35 U.S.C. 154 (pre-AIA) — Contents and term of patent; provisional rights

Ninth Edition, Revision 01.2024

[Editor Note: 35 U.S.C. 154(b)(1)(pre‑AIA) as set forth below is not applicable to any patent application subject to the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA (see 35 U.S.C. 100 (note) ). See 35 U.S.C. 154(b)(1) for the law otherwise applicable.]

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• (b) ADJUSTMENT OF PATENT TERM.—
  • (1) PATENT TERM GUARANTEES.—
    • (A) GUARANTEE OF PROMPT PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE RESPONSES.— Subject to the limitations under paragraph (2), if the issue of an original patent is delayed due to the failure of the Patent and Trademark Office to—
      • (i) provide at least one of the notifications under section 132 or a notice of allowance under section 151 not later than 14 months after—
        • (I) the date on which an application was filed under section 111(a) ; or
        • (II) the date of commencement of the national stage under section 371 in an international application;
      • (ii) respond to a reply under section 132 , or to an appeal taken under section 134 , within 4 months after the date on which the reply was filed or the appeal was taken;
      • (iii) act on an application within 4 months after the date of a decision by the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences under section 134 or 135 or a decision by a Federal court under section 141 , 145 , or 146 in a case in which allowable claims remain in the application; or
      • (iv) issue a patent within 4 months after the date on which the issue fee was paid under section 151 and all outstanding requirements were satisfied,

      the term of the patent shall be extended 1 day for each day after the end of the period specified in clause (i), (ii), (iii), or (iv), as the case may be, until the action described in such clause is taken.

    • (B) GUARANTEE OF NO MORE THAN 3-YEAR APPLICATION PENDENCY.— Subject to the limitations under paragraph (2), if the issue of an original patent is delayed due to the failure of the United States Patent and Trademark Office to issue a patent within 3 years after the actual filing date of the application under section 111(a) in the United States or, in the case of an international application, the date of commencement of the national stage under section 371 in the international application not including—
      • (i) any time consumed by continued examination of the application requested by the applicant under section 132(b );
      • (ii) any time consumed by a proceeding under section 135(a) , any time consumed by the imposition of an order under section 181 , or any time consumed by appellate review by the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences or by a Federal court; or
      • (iii) any delay in the processing of the application by the United States Patent and Trademark Office requested by the applicant except as permitted by paragraph (3)(C),

      the term of the patent shall be extended 1 day for each day after the end of that 3-year period until the patent is issued.

    • (C) GUARANTEE OR ADJUSTMENTS FOR DELAYS DUE TO INTERFERENCES, SECRECY ORDERS, AND APPEALS.— Subject to the limitations under paragraph (2), if the issue of an original patent is delayed due to—
      • (i) a proceeding under section 135(a) ;
      • (ii) the imposition of an order under section 181 ; or
      • (iii) appellate review by the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences or by a Federal court in a case in which the patent was issued under a decision in the review reversing an adverse determination of patentability,

      the term of the patent shall be extended 1 day for each day of the pendency of the proceeding, order, or review, as the case may be.

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