TIPS^®  Taiwan Intellectual Property Special

China Updates

Interview with Patent Examiner To Convince Him

The guidelines for interview with patent examiners have seldom been relied on by patent applicants or their patent agents, although the guidelines were issued in 1994 for the purpose of clarifying technical issues.

Nevertheless, the guidelines provide an effective channel for a patent applicant or his patent agent to find out the examiner's rationale for an rejection or office action and/or to convince the patent examiner. The applicant or his patent agent may use charts, graphs, or other effective materials to make an effective presentation. As the interview is conducted on a face-to-face basis, the applicant or his patent agent may have a better opportunity to clarify some critical issues.

An interview is not to exceed one hour. The applicant or his patent agent may request an extension with the examiner's consent. For more information, please see the English-language translation of the guidelines rendered by TSAI & LEE, which will be provided upon request.