利用Notice of Appeal改變時間序

美國專利審查程序的是，當收到non-final/final office action，官方會有3個月以及至多再延長3個月的回覆期限。如果是收到final office action，若無任何可核准專利範圍，或是沒有同意任何可核准的條件，申請人需要提出接續審查（RCE），才可避免申請案被拋棄。

本篇討論的，算是之前討論pre-appeal（同時應提出Notice of Appeal）的延續狀況，當收到pre-appeal decision後，當decision建議提交Appeal Brief，官方提供的期限有二，一是提出pre-appeal/notice of appeal後兩個月內；二是收到pre-appeal decision後一個月內。以時間較長的為準。

我的理解（與同事討論過程的理解），當接獲final office action或是兩次以上的non-final office action，申請人可提出pre-appeal（訴願先行），同時提出準備進入訴願程序的notice of appeal，這時已經跳開原本prosecution的程序，進入appeal程序，期限會重新規範，也就是上段的說明。

然而，當接獲pre-appeal decision後，相關筆記可參考本部落格報導：pre-appeal再一次筆記 - 基於USPTO簡報（https://enpan.blogspot.com/2022/02/pre-appeal-uspto.html），會有4種決定：(1)直接駁回請求、(2)進入訴願程序、(3)核准，以及(4)重開prosecution（重新發出新的office action）。

特別的是，pre-appeal decision表示應進入appeal處理相關議題，這時期限重置，也就是上段說明。而此時也是提交RCE的時機，提交RCE就中止appeal程序，回到原本prosecution程序。

（本篇報導重點）

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關於RCE與Appeal的相關時間規定可以參考37 C.F.R. 1.114 。當提出pre-appeal後，同時也提交notice of appeal，案件進入appeal程序，也就是跳出prosecution程序，而根據37 C.F.R. 1.114第(d)點規定，在此階段中提出RCE，即表示撤銷訴願，重開prosecution。

當申請人接獲pre-appeal decision，如果被建議提交appeal brief，申請人可選擇在上述期限內提出appeal brief，或是提出RCE重開prosecution。

以上狀況是因為提出pre-appeal同時也會提交notice of appeal，讓案件進入appeal程序，再以RCE重開prosecution。因此，這個套路是利用notice of appeal讓整個時間序改變，讓申請人有特別的時間考慮訴願、RCE選項。可參考，在不考量費用的情況下，似乎有"偷"時間的好處。

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37 C.F.R. 1.114 (a)說明如果申請案審查程序中止（close），中止情況包括核准通知、拋棄或是提出notice of appeal等，申請人可在繳付領證費、申請案被拋棄，或是提出notice of appeal之前提出RCE，讓申請案延續。

(b)當申請案處於appeal程序、接獲final action、接獲notice of allowance，或是其他會中止prosecution程序的動作，原本prosecution程序就中止。

(c)申請人提交RCE時，可提交（但不限於）IDS、說明書/請求項/圖式修正、新的答辯理由，或是支持專利性的新證據。

(d)如果申請人及時提出RCE與費用，USPTO將撤銷之前的final office action。如果申請人是在提出appeal brief後卻在appeal decision之前提出RCE，將視為撤銷訴願，重開prosecution，訴願相關資訊就整個失效。

第(e)點規範RCE不適用情況，例如設計案、再審查案等。

37 C.F.R. 1.114   Request for continued examination.

(a) If prosecution in an application is closed, an applicant may request continued examination of the application by filing a submission and the fee set forth in § 1.17(e)  prior to the earliest of:

(1) Payment of the issue fee, unless a petition under § 1.313  is granted;

(2) Abandonment of the application; or

(3) The filing of a notice of appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit under 35 U.S.C. 141, or the commencement of a civil action under 35 U.S.C. 145  or 146, unless the appeal or civil action is terminated.

(b) Prosecution in an application is closed as used in this section means that the application is under appeal, or that the last Office action is a final action (§ 1.113 ), a notice of allowance (§ 1.311), or an action that otherwise closes prosecution in the application.

(c) A submission as used in this section includes, but is not limited to, an information disclosure statement, an amendment to the written description, claims, or drawings, new arguments, or new evidence in support of patentability. If reply to an Office action under 35 U.S.C. 132  is outstanding, the submission must meet the reply requirements of § 1.111.

(d) If an applicant timely files a submission and fee set forth in § 1.17 (e), the Office will withdraw the finality of any Office action and the submission will be entered and considered. If an applicant files a request for continued examination under this section after appeal, but prior to a decision on the appeal, it will be treated as a request to withdraw the appeal and to reopen prosecution of the application before the examiner. An appeal brief (§ 41.37  of this title) or a reply brief (§ 41.41  of this title), or related papers, will not be considered a submission under this section.

(e) The provisions of this section do not apply to:

(1) A provisional application;

(2) An application for a utility or plant patent filed under 35 U.S.C. 111(a ) before June 8, 1995;

(3) An international application filed under 35 U.S.C. 363  before June 8, 1995;

(4) An application for a design patent; or

(5) A patent under reexamination.

Ron