Advisory (28DEC2011): EFS-Web filers may use Adobe Reader and Acrobat version 9.4.7 to complete EFS-Web Fillable Forms (eADS, eIDS, etc.). Previous versions remain compatible:
* 7.0.8, 7.0.9, 7.1.0, 7.1.1, 7.1.2, 7.1.3, 7.1.4
* 8.1.1, 8.1.2, 8.1.3, 8.1.4, 8.1.5, 8.1.6, 8.1.7, 8.2, 8.2.1, 8.2.2, 8.2.3, 8.2.4, 8.2.5, 8.2.6, 8.3, 8.3.1;
* 9.0, 9.1, 9.1.1, 9.1.2, 9.2, 9.3, 9.3.1, 9.3.2, 9.3.3, 9.3.4, 9.4, 9.4.1, 9.4.2, 9.4.3, 9.4.4, 9.4.5, 9.4.6, 9.4.7;
* 10.0, 10.0.1, 10.1, 10.1.1
Advisory (19DEC2011): The United States Patent and Trademark Office is pleased to announce the addition of two new beta ePetitions to EFS-Web.
>>For more information, please see the ePetition Resource Page. Please feel free to suggest any improvements and email them to ebc@uspto.gov
Advisory (29NOV2011): eTerminal Disclaimer (beta) Added to EFS-Web
The United States Patent and Trademark Office is pleased to announce the beta release of eTerminal Disclaimer in EFS-Web. The new eTerminal Disclaimer provides applicants with many advantages and promotes greater efficiency in the patent examination process. This web-based eTerminal Disclaimer can be filled out completely online through web-screens and no EFS-Web fillable forms are required. eTerminal Disclaimers are auto-processed and approved immediately upon submission if the request meets all of the requirements.
Fees must be paid immediately which will then provide users more financial flexibility. A paper filed Terminal Disclaimer requires a fee but does not guarantee a Terminal Disclaimer approval. Each eTerminal Disclaimer filed requires a single terminal disclaimer fee, but can include up to 50 "reference applications" and 50 "prior patents".
During the beta period, eTerminal Disclaimers cannot be filed to a patent application that has yet to be docketed to an examiner. Applicants can check the Transaction History Tab of Public or Private PAIR to determine if their application has been docketed to an examiner. To file a terminal disclaimer to an undocketed application, please complete form SB/25 or SB/26 and submit the forms for manual review.
The Quick Start Guide for eTerminal Disclaimer is available at:
www.uspto.gov/patents/process/file/efs/guidance/eTD-info-I.jsp
For assistance with filing an eTerminal Disclaimer, or to suggest improvements, please call the Patent Electronic Business Center at 866-217-9197 (toll free) or send an email to EBC@uspto.gov
Advisory (18NOV2011): EFS-Web and Private PAIR users may now download Java 6 Update 29 (released on 10/18/11). Please contact your IT department or follow the instructions provided at http://java.com/en/download/ to install the Java update.
Old bookmarks to EFS-Web and Private PAIR may not work after the update. Please create new bookmarks or clear your browser cache.
The USPTO is still working with Entrust to test the Java 7 patch. We will post an advisory to the public via the EFS-Web and Private PAIR announcement pages once Java 7 is supported.
Contact the Patent EBC at 1-866-217-9197 (toll-free) or ebc@uspto.gov if you need further assistance.
Advisory (16NOV2011): Due to system maintenance, EFS-Web, Private PAIR, and Digital Certificate Management (DCM) will be unavailable from 12:01 a.m. until 8 a.m. ET Friday, November 18.
Advisory (16NOV2011): Please refrain from installing Java 6 Update 29 and Java 7.
Java 7 (released on 7/28/11) and Java 6 Update 29 (released on 10/18/11) are incompatible with the current Entrust software version used by EFS-Web and Private PAIR for authentication. Unlike previous Java updates which were backwards compatible with Entrust authentication software, these particular updates require a software patch. The USPTO immediately contacted Entrust and received the necessary software patch for Java 6 Update 29 a few days later. The USPTO then commenced testing to ensure that EFS-Web and Private PAIR would work properly with the Entrust software update. At the time of this communication, the testing of EFS-Web and Private PAIR is near completion and the fix for Java 6 Update 29 is expected to be deployed into production within a week. The USPTO is still working with Entrust to test the Java 7 patch.
As soon as the problem was identified, the USPTO posted an advisory to the public via EFS-Web and Private PAIR announcement pages. Furthermore, the same advisory was posted within EFS-Web and Private PAIR systems upon login to warn users not to accept the latest Java update. In retrospect, due to the severity of this problem, the USPTO should have sent an email notification to all e-Commerce e-Alert subscribers and provided more detailed information along with the advisory announcement.
