There are 7 abandoned applications noted in the child continuity of patent 5440749. 5 of these have been recently located and have location date of 4/7/08. 1 has location date of 3/21/08.

It is interesting the note that the they were all abandoned about the same time. That being July of 1996 and almost all of them are noted as found in March of 2008 with location date of 4/07.

Ok why bother to search and locate abandoned patents? Wonder if this has anything to do with the restriction placed on application 09/051263. The restriction requirement for 09/051263 was mailed on 4/8/08, so it would appear the PTO might have been looking at these abandoned applications prior to the restriction notice. Hmmmmmm Opty