Status of Office of Public Records Services
The Office of Public Records (OPR) processes and fills orders for both
certified and uncertified copies of Patent and Trademark Office documents
and records assignments and other documents related to title. This is an
update of actual processing times during the month of October 2000:
Document Services Goal Actual
Processing
Time
Certified Documents
Patent Applications-As-Filed, 7 days 6 days
Expedited
Patent Applications-As-Filed, 17 days 15 days
Regular
Patent Related File Wrappers 25 days 41 days*
Patent Copies 10 days 8 days
Patent Assignments 10 days 7 days
Trademark Applications-As-Filed, 7 days 5 days
Expedited
Trademark Applications-As-Filed, 17 days 14 days
Regular
Trademark Related File Wrappers 25 days 28 days*
Trademark Assignments 10 days 11 days
Trademark Registrations, 5 days 4 days
Expedited
Trademark Registrations, 14 days 7 days
Regular
Uncertified Documents
Expedited Patent Copies 1 day 1 day
Regular Patent Copies 3 days 3 days
Plant Patents 3 days 31 days**
Patent Assignments 10 days 8 days
Patent Related File Wrappers 25 days 16 days*
Expedited Trademark Copies 1 day 4 days***
Regular Trademark Copies 3 days 3 days
Trademark Assignments 10 days 7 days
Trademark Related File Wrappers 25 days 16 days*
* Includes turnaround times for files on Official Search and File
Reconstruction.
** Includes three orders for multiple plant patents requiring reprinting.
*** Includes one order which required over 20 days to complete.
During the month of October 2000, a total of 19,142 public orders (29,869
copies) were filled and closed, or 5,345 orders more (8,687 copies less)
than the FY-01 planning number of 13,797 orders (38,556 copies) to be
closed for this month. With the exceptions noted, the average turnaround
times for products remained in expected ranges.
Due to varying availability of media, customers will not be advised when
orders are not delivered within the published goal periods. However,
customers will be advised if any unexpected delay in their order has been
identified. Customers should use the above actual days to mail for each
product as a guide as to when they can expect their orders. In determining
expected delivery times, the day an order is received in the Office is
calculated as "day zero." The next business day is "day one."
Customers are encouraged to fax orders for copies directly to the Document
Services Division at (703) 308-9759 and to pay by PTO Deposit Account,
MasterCard, Visa, American Express or Discover. Copy orders also may be
placed through the Internet by accessing the PTO home page at
www.uspto.gov and selecting the "Order Copies" option. Information on the
status of pending orders may be obtained by calling (703) 308-9726 or
1 (800) 972-6382 (outside the Washington, DC Metro area), or via E-mail:
dsd@uspto.gov.
Assignment Services
The Assignment Division is currently mailing recordation notices for
documents received in the Office of Public Records on September 21, 2000.
The cycle time to process, record, and mail notices is 43 calendar days.
PATRICK ROWE, Director
Office of Public Records