MPEP § 1730 — MPEP § 1730
Current through: 2022-07-01

1730-Information Sources 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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 Chapter 1700 

 Section 1730 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 1730 Information Sources [R-07.2022]
 I. IN GENERAL General information about patents, trademarks, products and services
 offered by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), and other related
 information is available by contacting the USPTO Contact Center at:
 

 
 800-PTO-9199 or 571-272-1000

 (TDD) 571-272-9950

 

 An automated message system is available 7 days a week, 24 hours a day
 providing informational responses to frequently asked questions and the ability to order
 certain documents. Customer service representatives are available to answer questions,
 send materials or connect customers with other offices of the USPTO from 8:30 a.m. -
 8:00 p.m. ET, Monday-Friday (excluding federal holidays). 
 

 For other technical patent information needs, the Inventors Assistance
 Center can be reached through customer service representatives at the above numbers,
 Monday through Friday (except federal holidays) from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET.
 

 General information can also be obtained in person from the Public
 Search Facilities of the USPTO. See subsection IV. below. 
 

 II. USPTO INTERNET SITE 
 

 A. General Information The USPTO website ( www.uspto.gov ) provides a wealth of information to all users. The
 USPTO website offers links to news and notices (such as announcements, press
 releases, Official Gazette Notices and Federal
 Register Notices), USPTO contacts and addresses, activities and
 education related pages (such as the PTDL program and the Kids Pages), patent
 specific information (such as issued patents and published patent applications,
 general information pertaining to applying for a patent, electronic filing of patent
 applications, and reference materials such as the MPEP and examination guidelines),
 and trademark specific information (such as the Trademark Manual of Examining
 Procedure and the U.S. Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS)). In addition, the
 website allows downloading of a variety of USPTO forms (including PCT forms),
 ordering copies of patents and trademarks, accessing a list of all current fees,
 paying patent maintenance fees, replenishing deposit accounts, accessing various
 legal materials, linking to related websites, etc. 
 

 B. Electronic Business The Patent Electronic Business Center (EBC) assists USPTO customers
 with electronic patent application submissions via the USPTO patent electronic filing
 system and with the review of patent applications in Private PAIR. The EBC offers
 online electronic filing information, instructional material, PatentIn and Checker
 support and is available to assist users through one-on-one support during its normal
 business hours. The EBC also serves as a liaison in directing customers to other
 USPTO organizations that can address their specialized business issues and needs. The
 hours of operation of the EBC are Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. - midnight (ET). The
 EBC can be reached by telephone at 866-217-9197 (toll-free) or 571-272-4100. The EBC
 may be reached by email at ebc@uspto.gov and by fax at 571-273-0177.
 

 1. USPTO Databases 
 

 (a) Issued Patents The Patent Grants Database provides access to the full-text of
 all U.S. patents issued since 1976, and to the full-page images of all U.S.
 patents issued since 1790. 
 

 (b) Published Applications The Patent Applications Database provides both full-text and
 full-page images of all U.S. patent applications published since March 15,
 2001.
 

 (c) Status Information Status information relating to patent applications is
 available through Patent Center and Private Patent Application Information
 Retrieval (PAIR). In Patent Center, information is available relating to issued
 patents, published patent applications, and applications to which a patented or
 published application claims domestic priority. In Private PAIR, an applicant
 (or a registered practitioner with power of attorney) can securely track the
 progress of the applicant's application(s) through the USPTO. Private PAIR
 makes available information relating to unpublished patent applications, but
 the applicant must associate a Customer Number with the application to obtain
 access. See MPEP
 § 403 for Customer Number practice. 
 

 (d) Image File Wrapper (IFW) The Image File Wrapper (IFW) system uses image technology to
 replace the paper processing of patent applications in the Office. Paper
 components of these application files (including the specification, oath or
 declaration, drawings, information disclosure statements, amendments, Office
 actions, and file jacket notations) have been scanned to create electronic
 image files. For patent applications in the IFW system, the IFW file is the
 Official file and no access is granted to the original paper document sheets
 used to create the IFW file. All processing and examination is conducted using
 the electronic images instead of the paper source documents.
 

 If an IFW file has been created for a patented application,
 published application, or an application to which a patented or published
 application claims domestic priority, the IFW file (with the exception of
 non-patent literature) is accessible through Patent Center and Private PAIR.
 All patent applications filed after June 30, 2003 have been scanned into the
 IFW system and will be available in Patent Center and Private PAIR as soon as
 they have been published or patented. Non-patent literature (NPL) may be viewed
 using Private PAIR (if an IFW file has been created) or obtained from the
 Patent and Trademark Copy Fulfillment Branch of the Public Records
 Division.
 

