Patent Review and Derivation Proceedings

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is required by 35 U.S.C. §§ 131 and 151 to examine applications and, when appropriate, issue applications as patents. These statutes also provide for consideration of trial reviews of patents, if requested. This collection of information covers the patent review process and related proceedings conducted by the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (“PTAB” or “Board). The Leahy-Smith America Invents Act (“AIA”), which was enacted into law on September 16, 2011, provided for many changes to the procedures of the PTAB. See Pub. L. 112-29, 125 Stat. 284 (2011). These changes include the introduction of inter partes review, post-grant review, derivation proceedings, and the transitional program for covered business method patents. Inter partes review is a trial proceeding conducted at the Board to review the patentability of one or more claims in a patent only on a ground that could be raised under §§ 102 or 103, and only on the basis of prior art consisting of patents or printed publications. Post grant review is a trial proceeding conducted at the Board to review the patentability of one or more claims in a patent on any ground that could be raised under § 282(b)(2) or (3). A derivation proceeding is a trial proceeding conducted at the board to determine whether (1) an inventor named in an earlier application derived the claimed invention from an inventor named in petitioner’s application, and (2) the earlier application claiming such invention was filed without authorization. The transitional program for covered business method patents (TPCBM) is a trial proceeding conducted at the Board for review the patentability of one or more claims in a covered business method patent.

The latest form for Patent Review and Derivation Proceedings expires 2022-02-28 and can be found here.

Petition for Inter Partes Review

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