How are Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) decisions circulated within the USPTO?

This page is an FAQ based on guidance from the Manual of Patent Examining Procedure. It is provided as guidance, with links to the ground truth sources. This is information only: it is not legal advice.

Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) decisions are circulated within the USPTO as follows:

1. The TC Director may circulate the decision among supervisors in the Technology Center (TC).
2. Supervisors may then circulate the decision among examiners in their art units.
3. The extent of circulation depends on the subject matter or issues addressed in the decisions.

According to the MPEP: “The TC Director may circulate and discuss the decision among some or all of the supervisors in the TC, and the supervisors, in turn, may circulate the decision among the examiners in their art units, depending on the subject matter or issues in the decisions.”

This process ensures that relevant PTAB decisions are shared with appropriate personnel to maintain consistency and quality in patent examination practices.