 Questions about IFW images viewed in Private PAIR should be
 directed to the Patent EBC.
 

 (e) Assignments on the Web (AOTW) Assignment information is available for issued patents and
 published applications recorded since August 1980. AOTW is available at
 

 www.uspto.gov/patent/laws-and-regulations/
 power-attorney-and-assignment/assignments-web-aotw .
 Questions or concerns regarding the data displayed may be directed to the
 Assignment Services Division at assign@uspto.gov or 571-272-3350.
 

 (f) Global Dossier Public Access Global Dossier Public Access provides secure,
 online, one-stop access to and management of dossier information of all
 applications that comprise a family and that have been filed in multiple
 participating patent offices. This includes the IP5 Offices, international
 applications filed under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), as well as patent
 applications from World Intellectual Property Organization-Centralized Access
 to Search and Examination (WIPO-CASE) participating offices. Global Dossier
 includes a Citation List that provides a comprehensive listing of relevant
 citations in related applications that share a common priority claim. By using
 this service, examiners are able to view Office actions (along with machine
 translations), citations, and classification data for those applications in
 real time. In addition, Global Dossier provides Office action Indicators to
 assist examiners quickly identify applications that contain Office actions. See
 www.wipo.int/case/en/ for additional information regarding
 WIPO-CASE. For more information regarding the Global Dossier see www.uspto.gov/GlobalDossier . 
 

 2. Transacting Electronic Business 
 

 (a) Filing Applications and Other Documents The USPTO patent electronic filing system allows customers to
 electronically file patent application documents securely via the Internet. See
 the Legal Framework for Patent Electronic System
 

 ( www.uspto.gov/ patents-application-process/
 filing-online/legal-framework-efs-web ) 
 

 for submissions via EFS-Web. See also
 MPEP §
 502.05 .
 

 (b) Paying Fees and Replenishing Deposit Accounts The Office of Finance Online page Fees Self-Service Portal
 available at www.uspto.gov/FinancialManager may be used to access the
 Patent Maintenance Fees Storefront to pay maintenance fees, the Financial
 Manager to maintain and replenish deposit account, or the current USPTO Fee
 Schedules.
 

 (c) Ordering Copies and Publications Copies of patent applications as filed and patent file
 wrappers that have been issued or published are available online from the
 Certified Copy Center (CCC) Storefront at the MyUSPTO log in link
 ( https://my.uspto.gov ) or at https://certifiedcopycenter.uspto.gov . Presentation patents
 (a certified copy of the first page of an issued patent having a special ribbon
 and seal available for commemorative purposes) may also be ordered. Contact the
 Patent and Trademark Copy Fulfillment Branch of the Public Records Division at
 1-800-972-6382 or 571-272-3150 for more information.
 

 III. PCT For questions and information concerning the Patent Cooperation Treaty
 (PCT), the PCT Help Desk is available to provide assistance and may be reached by
 telephone at 571-272-4300 between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. (ET), Monday
 through Friday, or by facsimile at 571-273-0419, 24 hours a day. In addition, helpful
 information is available through the Internet at the International Patent Legal
 Administration page of the USPTO website at www.uspto.gov/PatentCooperationTreaty and at the World Intellectual
 Property Office website ( www.wipo.int/portal/en/index.html ).
 

 IV. USPTO SEARCH AND INFORMATION RESOURCE FACILITIES The following USPTO search and information resource facilities are
 accessible to the public:
 

 
 (A) Public Search Facility (Madison East, first floor, 600 Dulany
 St., Alexandria, VA 22314) at 571-272-3275
 
 

 

 (Hours: Weekdays, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., ET); 

 

 (B) Scientific and Technical Information Center
 
 (1) Main Library (Remsen Bldg., first floor, 400 Dulany St.,
 Alexandria, VA 22314) at 571-272-3547
 

 (2) Biotech/Chemical Library (Remsen 1D58) at 571-272-2520 
 
 

 

 (Hours: Weekdays, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., ET); and

 

 
 

 (C) Application Assistance Unit (AAU) may be reached via email at
 HelpAAU@uspto.gov or via phone at 571-272-4000 or toll free at 888-786-0101. 
 
 

 

 (Hours: Weekdays, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., ET).

