Responding to Office Actions
The applicant and attorney receive an 'Office Action' from the patent office detailing objections or rejections. They then discuss strategies and prepare a formal response, often involving amendments to claims or arguments.
申请人和律师收到专利局的“审查意见通知书”，其中详细说明了异议或驳回。他们随后讨论策略并准备正式答复，通常包括修改权利要求或提出论点。
对话
聆听并跟进对话
词汇
对话中的必备词汇和短语
Office Action
A formal notice from the patent office pointing out problems or rejections in a patent application. It's like a feedback letter that requires a response.
专利局发出的正式通知，指出专利申请中的问题或拒绝。它就像一封需要回应的反馈信。
prior art
Existing inventions, patents, or publications that came before your invention and can be used to challenge its novelty. In patent discussions, it's key to show how your idea is different.
在您的发明之前存在的现有发明、专利或出版物，可用于挑战其新颖性。在专利讨论中，展示您的想法如何不同是关键。
claims
The specific parts of a patent application that legally define what your invention protects. They are like the boundaries of your idea that you want to defend.
专利申请的具体部分，从法律上定义您的发明所保护的内容。它们就像您想要捍卫的想法的界限。
objections
Official reasons from the patent examiner why parts of your application are not acceptable. It's common in legal processes to address these step by step.
专利审查员为什么您的申请部分不可接受的官方理由。在法律程序中，逐步处理这些是常见的。
amendments
Changes or modifications made to a patent application to fix issues raised by the examiner. This helps make your application stronger and more approvable.
对专利申请进行的更改或修改，以修复审查员提出的问题。这有助于使您的申请更强大且更容易获得批准。
robust
Strong, solid, and effective. In professional contexts like this, it means a response or argument that is well-prepared and hard to challenge.
强大、坚固且有效。在这种专业语境中，它指的是准备充分、难以挑战的回应或论点。
breathing room
Extra time or space to handle a situation without too much pressure. It's an idiomatic expression used when deadlines are not too tight.
额外的 时间或空间来处理情况，而不会承受太大压力。这是当截止日期不是太紧时使用的习语表达。
proactive
Acting in advance to deal with an expected problem rather than reacting later. It's a positive trait in business and legal work, showing initiative.
提前行动来处理预期问题，而不是事后反应。这在商业和法律工作中是一种积极的特质，显示出主动性。
关键句型
需要记住和练习的重要短语
I'm afraid we've received an Office Action for your patent application.
This is a polite way to deliver potentially bad news. 'I'm afraid' softens the message, making it less direct. Use it in professional emails or calls when sharing unwelcome updates, like in business or legal contexts.
这是传达潜在坏消息的礼貌方式。'很遗憾'软化了信息，使其不那么直接。在专业电子邮件或电话中分享不受欢迎的更新时使用，例如在商业或法律语境中。
What's the gist of it?
A casual way to ask for the main point or summary of something. 'Gist' means the essential idea. It's useful in conversations to quickly understand complex information without details, common in meetings or consultations.
一种随意询问某事主要观点或摘要的方式。'Gist' 意为本质想法。它在对话中很有用，能快速理解复杂信息而无需细节，常用于会议或咨询。
It's primarily objections based on prior art.
This explains the main issues clearly. 'Primarily' means mainly or mostly. The sentence uses technical terms but in a straightforward structure. Use it to summarize problems in reports or discussions, helping intermediate learners practice describing causes.
这清楚地解释了主要问题。'主要'的意思是主要或大多。这个句子使用了专业术语，但结构直截了当。可用于报告或讨论中总结问题，帮助中级学习者练习描述原因。
Can we argue against that?
A question suggesting a challenge to an opinion or decision. 'Argue against' means to present reasons why something is wrong. It's practical for negotiations or debates, like in legal or work settings, and shows how to seek options politely.
一个建议挑战意见或决定的问题。'Argue against' 意为提出某事错误的理由。它在谈判或辩论中实用，例如在法律或工作环境中，并展示了如何礼貌地寻求选项。
We'll need to submit a robust response within three months, which gives us some breathing room.
This states a requirement and its benefit. The relative clause 'which gives us...' explains the advantage. Use this pattern to discuss deadlines and positives, common in project management. 'Breathing room' is an idiom for extra time.
这陈述了一个要求及其益处。关系从句 'which gives us...' 解释了优势。使用这种模式来讨论截止日期和积极方面，在项目管理中很常见。'Breathing room' 是额外时间的习语。
What about amending the claims?
'What about' introduces a suggestion or alternative idea. It's a simple way to propose changes in discussions. Useful for collaborative talks, like brainstorming solutions, and helps learners practice question forms for options.
“What about” 用于引入建议或替代想法。这是讨论中提出变更的简单方法。有助于协作对话，如头脑风暴解决方案，并帮助学习者练习用于选项的疑问句形式。
It's often a back-and-forth process with the examiner.
Describes a repeated exchange of ideas. 'Back-and-forth' is an idiom for ongoing discussion. This sentence uses present simple for general truths. Use it to explain typical processes in business or legal scenarios to set expectations.
描述了想法的反复交换。'Back-and-forth' 是持续讨论的习语。这个句子使用一般现在时来表达一般真理。用于解释商业或法律场景中的典型过程，以设定期望。
Thanks for staying on top of this, I appreciate your proactive approach.
'Staying on top of' means keeping control or updated on something. This expresses gratitude professionally. It's great for emails or calls to thank colleagues, teaching polite appreciation and idioms in workplace English.
'Staying on top of' 的意思是保持对某事的控制或更新状态。这是一种专业的表达感激方式。非常适合用于电子邮件或电话中感谢同事，教导职场英语中的礼貌感激表达和习语。