 To obtain patent: 145
Claim of patent:
 Independent or dependent: 41, 112
 Independent or dependent, validity: 282
 Invalid, effect of: 253
 Invalid, suits on patent with: 288
 Notice of rejection: 132
 Too extensive or narrow, remedy: 251
 What to cover: 112
Classification of patents: 9
Clerk of United States Court may summon witness inInterference cases: 24
 Must notify Commissioner of patent suits: 290
Commerce, Department of, Patent and Trademark Office in: 1
Commerce, Secretary of:
 Appointments by: 3
Commissioner under direction of: 6
 May vest functions: 3
 To approve rules: 6, 31
Commissioner:
 Annual report to Congress: 14
 Duties of: 6
 How appointed: 3
 May disbar attorneys: 32
 May establish charges: 41
 May make rules for taking affidavits and depositions: 23
 Member of Board: 7
 Reexamination order: 304
 Shall cause examination to be made: 131
 To establish regulations: 6
 To furnish court with grounds of decision, on appeal: 143
 To have charge of property: 6
 To prescribe rules and regulations governing recognitionof attorneys and agents: 31
 To sign patents or have name printed thereon and attested: 153
 To superintend grant of patents: 6
 Vacancy in office: 3
Commonly owned invention and reference subject matter: 103
Compensation, right to because of secrecy order: 183
Composition of matter:
 Patentable: 101
 Specimens of ingredients may be required: 114
Concealment of records: 18 U.S.C 2071
Confidential status of application: 122, 205
Continuing application: 120
Contributory infringement: 271
Copies of records, fees: 41
Correction of inventors in patent: 256
Correction of letters patent: 254, 255

D


Damages for infringement: 284
Day of taking any action or paying any fee falling on Saturday, Sunday, or holiday: 21
Death or incapacity of inventor: 117
Decisions in patent cases, printing of: 11
Declaration in lieu of oath: 25
Dedication of term: 253
Defective execution of documents, effect of: 26
Defenses in action for infringement: 282
Definitions: 100, 351
Deposit with United States Postal Service: 21
Depositions, Commissioner may establish rules for: 23
Deputy Commissioner: 3
 Member of Board: 7
Description of invention: 112
Design patents:
Double recovery, not allowed: 289
 Fees: 41(a)(3)
 For what granted: 171
 Liability for infringement of: 289
 Penalty for unauthorized use of patented design: 289
 Prior foreign applications: 172
 Right of priority: 172
 Subject to same provisions as other patents: 171
 Term of: 173
 Unauthorized use of: 289
Designated office: 363, 366, 367, 371, 372
Disbarment of attorneys and agents: 32
Disclaimer:
 Fee: 41(a)(5)
 How filed and by whom: 253
 Must be filed before commencement of suit to recovercosts: 288
 Nature of: 253
District Court for District of Columbia:
 Jurisdiction: 146
 Review of disbarment of attorneys and agents: 32
Division of application: 121
Division of patent on reissue: 251
Drawing:
 Attached to patent: 154
 Keeping of: 1
 Part of patent: 154
 Printing of: 11
 When necessary: 113
Duties of Commissioner: 6

E


Elected office: 371, 372
Employees of Patent and Trademark Office: 3
 How appointed: 3
 Restrictions on as to interest in patents: 4
English language: 361
Entry into national phase in United States: 371
Error in naming inventors: 116
Establishment of date of invention by reference toknowledge or use in foreign country: 104
Establishment, Patent and Trademark Office: 1
Examination:
 Applicants shall be notified of rejection on: 132
 To be made of application and alleged invention: 131
Examiner-in-chief:
 Duties of: 7
 How appointed: 3
 Pay rate: 3
 Qualifications: 7
 Temporary: 7
Exchange of Patent and Trademark Office Publicationsfor other publications: 11
Exchange of printed copies of patents with foreign countries: 12
Executors, administrators or guardians: 117
Extension of patent term: 155
Extension of time to reply fee: 41(a)(8)

