Simple English definitions for legal terms
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A reexamination certificate is a document issued by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office after reviewing a patent. It confirms whether the patent claims are valid or not. If the claims are found to be valid, the certificate confirms that the patent is still in effect. If some claims are found to be invalid, they are removed from the patent. The certificate may also include new claims that are found to be valid.
A reexamination certificate is a document issued by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office after a reexamination proceeding. This certificate confirms that a patent has been reexamined and the claims have been found to be patentable. It also confirms that any claims that were determined to be unpatentable have been canceled. Additionally, the certificate may include any amended or new claims that were determined to be patentable.
For example, if a patent holder requests a reexamination of their patent and the Patent Office determines that some of the claims are not patentable, those claims will be canceled and a reexamination certificate will be issued reflecting this change. Alternatively, if the Patent Office determines that new claims are patentable, those claims will be added to the patent and a reexamination certificate will be issued reflecting this change.