an Office action made by the examiner where the applicant is entitled to reply and request reconsideration or further examination, with or without making an amendment.

On taking up an application for examination or a patent in a reexamination proceeding, the examiner is required to make a thorough study of the application and of the available prior art relating to the subject matter of the claimed invention. This examination must be complete with respect to:

• compliance of the application or patent under reexamination with the applicable statutes and rules
• the patentability of the invention as claimed
• matters of form, unless otherwise indicated.