Supplemental Examination

In re Tanaka Decision Likely to Drive Two-Part Supplemental Examination Filing Strategy

During yesterday’s Strafford Legal webinar on the topic, I explained that Supplemental Examination (SE) is a mechanism of the AIA that is designed to effectively cure inequitable conduct via a new post grant proceeding of the USPTO. This mechanism, effective September 16, 2012 will be available to all issued patents.

In operation, SE allows a Patentee to submit very detailed explanations of potential issues that may serve to render the patent invalid under an inequitable conduct theory in litigation. Upon submission of Substantial New Questions of patentability (SNQs) detailing such potential defects, the Office will reconsider or correct such information; that is to say the Office will perform a “supplemental examination.”

If the SNQs of an SE request do not rise to the appropriate level to justify further proceedings, an SE certificate is issued stating such, and the proceeding concludes. Likewise, should SNQs be identified in the request for SE, a certificate is issued identifying such. Thereafter, a modified form of “re-examination” is initiated by the Office to explore the SNQs presented in the request. Should the Office determine that the identified SNQs do not preclude patentability in the reexamination phase, a reexamination certificate is issued to complement the SE certificate. Thus, SE is modeled on the same “but for” materiality standard pronounced in Therasense.

At first blush, the option to cure potential inequitable conduct issues seems an attractive option for Patentees. Yet, practically speaking, there may be very few instances in which an SE filing is advisable.
Continue Reading Is Supplemental Examination a Risk Worth Taking?

New Mechanism to Cleanse Inequitable Conduct

Yesterday, the USPTO issued a Notice of Proposed Rule Making to outline the procedures for conducting supplemental examination (here). (See the earlier discussion on the related changes to patent reexamination fees provided by this Notice).

As a reminder, the America Invents Act provided supplemental examination (SE) as a mechanism to cure inequitable conduct before the USPTO. Upon submission of SNQs that explain potential issues for supplemental examination, the Office may initiate a type of “re-examination” that follows the procedures for ex parte patent reexamination with some modification. In essence this proceeding was based on a “but for” theory later adopted in Therasense.

In addition to proposing a steep price to initiate SE and conduct the related reexamination proceeding, (roughly $22K) the Office has outlined the rules for conducting supplemental examination.


Continue Reading Supplemental Examination Rules Issued by USPTO