Examiner interviews are one of the most powerful tools to help both inventors and examiners understand and overcome specific issues during prosecution. Direct discussions between an applicant and an examiner can help bridge the gap between misunderstandings of prior art, the invention or...

Very little empirical research has been done to determine the effectiveness of interview practice on patent prosecution. Examiner interviews allow for a direct conversation between an applicant and an examiner to help reduce misunderstanding as to the scope of the prior art or claim scope as...