SPECIAL BOXES FOR PATENT MAIL Special box designations should be used to allow forwarding of particular types of mail to the appropriate areas as quickly as possible. Such mail is forwarded to the appropriate area without being opened. Only the specified type of document should be placed in an envelope addressed to one of these special boxes. If any documents other than the specified type identified for each special box are addressed to that box, they will be significantly delayed in reaching the appropriate area for which they are intended. Please address mail as follows: Box Commissioner for Patents Washington, D.C. 20231 Box Designations Explanation Box REISSUE All new and continuing reissue application filings. Box 12 Contributions to the Examiner Education Program. Box 313(b) Petitions under 37 CFR 1.313(c) to withdraw a patent application from issue after payment of the issue fee and any papers associated with the petition, including papers necessary for a continuing application or a request for continued examination (RCE). Box AF Expedited procedure for processing amendments and other responses after final rejection. Box Comments Public comments regarding patent related regulations Patents and procedures. Box CPA Requests for Continued Prosecution Applications (CPA's) under 37 CFR 1.53(d). Box DAC Petitions decided by the Office of Petitions including petitions to revive and petitions to accept late payment of issue fees or maintenance fees. Box DD Disclosure Documents or materials related to the Disclosure Document Program. Box Design The filing of all design patent applications and any communications relating thereto. Box Issue Fee All communications following the receipt of a PTOL-85, "Notice of Allowance and Issue Fee Due," and prior to the issuance of a patent should be addressed to Box Issue Fee, unless advised to the contrary. Assignments are the exception. Assignments should be submitted in a separate envelope and not be sent to Box Issue Fee. Box Missing Parts Response to the Notice to File Missing Parts of Application and associated papers and fees. Box MPEP Submissions concerning the Manual of Patent Examining Procedures. Box Non-Fee Non-fee amendments to patent applications. Amendment (Use Box AF for responses after final rejection). Box PATENT New patent applications and associated papers and APPLICATION fees. Box Patent Ext. Applications for patent term extension and any communications relating thereto. Box PCT Mail related to applications filed under the Patent Cooperation Treaty. Box Provisional The filing of all provisional patent applications Patent Application and any communications relating thereto. Box RCE Requests for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114. Box Reconstruction Correspondence pertaining to the reconstruction of lost patent files. Box Reexam Requests for Reexamination for original request papers only. Box Sequence Submission of diskette for biotechnical application. Box SN For fee and petitions under 37 CFR 1.182 to obtain date received and/or serial number for patent applications prior to the Office's standard notification (return post card or the official "Filing Receipt," "Notice to File Missing Parts," or "Notice of Incomplete Application"). SPECIAL BOXES FOR TRADEMARK MAIL Special box designations should be used to allow forwarding of particular types of trademark mail to the appropriate areas as quickly as possible. In addition to these box designations, filers are encouraged to indicate whether the contents of the envelope contain a fee. Envelopes containing a fee should be marked "FEE;" envelopes not containing a fee should be marked "NO FEE." Box designations and "FEE/NO FEE" indicators should appear on the envelope as well as on the cover sheet or first page of any document. Please address mail as follows: Box FEE (or NO FEE) Commissioner for Trademarks 2900 Crystal Drive Arlington, Virginia 22202-3513 Box Designations Explanation Box NEW APP FEE New trademark applications and fees. Box ITU FEE Statements of Use (SOUs), and extension requests. Box TTAB FEE Oppositions, cancellation petitions, and ex parte appeals. Box TTAB NO FEE Interferences, motions, and extension requests. Box STATUS NO FEE Written status inquiries. Box POST REG FEE Affidavits, renewals, corrections and amendments. Box RESPONSES NO FEE Responses to Examining Attorneys' Office actions and Post Registration actions. SPECIAL BOXES APPLICABLE TO BOTH PATENT AND TRADEMARK MAIL The following special box designations are applicable to both patent and trademark related mail, and the recommendations for "Special Boxes for Patent Mail" (above) should be followed for the types of mail listed below. Please address mail as follows: Box Director - U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Washington, D.C. 20231 Box Designations Explanation Box 3 Mail for the Office of Personnel from NFC. Box 4 Mail for the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce and Deputy Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks; Office of Legislative and International Affairs. Box 6 Mail for the Office of Procurement. Box 8 All papers for the Office of the Solicitor except communications relating to pending litigation and disciplinary proceedings; papers relating to pending litigation in court cases shall be mailed only to Office of the Solicitor, P.O. Box 15667, Arlington, Virginia 22215 and papers related to pending disciplinary proceedings before the Administrative Law Judge or the Commissioner shall be mailed only to the Office of the Solicitor, P.O. Box 16116, Arlington, Virginia 22215. Box 9 Coupon orders for U.S. patent and trademark copies. Box 10 Orders for certified copies of PTO documents. Box 11 Electronic Ordering Service (EOS). Box 13 Mail for the Employee and Labor Relations Division. Box 14 Mail directed to the APS Contracts Office. Box 16 Deposit Account Replenishment Checks. Box 17 Invoices directed to the Office of Finance. Box 171 Vacancy Announcement Applications. Box Assignment All assignment documents except those filed with new applications. Box EEO Mail for the Office of Civil Rights. Box Interference Communications relating to interferences and applications and patents involved in interference. Box M Fee Correspondence regarding patent maintenance fees and related matter. Box OED Mail for the Office of Enrollment and Discipline.