Continuations-in-Part [Patent] Law and Legal Definition
Continuations-in-part, in the context of the U.S. Patent law, is normally referred to as a “C.I.P.” This is the same as the continuation with the exception that some new material shall be included. The C.I.P. should be filed when the original parent application is pending for any disclosed material in common with the parent. The disclosure of the parent is extended and the C.I.P shall claim the same or a different invention. A C.I.P application is given the benefit of the filing date of the parent application to the extent of the two applications’ common subject matter.
