What kind of communications can an examiner have in an Office Action?

The correct response indicates that an examiner's communications in an Office Action can encompass a variety of actions, specifically allowing claims, rejecting claims, or objecting to them. In the context of patent examination, an Office Action serves as the official communication from the patent examiner regarding the status of a patent application.

When examining an application, the examiner has the authority to raise issues related to the claims, including allowances when the claims meet patentability criteria, rejections when the claims do not meet legal requirements (such as novelty or non-obviousness), and objections if there are formal issues with how the claims are presented (like clarity or proper formatting). This flexibility ensures that the examiner's communication can address multiple aspects of the application, providing a comprehensive evaluation.

Other responses suggest narrower scopes of communication. Some imply that the examiner can only reject claims based on specific grounds or that they can only raise new issues without reaching a conclusion. However, the examination process is not limited in such a way; instead, it is designed to be a thorough examination wherein all aspects of the claims may be considered, facilitating a more robust dialogue regarding the patent's viability. This is foundational to the examination process as outlined in the Manual of Patent Examining Procedure (MPEP).