MPEP Section 715.01(a), Reference Is a Joint Patent or Published Application to Applicant and Another

Executive summary:

This document contains Section 715.01(a) ("Reference Is a Joint Patent or Published Application to Applicant and Another") 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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715.01(a) Reference Is a Joint Patent or Published Application to Applicant and Another [R-2]

When subject matter, disclosed but not claimed in a patent or application publication filed jointly by S and another, is claimed in a later application filed by S, the joint patent or application publication is a valid reference >under 35 U.S.C. 102(a) or (e)< unless overcome by affidavit or declaration under 37 CFR 1.131 or an unequivocal declaration under 37 CFR 1.132 by S that he/she conceived or invented the subject matter disclosed in the patent or application publication and relied on in the rejection. In re DeBaun, 687 F.2d 459, 214 USPQ 933 (CCPA 1982). See MPEP § 716.10 for a discussion of the use of 37 CFR 1.132 affidavits or declarations to overcome rejections by establishing that the subject matter relied on in the patent or application publication was the invention of the applicant. Disclaimer by the other patentee or applicant of the application publication should not be required but, if submitted, may be accepted by the examiner.

Although affidavits or declarations submitted for the purpose of establishing that the reference discloses applicant's invention are properly filed under 37 CFR 1.132, rather than 37 CFR 1.131, such affidavits submitted improperly under 37 CFR 1.131 will be considered as though they were filed under 37 CFR 1.132 to traverse a ground of rejection. In re Facius, 408 F.2d 1396, 161 USPQ 294 (CCPA 1969).