What is the purpose of a Customer Number in USPTO correspondence?

What is the purpose of a Customer Number in USPTO correspondence?

A Customer Number is a unique identifier assigned by the USPTO to simplify and streamline patent correspondence. According to the MPEP 403, ‘The Customer Number practice permits applicants, attorneys, and agents of record to change their correspondence address for a number of applications with one request.’ This system allows for:

• Easy updates to correspondence addresses for multiple applications
• Efficient management of power of attorney
• Simplified access to private PAIR (Patent Application Information Retrieval) for registered practitioners

By using a Customer Number, patent applicants and their representatives can more effectively manage their patent portfolios and communications with the USPTO.

For more information on Customer Number, visit: Customer Number.

For more information on USPTO correspondence, visit: USPTO correspondence.