Fee Schedule Update

 

Patent Alert

Fee schedule update

The fee schedule was updated with the following change, effective June 25: Patent enrollment fees 9030: Request for extension of time in which to schedule examination for registration to practice (non-refundable)–new fee of $115 See the Federal Register Notice for more information on the change. For instructions on how to request an extension, refer to the General Requirements Bulletin. The fee schedule provides information and fee rates for the USPTO's products and services. For additional information, please call the USPTO Contact Center at 571-272-1000 or 800-786-9199.

 

Patent Trial and Appeal Board

USPTO issues information on implementation of the Supreme Court’s decision in U.S. v. Arthrex, Inc.

As a result of the recent Supreme Court decision in U.S. v. Arthrex, Inc., the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has implemented an interim procedure whereby review of a Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) final decision may be initiated sua sponte by the Director or requested a party to a PTAB proceeding. At this time, a party may request Director review of a final written decision in an inter partes review or post-grant review by filing a request for rehearing by the Director of a PTAB decision and concurrently submitting a notification of that request to the Office by email to Director_PTABDecision_Review@uspto.gov, copying counsel for the parties. More details on the interim Director review process are provided on the USPTO Arthrex information page of the USPTO website. Additionally, the public will be able to ask further questions regarding the USPTO’s implementation of the interim Director review process at our PTAB Boardside Chat on Thursday, July 1, at 10 a.m. ET, and also hear remarks by Drew Hirshfeld, performing the functions and duties of the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO. Learn more about PTAB resources and guidance on the USPTO website.

Please see the announcement below for additional webinars: Learn how to file DOCX documents in your applications using USPTO systems.

Join the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for training webinars on how to file in DOCX through Patent Center or EFS-Web. The next available trainings are on June 22 and 24.

As described in a recent blog from USPTO leadership, filing in DOCX provides many benefits in the patent application process, including:

eliminating the need to convert structured text into a PDF for filing

instant feedback analysis to detect common errors that may otherwise delay processing an application

automatic metadata detection and removal to support the submission of only substantive information in the file

The eCommerce Modernization (eMod) team will provide information and conduct a demo using the Patent Center training mode, followed by a question-and-answer session. Applicants are encouraged to use the Patent Center training mode to practice filing in DOCX without saving/storing data to USPTO systems.

Please visit the Patents DOCX upcoming events page to register for an upcoming training webinar.

You will receive instructions for joining the webinar via email prior to your registered session.

For more information and to view frequently asked questions, visit the DOCX page of the USPTO website.

For assistance, questions, or feedback, please contact eMod@uspto.gov

Please see the announcement below regarding USPTO’s expansion of the Law School Clinic Certification Program.

Program accepting law school clinic submissions through December 31, 2022.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is extending the submission deadline for expanding its Law School Clinic Certification Program by admitting additional schools into the program. Founded in 2008, the program currently includes 60 law school clinics and offers patent and trademark applicants access to pro bono services. It also gives law students, under the supervision of a faculty clinic supervisor, experience in practicing intellectual property law before the USPTO.

The program is administered by the USPTO’s Office of Enrollment and Discipline (OED). Participating law school clinics must maintain the requirements for USPTO certification in order for students to practice before the agency.

“The USPTO is committed to fostering a strong and vital patent system,” said Drew Hirshfeld, performing the functions and duties of the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO. “The development of legal skills through practical experience allows advocates to effectively support and represent their clients’ interests.”

Submissions from interested law school clinical programs will be accepted on a rolling basis through December 31, 2022. Details of the program expansion and application materials are available on the Law School Clinic Certification Program page of the USPTO website.

For additional information and application submission guidelines, please contact Jennifer Harchick, Emily Sprague, Gerard Taylor, Kim Weinreich, or Charlema Grant by telephone at (571) 272‐4097 or lawschoolinformation@uspto.gov.