“They’ve cut us off at the knees!” is what I heard a few days ago from a USPTO representative in one of the USPTO’s call centers. Continue reading ““They’ve cut us off at the knees!” — USPTO call center employee”
Unacceptable hold times at the USPTO Application Assistance Unit
About half an hour ago I picked up the phone and placed a call to the (misnamed) Application Assistance Unit at 571-272-4000. The robot voice said my estimated wait time was 124 minutes, and that there were 88 callers ahead of me. Half an hour has passed and the robot now says there are 75 calls ahead of me. Continue reading “Unacceptable hold times at the USPTO Application Assistance Unit”
A Tale of Two Systems
The DAS system offers a convenient and inexpensive way for an applicant to perfect a priority claim under Article 4 of the Paris Convention. WIPO implements this well and the USPTO implements this poorly. Continue reading “A Tale of Two Systems”
IDSs just got more expensive
On January 19, 2025 the USPTO put a new rule into effect that makes IDSs more expensive. Patent practitioners will need to charge clients more money for filing of IDSs. And new government fees will need to be paid with some IDSs. Continue reading “IDSs just got more expensive”
The USPTO’s PCT Receiving Office needs to join DAS
More than five years ago the patent community asked the USPTO to make its PCT Receiving Office a Depositing Office in the DAS system. And even now, more than five years later, the USPTO has not yet done so. Continue reading “The USPTO’s PCT Receiving Office needs to join DAS”
How to reach a USPTO person if you can’t reach them by phone
In a previous blog article I described that it seems all of the phones at the USPTO are broken for incoming calls. Here is a practice tip.
If the person’s phone number starts “571-272”, then change the “272” to “273”. This yields a telephone number that is probably that person’s private fax number. You can then send a fax and ask the person to call you back.
All USPTO phones seem to be broken
From recent discussions on the Patent Practice listserv, it seems that it is impossible just now to place a telephone call to anyone at the USPTO. Continue reading “All USPTO phones seem to be broken”
2024 Toteboards are now available
I am pleased to present the 2024 toteboards:
Commissioner for Patents Vaishali Udupa has resigned from USPTO
Recently the Director of the USPTO, Kathi Vidal, resigned from the USPTO. The Acting Director is Coke Morgan Stewart. Now comes the news that Commissioner for Patents Vaishali Udupa has resigned from the USPTO. The Acting Commissioner is Valencia Martin Wallace.
I spoke with a Patent Examiner by telephone today. It seems there has been no communication of the Commissioner’s resignation to the actual employees of the USPTO. They get to hear about such a development by reading about it in the news, or by hearing about it from a patent practitioner.
It appears that DOGE has access to all USPTO records and systems
A January 20, 2025 executive order from President Trump says, in part:
Agency Heads shall take all necessary steps, in coordination with the [administrator of DOGE] and to the maximum extent consistent with law, to ensure [DOGE] has full and prompt access to all unclassified agency records, software systems, and IT systems.
“Agency” is defined in a way that includes the USPTO.
So apparently the Department of Government Efficiency has, or will soon have, full access to all unclassified USPTO records, all USPTO unclassified USPTO software systems, and all USPTO unclassified IT systems.