MPEP § 2656 — MPEP § 2656
Current through: 2022-07-01

2656-Prior Art Patents and Printed Publications Reviewed by Examiner in Reexamination 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 Skip over navigation 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 search for patents | search for trademarks 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Search 
 
 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 PATENTS 
 
 Patent Search 

 
 Patent Process 

 
 Patent Classification 

 
 Patent Forms 

 
 Statistics 

 
 Electronic Business Center 

 
 Patent Laws, Regulations, Policies & Procedures 

 
 Resources and Guidance 

 
 Office of Data Management 

 
 Announcements 

 
 Initiatives & Events 

 
 International Protection 

 
 Employee Locator 

 
 Contact Patents 

 

 

 
 TRADEMARKS 
 
 Trademark Search 

 
 Trademarks Process 

 
 News & Notices 

 
 Manuals, Guides, Official Gazette 

 
 Laws & Regulations 

 
 Online Filing 

 
 Contact Trademarks 

 

 

 
 IP LAW & POLICY 
 
 Rulemaking 

 
 IP Policy and Enforcement 

 
 Protecting IP Overseas 

 
 Training and Education 

 
 Training Programs & Conferences 

 
 Office of Governmental Affairs 

 
 Office of Chief Economist 

 
 Boards and Counsel 

 

 

 
 PRODUCTS & SERVICES 
 
 Electronic Data Products 

 
 XML Resources 

 
 XML Resources - Retrospective 

 
 USPTO Contact Center Order Form 

 
 Services 

 
 Locate Libraries 

 
 Training/Events 

 
 Online Services Hub 

 

 

 
 INVENTORS 
 
 Patents for Inventors 

 
 Trademarks for Inventors 

 
 Inventors Assistance 

 
 Education and Information 

 
 Scam Prevention 

 
 Pro Se and Pro Bono 

 
 Current Events 

 
 State Resources 

 
 InventorsEye Newsletter 

 

 

 
 NEWS & NOTICES 
 
 Subscription Center 

 
 Press Releases 

 
 Testimony and Speeches 

 
 Director's Forum 

 
 Systems Status 

 
 Emergency Notices 

 
 USPTO Videos 

 
 Official Gazette 

 
 Federal Register Notices 

 
 Event Calendar 

 

 

 
 FAQs 
 
 Patents FAQs 

 
 Trademarks FAQs 

 
 Assignments 

 
 Security 

 
 Musicians and Artists 

 
 Browser Plugins 

 
 Other Web Resources 

 

 

 
 ABOUT US 
 
 USPTO Leadership 

 
 USPTO Organization 

 
 USPTO Offices 

 
 Careers 

 
 Budget, Performance, and Planning 

 
 Statistics 

 
 Vendor Information 

 
 Public Advisory Committees 

 
 National Medal of Technology and Innovation 

 
 IP in Motion 

 
 Contact Us 

 

 

 
 
 

 

 
 

 
 
 
 
 Home Page 

 
 Patents 

 
 Patent Laws, Regulations, Policies & Procedures 

 
 Manual of Patent Examining Procedure 

 Chapter 2600 

 Section 2656 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 2656 Prior Art Patents and Printed Publications Reviewed by Examiner in
 Reexamination [R-01.2024]
 

 The Office does not accept requests for inter partes 
 reexamination filed on or after September 16, 2012. See 37 CFR
 1.913(b) . Guidance on the former practice is available in revision
 07.2022 of the 9 th Edition of the MPEP.
 

 [top] 

 

 

 
 

 
 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 2601-Introduction 
 2601.01-Flowcharts 

 
 

 2602-Citation of Prior Art 

 2603 - 2608-[Reserved] 

 2609-Inter Partes Reexamination 

 2610-Request for Inter Partes Reexamination 

 2611-Time for Requesting Inter Partes Reexamination 

 2612-Persons Who May File a Request 

 2613-Representative of Requester 

 2614-Content of Request for Inter Partes Reexamination 

 2615-Fee for Requesting Inter Partes Reexamination 

 2616-Substantial New Question of Patentability/Reasonable Likelihood That Requester Will Prevail 

 2617-Statement in the Request Applying Prior Art 

 2618-Copies of Prior Art (Patents and Printed Publications) 

 2619-Copy of Printed Patent 

 2620-Certificate of Service 

 2621-[Reserved] 

 2622-Address of Patent Owner 

 2623-Withdrawal of Attorney or Agent 

 2624-Correspondence 

 2625-Untimely Paper Filed Prior to First Office Action 

 2626-Initial Processing of Request for Inter Partes Reexamination 

 2627-Incomplete Request for Inter Partes Reexamination 

 2628-[Reserved] 

 2629-Notice of Request for Inter Partes Reexamination in Official Gazette 

 2630-Constructive Notice to Patent Owner 

 2631-Processing of Request Corrections 

 2632-Public Access 
 2632.01-Determining If a Reexamination Request Was Filed for a Patent 

 
 

 2633-[Reserved] 

 2634-Fee Processing and Procedure 

 2635-Record Systems 

 2636-Assignment of Reexamination 

 2637-[Reserved] 

 2638-Time Reporting 

 2639-[Reserved] 

 2640-Decision on Request 

 2641-Time for Deciding Request 

 2642-Criteria for Deciding Request 

 2643-Claims Considered in Deciding Request 

 2644-Prior Art on Which the Determination Is Based 

 2645-[Reserved] 

 2646-Decision Ordering Reexamination 

 2647-Decision Denying Reexamination 
 2647.01-Examples of Decisions on Requests 

 2647.02-Processing of Decision 

 
 

