Double Patenting is a doctrine primarily concerned with ensuring that Applicants do not unjustly extend a patents term. More specifically, Double patenting arises when multiple applications are filed and each of the applications contain claims including recitations considered the same or similar (Statutory Double Patenting and Obviousness-type Double Patenting, respectively). Accordingly, if an Applicant encounters a Double Patenting rejection in an Office Action, they will typically receive either: 1) a Statutory Double Patenting rejection; or 2) an Obviousness-type Double Patenting Rejection. Further, Double Patenting rejections may involve two or more pending applications (provisional rejection), or one or more pending applications More >