MPEP 2000: Difference between revisions

Chapter 2000 Duty of Disclosure

2000 [No Text][edit | edit source]

2000.01 Introduction[edit | edit source]

This Chapter deals with the duties owed toward the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office by the inventor and every other individual who is substantively involved in the preparation or prosecution of the application and who is associated with the inventor or the inventor’s assignee. These duties, of candor and good faith and disclosure, have been codified in 37 CFR 1.56, as promulgated pursuant to carrying out the duties of the Director under Sections 2, 3, 131, and 132 of Title 35 of the United States Code.

2001 Duty of Disclosure, Candor, and Good Faith[edit | edit source]

37 CFR 1.56 defines the duty to disclose information to the Office.

2001.01 Who Has Duty To Disclose[edit | edit source]

Individuals having a duty of disclosure are limited to those who are “substantively involved in the preparation or prosecution of the application.” This is intended to make clear that the duty does not extend to typists, clerks, and similar personnel who assist with an application.

The word “with” appears before “the assignee” and “anyone to whom there is an obligation to assign” to make clear that the duty applies only to individuals, not to organizations. For instance, the duty of disclosure would not apply to a corporation or institution as such. However, it would apply to individuals within the corporation or institution who were substantively involved in the preparation or prosecution of the application, and actions by such individuals may affect the rights of the corporation or institution.

2001.03 To Whom Duty of Disclosure Is Owed[edit | edit source]

37 CFR 1.56(a) states that the “duty of candor and good faith” is owed “in dealing with the Office” and that all associated with the filing and prosecution of a patent application have a “duty to disclose to the Office” material information. This duty “in dealing with” and “to” the Office extends, of course, to all dealings which such individuals have with the Office, and is not limited to representations to or dealings with the examiner. For example, the duty would extend to proceedings before the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences and the Office of the Commissioner for Patents.

2001.04 Information Under 37 CFR 1.56(a)[edit | edit source]

37 CFR 1.56 states that each individual associated with the filing and prosecution of a patent application has a duty to disclose all information known to that individual to be material to patentability as defined in the section. Thus, the duty applies to contemporaneously or presently known information. The fact that information was known years ago does not mean that it was recognized that the information is material to the present application.

The term "information" as used in 37 CFR 1.56 means all of the kinds of information required to be disclosed and includes any information which is "material to patentability." Materiality is defined in 37 CFR 1.56(b) and discussed herein at MPEP § 2001.05. In addition to prior art such as patents and publications, 37 CFR 1.56 includes, for example, information on enablement, possible prior public uses, sales, offers to sell, derived knowledge, prior invention by another, inventorship conflicts, and the like.

“Materiality is not limited to prior art but embraces any information that a reasonable examiner would be substantially likely to consider important in deciding whether to allow an application to issue as a patent.”

The term “information” is intended to be all encompassing, similar to the scope of the term as discussed with respect to 37 CFR 1.291(a) (see MPEP § 1901.02). 37 CFR 1.56(a) also states: “The Office encourages applicants to carefully examine: (1) prior art cited in search reports of a foreign patent office in a counterpart application, and (2) the closest information over which individuals associated with the filing or prosecution of a patent application believe any pending claim patentably defines, to make sure that any material information contained therein is disclosed to the Office.” The sentence does not create any new duty for applicants, but is placed in the text of the rule as helpful guidance to individuals who file and prosecute patent applications.

It should be noted that the rules are not intended to require information favorable to patentability such as, for example, evidence of commercial success of the invention. Similarly, the rules are not intended to require, for example, disclosure of information concerning the level of skill in the art for purposes of determining obviousness.

37 CFR 1.56(a) states that the duty to disclose information exists until the application becomes abandoned. The duty to disclose information, however, does not end when an application becomes allowed but extends until a patent is granted on that application. The rules provide for information being considered after a notice of allowance is mailed and before the issue fee is paid.

In a continuation-in-part application, individuals covered by 37 CFR 1.56 have a duty to disclose to the Office all information known to be material to patentability which became available between the filing date of the prior application and the national or PCT international filing date of the continuation-in-part application. See 37 CFR 1.56(e).

