Until now, only certain filers were able to gain access to USPTO’s Patentcenter system. To gain access, the filer had to be visiting from an IP address on a particular approved list.
Starting yesterday, April 20, 2020, the USPTO removed the IP address restrictions. Now anybody can reach the Patentcenter web site.
To reach Patentcenter, go to this web page: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov/.
What is Patentcenter? Why do you care?
Patentcenter is the new system that USPTO is developing that will some day replace EFS-Web and Private PAIR. In other words, eventually EFS-Web will get shut down and the only way you will be able to do patent e-filing will be through Patentcenter. And eventually Private PAIR will get shut down and the only way you will be able to see your pending patent applications will be through Patentcenter.
Right now Patentcenter is in beta test. If you are smart, you will join the beta testers of Patentcenter. This is a smart thing for you to do because you might identify things that need to be fixed or improved in the beta-test version of Patentcenter. This might make your life less miserable when the USPTO shuts down EFS-Web and Private PAIR.
The other smart thing to do will be to join the Patentcenter listserv. The Patentcenter listserv is an email discussion group for users of Patentcenter. You can read about the Patentcenter listserv here.
We need a different password for PatentCenter than what we use for all of your other listserv’s?
You can make the password whatever you want it to be.
Oh I bet I know what you are getting at. I think that in some more recent version of the listserv software, it has gotten more picky about requiring that you make your password more complicated.
Old passwords are grandfathered in, but the moment you try to set a new password the more recent password complexity rules rear their ugly heads.
Sorry about that.