Expanding Innovation Hub

USPTO launches the Expanding Innovation Hub, a new online platform to encourage greater participation in the patent system

Please see blog by Andrei Iancu, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO, and Laura Peter, Deputy Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Deputy Director of the USPTO.  

Or visit: Expanding Innovation Hub.

Filing patent documents

USPTO strongly encourage customers to file via EFS-Web. This online business system is efficient and convenient.

EFS-Web filers:

• EFS-Web for Registered eFilers - Enhanced filing of new patent applications, follow-on submissions, saved submissions, and more.
• EFS-Web for Unregistered eFilers - Basic initial filing of new patent applications. Note: Unregistered eFilers are not permitted to file follow-on submissions/fees in EFS-Web. Unregistered eFilers are advised to pay fees online as part of the initial application submission or use an alternative filing method to pay fees, such as including a deposit account authorization with the application papers or mailing the payment using the Priority Mail Express® service of the United States Postal Service (USPS) in accordance with 37 CFR 1.10.

Filing options:

New patent applications, new international design applications, documents and fees for national stage entry under 35 U.S.C. 371, and documents that are required to establish the filing date of an application (e.g., a missing drawing figure or page of the specification) may be filed (in addition to EFS-Web) by:

• Priority Mail Express® from the USPS in accordance with 37 CFR 1.10, or
• Hand-delivery (37 CFR 1.6(c)) via the customer service window.

Other documents or fee payments may be filed (in addition to EFS-Web) by:

• Facsimile transmission to the USPTO central facsimile at (571) 273-8300,
• First-Class Mail with a certificate of mailing in accordance with 37 CFR 1.8,
• Priority Mail Express® from the USPS in accordance with 37 CFR 1.10, or
• Hand-delivery (37 CFR 1.6(c)) via the customer service window.

Patent correspondence, including new patent applications, new international design applications, and documents or fee payments cannot be submitted via email.

Other forms of delivery, such as UPS and FedEx, may also be used. However, the benefits of 37 CFR 1.8 or 37 CFR 1.10 (best viewed in Internet Explorer) apply only to documents delivered to the office by the USPS.

If you have questions about filing via EFS-Web, please contact the Patent Electronic Business Center (EBC) at ebc@uspto.gov or (866) 217-9197.

Receiving office communications electronically

USPTO encourage customers to take advantage of the efficiency and convenience of our online business systems. The USPTO currently offers electronic notification of office communications, including office actions to those participating in the e-Office Action program. We encourage registered users of the USPTO’s Patent Electronic Systems who are not currently participating in the e-Office Action program to log into Private PAIR to update their Customer Number details to receive electronic notifications of office communications (e.g., by selecting the option “Receive Correspondence Notification via e-Mail” on the Edit Customer Details screen).

For more information, visit the e-Office Action program webpage on the USPTO website.

If you have questions about the e-Office Action program or on how to become a registered user, contact the Patent Electronic Business Center (EBC) at ebc@uspto.gov or 866-217-9197.

USPTO waives original handwritten signature requirement

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) considers the effects of COVID-19 to be an "extraordinary situation" within the meaning of 37 CFR 1.183 for affected patent and trademark applicants, patentees, reexamination parties, and trademark owners. Therefore, the USPTO is waiving the requirements of 37 CFR 1.4(e)(1) and (2) for an original handwritten signature for certain correspondence with the Office of Enrollment and Discipline and certain payments by credit card. The Office notes that the requirements of 37 CFR 1.4(e)(1) and (2) are the only USPTO requirements for original handwritten, ink signatures, and the USPTO has no other requirements for original handwritten, ink signatures.

View the status of USPTO events on its website

The Events page on USPTO.gov is the best place to find an up-to-date list of upcoming USPTO events.

If an event will be postponed or canceled, we will update the listing to reflect the change.

Submit NMTI nominations; informational webinar now available

NMTI nomination deadline extended to May 1

USPTO is seeking nominations for the 2020 National Medal of Technology and Innovation (NMTI). The NMTI is the nation’s highest honor for technological achievement, bestowed by the President of the United States. A recorded webinar with detailed information is now available.

Anyone can nominate for the NMTI by submitting the online nomination form and letters of support. Applicants must complete nominations before midnight ET, April 3. We invite a wide range of submissions that will demonstrate the incredible breadth of innovation taking place throughout the United States. Nominations of candidates from traditionally underrepresented groups are encouraged.

For more information, please visit the NMTI webpage on the USPTO website.

COVID-19 Update

Fondren Library will be closed to all visitors as of March 18, at 2 p.m. until further notice.

 
You can access patent and trademark information from Rice University's PTRC webpages or at United States Patent and Trademark Office.

We apologize for the inconvenience, please check the library website for any updated information. 

If you have questions related to patent and trademark, please send an email to govhelp@rice.edu.

Access to Fondren Library's Patent and Trademark Resource Center is temporary supsended.

In light of heightened health and safety concerns of Coronavirus, as of Thursday, March 12th, physical access to Fondren Library will be restricted to valid Rice ID holders only. Visitor access will be suspended until further notice.  Please see library website for information on remote access and any questions you may have.

 
You can access patent and trademark information from Rice University's PTRC webpages or at United States Patent and Trademark Office. 

For information on nearby PTRCs, please click here.
 

We apologize for the inconvenience, please check the library website for any updated information. 

Federal Register notice: Clarification of practice for revival, reinstatement, and delayed priority petitions

In order to promote reliability and predictability of patent rights, we are clarifying our practice for situations that will require additional information about whether a delay in seeking the revival of an abandoned application, a delayed maintenance fee payment, or a delayed priority or benefit claim was unintentional. Specifically, we will require additional information when:

    a petition to revive an abandoned application is filed more than two years after the date the application became abandoned;

    a petition to accept a delayed maintenance fee payment is filed more than two years after the date the patent expired for nonpayment; and

    a petition to accept a delayed priority or benefit claim is filed more than two years after the date the priority or benefit claim was due.

The additional information is required to ensure that, in situations where there has been such an extended delay in filing the petition, we are provided with sufficient facts and circumstances to support a conclusion that the entire delay was “unintentional.”

You can find additional information in the Federal Register.

Apply now for the 2020 National Summer Teacher Institute in Saint Louis, MO.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) will conduct the National Summer Teacher Institute (NSTI) on Innovation, STEM, and Intellectual Property July 12-17, 2020 on the campus of Saint Louis University (SLU) in Saint Louis, Missouri.  This year's program is conducted in collaboration with the SLU Research Innovation Group.

General Information about NSTI 

Frequently Asked Questions   (find info on requirements for participation and tips to complete the application)

Application 

For those desiring info on NSTI from external sources:

·         See NSTI Reference in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Committee on STEM Education 5-Year STEM Plan (page 16)

Articles, Teacher Blogs, and Video mentions:

·         https://www.inventorsdigest.com/articles/teaching-the-teachers/

·         NSTI Teacher Ambassador Becky McDowell blogs found here

·         Student interview with NSTI teacher participant Loris Chen

·         https://www.lemelson.org/back-to-school-with-invention-education/

·         https://nipcinvention.blogspot.com/2017/09/the-national-summer-teacher-institute.html

·         #USPTOSTEM on Twitter contains photos and feedback from past participants of NSTI

Questions regarding NSTI may be addressed to the Office of Education and Outreach team at education@uspto.gov.