PATENT EXAMINER TRAINING
Procedural Training
Mandatory for all first year examiners |
Patent Examiner Initial Training and Introduction to Practice and Procedures
Standardized training is provided to new patent examiners to teach them the basic skills and knowledge of
the patent process, and practices and procedures such that they will be able to successfully examine a patent
application. The examiner will also be able to provide an initial report to their supervisor on what is the
claimed, as well as the disclosed invention contained in the application so as to permit him or her to perform
a prior art search. The number of courses offered each year is based on the projected number of new examiners
entering the patent business unit. |
Legal Training
Mandatory for all first year examiners |
Practice and Procedures
Lectures covering the following topics:
- "Novelty" Requirements
- "Non-Obviousness"Requirements
- "Utility" Requirements
- Restriction Practice
- Unity of Invention
- Double Patenting
- Allowance and Issue
- Appeals
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Continuing Education –
Courses are for students from all Technology Centers, some taught by TC personnel, some modified to include TC
specific examples |
- Review of Recent Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit Decisions
- Claim Interpretation
- Update on Rule Changes
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Legal Training –
Technology Center Level courses taught by TC personnel, some developed within the TCs |
Examples include:
- 101 Training
- 102/103 Training
- Obviousness Type Double Patenting
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Legal Training
Legal Courses |
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Examiner Technical
Training
(Technology Center Focused) |
- Technology Fairs
- Biotechnology
- Computer Software and Hardware
- Optics, Semiconductor, Electrical Engineering
- Communication Technology
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Non-Duty Technical Training Program |
Examples:
- Mathematical Methods for Physics
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Automation Training
All first year examiners are provided mandatory initial automation training. |
Examples:
IFW Classes
- IFW for Examiners (eDAN)
- IFW for Technical Support Staff (MADRAS)
- IFW for Coordinating Committee
- IFW Messaging for Supervisory Patent Examiners
- IFW Refresher Course
Non-IFW Classes
- Classification Data System Desktop Training
- ChemDraw
- Examiner Automated Search System (EAST) 1.3: New Features
- EAST and Bibliographic Retrieval System: The Fundamentals
- Office Action Correspondence System (OACS) 1.3: New Features
- OACS Basics
- OACS for Non-Typists
- OACS: Creating Personal Forms
- Chemical Searching for Non-chemists
- West: Refresher
- Microsoft® PowerPoint
- Microsoft® Outlook
- PALMExpo Overview
TC-Focused Classes
- EAST Databases
- EAST: Automated Searching for Design Examiners
- EAST and Optical Character Recognition
- OACS Basics for Design Examiners
- Non-Patent Literature (NPL) Web Resources in Your Art Area
- Classification and Security Review
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Management Training |
Examples include:
- Reviewing Cases
- Coaching
- Employee Relations Topics
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