What is the Customer Number practice for USPTO communications?
The Customer Number practice is a system used by the USPTO to streamline the management of correspondence addresses for patent applicants. The MPEP mentions this practice as an exception to individual address changes:
“…except as provided for under Customer Number practice — see MPEP § 403“
With a Customer Number, you can change the correspondence address for multiple applications at once. This is particularly useful for law firms or companies managing numerous patent applications. It simplifies the process of updating contact information and ensures consistent communication with the USPTO across all linked applications.
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