Hello.
Welcome to the USPTO's Quick
Clinic Series.
My name is Sudhanshu Pathak
and today we are going to outline the
process of filing a patent application
electronically through the USPTO's EFS-
Web System and reviewing the status of
an already filed application through the
USPTO's PAIR System.
The following agenda
items will be covered, we will provide an
overview of the EFS-Web system which is
the USPTO's web-based Patent Electronic
Filing system.
Using EFS-Web anyone with
a web-enabled computer can file patent
applications and documents.
We will also
overview the USPTO's PAIR system which
is the USPTO's retrieval system and
stands for Patent Application
Information Retrieval, it provides USPTO
customers with a safe simple and secure way
to retrieve and download information
regarding patent application status.
We will
also give an overview of how to
get started using the EFS and PAIR
systems including information regarding
the authentication method and lastly
providing information on additional
resources.
For more detailed information
on using the USPTO's EFS-web and PAIR
systems please contact the USPTO's
Electronic Business Center (EBC) at:
866-217-9197 or
via email at ebc@uspto.gov
Here is an overview of EFS-Web.
EFS-Web allows
applicants to submit patent applications
electronically, the benefit of filing
electronically is that it
immediately routes documents to USPTO
internal systems.
After applicants submit
the system will generate an
acknowledgement to show that the USPTO
has received the submission.
Additional
benefits include reducing manual
processing and minimizing paper waste
and processing faster by avoiding wait
times associated with conventional
mailing.
It also allows for applicants to
save submissions on the USPTO server so
that they can complete, review or submit
at a later time.
In pair there are two
components to the system public PAIR
allows applicants to view published
applications and issue patents anyone
from the public will be able to access
public pair.
In private PAIR applicants
can view the status of their own pending
applications.
In order for an applicant
to view their own application a Customer
Number (CN) needs to be associated with it.
The next couple of slides we'll go over
how to begin this process.
The first (1) step
to getting started to file an
application is to obtain a customer
number (CN).
A customer number is a five (5) or
six (6) digit number that represents the
applicant's address, it allows for easy
correlation of filings and
correspondence with a single mailing
address.
One of the benefits of using a
customer number is that it eliminates
typographical errors with an address.
To
obtain a unique customer number
applicants should complete form SB-125.
The form can be obtained from the
following link, the form can be
downloaded from the web link present
here.
The form may be faxed to:
571-273-0177
or may be mailed to the EBC by using the
address listed at the top of the form
the address is Mail stop CN
Commissioner for Patents; P.O.
Box
1450, Alexandria Virginia two
two three one three.
The second (2) step is
to obtain a uspto.gov account.
Verified
USPTO accounts uniquely identify
applicants and allow secure access to
their patent data.
Here is an overview of
the process: create a uspto.gov account;
complete the patent electronic system
verification form PTO-2042a the
form can be downloaded from the link
provided here please note the form must
be notarized mailed the notarized form
to the address listed below again please
note the address is also listed on the
form itself once the notarized form is
filed submitted and processed by the
office the applicant is considered a
registered filer upon successful
approval the uspto.gov account will be
verified through an email notification.
A
registed filer is now able to use the
PAIR system to continuously monitor
their application status as it advances
through the examination process.
It will
take approximately five to seven
business days for the USPTO to process.
For more information regarding uspto.gov
accounts or customer numbers please
visit www.uspto.gov/patents-application-process/applying-online/getting-started-new-users.
The following is the overview of the electronic filing process
once you have obtained the customer
number and created your uspto.gov
account as mentioned earlier in steps one and two. Once you have obtained your costumer number and created your uspto.gov
account you are now considered a
registered filer as an unregistered or
registered filer applicants may choose
the application filing type and EFS-Web.
The next screen will allow the applicant
information to be entered; next attach
and index patent application documents
the documents can then be reviewed; the
next step is to calculate any fees; next
the patent application can be submitted
before the acknowledgement receipt is
generated the option to pay fees is
provided after the fees are paid or
skipped the receipt is generated which
contains the application number finally
the ability to review the filed
application in private pair is available
in order to access registered EFS web
and private pair applicants will need to
first sign into your obtained uspto.gov
account on using their uspto.gov
credentials the second step is to choose
the method for two-step authentication
in this example email is selected as the
method of receiving the authentication
code once the authentication code is
received it may be entered please note
the Box this is a computer that I trust
and use regularly may be checked so that
the second step authentication can be
valid for 24 hours after the initial
sign-in this means an authentication
code does not have to be entered if the
same computer is used for example if
logged out after 30 minutes of
inactivity simply using the USPTO gov
email and password will allow applicants
back into the EFS web and private PAIR
systems after successfully logging into
EFS web
applicants need to certify their
identity by selecting the appropriate
radio button they can then proceed by
selecting the application type followed
by the continue button
the next tab of EFS web is the
application data screen on this screen
applicants will be able to select the ad
s submission type in addition applicants
will be able to enter the title of
invention inventor name and the
correspondents address for the
correspondence address applicants may
select from the drop-down any customer
number that is associated to their
account or applicants may enter a
physical address an advantage of using
the customer number is that the
application can be associated with the
number thus allowing the applications
that is to be viewed in private pair on
the attach documents tab a summary of
application data information can be
viewed at the bottom of the screen
applicants will be able to browse for
files that they have already prepared
selecting a category narrows down to the
document descriptions available for the
selected application type once the
application has been submitted an
acknowledgement receipt will be
displayed with application number and
confirmation number those two numbers
will allow applicants to file follow-on
documents to the application now we're
going to discuss viewing the status of
your filed application in pair after the
application has been submitted it should
soon be available in private pair so
that the status may be checked this is
the first screen of private pair
applications can be searched by
application control patent PCT
publication international design and by
attorney
docket number when an application is
retrieved the application data tab is
the default data display there
various tabs to review other data
associated with the application for
additional information regarding filing
online through f as well please visit
www.uspto.gov/patents-applications-process/file-online
For additional information regarding private pair, please visit www.uspto.gov/patents-application-process/check-filing-status-your-patent-application
A great resource to help
with electronic filing in viewing
systems is the patent electronic
business center they are open monday
through friday 6 a.m. to midnight
Eastern Time except for federal holidays
they can be reached toll-free at eight
six six two one seven nine one nine
seven or by email at
EBC at uspto.gov Thank you for watching
this video
in the USPTO's Quick Clinic Series.
Now
you should have a much better
understanding of the USPTO's EFS-Web
electronic filing system and PAIR the
retrieval and viewing system.
If you have
any questions regarding this video or
any other patent related questions
please contact the Pro se Assistance
program at the number eight six six
seven six seven three eight four eight
or by email at innovation development at
uspto.gov thank you
you