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<p class="MsoNormal">I think they are saying that they will base their decision on renewal of the Pilot on the outcome of their fee extortion campaign.<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Fujitsu Infinity Pro Italic";color:#1F497D">Pamela Cei Brisky<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Fujitsu Infinity Pro Italic";color:#1F497D">Senior Patent Paralegal/Docketing Manager<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Fujitsu Infinity Pro Italic";color:#1F497D">Fujitsu North America, Inc.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Fujitsu Infinity Pro Italic";color:#0066CC">Fujitsu Intellectual Property Center
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Fujitsu Infinity Pro Italic";color:red"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Fujitsu Infinity Pro Italic";color:#1F497D">571-216-2112<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Fujitsu Infinity Pro Italic";color:red"><a href="mailto:pbrisky@fujitsu.com">pbrisky@fujitsu.com</a></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Fujitsu Infinity Pro Italic";color:#1F497D"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b>From:</b> Patentpractice <patentpractice-bounces@oppedahl-lists.com>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Scott Nielson via Patentpractice<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, April 30, 2024 4:25 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> Scott Nielson <scnielson@outlook.com><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [Patentpractice] Number of AFCP interviews granted each year<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Aptos Serif",serif;color:black">I'm starting to think AFCP requests are a scam. I always file them when taking claims deemed allowable in an office action even though it's not required. I do it because I want to
do the examiner a favor (an AFCP request gives the examiner half a count or something like that).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Aptos Serif",serif;color:black">However, if an AFCP does not result in an allowance, then the examiner rarely conducts an interview anymore. The examiner just treats it like an after final request and waits for
me to file an RCE to get even more counts.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Aptos Serif",serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Aptos Serif",serif;color:black">I think the USPTO is picking up on how the AFCP program is being abused by examiners to generate counts without any extra effort on the examiner's part, which is why it wants to
get rid of the program in the most recent fee setting proposal (I think that's where I saw it). <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Aptos Serif",serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p><b><span style="font-family:"Aptos Serif",serif;color:#1F3864">Scott Nielson</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Aptos Serif",serif;color:black">801-660-4400</span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:black">From:</span></b><span style="color:black"> Patentpractice <<a href="mailto:patentpractice-bounces@oppedahl-lists.com">patentpractice-bounces@oppedahl-lists.com</a>> on behalf of Ed Welch via Patentpractice <<a href="mailto:patentpractice@oppedahl-lists.com">patentpractice@oppedahl-lists.com</a>><br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, April 30, 2024 1:53 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> 'For patent practitioners. This is not for laypersons to seek legal advice.' <<a href="mailto:patentpractice@oppedahl-lists.com">patentpractice@oppedahl-lists.com</a>><br>
<b>Cc:</b> <a href="mailto:welched123@gmail.com">welched123@gmail.com</a> <<a href="mailto:welched123@gmail.com">welched123@gmail.com</a>><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [Patentpractice] Number of AFCP interviews granted each year</span>
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<p class="xmsonormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">No, that\u2019s not right! The AFCP Request can be proper; but, an interview may still not happen. Based upon my experience and, as I recall, examiner comments, the examiners have the discretion to treat the
AFCP Request as an AFCP Request or an After Final Response. In the latter, they merely issue an (another) Advisory Action maintaining the Final Rejection and denying entry of the AFCP amendment. In the past several months I filed 3 AFCP Requests, one case
was allowed without an interview. In the other two cases, both were treated as After Final Responses (with no mention of the AFCP Request having been filed) and rejected by way of Advisory Actions. Finally, I filed the RCEs, which is clearly what these examiners
wanted, with the amendment from the AFCP Request and both cases were promptly allowed: again, no interview. Hence, the low count of interviews is a result of allowance without an interview and the failure of the examiner to consider the AFCP Request. While
all three would have been included in the total counts of AFCP submission, since all were submitted that way despite not being treated as such, none of these had an interview.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="xmsonormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="xmsonormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Ed Welch</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="xmsonormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="xmsonormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">IP&L Solutions</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="xmsonormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="xmsonormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt"> Patentpractice <<a href="mailto:patentpractice-bounces@oppedahl-lists.com">patentpractice-bounces@oppedahl-lists.com</a>>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Jim Larsen via Patentpractice<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, April 30, 2024 3:13 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> For patent practitioners. This is not for laypersons to seek legal advice. <<a href="mailto:patentpractice@oppedahl-lists.com">patentpractice@oppedahl-lists.com</a>><br>
