For the entire Patent corps, I just wanted to let you know about the outpouring of "Thanks" I am hearing from practitioners and inventors all over the country. Everywhere I go, and everywhere the other senior leaders of the Office go, we are hearing from applicants that they truly appreciate that examiners are reaching out to them, offering to help, engaging in a cooperative search for allowable subject matter, and most importantly getting down to business — the business of finding the core issues with patent applications and resolving them. Of course, this chorus of thanks goes to the examining corps. So thanks – it’s working — you are doing the right thing — and the world is noticing!
By the way, I’m also hearing (sometimes the second sentence after the big "Thanks") that when examiners and applicants get on the phone, or get together for interviews, we are suggesting narrowing amendments and combinations of dependent subject matter into independent claims, such that the patented claims would be narrower than the ones originally presented by the applicant. And to that I reply: "Please thank the examiner; she/he is doing precisely what they should be doing!" Our mission is to advance the best interests of the innovation system, which means granting appropriate patents so that innovators can build businesses and create jobs — but granting only what meets the statutory requirements, and no more.
I encourage our patent examiners to continue reaching out, and continue conducting interviews at any point in the examination process where an interview makes sense, whether it’s before the first action, after the final action, or after an RCE is filed.
Keep up the good work!