Western Regional Outreach Office

The Western Regional Outreach Office, formerly known as Silicon Valley Regional Office, is located in the Wing Building of San Jose City Hall. This landmark building, built in 2005, reflects the city's stature in the valley and stands as a symbol of the area's cultural roots and technological savvy. The Western Office serves California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Alaska, and Hawaii. Opened in October 2015, our goal is to promote innovation and stimulate the economy by connecting entrepreneurs to government resources, supporting students and teachers through our STEM education programs, gathering feedback from regional stakeholders, and recruiting diverse talent from the region. Browse the content below to learn more about what the Western Office can do for you.

Our services

To access any of the services below, click the respective link or send an email to western@uspto.gov.

Attend an upcoming event including free workshops, seminars, and training tailored to the needs of the community at all levels.
Attend Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) proceedings at the Western Office.
Pick up free publication guides on patents and trademarks.
Request a speaker for your event.
Conduct an interview with your patent examiner (select "Public Interview room," then "Silicon Valley").
Participate in programs designed to support and foster STEM education with an emphasis on innovative learning.

NOTE: The Western Office is unable to accept patent or trademark applications, correspondence related to prosecution, or fees. Please consider using our Patent Center for online filing. More information is available on our website: filing patent applications or filing trademark applications.

Schedule a patent or trademark one-on-one meeting (virtual)

Patent one-on-one assistance (available by appointment)

Patent one-on-one assistance is available from the Pro Se Assistance Program via video conference (WebEx) or telephone. Pro Se personnel can answer your questions and help you file your application. Contact the Office of Patents Stakeholder Experience (OPSE) to make an appointment, or self-schedule online:

Toll-free: 866-767-3848 or email proseassistancecenter@uspto.gov.
Schedule a patent one-on-one appointment
Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET (except federal holidays).

Trademark one-on-one assistance (available by appointment)

The Trademark Assistance Center (TAC) is the main support center for trademark customers, from first-time filers to legal professionals and experienced trademark applicants. Contact TAC to make an appointment for one-on-one assistance:

Toll-free: 800-786-9199 or email TrademarkAssistanceCenter@uspto.gov.
Trademark one-on-one meeting request
Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET (except federal holidays).

Our upcoming events

Upcoming Events

We offer customers access to a range of events, including the Path to a Patent series and Trademark Basics Boot Camp series. Check the Western Office event calendar to learn more about our virtual programming.

You can also see a full list of USPTO events happening throughout the United States on the main USPTO event calendar.

For any questions about upcoming events, please email western@uspto.gov or call 408-918-9900.

The Silicon Valley, known as one of the most prodigious and innovative entrepreneurial communities in the country, was selected as our West Coast presence to assist the USPTO in fostering and protecting innovation. Looking for information focused on startups? Visit our Startup Resources page.

View PTAB proceedings

Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) - Western Office

The Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) conducts trials, including inter partes, post-grant, and covered business method patent reviews and derivation proceedings, hears appeals from adverse examiner decisions in patent applications and reexamination proceedings, and renders decisions in interferences.

The Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) re-established in-person hearings in July 2022 at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) headquarters in Alexandria, VA, and at all USPTO regional outreach offices.

Parties have the option to appear virtually for appeals and trials.
Most in-person hearings will likely have one or more judges attending virtually.
PTAB will only conduct an in-person hearing when requested by all parties.
Specific details of each hearing may vary, and will be subject to hearing room availability, agency operating status, and guidelines. Parties should refer to their Scheduling Orders and Hearing Orders for details.
For public access to a PTAB hearing, either virtual or in-person, submit a request to PTABHearings@uspto.gov at least 3 days before the hearing.
For more information about PTAB oral hearings, please contact PTABHearings@uspto.gov or call 571-272-9797.

PTAB homepage

Search patents or trademarks

Our public search room has six Universal Public Workstations (UPWS) with the same search tools that patent and trademark employees use when examining applications. Access requirements and print capabilities for the workstations are the same as those in the Public Search Facility at USPTO headquarters. The search room is open from 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. PT, Monday through Friday, except federal holidays.

Please be aware that you will not be able to connect a removable media device - such as a thumb drive or your personal phone - to our USPTO computers for the purpose of downloading your search results. Please see the USPTO removable media policy for more information.

Are you new to patent or trademark searching? We encourage you to visit a Patent and Trademark Resource Center (PTRC). PTRC librarians are trained by the USPTO to provide an introduction to the patent and trademark application process. The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Public Library is a PTRC and is located a block away from the Western Office at 150 E. San Fernando Street, San Jose, CA 95112.

The USPTO collections can also be searched online using Patent Public Search for patents and trademark search system for trademarks.

Use our space

We have a number of collaboration spaces that are intended for public use. These rooms may be configured to suit events of all sizes and are equipped with whiteboards, easels, telephones, and A/V equipment. Typical uses include inventor organization meetings, business councils, and networking events. Please contact us at western@uspto.gov or 408-918-9900 for more information and to reserve a space.

Meet the leadership team

As the Director of the Western Office, Mary Fuller carries out the strategic direction of the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO, and she is responsible for leading the USPTO's Western Office.

Managing Assistant Regional Director: Stephen Koziol

Regional Outreach Officer: Ken Takeda

Visit us

Address & contact info

Western USPTO
26 S. Fourth Street
San Jose, CA 95112
See map for location.

Phone: 408-918-9900
Email: western@uspto.gov

Hours

This office is available for visits and use by appointment only. We currently do not accept walk-ins.

Regular business hours: Monday - Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. PT. Closed on federal holidays.

Building Access Instructions

The Western Office is a federal facility. Visitors must have a valid form of government-issued identification (driver license or passport) to gain access and may be subject to security screening.

Parking

There is metered street parking on S. Fourth Street and surrounding streets, as well as public parking garages, including the Fourth Street Garage (which is not available to motorcycles). The USPTO does not provide parking validation.

USPTO Removable Media Policy

Please be aware that you will not be able to connect unauthorized or personal removable media storage to any USPTO computer, docking station, or monitor at the Western Office. For more information, please see our USPTO removable media policy.