37 CFR 1.56 provides that the duty of disclosure can be met by submitting information to the Office in the manner prescribed by 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98. See MPEP 609. Applicants are provided certainty as to when information will be considered, and applicants will be informed when information is not considered. Note, however, that the Office may order or conduct reexamination proceedings based on prior art that was cited/considered in any prior related Office proceeding. See MPEP § 2242 and MPEP § 2258.01.

The Office does not believe that courts should, or will, find violations of the duty of disclosure because of unintentional noncompliance with 37 CFR 1.97and 1.98. If the noncompliance is intentional, however, the applicant will have assumed the risk that the failure to submit the information in a manner that will result in its being considered by the examiner may be held to be a violation.

2001.05 Materiality Under 37 CFR 1.56(b)[edit | edit source]

A prima facie case of unpatentability is established when the information compels a conclusion that a claim is unpatentable under the preponderance of evidence, burden-of-proof standard, giving each term in the claim its broadest reasonable construction consistent with the specification, and before any consideration is given to evidence which may be submitted in an attempt to establish a contrary conclusion of patentability.

Under the rule, information is not material unless it comes within the definition of 37 CFR 1.56(b)(1) or (2). If information is not material, there is no duty to disclose the information to the Office. Thus, it is theoretically possible for applicants to draft claims and a specification to avoid a prima facie case of obviousness over a reference and then to be able to withhold the reference from the examiner.

2001.06 Sources of Information[edit | edit source]

All individuals covered by 37 CFR 1.56 have a duty to disclose to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office all material information they are aware of regardless of the source of or how they become aware of the information. Once an attorney, or an applicant has notice that information exists that appears material and questionable, that person cannot ignore that notice in an effort to avoid his or her duty to disclose.

Materiality controls whether information must be disclosed to the Office, not the circumstances under which or the source from which the information is obtained. If material, the information must be disclosed to the Office. The duty to disclose material information extends to information such individuals are aware of prior to or at the time of filing the application or become aware of during the prosecution thereof.

Such individuals may be or become aware of material information from various sources such as, for example:

• co-workers;
• trade shows;
• communications from or with competitors, potential infringers, or

other third parties;

• related foreign applications;
  • The inference that such prior art or other information is material is especially strong where it has been used in rejecting the same or similar claims in the foreign application or where it has been identified in some manner as particularly relevant
• prior or copending United States patent applications;
  • Accordingly, the individuals covered by 37 CFR 1.56 cannot assume that the examiner of a particular application is necessarily aware of other applications which are "material to patentability" of the application in question, but must instead bring such other applications to the attention of the examiner.
  • For example, if a particular inventor has different applications pending in which similar subject matter but patentably indistinct claims are present that fact must be disclosed to the examiner of each of the involved applications.
  • Similarly, the prior art references from one application must be made of record in another subsequent application if such prior art references are "material to patentability" of the subsequent application.
• related litigation; and
  • Where the subject matter for which a patent is being sought is or has been involved in litigation, the existence of such litigation and any other material information arising therefrom must be brought to the attention of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
  • Examples of such material information include evidence of possible prior public use or sales, questions of inventorship, prior art, allegations of "fraud," "inequitable conduct," and "violation of duty of disclosure."
  • Another example of such material information is any assertion that is made during litigation which is contradictory to assertions made to the examiner.
• preliminary examination searches.

2001.06(c)Information From Related Litigation[edit | edit source]

Where a patent for which reissue is being sought is, or has been, involved in litigation which raised a question material to examination of the reissue application, such as the validity of the patent, or any allegation of "fraud," "inequitable conduct," or "violation of duty of disclosure," the existence of such litigation must be brought to the attention of the Office by the applicant at the time of, or shortly after, filing the application, either in the reissue oath or declaration, or in a separate paper, preferably accompanying the application, as filed. Litigation begun after filing of the reissue application should be promptly brought to the attention of the Office.

For example, the defenses raised against validity of the patent, or charges of "fraud" or "inequitable conduct" in the litigation, would normally be "material to the examination" of the reissue application.

Enough information should be submitted to clearly inform the Office of the nature of these issues so that the Office can intelligently evaluate the need for asking for further materials in the litigation. See MPEP § 1442.04.

2001.06(d)Information Relating to Claims Copied From a Patent[edit | edit source]

Where claims are copied or substantially copied from a patent, 37 CFR 1.607(c) requires applicant shall, at the time he or she presents the claim(s), identify the patent and the numbers of the patent claims.

