An ongoing emphasis on patent quality ensures our continuous improvement. We are building more confidence in our patent system by encouraging discussions with our stakeholders, increasing transparency, making our patent system more understandable and usable for all inventors, and working internationally to assist global patent rights. Below are some resources to aid these goals.
- Interview Practice – Providing information about free video conferencing with USPTO examiners, Automated Interview Request (AIR) - a web-based tool for scheduling interviews, contact information for Interview Specialists for each Technology Center, and interview policy and training information.
- Examination Guidance and Training Materials – on topics such as 35 U.S.C. 101, America Invents Act, claim interpretation, 35 U.S.C. 112, and 35 U.S.C. 101.
- First Inventor to File (FITF) - Resources to assist prosecuting patent applications under the first inventor to file provisions of the America Invents Act.
- Patents Petitions Timeline - Provides applicants information about which petitions can be submitted during each stage of the patent prosecution process and information related to each specific petition including the deciding office.
- Patents Ombudsman – Assisting in getting the application back on track.
- Office of Patents Stakeholder Experience (OPSE) - Resources for independent inventors and small businesses.
- International Patent Cooperation - Improving the quality, efficiency, and predictability of patent family prosecution thereby increasing the certainty of global patent rights. Efforts include Access to Relevant Prior Art Initiative, Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC), Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH), and Priority Document Exchange.
- Data and statistics - Publicly available data from portals such as our assignment database and our data visualization center.
We Want Your Feedback!
Robust interaction with you, our stakeholders, is crucial to continuous patent quality improvement in our patent system in a way that best assists you. Send us an email.