F


Falsely making or labeling articles as patented: 292
Federal agency, defined: 200
Federal Assistance, inventions made with:
 Confidentiality: 205
 (Federal assistance, inventions made with:)
 Definitions: 201
 Disposition of rights: 202
 Domestic and foreign protection of federally owned inventions: 207
 Educational awards: 212
 March-in rights: 203
 Policy and objective of: 200
 Precedence of chapter over other Acts: 210
 Preference for United States industry: 204
 Regulations governing Federal licensing: 208
 Relationship to antitrust laws: 211
 Restrictions on licensing of federally ownedinventions: 209
 Uniform clauses and regulations: 206
Fees:
 Amount of: 41
For attorney awarded by court: 285
For records, publications, and services not specifiedin statute: 41
 How paid and refunded: 42
 (Fees:)
 Independent inventor, 50% reduction: 41(h)
 International: 361, 376
 Nonprofit organization, 50% reduction: 41(h)
 Payable to Commissioner: 42(a)
 Small business, 50% reduction: 41(h)
 Small entity, 50% reduction: 41(h)
 To witness interference cases: 24
Filing application by other than inventor: 118
Filing date requirements: 111
Filing fee: Amount of: 41(a)(1)
Foreign applications:
 License to file required: 184
 Penalty for filing without license: 185, 186
Foreign countries, exchange of printed copies of patentswith: 12
Foreign country, knowledge of use in, not used toestablish date of invention: 102, 104
Foreign patentee:
 Jurisdiction: 293
 Service: 293
Foreign patents:
 Copies of, exchanged for United States patents: 12
 Prior, effect on United States application for patent: 102
Foreign priority: 119(a)-(d), 365, 373
Fraudulent statements: 18 U.S.C 1001
Funding agreement, defined: 200

G


Government interests in patents: 267

H


Holiday, time for action expiring on: 21

I


Importation of products made by a patented process: 295
Improvements, patents may be granted for: 101
Indexes of patents and patentees, printing of: 11
Infringement, patent:
 Action for: 281
 Attorney fees: 285
 By United States, time limitation in suit for: 286
 Clerk of court to notify Patent and Trademark Office of suit: 290
 Contributory: 271
 Damages for: 284
 Defenses in suit for: 282
 Defined: 271
 Design patent: 289
Injunction: 283
 Notice of, necessary to recovery of damages: 287
 Pleading defense and special matters to be proved in suit: 282
 Suit for, when a claim is invalid: 288
 Temporary presence in United States: 272
 Time limitation: 286
Injunctions may be granted by court having jurisdiction: 283
Insane persons, patent applications of: 117
Interference, patent:
 Agreements, between parties, relating to termination, to be filed in Patent and Trademark Office: 135
 Appeal to court: 141
 Arbitration: 135
 Determination of priority: 102, 135
 Parties to be notified of: 135
 Review of decision by civil action: 145, 146
 Rules for taking testimony: 23
International application: 351, 365, 366, 367, 375
 Fees: 376
 National phase in United States: 371
 Priority rights: 365
Interfering patent:
 How set aside: 291
 Jurisdiction, plurality of parties, foreign party: 146, 291
 Relief against: 291
International Bureau: 351, 361, 362, 371
International Preliminary Examining Authority: 362, 364, 368
International Searching Authority: 351, 362, 364, 368
International studies and program funds: 6
Intervening rights on reissue: 252
Invalid patent claim disclaimer: 288
Invalidity of term extension: 282
Invention date as affected by activity abroad: 104
Invention, defined: 100
Invention made abroad: 104
Inventions in outer space: 105
Inventions patentable: 101
Inventions previously patented abroad: 102
Inventive step: 103
Inventor:
 Correction of patent: 256
 Death or incapacity: 117
 May obtain patent: 101
 Oath for joint: 116
 Refuses to sign: 118
 To make application: 111
Inventor's certificate as reference: 102
Inventor's certificate priority right: 119
Issue of patent: 151
Issue fee: 41
If not paid within three months, patent withheld: 151
 Nonpayment: 41, 151
 Payment of: 151

J


Joint inventors: 116, 256
Joint owners: 262
Jurisdiction of District Court for District of Columbia: 32

K


Knowledge or use in foreign country no bar to patent: 102

L


Legal representative of dead or incapacitated inventor: 117
Liability of States: 296
Libraries, public, copies of patents for: 13, 41
Library: 8
License for foreign filing: 184
Limitation on damages: 286

M


Machines patentable: 100
Maintenance fees: 41(b)
 Late payment: 41(c)
Manufactures patentable: 101
Marking articles falsely as patented: 292
Marking articles patented: 287
Misjoinder of inventor: 116, 202, 256
Mistake in patent, certificate thereof issued: 254, 255
Model, shall be furnished if required: 114
Money:
 Paid by mistake or in excess, refunded: 42
 Received for fees, etc., to be paid into Treasury: 42
Multiple dependent claim: 112
 Fee: 41
Mutilation of records: 18 U.S.C 2071

