Eggbert..,.We are right inj the mioddle of the chart where the examiner issues office actions/non-final issuances etc etc. The more claims and questions that arise for the examiner the longer the process takes to complete.

They go around in that circle you see in the middle of the chart till the examiner has had all of his questions answered by the patent holder to his satifaction. If they are non-final rejection types the patent holder gets his opportunity to respond to the examiner to explain his position. That continues till all the questions are answered on each claim under scrutiny. When the examiner has finished his findings and questions and received satifactory answers it then gets an issuance of a Certicate of Reexamination.

That certificate can deny one or more claims, alter one or more claims to lessen their stength,alter one or more claims to strengthen the claim or just leave all the claims under scrutiny intact and unchanged...we would prefer the third and fourth options of course.

The PTO also has a review panel that they show on the left of the chart that is there for patent holder and the examiner to have a "third party" review what has taken place. This is so as not to have any major complaints filed by the patent holder and also to review the procedural steps and actions and reasons for the actions of the examiner before the Certificate of Reexamination is issued or the Final Denial of the patent is issued.