
      (a) Establishment and Composition. - There shall be in the United
    States Patent and Trademark Office a Board of Patent Appeals and
    Interferences. The Director, the Commissioner for Patents, the
    Commissioner for Trademarks, and the administrative patent judges
    shall constitute the Board. The administrative patent judges shall
    be persons of competent legal knowledge and scientific ability who
    are appointed by the Director.
      (b) Duties. - The Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences
    shall, on written appeal of an applicant, review adverse decisions
    of examiners upon applications for patents and shall determine
    priority and patentability of invention in interferences declared
    under section 135(a). Each appeal and interference shall be heard
    by at least three members of the Board, who shall be designated by
    the Director. Only the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences
    may grant rehearings.

Last modified: April 19, 2006