N


National stage of international application: 371, 372, 373
New matter inadmissible in reissue: 251
New matter, may not be introduced by amendment: 132
Nonjoinder of inventor: 256
Nonobviousness: 103
Nonprofit organization, defined: 200
Nonresident patentee: 293
Notice as regards patents:
 As to proof in infringement suits: 282
 Of allowance of patent: 151
 Of appeal to the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit: 142, 143
 Of interference: 135
 Of patent suit, decision to be given Patent and Trademark Office by clerk of court: 290
 Of rejection of an application: 132
 Of suit to be entered on file of patent: 290
 To the public by Federal agency: 209
 To the public that invention is patented: 287
Novelty: 102

O


Oath in patent application: 115, 152
 Before whom taken in foreign countries: 25, 115
 Before whom taken in the United States: 115
 Declaration in lieu of: 25
 (Oath in patent application:)
 Joint inventors: 116
 Must be made by inventor, if living: 115
 Requirements of: 115
 To be made by legal representative if inventor is dead or incapacitated: 117
Obviousness: 103
Officer of Patent and Trademark Office may attest patents: 153
Officers and employees:
Of Patent and Trademark Office: 3
Of Patent and Trademark Office, restrictions on as to interests in patents: 4
Official Gazette:
 Exchange for publications: 11
 Printing and distribution of: 11
Owners, joint: 262
Ownership assignment: 261

P


Paris Convention: 119
Patent and Trademark Office:
 In Department of Commerce: 1
 Library: 8
Printing: 11
 Rules, authority for: 6
 Seal of: 2
Patent Cooperation Treaty:
 Definitions: 351
Patent fees: 41
 Disposition of: 42
Patent laws, printing of: 11
Patent pending, false marking as: 292
Patent term extension: 155
Patent term extension application: 156
Patentability, conditions for: 102, 103
Patentable inventions: 101
Patented article, marked as such: 287
Patentee:
 Defined: 100
 Notified of interference: 135
Patents:
 Application for: 111
 Assignment of: 261
 Based on international application: 375
 Certified copies of: 10
 Classification of: 9
 Contents and duration of: 154
 Copies supplied to public libraries: 13, 41
 Copying claim of: 135
 Date, duration, and form: 154
 Design (See Design patents)
 Effect of adverse interference decision: 135
 Exchange of printed copies with foreign countries: 12
 Fee on issuing: 41
 Filing application in foreign country: 184
 (Patents:)
 For what granted: 101
 Foreign knowledge or use no bar to grant of: 102
 How issued, attested, and recorded: 153
 May be granted to assignee: 152
 May be withheld in certain cases: 181
 Obtainable by civil action: 145
Personal property: 261
Presumption of validity: 282
Price of copies: 41(a)(9)
Printing of: 11
 Reissuing of, when defective: 251
 Rights of invention made with federal assistance: 200 - 212
 Restrictions on officers and employees of Patent and Trademark Office as to interest in: 4
 Surrender of, to take effect on reissue: 251
 Term: 154, 155, 155A, 156
 Term extension: 155, 156
 Term restoration: 155A
 Time of issue, payment of issue fee: 151
 To be authenticated by seal of Patent and Trademark Office: 2
 When to issue: 151
 Withheld for nonpayment of issue fee: 151
Patent rights in inventions made with Federal assistance: 200 - 212
 Confidentiality: 205
 Definitions: 201
 Disposition of rights: 202
 Domestic and foreign protection of federally owned inventions: 207
 Educational awards: 212
 March-in rights: 203
Policy and objective of: 200
Precedence of chapter over other Acts: 210
Preference for United States industry: 204
 Regulations governing federal licensing: 208
 Relationship to antitrust laws: 211
 Restrictions on licensing of federally owned inventions: 209
 Uniform clauses and regulations: 206
Payment to international intergovernmental organizations: 6
Period for response: 21, 133
Photolithography: Headings of drawings printed: 11
Plant patents:
 Claim: 162, 164
 Description: 162, 163
 Fees: 41
 Nature of right: 163
Plants patentable: 161
 Secretary of Agriculture to furnish information and detail employees: 164
Pleading and proof in action for infringement: 282
Postal Service deposit: 21
Practical application, defined: 200
Presumption of product made by patented process: 295
Printed publication bar to a patent: 102
Presumption of validity of patents: 282
Printing:
 Decisions in patent cases: 11
 Of papers filed: 22
Patent and Trademark Office: 11
Printing headings of drawings by Patent and Trademark Office: 11
Prior art, citation of: 301
Prior patenting or publication bar to patent: 102
Priority, foreign: 119, 365
Priority of invention: 102
Priority of invention, determined by Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences: 135
Priority, right of, under treaty or law: 119
 For design applications: 172
Process defined: 100
Process Patent Amendment Act of 1988: 287
Process patentable: 101
Product made by patent process: 295
Property of Patent and Trademark Office: 1, 6
Public use or sale: 102
 Of invention bar to a patent: 102
Publication of international application effect: 374
Publications regarding patents and trademarks: 11