If you are unable to authenticate to EFS-Web and Private PAIR due the affected Java updates, please contact your IT department or follow the instructions provided at the Oracle URL below to uninstall the affected Java update and install the supported Java 6 update 26.
Applicants who have installed Java 7 or Java 6 update 29 will have the following error in their Java console:
Error authenticating user com.entrust.m.b: TruePassIOException: INCORRECT_STATE (AuthenticationServlet)
The most recent compatible version is Java 6 update 26. It can be downloaded from the following link: http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javasebusiness/downloads/java-archive-downloads-javase6-419409.html#jre-6u26-oth-JPR
Applicants should select the "Windows Offline Installation" download option.
Contact the Patent EBC at 1-866-217-9197 (toll-free) or ebc@uspto.gov if you need further assistance.
Advisory (19OCT2011): Java 6 Update 29 and Java 7 are currently not compatible and not supported in EFS-Web and Private PAIR.
Advisory (16NOV2011): Due to system maintenance, EFS-Web, Private PAIR, and Digital Certificate Management (DCM) will be unavailable from 12:01 a.m. until 8 a.m. ET Friday, November 18.
Advisory (16NOV2011): Please refrain from installing Java 6 Update 29 and Java 7.
Java 7 (released on 7/28/11) and Java 6 Update 29 (released on 10/18/11) are incompatible with the current Entrust software version used by EFS-Web and Private PAIR for authentication. Unlike previous Java updates which were backwards compatible with Entrust authentication software, these particular updates require a software patch. The USPTO immediately contacted Entrust and received the necessary software patch for Java 6 Update 29 a few days later. The USPTO then commenced testing to ensure that EFS-Web and Private PAIR would work properly with the Entrust software update. At the time of this communication, the testing of EFS-Web and Private PAIR is near completion and the fix for Java 6 Update 29 is expected to be deployed into production within a week. The USPTO is still working with Entrust to test the Java 7 patch.
As soon as the problem was identified, the USPTO posted an advisory to the public via EFS-Web and Private PAIR announcement pages. Furthermore, the same advisory was posted within EFS-Web and Private PAIR systems upon login to warn users not to accept the latest Java update. In retrospect, due to the severity of this problem, the USPTO should have sent an email notification to all e-Commerce e-Alert subscribers and provided more detailed information along with the advisory announcement.
If you are unable to authenticate to EFS-Web and Private PAIR due the affected Java updates, please contact your IT department or follow the instructions provided at the Oracle URL below to uninstall the affected Java update and install the supported Java 6 update 26.
Applicants who have installed Java 7 or Java 6 update 29 will have the following error in their Java console:
Error authenticating user com.entrust.m.b: TruePassIOException: INCORRECT_STATE (AuthenticationServlet)
The most recent compatible version is Java 6 update 26. It can be downloaded from the following link: http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javasebusiness/downloads/java-archive-downloads-javase6-419409.html#jre-6u26-oth-JPR
Applicants should select the "Windows Offline Installation" download option.
Contact the Patent EBC at 1-866-217-9197 (toll-free) or ebc@uspto.gov if you need further assistance.
Advisory (19OCT2011): Java 6 Update 29 and Java 7 are currently not compatible and not supported in EFS-Web and Private PAIR.
Advisory (27SEP2011): EFS-Web filers may use Adobe Reader and Acrobat 8.3.1, 9.4.6, and 10.1.1 to complete EFS-Web Fillable Forms (eADS, eIDS, etc.). Previous versions remain compatible:
* 7.0.8, 7.0.9, 7.1.0, 7.1.1, 7.1.2, 7.1.3, 7.1.4
* 8.1.1, 8.1.2, 8.1.3, 8.1.4, 8.1.5, 8.1.6, 8.1.7, 8.2, 8.2.1, 8.2.2, 8.2.3, 8.2.4, 8.2.5, 8.2.6, 8.3
* 9.0, 9.1, 9.1.1, 9.1.2, 9.2, 9.3, 9.3.1, 9.3.2, 9.3.3, 9.3.4, 9.4, 9.4.1, 9.4.2, 9.4.3, 9.4.4, 9.4.5
* 10.0, 10.0.1, 10.1
Advisory (26SEP2011): Effective on Monday, September 26, starting at 12:00:01 a.m. Eastern Time, applicants may file a Track I (Prioritized Examination) application via EFS-Web. Applicants are advised to wait until the effective date to file, as a request filed prior to the effective date for Track I cannot be approved.
