<html>
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=Windows-1252">
<style type="text/css" style="display:none;"> P {margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;} </style>
</head>
<body dir="ltr">
<div class="elementToProof" style="font-family: "Aptos Serif", Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
My initial impression is that your analysis is correct. There isn't a requirement for different inventors in 102(b)(2), but there is for 102(a)(2). If there are not different inventors, then 102(a)(2) would not apply making the application of 102(b)(2) moot.
Maybe this is what the person meant.</div>
<div class="elementToProof" style="font-family: "Aptos Serif", Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<br>
</div>
<div class="elementToProof" style="font-family: "Aptos Serif", Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
One thing to note is that if PCT B entered the national phase outside the US and claimed something that is anticipated by provisional A or PCT A (sounds like this wouldn't really be possible, but let's go with it for the purposes of this hypothetical), then
it could run into problems with Paris Convention Article 4. However, because the benefit chain is all US applications, Paris Convention Article 4 and 35 USC 119(c) (the implementing statute for Article 4) do not apply. Instead, the benefit claims are all based
on 119(e), 120, and/or 121, which have no equivalent to Article 4.</div>
<div class="elementToProof" style="font-family: "Aptos Serif", Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<br>
</div>
<div id="Signature">
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: "Aptos Serif", Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, serif; color: rgb(31, 56, 100);"><b>Scott Nielson</b></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: "Aptos Serif", Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, serif; color: black;">801-660-4400</span></p>
</div>
<div id="appendonsend"></div>
<div class="elementToProof" style="font-family: "Aptos Serif", Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<br>
</div>
<hr style="display: inline-block; width: 98%;">
<div dir="ltr" id="divRplyFwdMsg"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><b>From:</b> Patentpractice <patentpractice-bounces@oppedahl-lists.com> on behalf of Timothy Snowden via Patentpractice <patentpractice@oppedahl-lists.com><br>
<b>Sent:</b> Thursday, February 29, 2024 12:30 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> For patent practitioners. This is not for laypersons to seek legal advice. <patentpractice@oppedahl-lists.com><br>
<b>Cc:</b> Timothy Snowden <Timothy@thompsonpatentlaw.com><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [Patentpractice] Prior Art Question re: intersection of incorporation by reference and priority</span>
<div> </div>
</div>
<div style="direction: ltr; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
Just to clarify, I simplified the hypothetical fact pattern while drafting the email and forgot to edit to say Provisional B disclosed subject matter B. (ignore the A, D, and E part). Here's the corrected fact pattern:</div>
<div style="direction: ltr; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<br>
</div>
<div style="direction: ltr;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Hypothetical Fact Pattern:</span></div>
<ol start="1" data-editing-info="{"orderedStyleType":3,"unorderedStyleType":1}" data-listchain="__List_Chain_75" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">
<li style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); list-style-type: "1) ";">
<div style="direction: ltr; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Provisional Application A is filed 1/1/2017 containing subject matter A</span></div>
</li><ol start="1" style="direction: ltr; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; list-style-type: lower-alpha;">
<li style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<div style="direction: ltr; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">PCT A is filed 12/31/2017</span></div>
</li><li style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<div style="direction: ltr; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">US application A is duly filed and matures to patent</span></div>
</li><ol start="1" style="direction: ltr; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; list-style-type: lower-roman;">
<li style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<div style="direction: ltr; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">claims are amended to further limit to variation A1 that excludes variation A2</span></div>
</li><li style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<div style="direction: ltr; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">no continuation pending, broadening reissue date is past</span></div>
</li></ol>
</ol>
<li style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); list-style-type: "2) ";">
<div style="direction: ltr; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Provisional Application B is filed 1/1/2018 (1 day after PCT A is filed, and within 1 year of Provisional A) describing
subject matter B but ALSO <b><i>incorporating PCT A by reference</i></b></span></div>
<div style="direction: ltr; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><b>(nothing has been published from family A before Provisional B is filed)</b></span></div>
</li><ol start="1" style="direction: ltr; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; list-style-type: lower-alpha;">
<li style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<div style="direction: ltr; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">PCT B is duly filed</span></div>
</li><li style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<div style="direction: ltr; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">US application B is duly filed
<i>and is still pending </i>– claiming subject matter B (close relationship and roughly same physical structure to subject matter A, but different application / operation / optimization) – for this scenario, we don't care what happens to subject matter B.</span></div>
</li></ol>
<li style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); list-style-type: "3) ";">
<div style="direction: ltr; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">CONTINUATION US Application B1 is filed (properly claiming priority to have an effective filing date of 1/1/2018)
<i>making use of the incorporation by reference to draw into the specification the description of subject matter A
</i>from PCT A --- and specifically claim variation A2 (excluded from claims in US patent A).</span></div>
</li><ol start="1" style="direction: ltr; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; list-style-type: lower-alpha;">
