January STEPP Training in Dallas for Agents & Attorneys

Registration is now open to attend the Jan. 9-11 USPTO Attorney and Agent Stakeholder Training on Examination Practice and Procedure (STEPP) at the Texas Regional U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in Dallas. The USPTO is applying for CLE credit in Texas for this three-day course.

This training, which will make use of statutes, rules, and guidelines relevant to practicing before the USPTO, is limited to those who have passed the patent bar, and priority will be given to those who have recently passed the patent bar. The course is led by USPTO trainers and is based on material developed for training patent examiners and other employees.

STEPP courses are planned throughout the year for attorneys and agents, and also for inventors. Courses are held in person across the country, and some are held virtually. For more information, and to see the schedule of upcoming courses, visit the STEPP page of the USPTO website.

Meet the Patent Experts and Meet the Trademark Experts--Wednesday, November 1, 2017

The Meet the Trademark Experts and Meet the Patent Experts series will be held on Wednesday, November 1 at the USPTO-Texas Regional Office. This is a special edition of our programming, where both events are held the same day in conjunction with Techweek Dallas. Meet the Trademark Experts will be from 1:00-2:00 PM and Meet the Patent Experts following at 2:30-3:30 PM.

This Techweek edition of our Experts series is a continued part of our ongoing outreach to independent inventors, entrepreneurs, and small businesses. During these two seminars, you will have the opportunity to learn about the basics of intellectual property, how to file a trademark application and use USPTO resources for patent applications. The Meet the Patent Experts session is the first class out of a four-class series, and is a great starting point for new attendees.

Registration: 

Meet the Trademark Experts: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/meet-the-trademark-experts-tickets-38515047544

Meet the Patent Experts: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/meet-the-patent-experts-class-1-tickets-38600783984

These events are free and open to the public, but registration is recommended since space will be limited.

If you are unable to come to the Texas Regional Office in Dallas, TX, both of these will be webcasted to Patent & Trademark Resource Centers (PTRCs) in the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas.  Please click HERE to find the PTRC nearest to you.  Please call ahead to ensure the seminar is being shown at your particular PTRC. (Note: Houston PTRC will not be able to host this webcast, please check other PTRCs.)

For inquiries about the event: please email TXROevents@uspto.gov, visit us at the https://www.uspto.gov/about-us/uspto-locations/dallas-texas, or call us at 469-295-9000.

Inventor Info Chat webcast in Spanish

Topic:  Patents Overview - In Spanish (En Española)


Date: Thursday, Oct. 19, 2017


Time: 11 am - Noon Eastern Time


To join the webinar:
https://www.uspto.gov/patents-application-process/inventor-info-chat#step2

Patent Quality Chat

The USPTO’s Patent Quality Chat webinar series continues Oct. 12, from 11 a.m. – noon ET to discuss “Examiners Provide Their Views on Prepared Applications.”

In a recent application readiness survey, we polled examiners to investigate patent application attributes that enhance the ability of examiners to efficiently and effectively do their job. Particular features in filed specifications, claims, and Information Disclosure Statement (IDS) documents were considered. Examiners across disciplines and experience levels commented on how these features helped or hindered their review of patent applications. 

Application readiness experts will discuss the survey results on Oct. 12. Share your ideas about how the USPTO can help you improve the quality of incoming patent applications. We look forward to hearing your feedback. Please send your input and questions to patentquality@uspto.gov before and during the event.

To attend the webinar, please click on Patent Quality Chat.

New Features for EFS-Web and Private PAIR

Effective Sept. 10, all EFS-Web-registered and Private PAIR users have access to new features, including the ability to file structured text via EFS-Web and access structured text submissions, structured text Office actions, and XML downloads via Private PAIR. 

For more information, please see the associated Quick Start Guides:

Text Intake in EFS-Web 
New Private PAIR Enhancements 

If you have questions or need assistance filing via EFS-Web or PAIR, please contact the Patent Electronic Business Center at 1-866-217-9197 or ebc@uspto.gov.