Manual of Patent Examining Procedure

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The Manual for Patent Examining Procedure (MPEP) is a manual for patent agents and patent examiners published by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). It describes all of the laws and regulations that must be followed in the examination of U.S. patent applications, and articulates in detail their application to an enormous variety of different factual situations.

The MPEP is also used extensively by patents agents/attorneys to help make sure they follow the proper USPTO regulations. The USPTO registration examination tests knowledge of the MPEP and the underlying laws and regulations.

The MPEP also provides useful guidance to members of the public on how to present persuasive arguments to a patent examiner as to why a patent should be granted on a given patent application. See in particular Chapter 2100 on Patentability.