2002 Disclosure By Whom and How Made[edit | edit source]

2002.01 By Whom Made[edit | edit source]

37 CFR 1.56(d) makes clear that information may be disclosed to the Office through an attorney or agent of record or through a pro se inventor, and that other individuals may satisfy their duty of disclosure to the Office by disclosing information to such an attorney, agent, or inventor who then is responsible for disclosing the same to the Office. Information that is not material need not be passed along to the Office.

2002.02 Must be in Writing[edit | edit source]

A disclosure under 37 CFR 1.56 must be in writing as prescribed by 37 CFR 1.2, and a copy of any such disclosure must be filed in each application or other proceeding to which the disclosure pertains (37 CFR 1.4(b)).

2003 Disclosure - When Made[edit | edit source]

In reissue applications, applicants are encouraged to file information disclosure statements at the time of filing or within 2 months of filing, since reissue applications are taken up “special” (see MPEP § 1442 and § 1442.03). However, in a reissue where waiver of the normal 2 month delay period of 37 CFR 1.176 is being requested (see MPEP § 1441), the statement should be filed at the time of filing the application, or as soon thereafter as possible.

The presumption of validity is generally strong when prior art was before and considered by the Office and weak when it was not.

2003.01 Disclosure After Patent Is Granted[edit | edit source]

I. BY CITATIONS OF PRIOR ART UNDER 37 CFR 1.501

Where a patentee or any member of the public (including private persons, corporate entities, and government agencies) has prior art patents or printed publications which the patentee or member of the public desires to have made of record in the patent file, patentee or such member of the public may file a citation of such prior art with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 301 and 37 CFR 1.501. Such citations and papers will be entered without comment by the Office. The Office generally does not consider the citation and papers but merely places them of record in the patent file. Information which may be filed under 37 CFR 1.501 is limited to prior art patents and printed publications. Any citations which include items other than patents and printed publications will not be entered in the patent file. See MPEP § 2202 through § 2208.

II. BY REEXAMINATION

Where any person, including patentee, has prior art patents and/or printed publications which said person desires to have the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office consider after a patent has issued, such person may file a request for ex parte reexamination of the patent (see 37 CFR 1.510 and MPEP § 2209 through § 2220). For a request for inter partes reexamination, see 37 CFR 1.913 and MPEP § 2609 through § 2620.

2004 Aids to Compliance With Duty of Disclosure[edit | edit source]

The items listed below are offered as helpful suggestions of examples of possible procedures which could help avoid problems with the duty of disclosure.

• Use letters and questionnaires for applicants and others involved with the filing and prosecution of the application and checklists for themselves and applicants to ensure compliance with the duty of disclosure.
  • The letter generally explains the duty of disclosure and what it means to the inventor and assignee.
  • The questionnaire asks the inventor and assignee questions about
    • The origin of the invention and its point of departure from what was previously known and in the prior art,
    • Possible public uses and sales,
    • Prior publication, knowledge, patents, foreign patents, etc.
  • The checklist is used by the attorney to ensure that the applicant has been informed of the duty of disclosure and that the attorney has inquired of and cited material prior art.
• Ask questions about inventorship.
  • Who is the proper inventor?
  • Are there disputes or possible disputes about inventorship?
• Ask questions of the inventor about the disclosure of the best mode.
• Make certain that the inventor, especially a foreign inventor, recognizes his or her responsibilities in signing the oath or declaration.
• Carefully evaluate and explain to the applicant and others involved the scope of the claims, particularly the broadest claims.
  • Ask specific questions about possible prior art which might be material in reference to the broadest claim or claims.
  • It is desirable to pick out the broadest claim or claims and measure the materiality of prior art against a reasonably broad interpretation of these claims.
• Evaluate the materiality of prior art or other information from the viewpoint of whether it is the closest prior art or other information.
  • A withheld reference may be highly material when it discloses a more complete combination of relevant features, even if those features are before the patent examiner in other references.
• See that prior art or other information cited in a specification or in an information disclosure statement is properly described and that the information is not incorrectly or incompletely characterized.
• See that inaccurate statements or inaccurate experiments are not introduced into the specification, either inadvertently or intentionally.
• Do not rely on the examiner of a particular application to be aware of other applications belonging to the same applicant or assignee.
  • It is desirable to call such applications to the attention of the examiner even if there is only a question that they might be "material to patentability" of the application the examiner is considering.
• When in doubt, it is desirable and safest to submit information.
• It may be desirable to submit information about

prior uses and sales even if it appears that they may have been experimental, not involve the specifically claimed invention, or not encompass a completed invention.

