Patent drawings serve to supplement the specification and claims. The drawings can be effectively scanned for publication. The Office of Patent Application Processing (OPAP) of the USPTO performs an initial review of drawings in new utility and plant patent applications. Design applications are not published, and thus drawings filed in design patent applications are not…
The Manuel of Patent Examining Procedure (MPEP) stipulates that for a later-filed application if entitled to the benefit of an earlier-filed national application, the later-filed application must contain a specific reference to the earlier-filed application. That is, if a later-filed application intends to claim domestic or foreign priority to secure an effective filing date or…
