Source: https://bitlaw.com/source/mpep/1481_03.html
Timestamp: 2019-04-24 20:09:56+00:00

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See MPEP § 216.01 for a discussion of when 35 U.S.C. 119(a) -(d) and (f) benefits can be perfected by certificate of correction.
Specifically, 35 U.S.C. 119(e)(1) is effective for all patents whenever granted and no longer requires that the amendment containing the specific reference to the earlier-filed provisional application be submitted during the pendency of the application. Thus, the prior prohibition on granting certificates of correction to add or correct a claim for the benefit of a prior provisional application no longer applies. A certificate of correction to add or correct a claim for the benefit of a prior provisional application under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) may now be available under certain conditions. See subsection A. entitled "Conditions for Certificate of Correction" below. In addition, effective May 13, 2015, 37 CFR 1.78(d)(3) was revised to make the procedures under 37 CFR 1.78(e) to accept an unintentionally delayed benefit claim under 35 U.S.C. 120, 121, 365(c), or 386(c) applicable to design applications, and thus, accords applicants in design applications the same remedy that was only previously available to applicants in utility and plant applications. 37 CFR 1.78(d)(3)(i) provides that the reference required by 35 U.S.C. 120 and 37 CFR 1.78(d)(2) must be submitted during the pendency of the later-filed application. For design applications, this time period is the only applicable time period for when the required reference must be submitted because the time period set forth in 37 CFR 1.78(d)(3)(ii) (i.e., four months from the filing date of the later-filed application or sixteen months from the filing date of the prior-filed application) does not apply to an application for a design patent. If the required reference to the prior-filed application is not submitted during the pendency of the later-filed design application, then a petition to accept an unintentionally delayed benefit claim under 37 CFR 1.78(e) may be filed. See 37 CFR 1.78(d)(3)(iii). Thus, a petition under 37 CFR 1.78(e) may be filed along with a request for a certificate of correction under 35 U.S.C. 255 and 37 CFR 1.323 in a design patent if the required reference to the prior-filed application was not submitted during the pendency of the later-filed design application.
Where a benefit claim based upon 35 U.S.C. 120, 121, 365(c), or 386(c) is timely submitted, a petition under 37 CFR 1.78(e) is not required for correcting the benefit claim by changing the relationship of the applications (e.g., changing from "continuation" or "divisional" to "continuation-in-part" or from "continuation-in-part" to "continuation" or "divisional") whether filed during the pendency of the later-filed application or after patent grant. See MPEP § 211.03. However, a change in the relationship may require comparing the disclosures of the applications which would require further examination and thus such a change would not be appropriate via a certificate of correction. In addition, there is significance to the designation of the relationship as "continuation," "divisional," or "continuation-in-part." For example, the safe harbor of 35 U.S.C. 121 only protects divisional applications, not continuation applications or continuation-in-part applications. See Pfizer, Inc. v. Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc., 518 F.3d 1353, 1362, 86 USPQ2d 1001, 1007-08 (Fed. Cir. 2008) and Amgen v. Hoffman-La Roche, 580 F.3d 1340, 1352-1354, 92 USPQ2d 1289, 1298-1300 (Fed. Cir. 2009). Changing the relationship to or from a "divisional" may impact the applicability of the safe harbor provision or a nonstatutory double patenting rejection.
(B) Adding or correcting a claim to a prior application having a filing date before March 16, 2013 in a patent that was examined (as indicated on the Notice of Allowance or a later Office communication such as a supplemental Notice of Allowance) under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA and where the 37 CFR 1.55 /1.78 statement (see MPEP § 210, subsection III) is filed concurrently with the petition (since the presence of the statement would not result in a switch in the statutory framework).
(A) Adding or correcting a claim to a prior application having a filing date before March 16, 2013 in a patent that was examined (as indicated on the Notice of Allowance or a later Office communication such as a supplemental Notice of Allowance) under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA and where the 37 CFR 1.55 /1.78 statement is not present.
If any of the above-stated conditions is not satisfied or if the correction sought would require further examination, the filing of a reissue application (see MPEP § 1401 - § 14.0) may be appropriate to pursue the desired correction of the patent for benefit claims under 35 U.S.C. 119(e), 120, 121, 365(c), or 386(c).

References: § 216
 § 211
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 § 210
 § 1401
 § 14