The process of patent application examination by USPTO examiners or by patent attorneys and registered patent agents in preparing applications is a significant intellectual activity that at present must be undertaken by individuals based on their knowledge of [among other things] the state of relevant technology and existence of prior art, the evolution of that technology, its scientific basis, its present and future use, and existing published work on the subject. Patent application preparation and examination to include the preparation of rejections by PTO examiners and responses to these rejections from applicants are driven by a "sacred" text called the Manual of Patent Examining Procedures (MPEP). The MPEP, a document of more than 3700 pages, is known to disturb the sleep of even the most brilliant and seasoned patent practitioners. While a detailed discussion of patent examination and prosecution procedures is far beyond the scope of this essay and the professional competence of its author, it is well worth noting some of the frequent activities included in patent prosecution and examination for reasons that will soon become apparent. For example, in determining if an invention is patentable, inventors and patent practitioners must identify links to prior art references.