Worried about an expired patent?

According to the USPTO, an applicant may submit through EFS-Web a "Petition to Accept Unintentionally Delayed Payment of a Maintenance Fee in an Expired Patent." The patent can be reinstated immediately if the petitioner uses the electronic petition from 37 CFR 1.378(c) found under "Existing Application/Patent" in EFS-Web. More information is available under the Quick Start Guide for Petitions at http://www.uspto.gov/ebc/portal/tools.htm