Patent Prospector: USPTO Rule Changes: "The patent office is proceeding towards the details of implementing its rule changes for limiting continuations and number of claims examined. An internal (intra-agency) email follows.
OMB Approves Claims and Continuation Changes
On July 9, 2007, the Office of Management and Budget concluded its review of the Continuations and Claims rule changes. The final rules will be made public when they are published in the Federal Register, which is expected to be later this summer. The rules will become effective at least 60 days after publication in the Federal Register, and no earlier than October 1, 2007.
The abstracts of the rules currently available on the Federal Regulatory Information Web site here and here reflect the abstracts of the Continuations and Claims notices of proposed rule -making that were published in January, 2006.
An internal USPTO team is currently working on details of implementing the rule changes. Examiners and managers will be given information and training on the new rules once they are published in the Federal Register. Additionally, management is currently discussing with POPA the appropriate process for negotiating any impacts the rules package may have."