<li style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<div style="direction: ltr; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">There is NO priority claim to the "A" family.</span></div>
</li></ol>
</ol>
<div style="direction: ltr; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">NOTE: Assume all applications have at least 1 common inventor, and all applications
are owned by the same entity. </span></div>
<div style="direction: ltr; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br>
</span></div>
<div style="direction: ltr; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Question:</span></div>
<ul data-editing-info="{"orderedStyleType":1,"unorderedStyleType":1}" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; list-style-type: disc;">
<li style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<div style="direction: ltr; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Can any of the "A" family applications be used as prior art against the "B1" continuation application to reject the claim
to subject matter variation A2? (other than double-patenting – which is fine)</span></div>
</li></ul>
<div style="direction: ltr; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br>
</span></div>
<div style="direction: ltr; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">My current thinking:</span></div>
<ul data-editing-info="{"orderedStyleType":1,"unorderedStyleType":1}" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; list-style-type: disc;">
<li style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<div style="direction: ltr; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Family A is not prior art to Continuation B1 under 35 USC 102(a)(1) because it was not<i> published</i> prior to filing</span></div>
</li><li style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<div style="direction: ltr; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Family A
<i>is </i>prior art to Continuation B1 under 35 USC 102(a)(2) (because of 35 USC 102(d)) because it
<i>has</i> been published by now (35 USC 122b) AND has an effective filing date (1/1/2017) prior to that of Continuation B1 (1/1/2018).</span></div>
</li><li style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<div style="direction: ltr; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Family A falls under the EXCEPTION in 35 USC 102(b)(2) because the applications are commonly owned by 1/1/2018.</span></div>
<div style="direction: ltr; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><i>(NOTE: I found one commentator that indicated there had to be different inventors for this exception, but I can't find
that supported in the text?)</i></span></div>
</li><li style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<div style="direction: ltr; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I don't think the Paris Convention or PCT modifies this finding because:</span></div>
</li><ul style="direction: ltr; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; list-style-type: circle;">
<li style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<div style="direction: ltr; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">the priority claims were all proper for the various national stage applications</span></div>
</li><li style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<div style="direction: ltr; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">this is a 'regular' US Continuation now under US law, properly claiming priority through the "US application in the PCT
B bundle" to the Provisional B – therefore, 35 USC 102(b)(2) (taking into account 35 USC 102(d), which contemplates PCT priority) excludes the prior application as prior art.</span></div>
</li></ul>
</ul>
<div style="direction: ltr; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br>
</span></div>
<div style="direction: ltr; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Where are the holes in this line of thought?</span></div>
<div style="direction: ltr; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br>
</span></div>
<div style="direction: ltr; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Thanks!</span></div>
<div style="direction: ltr; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<br>
</div>
<div id="x_Signature">
<div style="background-color: white; margin: 0px;"></div>
</div>
<div id="x_appendonsend"></div>
<div style="direction: ltr; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<br>
</div>
<hr style="direction: ltr; display: inline-block; width: 98%;">
<div id="x_divRplyFwdMsg" dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><b>From:</b> Patentpractice <patentpractice-bounces@oppedahl-lists.com> on behalf of Timothy Snowden via Patentpractice <patentpractice@oppedahl-lists.com><br>
<b>Sent:</b> Thursday, February 29, 2024 1:21 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> patentpractice@oppedahl-lists.com <patentpractice@oppedahl-lists.com><br>
<b>Cc:</b> Timothy Snowden <Timothy@thompsonpatentlaw.com><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [Patentpractice] Prior Art Question re: intersection of incorporation by reference and priority</span>
<div> </div>
</div>
<div style="direction: ltr; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
I have a hypothetical that seems to be coming out one way, but I'm not trusting the outcome based on my reading of the law (as well as commentary). More specifically, I want to run my thought process by the group and see if I'm not thinking of an additional
relevant code that may change the outcome.</div>
<div style="direction: ltr; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<br>
</div>
<div style="direction: ltr; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
Hypothetical Fact Pattern:</div>
<ol start="4" data-editing-info="{"orderedStyleType":3,"unorderedStyleType":1}" data-listchain="__List_Chain_75" style="direction: ltr; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">
<li style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); list-style-type: "4) ";">
<div style="direction: ltr;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Provisional Application A is filed 1/1/2017 containing subject matter A</span></div>
</li><ol start="1" style="direction: ltr; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; list-style-type: lower-alpha;">
<li style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<div style="direction: ltr;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">PCT A is filed 12/31/2017</span></div>
</li><li style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<div style="direction: ltr;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">US application A is duly filed and matures to patent</span></div>