• Submit information promptly.
  • An applicant, attorney, or agent who is aware of prior art or other information and its significance should submit same early in prosecution, e.g., before the first action by the examiner, and not wait until after allowance.
  • Potentially material information discovered late in the prosecution should be immediately submitted.
  • That the issue fee has been paid is no reason or excuse for failing to submit information.
• Avoid the submission of long lists of documents if it can be avoided.
  • Eliminate clearly irrelevant and marginally pertinent cumulative information.
• Watch out for continuation-in-part applications where intervening material information or documents may exist; particularly watch out for foreign patents and publications related to the parent application and dated more than 1 year before the filing date of the CIP.
• Watch out for information that might be deemed to be prior art under 35 U.S.C. 102(f) and (g).
  • Prior art under 35 U.S.C. 102(f) may be available under 35 U.S.C. 103.
  • Note also that evidence of prior invention under 35 U.S.C. 102(g) may be available under 35 U.S.C. 103.
• Watch out for information picked up by the inventors and others at conventions, plant visits, in-house reviews, etc.
• Make sure that all of the individuals who are subject to the duty of disclosure, such as spelled out in 37 CFR 1.56, are informed of and fulfill their duty.
• If information was specifically considered and discarded as not material, this fact might be recorded in an attorney’s file or applicant’s file, including the reason for discarding it. If judgment might have been bad or something might have been overlooked inadvertently, a note made at the time of evaluation might be an invaluable aid in explaining that the mistake was honest and excusable.
  • Though such records are not required, they could be helpful in recalling and explaining actions in the event of a question of "fraud" or "inequitable conduct" raised at a later time.

2005 Comparison to Requirement for Information[edit | edit source]

Under 37 CFR 1.56, each individual associated with the filing and prosecution of a patent application has a duty to disclose on his or her own initiative information material to patentability under 37 CFR 1.56.

By contrast, under 37 CFR 1.105, an examiner or other Office employee is authorized to require, from parties identified in 37 CFR 1.56, information reasonably necessary to examine or treat a matter in an application.

The provisions of 37 CFR 1.105 are detailed in MPEP § 704 et seq. The criteria for requiring information under 37 CFR 1.56, i.e., materiality to the patentability of claimed subject matter, is substantially higher than the criteria for requiring information under 37 CFR 1.105, i.e., reasonable necessity to the examination of the application.

Thus, information required by the examiner pursuant to 37 CFR 1.105 would not necessarily be considered material to patentability in itself, but would be necessary to obtain a complete record from which a determination of patentability will be made.

2010 Office Handling of Duty of Disclosure/Inequitable Conduct Issues[edit | edit source]

Determination of inequitable conduct issues requires an evaluation of the intent of the party involved. While some court decisions have held that intent may be inferred in some circumstances, consideration of the good faith of the party, or lack thereof, is often required. In several court decisions, a high level of proof of intent to mislead the Office was required in order to prove inequitable conduct under 37 CFR 1.56. See In re Harito, 847 F.2d 801, 6 USPQ2d 1930 (Fed. Cir. 1988) and FMC Corp. v. Manitowoc Co., 835 F.2d 1411, 5 USPQ2d 1112 (Fed. Cir. 1987). The Office is not the best forum in which to determine whether there was an “intent to mislead”; such intent is best determined when the trier of facts can observe demeanor of witnesses subjected to cross-examination. A court, with subpoena power, is presently the best forum to consider duty of disclosure issues under the present evidentiary standard for finding an “intent to mislead.” The court proceeding involves two participating adverse parties. This is not the case in the Office, since even “protesting” parties are not permitted to participate under the rules. Also, it is the courts and not the Office that are in the best position to fashion an equitable remedy to fit the precise facts in those cases where inequitable conduct is established. Furthermore, inequitable conduct is not set by statute as a criteria for patentability but rather is a judicial application of the doctrine of unclean hands which is appropriate to be handled by the courts rather than by an administrative body. Because of the lack of tools in the Office to deal with this issue and because of its sensitive nature and potential impact on a patent, Office determinations generally will not deter subsequent litigation of the same issue in the courts on appeal or in separate litigation. Office determinations would significantly add to the expense and time involved in obtaining a patent with little or no benefit to the patent owner or any other parties with an interest.

