This manual is intended as a guide to practice under the amended Patent Act and the amended Rules which came into force in October 1996. Sections of the manual cover the following: contacting the Patent Office; opening & inspection of documents; inquiries & information on pending applications; petitions & appointment of agents or representatives; patent filing & completion requirements; patent ownership & registration; internal priority and Convention priority; content of patent application (abstract, description, drawings, claims); patent classification; examination of applications; unity of invention; requirements for patentability; utility and non-statutory subject matter; biotechnology patents; protest and filing prior art; time limits, withdrawal, abandonment, and lapse of patents; final action practice; the Patent Co-operation Treaty; amendments to patents; and fees.

"Appendix L has been updated to incorporate the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act, Public Law 112-29, 125Stat.284. Appendix R has been updated to incorporate rule changes and correction subsequent to July 2010. This revision consists of replacements for the Title Page in the front of the Manual, entire Chapters 500, 600, 700, 1200, 1400 and 2100, Appendix L--Patents Laws, Appendix R--Patent Rules, Appendix ii--List of Decisions Cited, and entire Index."--Page xv.