1.57 (pre‑PLT)    Incorporation by reference.

[Editor Note: Para. (a) below is applicable to applications filed before December 18, 2013.]
  • (a) Subject to the conditions and requirements of this paragraph, if all or a portion of the specification or drawing(s) is inadvertently omitted from an application, but the application contains a claim under § 1.55  for priority of a prior-filed foreign application, or a claim under § 1.78  for the benefit of a prior-filed provisional, nonprovisional, or international application, that was present on the filing date of the application, and the inadvertently omitted portion of the specification or drawing(s) is completely contained in the prior-filed application, the claim under § 1.55  or § 1.78  shall also be considered an incorporation by reference of the prior-filed application as to the inadvertently omitted portion of the specification or drawing(s).
    • (1) The application must be amended to include the inadvertently omitted portion of the specification or drawing(s) within any time period set by the Office, but in no case later than the close of prosecution as defined by § 1.114(b), or abandonment of the application, whichever occurs earlier. The applicant is also required to:
      • (i) Supply a copy of the prior-filed application, except where the prior-filed application is an application filed under 35 U.S.C. 111;
      • (ii) Supply an English language translation of any prior-filed application that is in a language other than English; and
      • (iii) Identify where the inadvertently omitted portion of the specification or drawings can be found in the prior-filed application.
    • (2) Any amendment to an international application pursuant to this paragraph shall be effective only as to the United States, and shall have no effect on the international filing date of the application. In addition, no request under this section to add the inadvertently omitted portion of the specification or drawings in an international application designating the United States will be acted upon by the Office prior to the entry and commencement of the national stage (§ 1.491 ) or the filing of an application under 35 U.S.C. 111(a)  which claims benefit of the international application. Any omitted portion of the international application which applicant desires to be effective as to all designated States, subject to PCT Rule 20.8(b), must be submitted in accordance with PCT Rule 20.
    • (3) If an application is not otherwise entitled to a filing date under § 1.53(b), the amendment must be by way of a petition pursuant to this paragraph accompanied by the fee set forth in § 1.17(f) 
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[Para. (a) above is applicable to patent applications filed under 35 U.S.C. 111 (pre‑PLT (AIA))  before Dec. 18, 2013. See § 1.57 for the current rule, including para. (a) applicable to patent applications filed under 35 U.S.C. 111  on or after Dec. 18, 2013.]