When an Office action is issued by the USPTO, the time period for filing a reply begins. If a reply is not filed within the period specified in the Office action, the application is technically abandoned by operation of Rule. An applicant can usually buy an extension of up to five additional months, however, so…
Category: Useful Information
What To Do If You Omit A Document Or File The Wrong Document In A New, Electronically Filed Application
Many filing errors (e.g., the failure to file all of a document, the failure to pay a fee, or the unintended filing of an unrelated document) are correctable without penalty by a corrective electronic submission, if it is filed the very same day. This post discusses a few of the filing errors correctable in this…
The USPTO’s 25% Discount For Application Size Fee Calculations And How To Qualify For It
There are many advantages to filing applications via the USPTO’s electronic filing system (EFS-Web). One practical advantage is that the USPTO measures the size of an electronically filed application differently than if it were filed by paper. An application filed under 35 U.S.C. 111 (this includes provisional, nonprovisional and design applications, and reissue applications) that…
The New Electronic Filing System (EFS-Web) Contingency Option
The USPTO has announced a new plan to increase the availability of its patent electronic filing system, EFS-Web, by providing a new contingency option when the primary portal to EFS-Web experiences an unscheduled outage. Previously, the entire EFS-Web system was unavailable to the users during such an outage. The new EFS-Web contingency option will permit…
The USPTO’S Newest Pilot Program – The Patents Ombudsman
Have you ever had a question about an application in prosecution but have been unable to find the correct person to assist you? Have you ever been unsuccessful in obtaining assistance from an examiner or Supervisory Patent Examiner? If so, you will want to take note of the USPTO’s new Ombudsman Pilot Program. The Ombudsman…