What information can be provided about international applications or applications claiming benefit of international applications?
According to MPEP 102, for national stage applications or applications claiming the benefit of a published international application: “Only the serial number and filing date, or application number, as well as whether the application is pending, abandoned, or patented may be given for the national stage application and for any applications claiming the benefit of…
Read MoreHow can I find the current location or status of a patent application?
According to MPEP 102, when it is desired to determine the current location or status of an application, USPTO personnel should use Patent Data Portal. However, it’s important to note that: “If the application is an Image File Wrapper (IFW) application, no location is associated with the file.” For public inquiries about application status, the…
Read MoreWhat is the procedure for accessing unpublished patent applications?
According to MPEP 102, accessing unpublished patent applications requires specific procedures: “Applications that were not published or patented, that are not the subject of a benefit claim under 35 U.S.C. 119(e), 120, 121, 365(c), or 386(c) in an application that has issued as a U.S. patent, an application that has published as a statutory invention…
Read MoreCan status information be provided for unpublished patent applications?
In general, status information cannot be provided for unpublished patent applications, unless the requester is: The applicant A patent practitioner of record The assignee or an assignee of an undivided part interest The inventor or a joint inventor A registered attorney or agent named in the application papers Alternatively, a person with written authority from…
Read MoreWho is authorized to receive status information for an unpublished patent application?
For unpublished patent applications that are pending or abandoned, the following individuals are authorized to receive status information: The applicant A patent practitioner of record The assignee or an assignee of an undivided part interest The inventor or a joint inventor A registered attorney or agent named in the application papers filed under 37 CFR…
Read MoreHow can I obtain status information for a patent application?
To obtain status information for a patent application, you can: Check Patent Center or Private Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) on the USPTO website at www.uspto.gov Contact the Application Assistance Unit (AAU) for applications in pre-examination or post-examination processing via email at HelpAAU@uspto.gov, phone at 571-272-4000 or toll-free at 888-786-0101, or visit their website If…
Read MoreWhat status information is available for international applications?
For international applications and applications claiming the benefit of a published international application: If the United States is indicated as a Designated State, status information is available for the national stage application and any application claiming benefit of the filing date of the published international application. Only the serial number, filing date, application number, and…
Read MoreWhat is the general rule regarding confidentiality of patent applications?
Patent applications that have not been published under 35 U.S.C. 122(b) are generally preserved in confidence pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 122(a). Information about the filing, pendency, or subject matter of an application, including status information and access to the application, is only given to the public as set forth in § 1.11 or in this…
Read MoreWhen is a patent application file available to the public?
A patent application file becomes available to the public in the following situations: When the application has issued as a patent or published as a statutory invention registration When the application has been published and subsequently abandoned When the application has been published and is still pending When an unpublished, abandoned application is identified or…
Read MoreWhen are patent application records available to the public?
Patent application records may be available to the public in the following situations: Patented applications and statutory invention registrations Published abandoned applications Published pending applications Unpublished abandoned applications that are identified or relied upon Unpublished pending applications whose benefit is claimed Unpublished pending applications that are incorporated by reference or otherwise identified For specific details…
Read More