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<p>re: bonus question - what art unit? Software is much more likely
to take >2 rounds as the issues develop, especially if you have
to overcome 103 then 101. Depending on the examiner, 101 itself
can take 2+ rounds to develop the issues, now matter how much
you're gunning for 1 response and done.</p>
<p>Regardless, I often get allowances after final even in mechanical
arts. Often the examiner found something else or thought of
another interpretation, and you need a couple minor adjustments
(argument and/or amendment) to respond to that before you can get
allowance.</p>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 9/12/2025 1:21 PM, Justin Miller via
Patentpractice wrote:<br>
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<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif">All,</div>
<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif"><br>
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<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif">I
am working on a utility patent application for a medical
device. Received a first office action with prior art
rejections. I made minor claim amendments, had an interview
with the examiner, who stated that the application appeared
allowable.</div>
<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif"><br>
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<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif">But
I just received a final office action based on new prior art
references.<br>
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<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif"><br>
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<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif">In
the final office action, the examiner states that the action
is properly final because the new grounds of rejection were
necessitated by the amendments. That seems to be a stretch
to me.<br>
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<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif"><br>
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<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif">Has
anyone had any luck contesting finality? I have read <a href="https://mpep.uspto.gov/RDMS/MPEP/current#/current/d0e69118.html" moz-do-not-send="true">MPEP 706.07(a)</a>, but it seems
unclear as to when the new ground of rejection is
"necessitated by applicant\u2019s amendment of the claims".<br>
</div>
<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif"><br>
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<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif">My
suspicion is that while it is possible to fight the finality
of the office action, it is probably cheaper to file an RCE.<br>
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<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif"><br>
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<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif">As
the bonus question, I welcome any strategies when receiving
a final office action. In my experience, when I receive two
rejections from the same examiner, given that I always
participate in an interview, it is often either time to
abandon or appeal. But given that this rejection is
substantively different I think a round of negotiation might
be helpful. Perhaps I can squeeze in another interview
before I respond.</div>
<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif"><br>
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<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif">Interesting
stats (page is slow to load):</div>
<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif"><a href="https://www.bipc.com/us-patent-practice-responding-to-final-rejections-so-as-to-minimize-the-need-for-rce-filings" moz-do-not-send="true" class="moz-txt-link-freetext">https://www.bipc.com/us-patent-practice-responding-to-final-rejections-so-as-to-minimize-the-need-for-rce-filings</a></div>
<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif"><br>
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<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif">Thanks
for reading.</div>
<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif"><br>
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<div dir="ltr"><font face="georgia, serif" style="color:rgb(34,34,34)">Sincerely,</font>
<div style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><font face="georgia, serif">Justin P. Miller</font></div>
<div style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><font face="georgia, serif">Patent Attorney</font></div>
<div style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><font face="georgia, serif">Distinct Patent Law</font></div>
<div style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><font face="georgia, serif"><font color="#222222"><a href="https://distinctpatentlaw.com/" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)" target="_blank" moz-do-not-send="true" class="moz-txt-link-freetext">https://distinctpatentlaw.com/</a></font></font></div>
<div style="color:rgb(34,34,34)">
<div><font face="georgia, serif">Office: 727.513.4590</font><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"></span></div>
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