The Deputy Commissioner for Patent
Examination Policy provides staff assistance in establishing patent examination and
documentation policy standards for the Commissioner for Patents and is
the authority on patent laws, rules, and examining practice and procedure;
provides direction on establishment of new rules, practices and procedures;
reviews and revises the Manual of Patent Examining Procedure;
is the deciding official for petitions on patent matters delegated by the
Under Secretary and Director, for ordering Under Secretary and Director
ordered re-examinations, for Patent Quality Review appeals to the Commissioner
for Patents, for requests for reconsideration of the Board of Patent Appeals
and Interferences decisions; review of actions by the Patent Quality Review;
and provides support, representation, advice and direction on technical
matters relating to the International Patent Classification (IPC) System,
and other international documentation-related standards.
The Deputy Commissioner for Patent Examination Policy provides administrative
oversight to and coordinates the activities of:
Office of Petitions
The Office of Petitions, which reviews and decides petitions relating to
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.
Office of Patent Legal Administration
The Office of Patent Legal Administration which implements patent laws
by developing rules and practices; monitors specialized programs such as
reexamination, reissue and patent term extension; and assists in efforts
to negotiate the harmonization of patent laws and other international matters,
including examination-related Trilateral projects.
Office of Patent Cooperation Treaty Legal Administration
Provides legal and policy guidance on issues under the Patent Cooperation
Treaty (PCT), including PCT rulemaking, international search and examination
guidelines, petitions and training; provides education programs for users
of PCT; and provides administrative oversight and coordinates the activities
of the following functions: Patent Cooperation Treaty Legal Affairs, (PCTLA)
which reviews and decides petitions relating to the PCT, assists with PCT
Rules modifications, the legal standards for application format and electronic
filing of international applications; Patent Cooperation Treaty Special
Programs (PCTSP), which provides on all aspects of the PCT process; prepares
training materials for PCT training classes for Patent Examining Corps
professional and technical support staff, patent attorneys and agents,
legal administrators, legal secretaries, and other members of the patent
community; and provides current up-to-date PCT forms through the PCT Help
Desk and through the PCT Home Page found on the United States Patent and
Trademark Internet site; and the Inventor Assistance Center (IAC), which
provides information and services to the public concerning any general
questions regarding patenting examining policies and procedures, as well
as other services provided by the United States Patent and Trademark Office
and directs callers to the appropriate contact source; and mails or faxes
information to customers as needed.
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