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PBG - Final Rule Home Page
EFFECTIVE DATE: November 7, 2000, unless otherwise noted

Federal Register 65 Fed. Reg. 54603 (September 8, 2000)
Official Gazette 1238 Off. Gaz. Pat. Office 77 ( September 19, 2000)

The Office of Patent Legal Administration (OPLA) of the Office of the Deputy Commissioner for Patent Examination Policy has prepared this webpage PBG (Patent Business Goals) - Final Rule and numerous items linked thereto to assist one in understanding the rules amended by the PBG. For further information contact one of the individuals noted below.

PBG - Final Rule:

WARNING: The information contained on this page was correct at the time of original publication. Some information may no longer be applicable. For example, amendments may have been made to the rules of practice since the original date of a publication, there may have been a change in any fees indicated, and certain references to publications may no longer be valid. Wherever there is a reference to a statute or rule, please check carefully whether the statute or rule in force at the date of publication of the advice has since been amended.

Affected Rules
Effective Date Chart [PDF]
Laws, Consolidated Patent [PDF]
Rules, Consolidated Patent [PDF]
PBG-Final Rule Correction Notice (2nd) [PDF]
PBG-Final Rule Correction Notice [PDF]
PBG-Final Rule Notice [PDF]
PBG Notice of Proposed Rulemaking [PDF]
PBG Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
Public Comments
Questions & Answers (Q & A's)
Slide Presentation: PBG-Final Rule (posted 8/1/2001) [PPS]
*Download Self-Extracting PowerPoint
Presentation: PBG-Final Rule to your PC (posted 8/1/2001)
Summary - Highlights [PDF]
Summary - Rule by Rule [PDF]
USPTO Forms - Modified
Most PTO/SB patent forms have been modified due to recent changes in the Patent Laws and Rules.

Related rule packages:
American Inventors Protection Act (AIPA) Web Page
Relationship To Other Rule Changes [PDF]

The PBG - Final Rule provided for
  • Significant changes to the patent rules to eliminate unnecessary formal requirements, streamline the patent application process, and simplify and clarify the provisions of the rules of practice
  • Effective Date - varies by rule
  • November 7, 2000, unless otherwise noted
  • check page 54604 of Fed. Reg. Notice
NOTE:
  • 37 CFR § 1.96, CD submissions have become optional now due to USPTO policy and became mandatory under the PBG - Final Rule on March 1, 2001.
  • 37 CFR §§ 1.58 and 1.821 have become optional now under USPTO policy and remain optional.
  • 37 CFR § 1.121 amendments were optional on November 7, 2000 and became mandatory on March 1, 2001.
Effective Date Chart [PDF] button (on left) links to a complete list of the rules and their effective dates.

Effective Date of Significant Changes chart (below) groups the significant changes and the affected rules.



FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
Please Contact in the Office of Patent Legal Administration (OPLA):
Robert J. Spar, Director (571) 272-7700 bob.spar@uspto.gov
Hiram H. Bernstein,
Senior Legal Advisor		 (571) 272-7707 hiram.bernstein@uspto.gov
Robert Clarke,
Senior Legal Advisor		 (571) 272-7735 robert.clarke@uspto.gov

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