Accordingly, the Office does not investigate and reject original or reissue applications under 37 CFR 1.56. Likewise, the Office will not comment upon duty of disclosure issues which are brought to the attention of the Office in original or reissue applications except to note in the application, in appropriate circumstances, that such issues are no longer considered by the Office during its examination of patent applications. Examination of lack of deceptive intent in reissue applications will continue but without any investigation of inequitable conduct issues. Applicant’s statement of lack of deceptive intent normally will be accepted as dispositive except in special circumstances such as an admission or judicial determination of fraud or inequitable conduct. See notice published in the Official Gazette at 1095 O.G. 16 (October 11, 1988). See also MPEP § 2022.05.

Issues of fraud and/or inequitable conduct in an interference proceeding before the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences (Board) will be considered by the Board if they are raised by way of preliminary motion for judgment under 37 CFR 1.633(a). The motion must be filed during the period set for filing preliminary motions (37 CFR 1.636(a)), or good cause (37 CFR 1.655(b)) must be shown as to why the issues of fraud and/or inequitable conduct were not timely raised during the preliminary motion period. Issues of fraud and/or inequitable conduct will not be considered in any interference in which the times for taking testimony or the times for filing briefs for final hearing have already been set, unless 'good cause' is shown under 37 CFR 1.655(b). An example of good cause would be where fraud or inequitable conduct is first discovered during taking of testimony. See notice published in the Official Gazette at 1133 O.G. 21 (December 10, 1991).

2012 Reissue Applications Involving Issues of Fraud, Inequitable Conduct, and/or Violation of Duty of Disclosure[edit | edit source]

Questions of “fraud,” “inequitable conduct,” or violation of “duty of disclosure” or “candor and good faith” can arise in reissue applications.

REQUIREMENT FOR “ERROR WITHOUT ANY DECEPTIVE INTENTION”

Both 35 U.S.C. 251 and 37 CFR 1.175 promulgated pursuant thereto require that the error must have arisen “without any deceptive intention.” In re Heany, 1911 C.D. 138, 180 (1911), unequivocally states:

Where such a condition [fraudulent or deceptive intention] is shown to exist the right to reissue the patent is forfeited.

Similarly, the court in In re Clark, 522 F.2d 623, 627, 187 USPQ 209, 213 (CCPA 1975) indicated:

Reissue is not available to rescue a patentee who had presented claims limited to avoid particular prior art and then had failed to disclose that prior art . . . after that failure to disclose has resulted in invalidating of the claims.

It is clear that “fraud” cannot be purged through the reissue process. See conclusions of Law 89 and 91 in Intermountain Research and Eng’g Co. v. Hercules Inc., 171 USPQ 577, 631-32 (C.D. Cal. 1971).

Clearly, where several patents or applications stem from an original application which contained fraudulent claims ultimately allowed, the doctrine of unclean hands bars allowance or enforcement of any of the claims of any of the applications or patents. See Keystone Driller Co. v. General Excavator Co., 290 U.S. 240, 245, 19 USPQ 228, 230 (1933); East Chicago Machine Tool Corp. v. Stone Container Corp., 181 USPQ 744, 748 (N.D. Ill.), modified, 185 USPQ 210 (N.D. Ill. 1974). See also Chromalloy American Corp. v. Alloy Surfaces Co., 339 F. Supp. 859, 173 USPQ 295 (D.Del. 1972) and Strong v. General Electric Co., 305 F. Supp. 1084, 162 USPQ 141 (N.D. Ga. 1969), aff’d, 434 F.2d 1042, 168 USPQ 8 (5th Cir. 1970), cert. denied, 403 U.S. 906 (1971) where fraud or inequitable conduct affecting only certain claims or only one of related patents was held to affect the other claims or patent. Clearly, “fraud” practiced or attempted in an application which issues as a patent is “fraud” practiced or attempted in connection with any subsequent application to reissue that patent. The reissue application and the patent are inseparable as far as questions of “fraud,” “inequitable conduct,” or “violation of the duty of disclosure” are concerned. See In re Heany, supra; and Norton v. Curtiss, 433 F.2d 779, 792, 167 USPQ 532, 543 (CCPA 1970), wherein the court stated:

We take this to indicate that any conduct which will prevent the enforcement of a patent after the patent issues should, if discovered earlier, prevent the issuance of the patent.