For more information, please see the Federal Register notice, Prioritized Examination (Track 1) Form, and Quick Start Guide at http://www.uspto.gov/aia_implementation/patents.jsp#heading-5
FAQs for Prioritized Examination can be found at http://www.uspto.gov/aia_implementation/faq.jsp#heading-9
Advisory (23SEP2011): When making payment by credit card, please note that Pay.gov (the USPTO card processor) enforces Treasury's card processing rule of a maximum limit of $99,999.99 to be charged to a single credit card on the same day. A credit card that has exceeded the limit will be declined. Payments from all USPTO systems are counted towards the charging limit (e.g., online payments via EFS-Web or Trademark systems, maintenance fee payments via RAM, and manual payments sent in by fax and mail). If online payment is declined in EFS-Web, the applicant will receive an error message and has the following options: retry payment with a different credit card; retry payment with deposit account or electronic funds transfers (if already set-up); indicate that payment will be made at a later time. See EFS-Web Legal Framework (section B5) for additional information and alternative payment methods:
http://www.uspto.gov/patents/process/file/efs/guidance/New_legal_framework.jsp#heading-2
Advisory (23JUN2011): EFS-Web filers may use Adobe Reader and Acrobat 8.3, 9.4.5, and 10.1 to complete EFS-Web Fillable Forms (eADS, eIDS, etc.). Previous versions remain compatible:
* 7.0.8, 7.0.9, 7.1.0, 7.1.1, 7.1.2, 7.1.3, 7.1.4
* 8.1.1, 8.1.2, 8.1.3, 8.1.4, 8.1.5, 8.1.6, 8.1.7, 8.2, 8.2.1, 8.2.2, 8.2.3, 8.2.4, 8.2.5, 8.2.6
* 9.0, 9.1, 9.1.1, 9.1.2, 9.2, 9.3, 9.3.1, 9.3.2, 9.3.3, 9.3.4, 9.4, 9.4.1, 9.4.2, 9.4.3, 9.4.4
* 10.0, 10.0.1
Advisory (12MAY2011): EFS-Web filers may use Adobe Reader and Acrobat 9.4.4 to complete EFS-Web Fillable Forms (eADS, eIDS, etc.). Previous versions remain compatible:
* 7.0.8, 7.0.9, 7.1.0, 7.1.1, 7.1.2, 7.1.3, 7.1.4
* 8.1.1, 8.1.2, 8.1.3, 8.1.4, 8.1.5, 8.1.6, 8.1.7, 8.2, 8.2.1, 8.2.2, 8.2.3, 8.2.4, 8.2.5, 8.2.6
* 9.0, 9.1, 9.1.1, 9.1.2, 9.2, 9.3, 9.3.1, 9.3.2, 9.3.3, 9.3.4, 9.4, 9.4.1, 9.4.2, 9.4.3
* 10.0, 10.0.1
Advisory (13APR2011): USPTO will be performing system maintenance starting at 5 a.m. on Saturday, April 16 and ending at 5 a.m. on Sunday, April 17.
Applicants can file new patent applications via EFS-Web for Registered eFilers, EFS-Web for Unregistered eFilers, and EFS-Web Contingency.
However, the following EFS-Web submission types will not be available:
- National Stage under 35 USC 371 applications
- Follow-on submissions to an existing application/patent, including RCEs, amendments, and auto-processed ePetitions
- Online fee payments
Advisory (05APR2011): EFS-Web filers may use Adobe Reader and Acrobat 8.2.6, 9.4.2, 9.4.3, and 10.0.1 to complete EFS-Web Fillable Forms (eADS, eIDS, etc.). Previous versions remain compatible:
* 7.0.8, 7.0.9, 7.1.0, 7.1.1, 7.1.2, 7.1.3, 7.1.4
* 8.1.1, 8.1.2, 8.1.3, 8.1.4, 8.1.5, 8.1.6, 8.1.7, 8.2, 8.2.1, 8.2.2, 8.2.3, 8.2.4, 8.2.5
* 9.0, 9.1, 9.1.1, 9.1.2, 9.2, 9.3, 9.3.1, 9.3.2, 9.3.3, 9.3.4, 9.4, and 9.4.1
* 10.0
Advisory (30MAR2011): The United States Patent and Trademark Office is pleased to announce the addition of eight new ePetitions to EFS-Web. In addition to the two existing ePetitions, Petition to make special based on Age (37 CFR 1.102) and the Petition to Accept Unintentionally Delayed Payment of the Maintenance Fee (37 CFR 1.378(c)), the following ePetitions are available to users:
- Request for Withdrawal as Attorney or Agent of Record (37 CFR 1.36)
- Petition to Withdraw from Issue after Payment of the Issue Fee (37 CFR 1.313(c)(1) or (2))
- Petition to Withdraw from Issue after Payment of the Issue Fee (37 CFR 1.313(c)(3))
- Petition to Withdraw from Issue after Payment of the Issue Fee (37 CFR 1.313(c)(1) or (2) with Assigned Patent Number)
- Petition to Withdraw from Issue after Payment of the Issue Fee (37 CFR 1.313(c)(3) with Assigned Patent Number)
- Petition to Accept Late Payment of Issue Fee - Unintentional Late Payment (37 CFR 1.137(b))
- Petition for Revival of an Application based on Failure to Notify the Office of a Foreign or International Filing (37 CFR 1.137(f))
- Petition for Revival of an Application for Continuity Purposes Only (37 CFR 1.137(b))
>>For more information, please see the EFS-Web ePetition Resource Page.
