MPEP § 1704 — Application Records and Reports (Annotated Rules)
§1704 Application Records and Reports
This page consolidates and annotates all enforceable requirements under MPEP § 1704, including statutory authority, regulatory rules, examiner guidance, and practice notes. It is provided as guidance, with links to the ground truth sources. This is information only, it is not legal advice.
Application Records and Reports
This section addresses Application Records and Reports. Contains: 4 permissions and 7 other statements.
Key Rules
Examiner Action Status Tracking
All reporting of examiner time and activity is performed on a biweekly basis. Each examiner’s examining and non-examining time, as entered in the USPTO’s time and attendance system, is used by the integrated examination tools in the computation of productivity data. Examiners can view biweekly time and activity reports through the integrated examination tools, which include a list, by application number, of all applications for which actions have been counted during the biweekly period. The type of action counted for each application is also indicated on the report. The examiner may also review time data, an action summary, and cumulative summaries to date for the current quarter and fiscal year. Various summary reports at the Art Unit, TC, and Corps levels are also produced.
All reporting of examiner time and activity is performed on a biweekly basis. Each examiner’s examining and non-examining time, as entered in the USPTO’s time and attendance system, is used by the integrated examination tools in the computation of productivity data. Examiners can view biweekly time and activity reports through the integrated examination tools, which include a list, by application number, of all applications for which actions have been counted during the biweekly period. The type of action counted for each application is also indicated on the report. The examiner may also review time data, an action summary, and cumulative summaries to date for the current quarter and fiscal year. Various summary reports at the Art Unit, TC, and Corps levels are also produced.
All reporting of examiner time and activity is performed on a biweekly basis. Each examiner’s examining and non-examining time, as entered in the USPTO’s time and attendance system, is used by the integrated examination tools in the computation of productivity data. Examiners can view biweekly time and activity reports through the integrated examination tools, which include a list, by application number, of all applications for which actions have been counted during the biweekly period. The type of action counted for each application is also indicated on the report. The examiner may also review time data, an action summary, and cumulative summaries to date for the current quarter and fiscal year. Various summary reports at the Art Unit, TC, and Corps levels are also produced.
All reporting of examiner time and activity is performed on a biweekly basis. Each examiner’s examining and non-examining time, as entered in the USPTO’s time and attendance system, is used by the integrated examination tools in the computation of productivity data. Examiners can view biweekly time and activity reports through the integrated examination tools, which include a list, by application number, of all applications for which actions have been counted during the biweekly period. The type of action counted for each application is also indicated on the report. The examiner may also review time data, an action summary, and cumulative summaries to date for the current quarter and fiscal year. Various summary reports at the Art Unit, TC, and Corps levels are also produced.
All reporting of examiner time and activity is performed on a biweekly basis. Each examiner’s examining and non-examining time, as entered in the USPTO’s time and attendance system, is used by the integrated examination tools in the computation of productivity data. Examiners can view biweekly time and activity reports through the integrated examination tools, which include a list, by application number, of all applications for which actions have been counted during the biweekly period. The type of action counted for each application is also indicated on the report. The examiner may also review time data, an action summary, and cumulative summaries to date for the current quarter and fiscal year. Various summary reports at the Art Unit, TC, and Corps levels are also produced.
All reporting of examiner time and activity is performed on a biweekly basis. Each examiner’s examining and non-examining time, as entered in the USPTO’s time and attendance system, is used by the integrated examination tools in the computation of productivity data. Examiners can view biweekly time and activity reports through the integrated examination tools, which include a list, by application number, of all applications for which actions have been counted during the biweekly period. The type of action counted for each application is also indicated on the report. The examiner may also review time data, an action summary, and cumulative summaries to date for the current quarter and fiscal year. Various summary reports at the Art Unit, TC, and Corps levels are also produced.
Patent Data Retrieval
To retrieve data from the automated data management system transactions are entered by keyed entries or by making an appropriate choice in a drop-down menu. Among other items, classification, examiner docket, attorney, inventor, status, and prosecution history data as well as the location of each paper application can be retrieved and updated online.
