Mostly impossible. There is a fairly useful book - the USPTO's "Manual of Patent Examining Procedure" (or MPEP). Official - http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/pa

Mostly impossible. There is a fairly useful book - the USPTO's "Manual of Patent Examining Procedure" (or MPEP). Official - http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/pac/mpep/ http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/pac/mpep/ My copy - http://adlervermillion.com/MPEP/ http://adlervermillion.com/MPEP/ Its a huge book though, and not worth reading it unless you want to work with patents every day (as a patent agent, patent examiner, patent lawyer). Also, its a reference book, not really something you can read start-to-finish.