A Hypertext Publication
of

U.S. PATENT ACT, AS AMENDED (1994)
35 USCS §§ 1 - 376

PART I. PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE

II. COMMENCEMENT OF ACTION; SERVICE OF PROCESS, PLEADINGS, MOTIONS, AND ORDERS

III. PLEADINGS AND MOTIONS

IV. PARTIES

PART I. PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE

• CHAPTER 1. ESTABLISHMENT, OFFICERS, FUNCTIONS
• CHAPTER 2. PROCEEDINGS IN THE PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
• CHAPTER 3. PRACTICE BEFORE PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
• CHAPTER 4. PATENT FEES; FUNDING; SEARCH SYSTEMS

PART II. PATENTABILITY OF INVENTIONS AND GRANT OF PATENTS

• CHAPTER 10. PATENTABILITY OF INVENTIONS
• CHAPTER 11. APPLICATION FOR PATENT
• CHAPTER 12. EXAMINATION OF APPLICATION
• CHAPTER 13. REVIEW OF PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
• CHAPTER 14. ISSUE OF PATENT
• CHAPTER 15. PLANT PATENTS
• CHAPTER 16. DESIGNS
• CHAPTER 17. SECRECY OF CERTAIN INVENTIONS AND FILING APPLICATIONS IN FOREIGN COUNTRY
• CHAPTER 18. PATENT RIGHTS IN INVENTIONS MADE WITH FEDERAL ASSISTANCE

PART III. PATENTS AND PROTECTION OF PATENT RIGHTS

• CHAPTER 25. AMENDMENT AND CORRECTION OF PATENTS
• CHAPTER 26. OWNERSHIP AND ASSIGNMENT
• CHAPTER 27. GOVERNMENT INTERESTS IN PATENTS
• CHAPTER 28. INFRINGEMENT OF PATENTS
• CHAPTER 29. REMEDIES FOR INFRINGEMENT OF PATENT, AND OTHER ACTIONS
• CHAPTER 30. PRIOR ART CITATIONS TO OFFICE AND REEXAMINATION OF PATENTS

PART IV. PATENT COOPERATION TREATY

• CHAPTER 35. DEFINITIONS
• CHAPTER 36. INTERNATIONAL STAGE
• CHAPTER 37. NATIONAL STAGE

PART I. PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE

CHAPTER 1. ESTABLISHMENT, OFFICERS, FUNCTIONS

• § 1. Establishment
• § 2. Seal
• § 3. Officers and employees
• § 4. Restrictions on officers and employees as to interest in patents
• § 5. [Repealed]
• § 6. Duties of Commissioner
• § 7. Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences
• § 8. Library
• § 9. Classification of patents
• § 10. Certified copies of records
• § 11. Publications
• § 12. Exchange of copies of patents with foreign countries
• § 13. Copies of patents for public libraries
• § 14. Annual report to Congress

CHAPTER 2. PROCEEDINGS IN THE PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE

• § 21. Filing date and day for taking action
• § 22. Printing of papers filed
• § 23. Testimony in Patent and Trademark Office cases
• § 24. Subpoenas, witnesses
• § 25. Declaration in lieu of oath
• § 26. Effect of defective execution

CHAPTER 3. PRACTICE BEFORE PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE

• § 31. Regulations for agents and attorneys
• § 32. Suspension or exclusion from practice
• § 33. Unauthorized representation as practitioner

CHAPTER 4. PATENT FEES; FUNDING; SEARCH SYSTEMS

• § 41. Patent fees; patent and trademark search systems
• § 42. Patent and Trademark Office funding

PART II. PATENTABILITY OF INVENTIONS AND GRANT OF PATENTS

CHAPTER 10. PATENTABILITY OF INVENTIONS

• § 100. Definitions
• § 101. Inventions patentable
• § 102. Conditions for patentability; novelty and loss of right to patent
• § 103. Conditions for patentability; non-obvious subject matter
• § 104. Invention made abroad
• § 105. Inventions in outer space

CHAPTER 11. APPLICATION FOR PATENT

• § 111. Application for patent
• § 112. Specification
• § 113. Drawings
• § 114. Models, specimens
• § 115. Oath of applicant
• § 116. Inventors
• § 117. Death or incapacity of inventor
• § 118. Filing by other than inventor
• § 119. Benefit of earlier filing date in foreign country; right of priority
• § 120. Benefit of earlier filing date in the United States
• § 121. Divisional applications
• § 122. Confidential status of applications

CHAPTER 12. EXAMINATION OF APPLICATION

• § 131. Examination of application
• § 132. Notice of rejection; reexamination
• § 133. Time for prosecuting application
• § 134. Appeal to the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences
• § 135. Interferences

