1132 Requests for Redacted Publication [R-01.2024]
35 U.S.C. 122 Confidential status of applications; publication of patent applications.
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- (b) PUBLICATION.—
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- (2) EXCEPTIONS.—
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- (B)
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- (v) If an applicant has filed applications in one or more foreign countries, directly or through a multilateral international agreement, and such foreign filed applications corresponding to an application filed in the Patent and Trademark Office or the description of the invention in such foreign filed applications is less extensive than the application or description of the invention in the application filed in the Patent and Trademark Office, the applicant may submit a redacted copy of the application filed in the Patent and Trademark Office eliminating any part or description of the invention in such application that is not also contained in any of the corresponding applications filed in a foreign country. The Director may only publish the redacted copy of the application unless the redacted copy of the application is not received within 16 months after the earliest effective filing date for which a benefit is sought under this title. The provisions of section 154(d) shall not apply to a claim if the description of the invention published in the redacted application filed under this clause with respect to the claim does not enable a person skilled in the art to make and use the subject matter of the claim.
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37 CFR 1.217 Publication of a redacted copy of an application
- (a) If an applicant has filed applications in one or more foreign countries, directly or through a multilateral international agreement, and such foreign-filed applications or the description of the invention in such foreign-filed applications is less extensive than the application or description of the invention in the application filed in the Office, the applicant may submit a redacted copy of the application filed in the Office for publication, eliminating any part or description of the invention that is not also contained in any of the corresponding applications filed in a foreign country. The Office will publish the application as provided in § 1.215(a) unless the applicant files a redacted copy of the application in compliance with this section within sixteen months after the earliest filing date for which a benefit is sought under title 35, United States Code.
- (b) The redacted copy of the application must be submitted in compliance with the USPTO patent electronic filing system requirements. The title of the invention in the redacted copy of the application must correspond to the title of the application at the time the redacted copy of the application is submitted to the Office. If the redacted copy of the application does not comply with the USPTO patent electronic filing system requirements, the Office will publish the application as provided in § 1.215(a).
- (c) The applicant must also concurrently submit in paper
(§
1.52(a)) to be filed in the application:
- (1) A certified copy of each foreign-filed application that corresponds to the application for which a redacted copy is submitted;
- (2) A translation of each such foreign-filed application that is in a language other than English, and a statement that the translation is accurate;
- (3) A marked-up copy of the application showing the redactions in brackets; and
- (4) A certification that the redacted copy of the application eliminates only the part or description of the invention that is not contained in any application filed in a foreign country, directly or through a multilateral international agreement, that corresponds to the application filed in the Office.
- (d) The Office will provide a copy of the complete file wrapper and
contents of an application for which a redacted copy was submitted under this
section to any person upon written request pursuant to § 1.14(c)(2), unless applicant complies with the requirements
of paragraphs (d)(1), (d)(2), and (d)(3) of this section.
- (1) Applicant must accompany the submission required by
paragraph (c) of this section with the following:
- (i) A copy of any Office correspondence previously received by applicant including any desired redactions, and a second copy of all Office correspondence previously received by applicant showing the redacted material in brackets; and
- (ii) A copy of each submission previously filed by the applicant including any desired redactions, and a second copy of each submission previously filed by the applicant showing the redacted material in brackets.
- (2) In addition to providing the submission required by
paragraphs (c) and (d)(1) of this section, applicant must:
- (i) Within one month of the date of mailing of any correspondence from the Office, file a copy of such Office correspondence including any desired redactions, and a second copy of such Office correspondence showing the redacted material in brackets; and
- (ii) With each submission by the applicant, include a copy of such submission including any desired redactions, and a second copy of such submission showing the redacted material in brackets.
- (3) Each submission under paragraph (d)(1) or (d)(2) of this paragraph must also be accompanied by the processing fee set forth in § 1.17(i) and a certification that the redactions are limited to the elimination of material that is relevant only to the part or description of the invention that was not contained in the redacted copy of the application submitted for publication.
- (1) Applicant must accompany the submission required by
paragraph (c) of this section with the following:
- (e) The provisions of § 1.8 do not apply to the time periods set forth in this section.
If an application filed in the USPTO and subject to publication under 35 U.S.C. 122(b) includes description that is more extensive than any previously filed corresponding foreign applications, applicant may request for redacted publication under 37 CFR 1.217, eliminating any part or description of the invention that is not also contained in any of the corresponding applications filed in a foreign country. The Office will publish the redacted (less extensive) copy of the application instead of the full description of the invention disclosed in the U.S. application (as provided in 37 CFR 1.215(a)) if applicant timely files a request for redacted publication in compliance with 37 CFR 1.217 which requires the following:
- (A) A redacted copy of the application in compliance with the USPTO patent electronic filing system requirements, e.g., set forth in the Legal Framework for Patent Electronic System within sixteen (16) months after the earliest filing date for which a benefit is sought under title 35, United States Code;
- (B) A certified copy of each foreign-filed application that corresponds to the U.S. application for which a redacted copy is submitted;
- (C) A translation of each such foreign-filed application that is in a language other than English, and a statement that the translation is accurate;
- (D) A marked-up copy of the application showing the redactions in brackets; and
- (E) A certification that the redacted copy of the application eliminates only the part or description of the invention that is not contained in any application filed in a foreign country, directly or through a multilateral international agreement, that corresponds to the application filed in the Office.
Items (B) – (E) above must be submitted in paper (which includes submitting via the USPTO patent electronic filing system) concurrently with the USPTO patent electronic filing system submission of the redacted copy of the application.
The 16-month period is provided by statute (35 U.S.C. 122(b)(2)(B)(v)), and as such, requests for waiver of this 16-month period will be denied. The title of the invention in the redacted copy of the application must correspond to the title of the application at the time the redacted copy of the application is submitted to the Office. If the redacted copy of the application does not comply with the USPTO patent electronic filing system requirements, the Office will publish the full description of the invention disclosed in the U.S. application as provided in 37 CFR 1.215(a).
Once an application has been published, a member of the public may request a copy of the complete file wrapper and contents of, or a copy of a specific paper in, the published application, provided that no redacted copy was timely submitted for publication. If a redacted copy of the application was used for publication, the copy of the specification, drawings, and papers may be limited to a redacted copy, provided that the applicant submits the following:
- (A) A copy of any Office correspondence previously received by applicant including any desired redactions, and a second copy of all Office correspondence previously received by applicant showing the redacted material in brackets, at the time of filing the request for redacted publication;
- (B) A copy of each submission previously filed by the applicant including any desired redactions, and a second copy of each submission previously filed by the applicant showing the redacted material in brackets, at the time of filing the request for redacted publication;
- (C) Within one month of the date of mailing of any correspondence from the Office, a copy of such Office correspondence including any desired redactions, and a second copy of such Office correspondence showing the redacted material in brackets;
- (D) With each submission by the applicant, a copy of such submission including any desired redactions, and a second copy of such submission showing the redacted material in brackets; and
- (E) The processing fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(i), and a certification that the redactions are limited to the elimination of material that is relevant only to the part or description of the invention that was not contained in the redacted copy of the application submitted for publication for each submission in (A)-(D).
Papers submitted for redaction are not entitled to the benefit of the certificate of mailing practice under 37 CFR 1.8. If applicant fails to provide the required redacted and marked up copies of the correspondence in compliance with 37 CFR 1.217(d), the Office will provide a copy of the complete file wrapper and contents of the application to any person upon written request pursuant to 37 CFR 1.14.
