（CLOSED）
如果申請案很久沒有消息？可能核准？但應該會通知你！可能被拋棄？一定會通知你！可能被忘在事務所？這一定要問個清楚！可能被審查委員漏掉？這時USPTO給你答案！
First-Action Interview Pilot Program
適用期間：4/28/2008-11/1/2008
我姑且翻譯成 第一次審查意見的面詢領航計畫，主要是針對一些申請很久尚未有OA的案子
原文：
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is initiating a pilot program in which the applicant who complies with certain requirements will receive the results of a prior art search conducted by the examiner, via a condensed Pre-Interview Communication, and then be permitted to conduct an interview with the examiner to discuss the cited prior art references prior to the first Office action on the merits. The requirements for the pilot program are set forth in the notice entitled "First Action Interview Pilot Program" (available below). An interview under this pilot program would advance prosecution of the application because it would enhance the interactions between the applicant and the examiner, provide applicant the opportunity to resolve patentability issues one-on-one with the examiner at the beginning of
the prosecution process, and facilitate possible early allowance. Currently, granting an interview before first action on the merits of a new application is within the discretion of the examiner, who has not yet searched the case, and a showing may be required to justify the granting of the interview. See MPEP § 713.02. The pilot program provides a procedure which, if followed, makes the granting of an interview non-discretionary.
簡單來說，如果申請人符合特定條件，如以下Group I或是Group II，在第一次OA前，會先收到審查員作出的習知技術檢索報告，透過簡要的面詢前溝通，判斷是否允許與審查員面詢，此目的是透過增加申請人與審查員的互動促進爭議案（prosecution）的進行，能使申請人在爭議程序的初期得到專利性的諮詢以提早獲取專利
但問題是，這個面詢的機會是由審查委員在進行檢索前判斷的，但此pilot program仍提供一個可供依詢的程序，讓審查委員能無條件接受
另外，MPEP 713.02另有說明：
MPEP 713.02 Interviews Prior to First Official Action
A request for an interview prior to the first Office action is ordinarily granted in continuing or substitute applications. In all other applications, an interview before the first Office action will not be permitted unless the examiner determines that such an interview would advance prosecution of the application. Thus, the examiner may require that an applicant requesting an interview before the first Office action provide a paper that includes a general statement of the state of the art at the time of the invention, and an identification of no more than three (3) references believed to be the "closest" prior art and an explanation as to how the broadest claim distinguishes over such references.
上述提到一般請求面詢通常是在延續案，但是如果是審查員在第一次OA前提出的面詢，要提供技術的說明，並與引證案間的關係等等！
故本篇節錄到USPTO的訊息是針對一些符合特定條件的案子，USPTO提供以下兩種情況，符合其一，即可請求First Office Action Interview Pilot Program，其實以下可能都是有被延遲到的專利申請案，通常不適用，目前要符合此類的申請案應該很少！所以此計畫仍被審查委員所掌握（申請人可拒絕面詢）。我在其後摘要提示：
Group I: （申請案在9/1/2005以前，且未收到First OA、該申請案被歸類為709類─包括電子計算機、數位處理系統、多緒資料傳輸等、並歸類為2140,2150工作小組）
(1) Filed on or before September 1, 2005, and prior to a first action on the merits;
(2) Classified in Class 709 (Electrical Computers and Digital Processing Systems: Multi-Computer Data Transferring); and
(3) Assigned to an art unit in either working group 2140 (group art unit 214x) or 2150 (group art unit 215x).
Group II: （專利申請案在11/1/2006前申請，且未收到First OA、被歸類為707類─包括資料庫、檔案管理或是資料結構等、並被歸類為2160的工作小組中）
(1) Filed on or before November 1, 2006, and prior to a first action on the merits;
(2) Classified in Class 707 (Data Processing: Database and File Management or Data Structures); and
(3) Assigned to an art unit in working group 2160 (group art unit 216x).
其他條件包括：非領證案（non-reissue）、非暫時申請案（non-provisional）、要包括三個或以下獨立項，並總共二十項或以下請求項、不能有多項附屬項、一定要尚未收到第一次Office Action。另外需同意不在pre-interview communication發出後不退費，因為可能在first OA前被認定無專利性。
USPTO提供的First-Action Interview Process程序圖示：
在Pre-Interview Procedures中，審查員會：
- 依詢目前審查的規則
- 執行習知技術檢索
- 如果有可核准的範圍，將發出pre-interview communication，並提出請求或是拒絕Interview
在Pre-Interview Procedures中，申請人應：
- 依詢目前審查的規則
- 定時回應Pre-interview Communication，並請求不要Interview，或是其出Interview請求，並提出修正或是答辯
- Pre-Interview Communication之後60天內要進行Interview，此期限不能延長，如果沒有定時回應會導致拋棄
上述Pre-Interview Communication（面詢前的溝通）的OA範例，範例來自USPTO：
此圖顯示被核駁的狀況
此圖顯示有被核准的狀況（另一範例）
經過Pre-Interview Communication之後，同意後可執行INTERVIEW，主要是幫助審查員能了解Claims，討論所有相關技術與前案教導，並討論如何在習知技術的前提下得到專利。之後可發出Notice of Allowability。INTERVIEW加上結論等的資料可視為First Office Action。
資料來源：USPTO
Ron
