The patent glossary F for the F words. What does file wrapper mean? File history? Filing fee?
Fee, Filing
The fee charged by a patent office for filing a patent application. MPEP 607, MPEP 509.
Fee, Issue
The fee charged by a patent office for issuing (granting) a patent. MPEP 1306, MPEP 509.
Fee, Maintenance
The periodic fee charge by the U.S. patent office for maintaining a patent in force. MPEP 2501, MPEP 2504, MPEP 509.
Fee, Petition
The fee charged by a patent office for reveiwing a petition filed by an applicant. MPEP 1002.Federal Circuit
See Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC or Fed. Cir.).Federal Regulations
The regulations of the departments and agencies of the U.S. Federal Government as published in the Code of Federal Regulations.Field of Endeavor
The area of technology that an inventor invents within. Also called technical field or field of the invention. MPEP 608.01(c).Field of the Invention
See Field of Endeavor.Field of Use
The technical field or market within which an invention is licensed. The licensee may not sell the invention within other markets.Figure Legend
An explanations of what marks mean on a drawing. Patent drawings do not have legends.File History
The complete file of a patent application containing all related papers prepared by the patent office and the applicant during the prosecution of the application. Also called File Wrapper. MPEP 717, MPEP 717.01.File Wrapper
The folder in which the file history is kept. See File History. MPEP 717, MPEP 717.01.File Wrapper Estoppel
A restriction in the interpretation of a claim that exists because of an admission in the record by the applicant.Filing Date
The date when a sufficiently-complete patent application reaches a patent office. MPEP 506.Filing Fee
The fee charged by a patent office for processing a patent application. MPEP 607.Final Action
An Office action that contains a final rejection of one or more claims or another final action. See Final Rejection. MPEP 706.07, MPEP 706.07(a), MPEP 706.07(b).Final Rejection
A rejection of a claim that is made final on a second or subsequent examination or consideration. After a rejection of a claim is made final, an applicant must generally either agree with Examiner suggestions or appeal the rejection. MPEP 706.07, MPEP 706.07(a), MPEP 706.07(b).First Action
The first examination on the merits of the claims.First to File
A system in which the first person to file a patent application on a patentable invention will be awarded a patent. Patent systems in all countries other than the U.S. and the Philippines use this system.First to Invent
A system in which the first person to invent an invention will be awarded a patent. This system is used in the U.S. and in the Philippines. MPEP 2138.01.Foreign Filing Date
The date a non-U.S. patent application was filed that establishes priority of invention. MPEP 201.13.Forfeited Application
An allowed patent application on which the issue fee or a maintenance fee has not been paid within the proscribed period.Frivolous Invention
An invention that lacks utility because it is frivolous. MPEP 706.03(a).Front Page Drawing
The drawing selected by the Examiner to appear on the front page of a U.S. patent.LinksPatent Glossary F
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