Full Electronic Patent Application Processing: Things Speeding Up at the USPTO
The United States Patent and Trademark Office is shifting toward full electronic patent application processing with a program called e-Office Action. After successfully testing it with a pilot project, the USPTO is moving forward with plans to implement the e-Office Action program.
Once the new program is in place, applicants will receive notices from the USPTO in e-mail form, alerting them to view new correspondence through the Private PAIR retrieval system on the USPTO website. This system obviates the need for paper mailings and is intended to streamline patent prosecution by getting information to applicants much faster.
Any registered patent attorney or agent is eligible to participate in the e-Office Action program and may submit provisional and non-provisional applications including utility, plant, design, reissue applications, and national stage applications.
I have been filing my clients' trademark applications with the USPTO for some time now, using an electronic system, similar to this procedure. Work is submitted instantaneously--truly an attorney's dream!
