An office action is written correspondence from the patent examiner that requires a properly signed written response from the applicant in order for prosecution of the application to continue. Moreover, the reply must be responsive to each ground of rejection and objection made by the examiner. Examples of office actions include a restriction requirement, a non-final office action, and a final office action. If an applicant does not submit an acceptable timely response to an office action, the application will be held abandoned.