By Christopher P. Singer --
EFS-Web Survey
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is conducting a customer satisfaction survey relating to the experiences that registered users have had with EFS-Web. The deadline for filling out the survey is 11:30 p.m. (EDT) on Sunday, July 27, 2008. The USPTO estimates that the survey takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. The survey can be accessed here or upon logging onto Private PAIR or as a registered EFS-Web user.
The survey includes multiple choice questions relating to organizational and individual practices and motivations for using EFS-Web, e-filing policies and practice, volume of filings, most beneficial and most difficult aspects of EFS-Web, general satisfaction with EFS-Web and EBC assistance, use habits, and other desired features. After taking the survey, I realized (again) that because of EFS-Web, electronic filing has become a very reliable and convenient filing option for practitioners. There is little doubt that it represents one of the most successful programs instituted by the USPTO in recent years.
For those unable to complete the survey by July 27, the USPTO always accepts feedback by e-mail to: [email protected]. Further, the EBC Customer Service Center is always available to field any specific questions about EFS-Web, PAIR, PKI, or any other component of their e-Commerce initiatives at 866-217-9197 (toll-free) or 571-272-4100 or by e-mail at: [email protected].
New Online System for Registered Practitioner Contact Information
The USPTO announced on July 25 that it plans to introduce a system that will allow registered practitioners to update their official address of record with the Office of Enrollment and Discipline (OED) through an online interface. This system should eliminate delays and processing errors in updating information, reduce losses caused by mailings made to obsolete addresses, and ensure prompt receipt of critical communications from OED. Further, as registered patent practitioners are required to update the OED regarding address changes, the on-line customer interface should make compliance with that requirement much easier.
To implement this program, the OED will send a letter containing the practitioner's user identification number to the official address currently listed on the official roster of registered patent attorneys and agents. The user identification number, along with a separately-retrieved password, will allow the practitioner access to the practitioner's records through the OED customer interface. The letter will be sent only to practitioners listed on the official roster of registered patent attorneys and agents, and only to the address in the roster. So, if your current address information on the official roster (check here) is incorrect, you should complete the address change form (available here), and mail it to Mailstop OED, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, Virginia 22313-1450.
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