(223)             Indexing Against a Recorded Assignment

   It has been the practice of the Patent and 
Trademark Office (PTO) to process requests for indexing against 
a recorded document by adding the newly requested
property to the data base record for the previously recorded document,
except if the previously recorded document was an assignment. The PTO only
required a transmittal letter with the recording fee and not a copy of the
previously recorded document to process the indexing request. While
indexing the additional properties resulted in the assignment data base
being updated, the indexing request itself was never microfilmed to become
part of the official record.
   Effective immediately, the PTO will no longer process such indexing
requests. Such indexing requests do not comply with 37 CFR 3.11, 3.28, and
3.31 which require that each request for recordation include the document
to be recorded and a cover sheet. Instead of filing an indexing request, a
party should submit a cover sheet in conformance with 37 CFR 3.31, a true
copy of the document, and the recording fee. PTO will assign a new
recording date to that submission, update the assignment data base, and
microfilm the cover sheet and document to become part of the official
record.

Nov. 3, 1993                                          THERESA A. BRELSFORD
                                                Assistant Commissioner for
                                                       Public Services and
                                                            Administration

                             [1157 TMOG 12]