Clearly, if a reissue patent would not be enforceable after its issue because of “fraud,” “inequitable conduct” or “violation of the duty of disclosure” during the prosecution of the patent sought to be reissued, the reissue patent application should not issue. Where no investigation is needed to establish such circumstances, an appropriate remedy would be to reject the claims in the application in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 251. See MPEP § 1448.

The examiner is not to make any investigation as to the lack of deceptive intent requirement in reissue applications. Applicant's statement (in the oath or declaration) of lack of deceptive intent will be accepted as dispositive except in special circumstances such as an admission or judicial determination of fraud, inequitable conduct or violation of the duty of disclosure, where no investigation need be made and the fact of the admission or judicial determination exists per se. Also, any admission of fraud, inequitable conduct or violation of the duty of disclosure must be explicit, unequivocal, and not subject to other interpretation. Where a rejection is made based upon such an admission (see MPEP § 1448) and applicant responds with any reasonable interpretation of the facts that would not lead to a conclusion of fraud, inequitable conduct or violation of the duty of disclosure, the rejection should be withdrawn. Alternatively, if applicant shows that the admission noted by the examiner was not in fact an admission, the rejection should also be withdrawn.

2012.01 Collateral Estoppel[edit | edit source]

The Supreme Court in Blonder-Tongue Labs., Inc. v. Univ. of Ill. Found., 402 U.S. 313, 169 USPQ 513 (1971) set forth the rule that once a patent has been declared invalid via judicial inquiry, a collateral estoppel barrier is created against further litigation involving the patent, unless the patentee-plaintiff can demonstrate “that he did not have” a full and fair chance to litigate the validity of his patent in “the earlier case.” See also Ex parte Varga, 189 USPQ 209 (Bd. App. 1973). As stated in Kaiser Industries Corp. v. Jones & Laughlin Steel Corp., 515 F.2d 964, 987, 185 USPQ 343, 362 (3rd Cir. 1975):

In fashioning the rule of Blonder-Tongue, Justice White for a unanimous Court made it clear that a determination of patent invalidity, after a thorough and equitable judicial inquiry, creates a collateral estoppel barrier to further litigation to enforce that patent.

Under 35 U.S.C. 251, the Director can reissue a patent only if there is “error without any deceptive intention.” The Director is without authority to reissue a patent when “deceptive intention” was present during prosecution of the parent application. See In re Clark, 522 F.2d 62, 187 USPQ 209 (CCPA 1975) and In re Heany, 1911 C.D. 138, 180 (1911). Thus, the collateral estoppel barrier applies where reissue is sought of a patent which has been held invalid or unenforceable for “fraud” or “violation of duty of disclosure” in procuring of said patent. It was held in In re Kahn, 202 USPQ 772, 773 (Comm’r Pat. 1979):

Therefore, since the Kahn patent was held invalid, inter alia, for “failure to disclose material facts of which [Kahn] was aware” this application may be stricken under 37 CFR 1.56 via the doctrine of collateral estoppel as set forth in Blonder-Tongue, supra.

The Patent and Trademark Office . . . has found no clear justification for not adhering to the doctrine of collateral estoppel under Blonder-Tongue in this case. Applicant has had his day in court. He appears to have had a full and fair chance to litigate the validity of his patent.

See MPEP § 2259 for collateral estoppel in reexamination proceedings.

2013 Protests Involving Issues of Fraud, Inequitable Conduct, and/or Violation of Duty of Disclosure[edit | edit source]

37 CFR 1.291 permits protests by the public against pending applications.

Submissions under 37 CFR 1.291 are not limited to prior art documents such as patents and publications, but are intended to include any information, which in the protestor’s opinion, would make or have made the grant of the patent improper (see MPEP § 1901.02). This includes, of course, information indicating the presence of “fraud” or “inequitable conduct” or “violation of the duty of disclosure,” which will be entered in the application file, generally without comment other than to state that such information will not be considered (see MPEP § 2010). See MPEP § 1901.06.