</li><ol start="1" style="direction: ltr; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; list-style-type: lower-roman;">
<li style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<div style="direction: ltr;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">claims are amended to further limit to variation A1 that excludes variation A2</span></div>
</li><li style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<div style="direction: ltr;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">no continuation pending, broadening reissue date is past</span></div>
</li></ol>
</ol>
<li style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); list-style-type: "5) ";">
<div style="direction: ltr;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Provisional Application B is filed 1/1/2018 (1 day after PCT A is filed, and within 1 year of Provisional A) describing subject matter
A, D, and E but ALSO <b><i>incorporating PCT A by reference</i></b></span></div>
<div style="direction: ltr;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><b>(nothing has been published from family A before Provisional B is filed)</b></span></div>
</li><ol start="1" style="direction: ltr; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; list-style-type: lower-alpha;">
<li style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<div style="direction: ltr;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">PCT B is duly filed</span></div>
</li><li style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<div style="direction: ltr;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">US application B is duly filed
<i>and is still pending </i>– claiming subject matter B (close relationship and roughly same physical structure to subject matter A, but different application / operation / optimization) – for this scenario, we don't care what happens to subject matter B.</span></div>
</li></ol>
<li style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); list-style-type: "6) ";">
<div style="direction: ltr;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">CONTINUATION US Application B1 is filed (properly claiming priority to have an effective filing date of 1/1/2018)
<i>making use of the incorporation by reference to draw into the specification the description of features B & C
</i>from PCT A --- and CLAIM A, B, and C – specifically claiming variation C2.</span></div>
</li><ol start="1" style="direction: ltr; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; list-style-type: lower-alpha;">
<li style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<div style="direction: ltr;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">There is NO priority claim to the "A" family.</span></div>
</li></ol>
</ol>
<div style="direction: ltr; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
NOTE: Assume all applications have at least 1 common inventor, and all applications are owned by the same entity. </div>
<div style="direction: ltr; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<br>
</div>
<div style="direction: ltr; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
Question:</div>
<ul data-editing-info="{"orderedStyleType":1,"unorderedStyleType":1}" style="direction: ltr; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; list-style-type: disc;">
<li style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<div style="direction: ltr;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Can any of the "A" family applications be used as prior art against the "B1" continuation application to reject the claim to subject
matter variation A2? (other than double-patenting – which is fine)</span></div>
</li></ul>
<div style="direction: ltr; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<br>
</div>
<div style="direction: ltr; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
My current thinking:</div>
<ul data-editing-info="{"orderedStyleType":1,"unorderedStyleType":1}" style="direction: ltr; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; list-style-type: disc;">
<li style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<div style="direction: ltr;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Family A is not prior art to Continuation B1 under 35 USC 102(a)(1) because it was not<i> published</i> prior to filing</span></div>
</li><li style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<div style="direction: ltr;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Family A
<i>is </i>prior art to Continuation B1 under 35 USC 102(a)(2) (because of 35 USC 102(d)) because it
<i>has</i> been published by now (35 USC 122b) AND has an effective filing date (1/1/2017) prior to that of Continuation B1 (1/1/2018).</span></div>
</li><li style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<div style="direction: ltr;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Family A falls under the EXCEPTION in 35 USC 102(b)(2) because the applications are commonly owned by 1/1/2018.</span></div>
<div style="direction: ltr;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><i>(NOTE: I found one commentator that indicated there had to be different inventors for this exception, but I can't find that supported
in the text?)</i></span></div>
</li><li style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<div style="direction: ltr;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I don't think the Paris Convention or PCT modifies this finding because:</span></div>
</li><ul style="direction: ltr; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; list-style-type: circle;">
<li style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<div style="direction: ltr;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">the priority claims were all proper for the various national stage applications</span></div>
</li><li style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<div style="direction: ltr;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">this is a 'regular' US Continuation now under US law, properly claiming priority through the "US application in the PCT B bundle" to
the Provisional B – therefore, 35 USC 102(b)(2) (taking into account 35 USC 102(d), which contemplates PCT priority) excludes the prior application as prior art.</span></div>
</li></ul>
</ul>
<div style="direction: ltr; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<br>
</div>
<div style="direction: ltr; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
Where are the holes in this line of thought?</div>
<div style="direction: ltr; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<br>
</div>
<div style="direction: ltr; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
Thanks!</div>
<div id="x_x_Signature">
<div style="background-color: white; margin: 0px;"></div>
</div>
</body>
</html>