USPTO

The USPTO reached a new milestone reducing the patent backlog to 788,229. Each patent our team puts into circulation represents a potential job, new business, competitive advantage, an investible asset. Our examiners are the best in the world at what we do – and our team knows how to deliver wins.

Patent applicants can assess their claims against the prior art ASAP! – with the USPTO’s new AI-driven pre-examination pilot. The Artificial Intelligence Search Automated Pilot (ASAP!) Program identifies a pre-examination "top ten" list of prior art references to give applicants a leg up in prosecution. The program is among America’s Innovation Agency’s latest AI-based efforts to improve examination quality, response time, and efficiency. “Quality starts at filing – and our enterprising examiners have developed a cadre of new tools that re-imagine workflows and attack thorny chokepoints that constrain productivity, throughput, and ultimately quality for new applicants,” said John A. Squires, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO. The internal AI system derives contextual information from the classification of the application under the Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC) system, as well as from the specification, claims, and abstract of the application. It will inform applicants on potential courses of first action responses, such as: ✅ Filing a preliminary amendment ✅ Marshaling evidence for affidavit practice and notice taken by the USPTO ✅ Requesting deferral ✅ Filing petitions – including express abandonment – to seek a refund of certain fees if examination is no longer desired To participate, applicants must file a specific petition and pay a petition fee. Learn more about the program through the Federal Register Notice: http://bit.ly/4mUyUHU

At present, the USPTO will remain open and fully operational until further notice under operating reserves from the prior year’s fee collections.

Fall is here! 🍂 We’ve got a relaxing routine for you to start the season with. Morning yard work is a breeze when clearing the yard with an automatic leaf-clearing rake (U.S. patent No. 148,660). An attachment slides down the rake’s teeth to clear debris from it easily. After all of that that raking, remember to check on your favorite plant, appropriately nicknamed “Pumpkin Spice” (U.S. plant patent No. PP29,925). 🎃 Later, it’s time to decorate and light your jack-o'-lantern, made easier and safer with a patented handle and candle holder (U.S. pat. 3,244,872). The device makes it easier to remove the lid of a jack-o'-lantern while keeping the candle inside steady. 🎃 As the sun sets, it’s game time. 🏈 Watching football wouldn’t be the same without the plastic suspension helmet (U.S. patent No. 2,293,308), patented by John T. Riddell. The plastic shell offered a safer alternative to leather helmets, according to Smithsonian Magazine. A perfect fall day, brought to you by patents!

Ready to turn your skills into a career that fuels innovation? Join us this Saturday for USPTO Career Day – your chance to hear directly from USPTO patent examiners, learn about opportunities, and discover how you can protect the next great innovation. Whether you are just starting your professional career or looking for your next big move, this event is for you. Register now and take the first step toward a career as a USPTO patent examiner: https://bit.ly/41aZLaG

Northern New England Community Outreach Office Director Daniel Modricker attended the Greater Manchester Chamber annual event for small businesses to support their understanding of the IP ecosystem and share available resources to support their businesses. Greater Manchester Chamber - NH

Innovators and the USPTO are the perfect blend ☕ This National Coffee Day, we’re taking a look back at the coffee patents that have bean on our mind: drip, pour, grind brew, steep. There are more than 210,000 patents with references to “coffee” in the USPTO’s gazettes, dating back to 1833. When it comes to protecting your innovation, we’re not your average joe. The USPTO is proud to help innovators secure patents and trademarks that distinguish your brand on the marketplace. Ready to get started? Check out our free services: http://bit.ly/46KjDn2

If you couldn’t join us live, here’s your chance to gain the insights into a career of a patent examiner. Hear directly from USPTO employees about what it’s like to turn a STEM degree into a career protecting innovation. Watch the full recording here: https://bit.ly/4lSkwR7

Our examiners are the country’s most versatile and reliable force. Count on us to support America’s innovators wherever the frontier takes us.

New security requirements to keep your information safe went into effect on Sept. 11. Unregistered users can no longer access Patent Center without verifying their identity. You can do this through ID.me or by mailing in a Patent Electronic System Verification form. These changes help prevent misuse of the system and cyberattacks that can slow down networks or block real users from getting the services they need. Learn how to verify your identity to access Patent Center: http://bit.ly/4mBE2Rf