(a) Applicant. An applicant, including a reissue applicant, may suggest an interference with another application or a patent. The suggestion must:
(1) Provide sufficient information to identify the application or patent with which the applicant seeks an interference,
(2) Identify all claims the applicant believes interfere, propose one or more counts, and show how the claims correspond to one or more counts,
(3) For each count, provide a claim chart comparing at least one claim of each party corresponding to the count and show why the claims interfere within the meaning of § 41.203(a),
(4) Explain in detail why the applicant will prevail on priority,
(5) If a claim has been added or amended to provoke an interference, provide a claim chart showing the written description for each claim in the applicant's specification, and
(6) For each constructive reduction to practice for which the applicant wishes to be accorded benefit, provide a chart showing where the disclosure provides a constructive reduction to practice within the scope of the interfering subject matter.
(b) Patentee. A patentee cannot suggest an interference under this section but may, to the extent permitted under § 1.291 of this title, alert the examiner of an application claiming interfering subject matter to the possibility of an interference.
(c) Examiner. An examiner may require an applicant to add a claim to provoke an interference. Failure to satisfy the requirement within a period (not less than one month) the examiner sets will operate as a concession of priority for the subject matter of the claim. If the interference would be with a patent, the applicant must also comply with paragraphs (a)(2) through (a)(6) of this section. The claim the examiner proposes to have added must, apart from the question of priority under 35 U.S.C. 102(g):
(1) Be patentable to the applicant, and
(2) Be drawn to patentable subject matter claimed by another applicant or patentee.
(d) Requirement to show priority under 35 U.S.C. 102(g). (1) When an applicant has an earliest constructive reduction to practice that is later than the apparent earliest constructive reduction to practice for a patent or published application claiming interfering subject matter, the applicant must show why it would prevail on priority.
(2) If an applicant fails to show priority under paragraph (d)(1) of this section, an administrative patent judge may nevertheless declare an interference to place the applicant under an order to show cause why judgment should not be entered against the applicant on priority. New evidence in support of priority will not be admitted except on a showing of good cause. The Board may authorize the filing of motions to redefine the interfering subject matter or to change the benefit accorded to the parties.
(e) Sufficiency of showing. (1) A showing of priority under this section is not sufficient unless it would, if unrebutted, support a determination of priority in favor of the party making the showing.
(2) When testimony or production necessary to show priority is not available without authorization under § 41.150(c) or § 41.156(a), the showing shall include:
(i) Any necessary interrogatory, request for admission, request for production, or deposition request, and
(ii) A detailed proffer of what the response to the interrogatory or request would be expected to be and an explanation of the relevance of the response to the question of priority.
[69 FR 50003, Aug. 12, 2004, as amended at 77 FR 42174, July 17, 2012]
Notes of Decisions
Cited in
14
cases (
1 in the last 5 years), 2007–2023 · leading case:
In Re Garner, 508 F.3d 1376 (Fed. Cir. 2007).
In Re Garner, 508 F.3d 1376 (Fed. Cir. 2007).
· cites it 3× “37 C.F.R. § 41.202 (d). Garner attempted to establish priority by showing that he actually reduced to practice an invention within the proposed *1378 count before the Quate patent’s effective filing date.”
Cytologic, Inc. v. Biopheresis Gmbh, 682 F. Supp. 2d 1 (D.D.C. 2010).
“P8 (Biopheresis Suggestion of an Interference under 37 C.F.R. 41.202, dated May 6, 2005) (hereinafter “Suggestion of Interference”).”
Spine v. Biedermann Motech Gmbh, 684 F. Supp. 2d 68 (D.D.C. 2010).
“On January 10, *77 2006, Biedermann filed a “Suggestion of Interference Under 37 CFR 41.202(a)” proposing only a single count of interference directed toward an assembly or coupling element.”
Yorkey v. Diab, 605 F.3d 1297 (Fed. Cir. 2010).
“See 37 C.F.R. § 41.202 (d); In re Garner, 508 F.”
Mayo Clinic Found. v. Iancu, 309 F. Supp. 3d 425 (E.D. Va. 2018).
“§ 135 (a) ; see also 37 C.F.R. § 41.202 (a). 2 Where two parties claim the same patentable invention, an interference proceeding serves to determine which party is entitled to priority of invention.”
Stryker Spine v. Biedermann Motech GmbH, 750 F. Supp. 2d 107 (D.D.C. 2010).
“On January 10, 2006, Biedermann filed a “Suggestion of Interference Under 37 C.F.R. 41.202(a)” proposing only a single count of interference directed toward an assembly or coupling element.”
Pivonka v. Axelrod (Fed. Cir. 2009).
· cites it 4× “Specifically, Pivonka takes issue with the Board’s decision to give Axelrod a second chance to submit evidence to show priority under 37 C.F.R. § 41.202 (d), and its decision that Axelrod’s submissions were sufficient to create a prima facie case of priority under 37 C.”
ThroughPuter, Inc. v. Amazon Web Servs., Inc. (W.D. Tex. 2023).
· cites it 2× “Amazon relies on the Manual of Patent Examining Procedure, asserting that it requires the applicant to identify the source of the copied claims: “Where claims are copied or substantially copied from a patent, 37 CFR § 41.202 (a) requires the applicant, at the time he or she…”
Mayo Found. v. Iancu (Fed. Cir. 2019).
“The PTO also noted in its rejection that Mayo had suggested an interference with the ’757 patent in its previous response, and it invited Mayo to make the requisite priority showing under 37 C.F.R. § 41.202 (d)(1) (2010). On September 14, 2011, Mayo filed an RCE along with…”
Spine v. Biedermann Motech Gmbh (D.D.C. 2010).
“On January 10, 2006, Biedermann filed a “Suggestion of Interference Under 37 CFR 41.202(a)” proposing only a single count of interference directed toward an assembly or coupling element.”
— 37 C.F.R. § 41.202(a) — 4 cases
Spine v. Biedermann Motech Gmbh, 684 F. Supp. 2d 68 (D.D.C. 2010).
“On January 10, *77 2006, Biedermann filed a “Suggestion of Interference Under 37 CFR 41.202(a)” proposing only a single count of interference directed toward an assembly or coupling element.”
Stryker Spine v. Biedermann Motech GmbH, 750 F. Supp. 2d 107 (D.D.C. 2010).
“On January 10, 2006, Biedermann filed a “Suggestion of Interference Under 37 C.F.R. 41.202(a)” proposing only a single count of interference directed toward an assembly or coupling element.”
Spine v. Biedermann Motech Gmbh (D.D.C. 2010).
“On January 10, 2006, Biedermann filed a “Suggestion of Interference Under 37 CFR 41.202(a)” proposing only a single count of interference directed toward an assembly or coupling element.”
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