A member of the public cannot obtain direct physical access to any pending published
(original) application, but may obtain a copy of the papers in the
application file as follows:
On-line: Patent application publications are available
electronically on the USPTO website, at http://www.uspto.gov/patft/index.html.
A copy of a patent application publication, a patent application file
contents or a particular paper within the file contents of a patent
application that was published under 35 U.S.C. 122(b) may be requested
electronically at http://ebiz1.uspto.gov/oems25p/index.html with
authorization to charge the appropriate fee to a deposit account or
credit card.
By mail: A copy of a patent application publication, a patent application file contents or a particular paper within the file contents of an patent application that was published under 35 U.S.C. 122(b) may be requested by mail. Address correspondence to:
Mail Stop Document Services
Director Of United States Patent and Trademark Office
PO Box 1450
Alexandria, Virginia 22313-1450.
The request must include the application's publication number and payment of the appropriate fee.
By facsimile: A copy of a patent application publication,
a patent application file contents or a particular paper within the
file contents of an patent application that was published under 35
U.S.C. 122(b) may be requested by facsimile, with a credit card, electronic
fund transfer, or deposit account authorization for the appropriate
fee. The FAX number is (703) 305-8759.
In person: The file contents of a pending application
that was published as a patent application publication will not be
given to a member of the public without a power to inspect. If the
application is abandoned, the entire application (except in the situation where the publication was a redacted publication) is available to the public for inspection and for making copies through the File Information Unit (FIU). The FIU is located in South Tower, Room 2E04, 2900 . The telephone number of the FIU is (703)308-2733.
Fees: The fee for a copy of an application file's
contents is set forth in 37 CFR 1.19(b)(2). The fee for a particular
paper is set forth in 37 CFR 1.19(b)(4).
Questions: Contact the Public Records Division Customer Service Line at (703) 308-9726 or (800) 972-6382. Customer Service staff are available between 8:30 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. U.S. Eastern Standard Time. The After Hours Technical Support Line is: (800) 786-9199. Help using the online ordering system is available at On-line
Shopping Help Contents.
On- Line: For published and patented applications,
status information may easily be obtained using the Patent Application
Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Access the PAIR system through
the USPTO Electronic Business Center available at http://www.uspto.gov/ebc/.
By telephone: Third parties should not call the Office
to inquire as to the status of a published application other than to
inquire if the application is still pending. To see if the application
is still pending, third parties may call the FIU at (703) 308-2733.