Redline Version (2011)
35 U.S.C. 328, Decision of the Board
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35 U.S.C. 328 Decision of the Board
(a) FINAL WRITTEN DECISION.--If a post-grant review is instituted and not dismissed under this chapter, the Patent Trial and Appeal Board shall issue a final written decision with respect to the patentability of any patent claim challenged by the petitioner and any new claim added under section 326(d).
(b) CERTIFICATE.--If the Patent Trial and Appeal Board issues a final written decision under subsection (a) and the time for appeal has expired or any appeal has terminated, the Director shall issue and publish a certificate canceling any claim of the patent finally determined to be unpatentable, confirming any claim of the patent determined to be patentable, and incorporating in the patent by operation of the certificate any new or amended claim determined to be patentable.
(c) INTERVENING RIGHTS.--Any proposed amended or new claim determined to be patentable and incorporated into a patent following a post-grant review under this chapter shall have the same effect as that specified in section 252 of this title for reissued patents on the right of any person who made, purchased, or used within the United States, or imported into the United States, anything patented by such proposed amended or new claim, or who made substantial preparation therefor, before the issuance of a certificate under subsection (b).
(d) DATA ON LENGTH OF REVIEW.--The Office shall make available to the public data describing the length of time between the institution of, and the issuance of a final written decision under subsection (a) for, each post-grant review.
Effective Dates for Changes Made to this Section
POST-GRANT REVIEW CHANGES
Section 6 of the America Invents Act
(f) REGULATIONS AND EFFECTIVE DATE.--
(1) REGULATIONS.--The Director shall, not later than the date that is 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, issue regulations to carry out chapter 32 of title 35, United States Code, as added by subsection (d) of this section.
(2) APPLICABILITY.--
(A) IN GENERAL.--The amendments made by subsection (d) shall take effect upon the expiration of the 1–year period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act and, except as provided in section 18 and in paragraph (3), shall apply only to patents described in section 3(n)(1).
(B) LIMITATION.--The Director may impose a limit on the number of post-grant reviews that may be instituted under chapter 32 of title 35, United States Code, during each of the first 4 1–year periods in which the amendments made by subsection (d) are in effect.
REMOVAL OF "OF THIS TITLE"
Section 20 of the America Invents Act
(l) EFFECTIVE DATE.--The amendments made by this section shall take effect upon the expiration of the 1 year period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act and shall apply to proceedings commenced on or after that effective date.