MPEP Section 2632, Public Access

Executive summary:

This document contains Section 2632 ("Public Access") of the Manual of Patent Examining Procedure (the "M.P.E.P."), Eighth Edition, Eighth Revision (July 2010). This page was last updated in January 2011. You may return to the section index to find a particular section. Alternatively, you may search the MPEP using the search box that appears on the left side of every page of BitLaw--you may restrict your search to the MPEP on the search results page.

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2632 Public Access [R-7]

Reexamination files are open to inspection by the general public by way of the Public PAIR via the USPTO Internet site. In viewing the images of the reexamination proceedings, members of the public will be able to view the entire content of the reexamination file >with the exception of non-patent literature<. To access Public PAIR, a member of the public would (A) go to the USPTO web site at http://www.uspto.gov, (B) click on the "Site Index" link, (C) click on the letter "E" in the index, (D) click on the link to the Electronic Business Center, (E) in the "Patents" column, click on the "? Status & View Documents" link, (F) under "Patent Application Information Retrieval" in the "**>Search for Application<" box, change the item to "Control Number," (G) enter the control number of the reexamination proceeding in the "Enter Number" box, and (H) click on "*>SEARCH<."

If a copy of the reexamination file is requested, it may be ordered from the Document Services Division of the Office of Public Records (OPR). Orders for such copies must indicate the control number of the reexamination proceeding. Orders should be addressed as follows:

Mail Stop Document Services

Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

P.O. Box 1450

Alexandria, VA 22313-1450

Requests for a copy of a request may also be sent via e-mail to: dsd@uspto.gov, and the cost of the copy may be charged to a credit card or deposit account. Alternatively, a copy may be obtained from IFW via PAIR.

To obtain a "certified copy" of a reexamination file, a CD-ROM may be purchased from Document Services Division of OPR.