 

 V. REGISTERED PRACTITIONERS The USPTO cannot recommend any particular attorney or agent, or aid in
 the selection of an attorney or agent. See MPEP § 401 . A list of
 Attorneys and Agents Registered to Practice Before the U.S. Patent and
 Trademark Office is available on the USPTO website at
 

 www.uspto.gov/FindPatentAttorney .
 

 VI. MISCELLANEOUS 
 

 A. Recently Filed Applications For information and questions concerning recently filed patent
 applications and filing receipts, contact the Application Assistance Unit at
 571-272-4200 (hours: weekdays, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., ET). 
 

 B. Pre-Grant Publication For inquiries concerning projected pre-grant publication dates,
 contact the Application Assistance Unit at 571-272-4200.
 

 C. Status Information Status information relating to patent applications is available
 through Patent Center or Private Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR).
 Alternatively, applicants may contact the Application Assistance Unit at
 571-272-4200.
 

 D. Correspondence For information pertaining to mail, facsimile, or hand-delivery of
 correspondence to the USPTO, see MPEP §§ 502 - 502.01 . For
 information pertaining to Internet electronic mail (email) correspondence with the
 USPTO, see MPEP §
 502.03 .
 

 E. Copies of Documents Inquiries regarding certified or uncertified copies of documents,
 including patent applications-as-filed, patent related file wrappers, and patent
 copies, should be directed to the Public Records Division's (PRD) Patent and
 Trademark Copy Fulfillment Branch Customer Service at 571-272-3150 or 1-800-972-6382.
 The Certified Copy Center (CCC) Storefront allows USPTO customers to order certified
 copies from both published and unpublished patent applications. The CCC Storefront
 provides a one-stop shop solution for certified copies of documents from both
 published and unpublished patent applications by including a mechanism for customers
 to demonstrate their authority to access unpublished patent documents. Access to the
 CCC Storefront is located at the MyUSPTO log in link ( https://my.uspto.gov ) or at
 https://certifiedcopycenter.uspto.gov . Customers will need to
 have an USPTO.gov account to access the CCC Storefront. 
 

 F. Maintenance Fees Information regarding maintenance fees may be obtained from the
 Private Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system on the USPTO website,
 or by contacting the Receipts Accounting Division at 571-272-6500. See
 MPEP §
 2570 for additional information.
 

 G. Assignments For questions pertaining to filing assignments or other documents
 affecting title, contact Assignment Recordation Branch at 571-272-3350 or email
 questions to EPAS@uspto.gov. Documents may be submitted to the Assignment Branch by
 facsimile at 571-273-0140. See MPEP § 302.09 for additional
 information.
 

 H. Petitions Petitions regarding the filing of patent applications, revival of
 abandoned applications, reinstatement of expired patents, withdrawal of patent
 applications from issue, small entity entitlement, review of previous decisions of
 the Technology Centers, suspension of regulations, and questions not specifically
 provided for by regulations are administered by the Office of Petitions. See
 MPEP §
 1002.02(b) . For matters decided by the Office of Petitions,
 the appropriate USPTO personnel may be reached at the Petitions Help Desk at
 571-272-3282.
 

 Resource information and reference materials regarding
 petitions handled by the Office of Petitions are available at www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/petitions . The website also describes
 various ways available to file petitions, including EFS-Web, mail (United States
 Postal Service (USPS) and non-USPS), ePetition, facsimile, and hand carry. Note that
 a petition to withdraw an application from issue may be filed as an ePetition or sent
 by facsimile to 571-273-0025 (all other facsimile transmissions to the Office of
 Petitions should be sent to the Central FAX Number 571-273-8300). Urgent petitions to
 withdraw an application from issue may also be filed as an ePetition. 
 

 I. PatentIn For help related to downloading the PatentIn software program or
 using PatentIn, contact the Patent Electronic Business Center at 866-217-9197 or via
 email at ebc@uspto.gov (see subsection II.B. above). See MPEP § 2430 for
 additional information.
 

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 1701-Office Personnel Not To Express Opinion on Validity, Patentability, Expiration Date, or Enforceability of Patent 
 1701.01-Office Personnel Not To Testify 

 
 

 1702-Restrictions on Current and Former Office Employees Regarding Patent Matters 

 1703-The Official Gazette 

 1704-Application Records and Reports 

 1705-Examiner Docket, Time, and Activity Recordation 

 1706-1719-[Reserved] 

 1720-Dissemination of Court and Patent Trial and Appeal Board Decisions 

 1721-Treatment of Court and Patent Trial and Appeal Board Decisions Affecting Patent and Trademark Office Policy and Practice 

 1722-1729-[Reserved] 

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 03/09/2026 20:50:36