Stakeholder Training on Examination Practice and Procedure (STEPP) Agent/Attorney 3-Day Course

The Silicon Valley USPTO will host the Stakeholder Training on Examination Practice and Procedure (STEPP) program from July 17 - July 19, 2018. Training delivered through STEPP is designed to provide external stakeholders with a better understanding of how and why an examiner makes decisions while examining a patent application. In-person courses are led by USPTO trainers and based on material developed for training employees of the USPTO. 

Training focuses on how our Examiners review patent applications according to the Manual of Patent Examining Procedure (MPEP). The training is broken into three separate modules (Day 1, Day 2, and Day 3): 

  • Day 1 focuses on the role of an examiner and the steps an examiner would take when reading an application for the first time. Claim interpretation and 35 USC 101 and 112 are emphasized on Day 1. 

  • Day 2  uses the information gathered during Day 1 to plan a search, conduct a search, and map prior art to claims using 35 USC 102 and 103. 

  • Day 3 focuses on writing of an office action, as well as post-examination options such as the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) and the Central Reexamination Unit (CRU). Similar to the training of entry level examiners, a sample application will be provided to each trainee and will be the focus of exercises during each module which build upon each other. 

For a detailed schedule please view the Agent/Attorney 3-Day Course Schedule (Please note, the content and schedule of this course is subject to change).

Currently courses provided through STEPP are free to attend. The course has been approved for CLE credit hours in California. This course is specifically designed for patent attorneys and patent agents. Registration is now closed.

For more information about STEPP.

Please note that the Silicon Valley USPTO is a federal facility. Visitors are required to show a valid form of government-issued identification (drivers license or passport) and may be subject to security screening.

Parking: The Silicon Valley USPTO is located in the 3-story Wing building of the San Jose City Hall Complex. The entrance is on S. Fourth Street, which is a one-way street.  Metered street parking and city parking garages are available nearby, such as the Fourth Street Garage (next door). Please note that motorcycles are not allowed in the Fourth Street Garage. Unfortunately, we do not validate parking.

This event is accessible to individuals with disabilities. To request a reasonable accommodation, including captioning, sign language interpreting, or other, please email siliconvalley@uspto.gov or call (408)918-9900.