Patent Quality Summit Registration

Registration

Please enter the requested information to indicate your preferences for participation in the Quality Summit.  If you are unsure if you will be able to attend all the sessions, please indicate "No preference" where applicable.  The USPTO will accommodate all participants’ preferences to the best of their abilities while reserving room for last minute and undecided attendees as well.  Thank you for your interest in the Patent Quality Summit!

Refer to the Proposal descriptions below when selecting your brainstorming participation.

Proposal 1: Applicant Requests for Prosecution Review of Selected Applications – The USPTO proposes a mechanism for an applicant to request OPQA (Office of Patent Quality Assurance) review of the prosecution of a particular application where the applicant identifies an issue that would benefit from further review.

Proposal 2: Automated Pre-Examination Search – The USPTO is seeking input on new tools as well as their usefulness in conducting a pre-examination search that will provide a list of possible references for the examiner’s consideration. With these references as a starting point, the examiner is better positioned to begin a substantive examination, which includes their own search of the prior art.

Proposal 3: Clarity of Record – The USPTO is seeking the assistance of the public in identifying procedures to enhance the clarity and completeness of the official record during prosecution of an application.

Proposal 4: Review of and Improvements to Quality Metrics – The USPTO is considering the Quality Composite Metric it currently uses to evaluate quality - to reassess its effectiveness as well as consider ways to improve it. Moreover, methods for measuring the impact of training provided to examiners will be reevaluated to enhance the effectiveness of examiner training.

Proposal 5: Review of Current Compact Prosecution Model and the Effect on Quality – The USPTO requests assistance from the public on determining whether the current compact prosecution model should be modified and seeks ideas for proactive alternatives to RCE (Request for Continued Examination) filings and appeals to the PTAB (Patent Trial and Appeal Board) .

Proposal 6: In-Person Interview Capability with All Examiners – Today, in-person interviews are only available at the USPTO Headquarters in Alexandria, VA and fully operational USPTO Satellite Offices (Detroit and Denver). The USPTO proposes that in-person interviews could be conducted at additional locations to those currently available.