¶ 7.42.15    Continued Prosecution Application Treated as Continued Examination under 37 CFR 1.114

The request for a continued prosecution application (CPA) under 37 CFR 1.53(d)  filed on [1] is acknowledged. A CPA may only be filed in a design application filed under 35 U.S.C. chapter 16. See 37 CFR 1.53(d)(1). Since a CPA of this application is not permitted under 37 CFR 1.53(d)(1), the improper request for a CPA is being treated as a request for continued examination of this application under 37 CFR 1.114.

Examiner Note:

1. Use this form paragraph to advise the applicant that a CPA is being treated as an RCE.

2. Also use form paragraph 7.42.04, 7.42.05, 7.42.06, or 7.42.07 as applicable, to acknowledge entry of applicant’s submission if the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e)  has been timely paid.

3. If the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e)  and/or a submission as required by 37 CFR 1.114  is/are missing and the application is not under appeal, a Notice of Improper Request for Continued Examination should be mailed. If the application is under appeal and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e)  and/or submission is/are missing, this form paragraph should be followed with one of form paragraphs 7.42.10 - 7.42.14, as applicable.