ABOUT   
Collage showing the new U S P T O building during construction as well as people working in an office. Image is part of the header for the U S P T O Performance and Accountability Report for Fiscal Year 2003
United States Patent and Trademark Office
Performance and Accountability Report Fiscal Year 2003
Other Accompanying Information

Table of Contents |  Management |  Financial |  Supplemental |  Auditor |  IG |  Other

The Nature of the Training Provided to USPTO Examiners

Achieving organizational excellence demands a high performing workforce that delivers high quality work products and provides customer service excellence. Training is a critical component in achieving consistently high quality products and services.

Patent examiners and Trademark examining attorneys received extensive legal, technical, and automation training in FY 2003. The USPTO has a comprehensive training program for new patent examiners and trademark examining attorneys, which has a well-established curriculum including initial legal training and training in examination practice and procedure. Automation training is provided to all examiners on an as-needed, just-in-time basis. Technology-specific legal and technical training was conducted throughout the examining operations. This specific training either focused on practices particular to the technology or was developed to address training needs identified through Trademark training.

The USPTO training staff works one-on-one with the Patent and Trademark business units to address specific training concerns and serve as consultants to design specific internal programs to fit the education needs of each business unit. Training is reviewed and evaluated on an on-going basis to insure it is up-to-date and that coursework reflects developments and changes that have taken place in the industry.

In FY 2003 in Trademarks, data gathered from the results of quality reviews are being analyzed and used to prepare the content of on-line e-learning training materials for trademark examining attorneys. Three e-learning modules: “proper handling of scandalous and disparaging trademarks;” “likelihood of confusion regarding weak and diluted trademarks;” and “scope of identification of goods and services amendments” have been developed. Reviewers continue to gather data regarding dozens of examination issues on each file they review to identify future training needs and support the Office goal to improve quality through in-process reviews.

 

Go to the Next Page in the Report >

|. HOME | INDEX | SEARCH | eBUSINESS | CONTACT US | PRIVACY POLICY