Protests should be in conformance with 37 CFR 1.291(a) and (b), and include a statement of the alleged facts involved, the point or points to be reviewed, and the action requested. Any briefs or memoranda in support of the petition, and any affidavits, declarations, depositions, exhibits, or other material in support of the alleged facts, should accompany the protest.

2014 Duty of Disclosure in Reexamination Proceedings[edit | edit source]

As provided in 37 CFR 1.555, the duty of disclosure in both ex parte and inter partes reexamination proceedings applies to the patent owner. That duty is a continuing obligation on the part of the patent owner throughout the proceedings. However, issues of “fraud,” “ inequitable conduct,” or “violation of duty of disclosure” are not considered in reexamination. See MPEP § 2280 for ex partereexamination proceedings and MPEP § 2684 for inter partes reexamination proceedings. If questions of “fraud” or “inequitable conduct” or “violation of the duty of disclosure” are discovered during reexamination proceedings, the existence of such questions will be noted by the examiner in an Office action without further comment. See MPEP § 2258 for ex parte reexamination proceedings and MPEP § 2658for inter partes reexamination proceedings.

For the patent owner’s duty to disclose prior or concurrent proceedings in which the patent is or was involved, see MPEP § 2282 (for ex parte reexamination), § 2686 (for inter partes reexamination), and § 2001.06(c).

2016 Fraud, Inequitable Conduct, or Violation of Duty of Disclosure Affects All Claims[edit | edit source]

A finding of “fraud,” “inequitable conduct,” or violation of duty of disclosure with respect to any claim in an application or patent, renders all the claims thereof unpatentable or invalid. See Chromalloy American Corp. v. Alloy Surfaces Co., 339 F. Supp. 859, 173 USPQ 295 (D.Del. 1972) and Strong v. General Electric Co., 305 F. Supp. 1084, 162 USPQ 141 (N.D. Ga. 1969), aff’d, 434 F.2d 1042, 168 USPQ 8 (5th Cir. 1970), cert. denied, 403 U.S. 906 (1971). In J. P. Stevens & Co. v. Lex Tex Ltd., 747 F.2d 1553, 1561, 223 USPQ 1089, 1093-94 (Fed. Cir. 1984), the court stated:

Once a court concludes that inequitable conduct occurred, all the claims __ not just the particular claims in which the inequitable conduct is directly connected __ are unenforceable. See generally, cases collected in 4 Chisum, PATENTS, paragraph 19.03[6] at 19-85 n. 10 (1984). Inequitable conduct “goes to the patent right as a whole, independently of particular claims.” In re Clark 522 F.2d 623, 626, 187 USPQ 209, 212 (CCPA).

The court noted in footnote 8 of Stevens:

In In re Multiple Litigation Involving Frost Patent, 540 F.2d 601, 611, 191 USPQ 241, 249 (3rd. Cir. 1976), some claims were upheld despite nondisclosure with respect to others. The case is not precedent in this court.

As stated in Gemveto Jewelry Co. v. Lambert Bros., Inc., 542 F. Supp. 933, 943, 216 USPQ 976, 984 (S. D. N. Y. 1984) (quoting Patent Law Perspectives, 1977 Developments, § G.1 [1]-189):

The gravamen of the fraud defense is that the patentee has failed to discharge his duty of dealing with the examiner in a manner free from the taint of “fraud or other inequitable conduct.” If such conduct is established in connection with the prosecution of a patent, the fact that the lack of candor did not directly affect all the claims in the patent has never been the governing principle. It is the inequitable conduct that generates the unenforceability of the patent and we cannot think of cases where a patentee partially escaped the consequences of his wrongful acts by arguing that he only committed acts of omission or commission with respect to a limited number of claims. It is an all or nothing proposition. [Emphasis in original.]

2022.05 Determination of “Error Without Any Deceptive Intention”[edit | edit source]

If the application is a reissue application, the action by the examiner may extend to a determination as to whether at least one “error” required by 35 U.S.C. 251has been alleged, i.e., identified. Further, the examiner should determine whether applicant has averred in the reissue oath or declaration, as required by 37 CFR 1.175(a)(2), (b)(1), and (b)(2), that all “errors” arose “without any deceptive intention.” However, the examiner should not normally comment or question as to whether the averred statement as to lack of deceptive intention appears correct or true. See MPEP § 1414.