How should an applicant respond if they receive a "Final" Office Action?

When an applicant receives a "Final" Office Action, the appropriate response is to file a response addressing the issues raised. A "Final" Office Action signifies that the examiner has reviewed the claims and found them to be unpatentable or has raised issues that the applicant needs to resolve before the application can continue in the examination process.

By filing a response, the applicant has the opportunity to either amend the claims, argue against the examiner's objections, or provide additional evidence to support the patentability of the claims. This action is crucial because it allows the applicant to clarify or modify their application in compliance with the feedback given by the patent examiner. If the applicant does not respond to the Final Office Action appropriately, the application may be abandoned.

Selecting this option demonstrates an understanding of the prosecution process and the importance of engaging with the patent office's feedback in order to properly address any concerns about the patentability of the invention being claimed. The other options do not effectively address the requirement to respond to the Office Action, either by undermining the application’s appeal process or not directly engaging with the examiner’s findings.