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USPTO announces change to its implementation of structured text filing

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is in the process of transitioning to a system that supports submitting new patent applications in structured text, specifically DOCX format. In response to public feedback, the USPTO now considers the DOCX document filed by the applicant to be the authoritative document. Accordingly, an applicant who files an application in DOCX may rely on that version as the source or evidentiary copy of the application to make any corrections to the documents in the application file. Read the Federal Register Notice.

To improve application quality and efficiency, the USPTO will transition to DOCX for all filers on January 1, 2022. The USPTO is hosting regular DOCX training sessions to provide more information, demonstrate how to file and retrieve DOCX files in various patent platforms, and answer any questions. Applicants can also file test submissions using Patent Center training mode to practice filing in DOCX. In addition, the USPTO will offer listening sessions to gather feedback to further improve DOCX features. Read the recent Director's blog for additional DOCX transition details. 

For more information and to view frequently asked questions, visit the DOCX page of the USPTO website. If you need assistance, please contact the Patent Electronic Business Center at ebc@uspto.gov or 866-217-9197.

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