R


Receiving Office: 351, 361, 364, 367, 368
Recording of assignments: 261
Records of Patent and Trademark Office:
 Keeping of: 1
Reexamination order by Commissioner: 304
Reexamination procedure
 Appeal: 306
 Certificate of patentability, unpatentability, and claim cancellation: 307
 Conduct of reexamination proceedings: 305
 Determination of issue by Commissioner: 303
 Determination of new question: 303
Request: 302
 Special dispatch: 305
Reexamination to be made after first rejection, if desired: 132
References, to be cited on examination: 132
Refund of money paid by mistake or in excess: 42
Reissue of patents:
 Application fee: 41(a)(4)
 Application may be made by assignee in certain cases: 251
 By reason of defective claims: 251
 Effect of: 252
 For unexpired term of original patent: 251
 Intervening rights: 252
 Of defective patents: 251
 To contain no new matter: 251
Rejection, applicant shall be notified of reasons for: 132
Remedy for infringement of patent: 281
Removal of records: 18 U.S.C 2071
Report to Congress, annual: 14
Request for reexamination proceeding: 302
Restoration of patent: 155A
Restrictions on officers and employees of Patent and Trademark Office as to interest in patents: 4
Revival if delay unavoidable: 133
Right of foreign priority: 365
Right to compensation because of secrecy order: 183
Rules for taking testimony, Commissioner to establish: 23
Rules of practice:
 Authority for: 6
 Printing of: 11

S


Saturday, time for action expiring on: 21
Seal of Patent and Trademark Office: 2
Secrecy of applications: 122
Secrecy of certain inventions: 181 - 188
Secrecy of international application: 368
Secrecy order: 181
Small business firm, defined: 200
Specification(s):
 Contents of: 112
 If defective, reissue to correct: 251
 Keeping of: 1
 Part of patent: 154
 Printing of: 11, 41
 Uncertified copies, price of: 41
Specimens, may be required: 114
Statutory invention registration: 157
Subpoenas to witnesses: 24
Suit against the United States: 286
Suit in equity (See Civil action)
Sunday, time for action expiring on: 21
Surcharge for later filing of fee or oath: 111

T


Term extension:
 For delays due to interference, secrecy orders, and/or appellate review: 154
 Regulatory review: 156
Term of patent:
 Design: 173
 Disclaimer of: 253
 Extension: 155, 156
 Period: 154
 Restoration: 155A
Testimony, rules for taking: 23
Time:
 Expiring on Saturday, Sunday, or holiday: 21
 For payment of issue fee: 151
 For taking action in Government cases: 267
 Limitation on damages: 286
 Within which action must be taken: 133
Title of invention: 154
Trademark fees: 42(c)
Trademarks, reference to: 1, 2, 6, 11
Trademark Trial and Appeal Board pay rate: 3
Translation error in international application: 375

U


Unauthorized disclosure: 182
Unauthorized person may not lawfully assist persons in transaction of business before the Office: 33
United States as designated office: 363
United States, defined: 100
Unpatented article, penalty for deceptive marking: 292
Use in foreign countries, no bar to grant of patent: 102

V


Verified translation requirement: 372
Voluntary arbitration: 294

W


Withdrawal of international application: 366
Withholding of patent: 181
Witness:
 Failing to attend or refusing to testify: 24
 Fees of, interference cases: 24
 In interference summoned by clerk of United States court: 24
When in contempt, punishment: 24