<b>Cc:</b> Jim Larsen <<a href="mailto:jim@larsen-ip.com">jim@larsen-ip.com</a>><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [Patentpractice] Number of AFCP interviews granted each year</span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="xmsonormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="xmsonormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">By definition, a proper AFCP request includes an examiner-initiated interview, if only to indicate that (at least in the majority of my experience) additional search and consideration
will be required (i.e., RCE). </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="xmsonormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="xmsonormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><a href="https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2013-05-17/pdf/2013-11870.pdf">Fed. Reg. Vo. 78, No. 96, at 29118</a></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="xmsonormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">\u201c</span>If the examiner\u2019s consideration of a proper AFCP 2.0 request and response does not result in a determination that all pending claims are in condition for allowance,
the examiner <u>will request an interview</u> with the applicant to discuss the response.<span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:#1B1B1B;background:white">\u201d</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="xmsonormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="xmsonormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">If you aren\u2019t seeing interview requests from examiners, it follows that either the application was allowed or the AFCP request was improper. No?</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="xmsonormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="xmsonormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Best regards,<br>
<br>
-Jim<br>
<br>
James C. Larsen<br>
Attorney<br>
Larsen IP PLLC<br>
p: 425.298.6846<br>
e: <a href="mailto:jim@Larsen-IP.com">jim@Larsen-IP.com</a><br>
w. <a href="http://www.larsen-ip.com/">www.Larsen-IP.com</a><br>
<br>
NOTICE OF CONFIDENTIALITY: The information contained in this email, including any attachments, is confidential and may be privileged. It is intended only for the use of the individual(s) or entity named herein. If the reader of this message is not the intended
recipient or authorized agent, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. Unintended recipients are requested to notify the sender immediately and to permanently delete this e-mail,
any attachments, and copies.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="xmsonormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="xmsonormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif;color:black">From:
</span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif;color:black">Patentpractice <<a href="mailto:patentpractice-bounces@oppedahl-lists.com">patentpractice-bounces@oppedahl-lists.com</a>> on behalf of pbrisky--- via Patentpractice <<a href="mailto:patentpractice@oppedahl-lists.com">patentpractice@oppedahl-lists.com</a>><br>
<b>Date: </b>Tuesday, April 30, 2024 at 12:04</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">\u202f</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif;color:black">PM<br>
<b>To: </b>Carl Oppedahl via Patentpractice <<a href="mailto:patentpractice@oppedahl-lists.com">patentpractice@oppedahl-lists.com</a>><br>
<b>Cc: </b><a href="mailto:pbrisky@fujitsu.com">pbrisky@fujitsu.com</a> <<a href="mailto:pbrisky@fujitsu.com">pbrisky@fujitsu.com</a>><br>
<b>Subject: </b>[Patentpractice] Number of AFCP interviews granted each year</span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="xmsonormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Hi</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="xmsonormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="xmsonormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">The USPTO claims that 50% of all AFCP requests (out of the 60k annually) made by applicants have been granted interviews. Anecdotally this has not been our observation. I am wondering if anybody has numbers
to either refute the USPTO's assertion or back it up.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="xmsonormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="xmsonormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="xmsonormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="xmsonormal"><span style="font-family:"Fujitsu Infinity Pro Italic";color:black">Pamela Cei Brisky
</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="xmsonormal"><span style="font-family:"Fujitsu Infinity Pro Italic";color:black"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="xmsonormal"><span style="font-family:"Fujitsu Infinity Pro Italic";color:#595959">Senior Patent Paralegal</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="xmsonormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Fujitsu Infinity Pro Italic";color:black">Fujitsu North America, Inc</span></b><span style="font-family:"Fujitsu Infinity Pro Italic";color:black">.| Fujitsu Intellectual Property Center
</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="xmsonormal"><span style="font-family:"Fujitsu Infinity Pro Italic";color:#595959"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="xmsonormal"><span style="font-family:"Fujitsu Infinity Pro Italic";color:black"><a href="mailto:pbrisky@fujitsu.com"><span style="color:black">pbrisky@fujitsu.com</span></a> |571-216-2112</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="xmsonormal"><span style="font-family:"Fujitsu Infinity Pro Italic";color:black"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="xmsonormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><img border="0" width="399" height="120" style="width:4.1562in;height:1.25in" id="x_Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.jpg@01DA9B1C.14759250"></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="xmsonormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
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