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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><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.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Ed Welch<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>IP&L Solutions<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'> Patentpractice <patentpractice-bounces@oppedahl-lists.com> <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. <patentpractice@oppedahl-lists.com><br><b>Cc:</b> Jim Larsen <jim@larsen-ip.com><br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [Patentpractice] Number of AFCP interviews granted each year<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><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). <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><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><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><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><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><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?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><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.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div id=mail-editor-reference-message-container><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal 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<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Hi<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><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.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Fujitsu Infinity Pro Italic";color:black'>Pamela Cei Brisky </span><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Fujitsu Infinity Pro Italic";color:black'> </span><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Fujitsu Infinity Pro Italic";color:#595959'>Senior Patent Paralegal</span><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><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><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Fujitsu Infinity Pro Italic";color:#595959'> </span><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><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><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Fujitsu Infinity Pro Italic";color:black'> </span><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><img border=0 width=399 height=120 style='width:4.1597in;height:1.25in' id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.jpg@01DA9B16.88E51030"></span><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div></div></div></body></html>