 2648-Petition From Denial of Request 

 2649 - 2653-[Reserved] 

 2654-Conduct of Inter Partes Reexamination Proceedings 

 2655-Who Reexamines 

 2656-Prior Art Patents and Printed Publications Reviewed by Examiner in Reexamination 

 2657-Listing of Prior Art 

 2658-Scope of Inter Partes Reexamination 

 2659-Res Judicata and Collateral Estoppel in Reexamination Proceedings 

 2660-First Office Action 
 2660.01-[Reserved] 

 2660.02-The Title 

 2660.03-Dependent Claims 

 
 

 2661-Special Status for Action 

 2662-Time for Response and Comments 

 2663-[Reserved] 

 2664-Mailing of Office Action 

 2665-Extension of Time for Patent Owner Response 

 2666-Patent Owner Response to Office Action 
 2666.01-Amendment by Patent Owner 

 2666.02-Correction of Patent Drawings 

 2666.03-Correction of Inventorship 

 2666.04-Fees for Adding Claims 

 2666.05-Third Party Comments After Patent Owner Response 

 2666.06-Service of Papers 

 2666.07-2666.09-[Reserved] 

 2666.10-Patent Owner Does Not Respond to Office Action 

 2666.11 - 2666.19-[Reserved] 

 2666.20-Third Party Does Not Comment After Patent Owner Response 

 2666.21 - 2666.29-[Reserved] 

 2666.30-Submission Not Fully Responsive to Non-final Office Action 

 2666.31 - 2666.39-[Reserved] 

 2666.40-Patent Owner Completion of Response and Third Party Comments Thereon 

 2666.41-2666.49-[Reserved] 

 2666.50-Examiner Issues Notice of Defective Paper in Inter Partes Reexamination 

 2666.51-2666.59-[Reserved] 

 2666.60-Response by Patent Owner/Third Party to Notice of Defective Paper 

 
 

 2667-Handling of Inappropriate or Untimely Filed Papers 

 2668-Petition for Entry of Late Papers for Revival of Reexamination Proceeding 

 2669-[Reserved] 

 2670-Clerical Handling 

 2671-Examiner Action Following Response/Comments or Expiration of Time for Same 
 2671.01-Examiner Issues Action on Merits That Does Not Close Prosecution 

 2671.02-Examiner Issues Action Closing Prosecution (ACP) 

 2671.03-Panel Review 

 
 

 2672-Patent Owner Comments/Amendment After ACP and Third Party Requester Responsive Comments 

 2673-Examiner Consideration of Submissions After ACP and Further Action 
 2673.01-Reopening Prosecution After ACP 

 2673.02-Examiner Issues Right of Appeal Notice (RAN) 

 
 

 2674-Appeal in Inter Partes Reexamination 
 2674.01-Cross Appeal After Original Appeal 

 
 

 2675-Appellant Brief 
 2675.01-Respondent Brief 

 2675.02-Informalities in One or More of the Briefs 

 
 

 2676-Appeal Conference 

 2677-Examiner’s Answer 

 2678-Rebuttal Briefs 

 2679-Office Treatment of Rebuttal Brief 

 2680-Oral Hearing 

 2681-Board Decision 

 2682-Action Following Decision 

 2683-Appeal to Courts 

 2684-Information Material to Patentability in Reexamination Proceeding 

 2685-No Interviews on Merits in Inter Partes Reexamination Proceedings 

 2686-Notification of Existence of Prior or Concurrent Proceedings and Decisions Thereon 
 2686.01-Multiple Copending Reexamination Proceedings 

 2686.02-Copending Reexamination and Interference Proceedings 

 2686.03-Copending Reexamination and Reissue Proceedings 

 2686.04-Reexamination and Litigation Proceedings 

 2686.05-Reexamination and Inter Partes Review Proceedings, Post-Grant Review, and Covered Business Method Patent Review 

 
 

 2687-Notice of Intent to Issue Inter Partes Reexamination Certificate (NIRC) and Conclusion of Reexamination Proceeding 
 2687.01-Examiner Consideration of Submissions After NIRC 

 
 

 2688-Issuance of Inter Partes Reexamination Certificate 

 2689-Reexamination Review 

 2690-Format of Inter Partes Reexamination Certificate 

 2691-Notice of Inter Partes Reexamination Certificate Issuance in Official Gazette 

 2692-Distribution of Certificate 

 2693-Intervening Rights 

 2694-Concluded Reexamination Proceedings 

 2695-Reexamination of a Reexamination 

 2696-USPTO Forms To Be Used in Inter Partes Reexamination 

 

 

 
 

 
 
 

 
 

 

 
 
 Accessibility 

 Privacy Policy 

 Terms of Use 

 Security 

 Emergencies/Security Alerts 

 Information Quality Guidelines 

 
 

 
 
 Federal Activities Inventory Reform (FAIR) Act 

 Notification and Federal Employee Antidiscrimination and Retaliation (NoFEAR) Act 

 Budget & Performance 

 Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) 

 
 

 
 
 Department of Commerce NoFEAR Act Report 

 Regulations.gov 

 STOP!Fakes.gov 

 Department of Commerce 

 USA.gov 

 
 

 
 
 Strategy Targeting Organized Piracy (STOP!) 

 Careers 

 Site Index 

 Contact Us 

 Submit Feedback 

 
 

 
 This page is owned by Patents.

 Last Modified: 
 
 03/09/2026 20:49:39