Examiner dockets are maintained in the automated data management system and the integrated examination tools simultaneously with the recording of incoming and outgoing communications, transfers of applications to and from dockets, and other types of updating of the application record. The status of each examiner’s docket can be determined by means of the integrated examination tools. Examiner dockets include the individual examiner new and amended docket which lists applications as regular, special, or expedited applications in priority order; the individual examiner rejected application docket; and the individual examiner new application profile, which lists the totals of new applications in each docket. Various summaries of the above reports at the art unit, Technology Center (TC), and corps levels are also available.
PAIR/Patent Center Status
To retrieve data from the automated data management system transactions are entered by keyed entries or by making an appropriate choice in a drop-down menu. Among other items, classification, examiner docket, attorney, inventor, status, and prosecution history data as well as the location of each paper application can be retrieved and updated online.
Examiner dockets are maintained in the automated data management system and the integrated examination tools simultaneously with the recording of incoming and outgoing communications, transfers of applications to and from dockets, and other types of updating of the application record. The status of each examiner’s docket can be determined by means of the integrated examination tools. Examiner dockets include the individual examiner new and amended docket which lists applications as regular, special, or expedited applications in priority order; the individual examiner rejected application docket; and the individual examiner new application profile, which lists the totals of new applications in each docket. Various summaries of the above reports at the art unit, Technology Center (TC), and corps levels are also available.
Examiner Docket Management
Examiner dockets are maintained in the automated data management system and the integrated examination tools simultaneously with the recording of incoming and outgoing communications, transfers of applications to and from dockets, and other types of updating of the application record. The status of each examiner’s docket can be determined by means of the integrated examination tools. Examiner dockets include the individual examiner new and amended docket which lists applications as regular, special, or expedited applications in priority order; the individual examiner rejected application docket; and the individual examiner new application profile, which lists the totals of new applications in each docket. Various summaries of the above reports at the art unit, Technology Center (TC), and corps levels are also available.
Application Assignment and Routing
Examiner dockets are maintained in the automated data management system and the integrated examination tools simultaneously with the recording of incoming and outgoing communications, transfers of applications to and from dockets, and other types of updating of the application record. The status of each examiner’s docket can be determined by means of the integrated examination tools. Examiner dockets include the individual examiner new and amended docket which lists applications as regular, special, or expedited applications in priority order; the individual examiner rejected application docket; and the individual examiner new application profile, which lists the totals of new applications in each docket. Various summaries of the above reports at the art unit, Technology Center (TC), and corps levels are also available.
Source Text from USPTO’s MPEP
This is an exact copy of the MPEP from the USPTO. It is here for your reference to see the section in context.
Official MPEP § 1704 — Application Records and Reports
Source: USPTO1704 Application Records and Reports [R-07.2022]
The USPTO maintains an automated data management system for the retrieval and/or online updating of the computer record of each patent application. The USPTO also maintains integrated examination tools which display examiner time, activity, and docket records, and technical support staff backlog records.
To retrieve data from the automated data management system transactions are entered by keyed entries or by making an appropriate choice in a drop-down menu. Among other items, classification, examiner docket, attorney, inventor, status, and prosecution history data as well as the location of each paper application can be retrieved and updated online.
I. DOCKET REPORTSExaminer dockets are maintained in the automated data management system and the integrated examination tools simultaneously with the recording of incoming and outgoing communications, transfers of applications to and from dockets, and other types of updating of the application record. The status of each examiner’s docket can be determined by means of the integrated examination tools. Examiner dockets include the individual examiner new and amended docket which lists applications as regular, special, or expedited applications in priority order; the individual examiner rejected application docket; and the individual examiner new application profile, which lists the totals of new applications in each docket. Various summaries of the above reports at the art unit, Technology Center (TC), and corps levels are also available.
II. BIWEEKLY TIME AND ACTIVITY REPORTSAll reporting of examiner time and activity is performed on a biweekly basis. Each examiner’s examining and non-examining time, as entered in the USPTO’s time and attendance system, is used by the integrated examination tools in the computation of productivity data. Examiners can view biweekly time and activity reports through the integrated examination tools, which include a list, by application number, of all applications for which actions have been counted during the biweekly period. The type of action counted for each application is also indicated on the report. The examiner may also review time data, an action summary, and cumulative summaries to date for the current quarter and fiscal year. Various summary reports at the Art Unit, TC, and Corps levels are also produced.