CHAPTER 13. REVIEW OF PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE

• § 141. Appeal to Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
• § 142. Notice of appeal
• § 143. Proceedings on appeal
• § 144. Decision on appeal
• § 145. Civil action to obtain patent
• § 146. Civil action in case of interference

CHAPTER 14. ISSUE OF PATENT

• § 151. Issue of patent
• § 152. Issue of patent to assignee
• § 153. How issued
• § 154. Contents and term of patent
• § 155. Patent term extension
• § 155A. Patent term restoration
• § 156. Extension of patent term
• § 157. Statutory invention registration

CHAPTER 15. PLANT PATENTS

• § 161. Patent for plants
• § 162. Description, claim
• § 163. Grant
• § 164. Assistance of Department of Agriculture

CHAPTER 16. DESIGNS

• § 171. Patents for designs
• § 172. Right of priority
• § 173. Term of design patent

CHAPTER 17. SECRECY OF CERTAIN INVENTIONS AND FILING APPLICATIONS IN FOREIGN COUNTRY

• § 181. Secrecy of certain inventions and withholding of patent
• § 182. Abandonment of invention for unauthorized disclosure
• § 183. Right to compensation
• § 184. Filing of application in foreign country
• § 185. Patent barred for filing without license
• § 186. Penalty
• § 187. Nonapplicability to certain persons
• § 188. Rules and regulations, delegation of power

CHAPTER 18. PATENT RIGHTS IN INVENTIONS MADE WITH FEDERAL ASSISTANCE

• § 200. Policy and objective
• § 201. Definitions
• § 202. Disposition of rights
• § 203. March-in rights
• § 204. Preference for United States industry
• § 205. Confidentiality
• § 206. Uniform clauses and regulations
• § 207. Domestic and foreign protection of federally owned inventions
• § 208. Regulations governing Federal licensing
• § 209. Restrictions on licensing of federally owned inventions
• § 210. Precedence of chapter
• § 211. Relationship to antitrust laws
• § 212. Disposition of rights in educational awards

PART III. PATENTS AND PROTECTION OF PATENT RIGHTS

CHAPTER 25. AMENDMENT AND CORRECTION OF PATENTS

• § 251. Reissue of defective patents
• § 252. Effect of reissue
• § 253. Disclaimer
• § 254. Certificate of correction of Patent and Trademark Office mistake
• § 255. Certificate of correction of applicant's mistake
• § 256. Correction of named inventor

CHAPTER 26. OWNERSHIP AND ASSIGNMENT

• § 261. Ownership; assignment
• § 262. Joint owners

CHAPTER 27. GOVERNMENT INTERESTS IN PATENTS

• § 266. [Repealed]
• § 267. Time for taking action in Government applications

CHAPTER 28. INFRINGEMENT OF PATENTS

• § 271. Infringement of patent
• § 272. Temporary presence in the United States

CHAPTER 29. REMEDIES FOR INFRINGEMENT OF PATENT, AND OTHER ACTIONS

• § 281. Remedy for infringement of patent
• § 282. Presumption of validity; defenses
• § 283. Injunction
• § 284. Damages
• § 285. Attorney fees
• § 286. Time limitation on damages
• § 287. Limitation on damages and other remedies; marking and notice
• § 288. Action for infringement of a patent containing an invalid claim
• § 289. Additional remedy for infringement of design patent
• § 290. Notice of patent suits
• § 291. Interfering patents
• § 292. False marking
• § 293. Nonresident patentee; service and notice
• § 294. Voluntary arbitration
• § 295. Presumption: Product made by patented process
• § 296. Liability of States, instrumentalities of States, and State officials for infringement of patents

CHAPTER 30. PRIOR ART CITATIONS TO OFFICE AND REEXAMINATION OF PATENTS

• § 301. Citation of prior art
• § 302. Request for reexamination
• § 303. Determination of issue by Commissioner
• § 304. Reexamination order by Commissioner
• § 305. Conduct of reexamination proceedings
• § 306. Appeal
• § 307. Certificate of patentability, unpatentability, and claim cancellation

PART IV.PATENT COOPERATION TREATY

CHAPTER 35. DEFINITIONS

• § 351. Definitions

CHAPTER 36. INTERNATIONAL STAGE

• § 361. Receiving Office
• § 362. International Searching Authority and International Preliminary Examining Authority
• § 363. International application designating the United States: Effect
• § 364. International stage: Procedure
• § 365. Right of priority; benefit of the filing date of a prior application
• § 366. Withdrawn international application
• § 367. Actions of other authorities: Review
• § 368. Secrecy of certain inventions; filing international applications in foreign countries

CHAPTER 37. NATIONAL STAGE

• § 371. National stage: Commencement
• § 372. National stage: Requirements and procedure
• § 373. Improper applicant
• § 374. Publication of international application: Effect
• § 375. Patent issued on international application: Effect
• § 376. Fees