Interference proceeding

An interference proceeding, also known as priority contest, is an inter partes proceeding to determine the priority issues of multiple patent applications. It is a unique patent law concept of the United States. Unlike most other countries that have adopted the first-to-file system, the first-to-invent system of the U.S. allows a party that failed to file a patent application on time to challenge the inventorship of another party that has a granted or pending patent if certain requirements are met.

Definition

The interference proceeding is an administrative proceeding conducted by a panel of Administrative Patent Judges (administrative law judges sitting on the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences) of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to determine which applicant is not entitled to the patent if both claim the same invention in:
# two or more pending patent applications, or
# at least one pending patent application and at least one patent issued within a year of the pending application's filing date.

A panel, composed of judges on the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences, a quasi-judicial body in the USPTO, hears interference contests. Its final judgment designating one party in an interference contest as the first inventor is called priority award or simply award. Appeals from this tribunal may be heard before either the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit or the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. [http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/pac/mpep/documents/appxl_35_U_S_C_144.htm 35 U.S.C. § 144] [http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/pac/mpep/documents/appxl_35_U_S_C_145.htm 35 U.S.C. § 145]

Parties

At least two parties are involved in an interference proceeding: the inventor(s) or applicant(s) who filed an earlier patent application are called the "senior party," and the other inventor(s) or applicant(s) are called the "junior party." Both parties can be referred as "contestants," but that term is currently more likely to be used to describe the junior party.

* Senior Party: Merely being the first to file the application does not grant a party legal protection. It counts only as "prima facie" evidence that he or she is the first inventor. It can also file a "motion to dissolve interference" to request the dismissal of challenges to its priority.

* Junior Party: Party or parties other than the senior party. A junior party bears the burden of proving that he or she is the first inventor. The proceeding's administrator takes certain factors -- for example, the invention's conception date and the inventor's diligence in reducing the invention to practice -- into account. Until the 1960s, a junior party was frequently called an "interferant."

Presumptions

Presumptions are stated in 37 C.F.R. 41.207(a):

:(1) Order of invention. Parties are presumed to have invented interfering subject matter in the order of the dates of their accorded benefit for each count. If two parties are accorded the benefit of the same earliest date of constructive reduction to practice, then neither party is entitled to a presumption of priority with respect to the other such party.

:(2) Evidentiary standard. Priority may be proved by a preponderance of the evidence, except a party must prove priority by clear and convincing evidence if the date of its earliest constructive reduction to practice is after the issue date of an involved patent or the publication date under 35 U.S.C. 122(b) of an involved application or patent.

External links

* [http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/pac/mpep/documents/2300_2300_01.htm MPEP 2300.01 Introduction - 2300 Interference Proceedings] (USPTO web site)