Public Records Division/Public Information Services Division
Public User’s Meeting
September 20, 2006
2:00 p.m. - Remsen Building Conference Center

The Public Users Meeting was held at 2:00 p.m. in the 1st floor conference room 1D04/1D14 in the Remsen Building on the USPTO campus in Alexandria, Virginia. Martha Sneed, Director of PISD, chaired the meeting. There were approximately four members of the public in attendance.

Announcements

• Security gate upon entrance of the Public Search Facility has been repaired.


• Second floor cubicles will be removed this weekend.


• Electricity will be installed on October 6, 2006 for first floor workstations.


• Workstations will be installed on October 10, 2006.

Public Search Facility Update

Users expressed concerns about reconstruction impacts on available number of workstations, and recommended converting Beta and Administrative workstations for public access. (Note: Beta workstations were converted as a result of this suggestion.) They also noted that it was important to retain as many of the blue Aeron chairs for public workstations as possible.

There was a complaint about the Power to Inspect service moving from second to first floor, and that staff at first floor desks did not know how to help customers. Retraining was provided to all staff as a result of this suggestion. Also, staff at Public Records Division were also notified to make sure their future PTI deliveries were sent to the right location.

A customer noted that there was a problem with access to Patents on the Web on the night of September 19, and general trouble with wireless access from the PSF. It was later confirmed that the USPTO web site was down for several hours that night.

Slowness in EAST was reported as well as design patent classification discrepancies in database results between EAST and Patents on the Web. Both matters were resolved.

Public Records Update

There were no issues to report on.

The meeting adjourned at 2:25pm.

The next Public User's Meeting will be held on October 18, 2006, at 2:00 p.m. in the 1st floor conference room 1D04/1D14 located in the Remsen Building on the USPTO campus in Alexandria, Virginia.

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