Advisory (25MAR2011): The USPTO announced special accommodations for patent and trademark applicants, patentees, reeexamination parties, and trademark owners affected by the catastrophic events that took place in Japan. Patent applicants, patentees, and reexamination parties may fill out the "Certification and Request For Relief Due to Events of March 11, 2011, in Japan" form (SB/425) and file via EFS-Web using the document description "Certification and Request for Disaster Relief."
>>For more information, please see the USPTO announcement and Press Release.
Advisory (20JAN2011): EFS-Web and Private PAIR will have new URLs (Uniform Resource Locators)
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is upgrading the infrastructure of EFS-Web and Private PAIR in order to increase system capacity and stability. As part of the upgrade, EFS-Web and Private PAIR will have new URLs (Uniform Resource Locators).
If you have bookmarks to EFS-Web and Private PAIR, please update your bookmarks on a date to be determined to the new URLs below.
Please note, there is currently no need to make any changes to your bookmarks.
EFS-Web for Registered eFilers:
https://efs.uspto.gov/efile/myportal/efs-registered
EFS-Web for Unregistered eFilers:
https://efs.uspto.gov/efile/portal/efs-unregistered
EFS-Web Portal homepage:
https://efs.uspto.gov/efile/portal/home
Private PAIR:
https://ppair.uspto.gov/epatent/myportal/privatepair
Private PAIR Portal homepage:
https://ppair.uspto.gov/epatent/portal/home
After the system upgrade, applicants who access the old URLs, which start with "https://sportal.uspto.gov," will be redirected to a Web page with the new URLs. Applicants who access EFS-Web and Private PAIR using links on the www.USPTO.gov homepage may continue to do so, as URLs on the homepage and EFS-Web and Private PAIR landing pages will be automatically updated. The change will not affect any EFS-Web or Private PAIR functionality.
For further information regarding this update, please contact the EBC at 866-217-9197.
Advisory (18JAN2011): EFS-Web filers may use Adobe Reader and Acrobat 10 to complete EFS-Web Fillable Forms (eADS, eIDS, etc.). Previous versions remain compatible:
* 7.0.8, 7.0.9, 7.1.0, 7.1.1, 7.1.2, 7.1.3, 7.1.4
* 8.1.1, 8.1.2, 8.1.3, 8.1.4, 8.1.5, 8.1.6, 8.1.7, 8.2, 8.2.1, 8.2.2, 8.2.3, 8.2.4, 8.2.5
* 9.0, 9.1, 9.1.1, 9.1.2, 9.2, 9.3, 9.3.1, 9.3.2, 9.3.3, 9.3.4, 9.4, and 9.4.1
Advisory (12JAN2011): The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is upgrading the infrastructure of EFS-Web and Private PAIR in order to increase system capacity and stability. As part of the upgrade, EFS-Web and Private PAIR will have new URLs (Uniform Resource Locators) beginning on Monday, January 31, 2011.
If you have bookmarks to EFS-Web and Private PAIR, please update your bookmarks on January 31 to the new URLs below. The new URLs will not be active until January 31.
- EFS-Web for Registered eFilers:
https://efs.uspto.gov/efile/myportal/efs-registered - EFS-Web for Unregistered eFilers:
https://efs.uspto.gov/efile/portal/efs-unregistered - EFS-Web Portal homepage:
https://efs.uspto.gov/efile/portal/home - Private PAIR:
https://ppair.uspto.gov/epatent/myportal/privatepair - Private PAIR Portal homepage:
https://ppair.uspto.gov/epatent/portal/home
After the system upgrade, applicants who access the old URLs, which start with "https://sportal.uspto.gov," will be redirected to a Web page with the new URLs. Applicants who access EFS-Web and Private PAIR using links on the www.USPTO.gov homepage may continue to do so, as URLs on the homepage and EFS-Web and Private PAIR landing pages will be automatically updated. The change will not affect any EFS-Web or Private PAIR functionality.
For further information regarding this update, please visit the FAQS here or contact the EBC at 866-217-9197.