Patent Terms Glossary

Drawing

Definition:
Patent drawings must show every feature of the invention as specified in the claims. Omission of drawings may cause an application to be considered incomplete.

Patent Pending

Definition:
A phrase that often appears on manufactured items. It means that someone has applied for a patent on an invention that is contained in the manufactured item.

Non-final Office Action (rejection)

Definition:
An Office action letter that raises new issues and usually is the first phase of the examination process. An examining attorney will issue a non-final Office action after reviewing the application for the first time.

Home Copy

Definition:
A copy of an international application filed under the Patent Cooperation Treaty maintained by the receiving Office where the international application was filed.

Group Art Unit

Definition:
A working unit responsible for a cluster of related patent art. Staffed by one supervisory patent examiner (SPE) and a number of patent examiners who determine patentability on applications for a patent.

Final Office Action (rejection)

Definition:
An Office action on the second or any subsequent examination or consideration by an examiner that is intended to close the prosecution of a nonprovisional patent application.

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