March 5th, 2001

Because of customer feedback on the XML Weekly Pending and Registered Trademark Information Product, the USPTO will revise the TRAM_CASE_FILEs document type definition to exclude event information, and include "flag" elements that parallel data content within the existing Trademark Weekly Text File. This impacts only the Weekly Pending and Registered Trademark Information XML product. We do not anticipate changes to the Weekly Trademark Assignment Information and the Weekly Trademark Trial and Appeal Board Information products. Revisions to TRAM_CASE_FILEs DTD will be posted by April 23rd 2001 and sample data will be available sometime in late May 2001.

Parallel run schedules have also been finalized. Parallel runs for all three products will initiate on July 3rd 2001 and continue for 3 to 6 months. Production implementation is anticipated the 1st week of 2002.

In summary, the Trademark weekly data files are migrating to an XML format the 1st week of 2002, and will consist of the following three products:

• Weekly Pending and Registered Trademark Information (document type TRAM_CASE_FILEs)
• Weekly Trademark Assignment Information (document type TMRK_ASSIGNMENTS)
• Weekly Trademark Trial and Appeal Board Information (document type TTAB_PROCEEDINGS)

To assist in the transition to the XML products, the USPTO has scheduled parallel runs of the current Trademark weekly data files and the new XML Trademark weekly data files, initiating on July 3rd 2001 and continue for 3 to 6 months.

The USPTO anticipates revisions to the DTDs prior to the final migration to XML. The documentation, DTDs, sample data, and Frequently Asked Questions describing current migration issues are available at URL http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/ac/ido/oeip/sgml/st32/trademark/index.html .

If you have any questions please notify me at ed.johnson@uspto.gov.

Thanks,