Patent Application Publication

Meaning after a search in the patent application is presented as "U.S. Patent Application Publication. It is dated April 2006 and more current record exist??? The manufacturer no longer makes the product, 4 years and no patent issued seems a long time even prior art took on average two years to be granted. Is it possible that he has been abandoned?

If a patent application. is "published" a non-provisional application was filed. You can check the status of a patent application on a pair at the USPTO.

http://portal.uspto.gov/external/portal/ ...

You simply enter the application number and it will tell you the state and show you the activity at the PTO relating to the application. It is possible that it is abandoned.