How are non-IFW patent files ordered and retrieved for examination?

For patent files not available in the Image File Wrapper (IFW) system, a specific ordering process is in place:

1. Files are stored at the Files Repository or remote warehouses.
2. Examiners use the File Ordering System (FOS) to request files.
3. The system requires the examiner’s delivery organization, employee number, and patent/application numbers.
4. A response screen informs the examiner of the request status.
5. Files Repository personnel retrieve and deliver the files to the requester’s interoffice mailing address.

MPEP 901.01(a) states: “Patented and abandoned files that are stored in paper are ordered by means of the File Ordering System (FOS).” This system ensures that examiners can access necessary files that are not digitally available, maintaining the efficiency of the examination process.

To learn more:

• non-IFW files
• File Ordering System
• patent examination
• file retrieval
• USPTO procedures