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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>
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Hypothetical Fact Pattern:</div>
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<div class="elementToProof"><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>
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<div class="elementToProof"><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>
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<div class="elementToProof"><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>
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<div class="elementToProof"><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>
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<div class="elementToProof"><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>
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<div class="elementToProof"><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 class="elementToProof"><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>
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<div class="elementToProof"><span style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">PCT B is duly filed</span></div>
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<div class="elementToProof"><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>
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<div class="elementToProof"><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>
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<div class="elementToProof"><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>
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NOTE: Assume all applications have at least 1 common inventor, and all applications are owned by the same entity. </div>
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Question:</div>
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<div class="elementToProof"><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>
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My current thinking:</div>
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<div class="elementToProof"><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>
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<div class="elementToProof"><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>
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<div class="elementToProof"><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 class="elementToProof"><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>
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<div class="elementToProof"><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>
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<div class="elementToProof"><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>
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<div class="elementToProof"><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>
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Where are the holes in this line of thought?</div>
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Thanks!</div>
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