The Nature of the Training Provided to USPTO Examiners
Achieving organizational excellence demands a high performance 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 2005. The USPTO has a comprehensive training program for new patent examiners and trademark examining attorneys, embedding a well-established curriculum including initial legal training, automation training and training in examination practice and procedure. Automation training is provided to all examiners on an as-needed basis; more than 260 automation classes were conducted on Patent examination tools. New technology-specific legal and technical training was conducted throughout the examining operations. This specific training either focuses on practices particular to a technology or was developed to address training needs identified through Patent and Trademark examination reviews or staff requests.
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 ongoing basis to ensure it is up-to-date and that coursework reflects developments and changes that have taken place in the industry. In FY 2005, the USPTO continued to expand training opportunities by developing additional computer based training and instructional videos.
In FY 2005 in the Trademark organization, data gathered from the results of quality reviews were analyzed and used to prepare the content of online e-learning training materials for trademark examining attorneys. Seven e-learning modules have been developed in Trademarks.
- Concurrent User Applications (released)
- Section 2(d) - Likelihood of Confusion - Weak and Diluted Marks (released)
- Section 2(a): Scandalous and Disparaging Marks (released)
- Amendments to Goods and Services - Are They Within The Scope? (released)
- Section 2(d) - Likelihood of Confusion - Relatedness of Goods and Services: A General Framework (completed, not released)
- Section 2(d) - Likelihood of Confusion - Relatedness of Goods and Services: Evidence (completed, not released)
- Section 2(d) - Likelihood of Confusion - Relatedness of Goods and Services: Food and Beverages Goods and Services (completed, not released)
Reviewers continue to gather data regarding dozens of examination issues on each file they review. In FY 2005, the Patent organization developed a database for the management of review findings that will provide managers with ready access to review results to better identify training needs and assist individual examiners in gaining enhanced skills and improving quality.
