(a) In order for an applicant for a patent or for a reissue of a patent to have an information disclosure statement in compliance with § 1.98 considered by the Office during the pendency of the application, the information disclosure statement must satisfy one of paragraphs (b), (c), or (d) of this section. (b) An information disclosure statement shall be considered by the Office if filed by the applicant within any one of the following time periods: (1) Within three months of the filing date of
(a) (1) Information in an application will not be expunged, except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section or § 41.7(a) or § 42.7(a) of this title. (2) Information forming part of the original disclosure (i.e., written specification including the claims, drawings, and any preliminary amendment present on the filing date of the application) will not be expunged from the application file. (b) An applicant may request that the Office expunge information, other than what is excluded by paragraph