Filing Patents Online

Niazi, Sarfaraz K.

Chapter 1 -- The Patent Filing Systems -- Introduction -- A Brief History of the Internet -- U.S. Laws and Systems -- International Patent Laws, Processes, and Systems -- The Paris Convention -- Patent Cooperation Treaty -- European Patent Convention -- Online and Electronic Filing Requirements -- Chapter 2 -- Patent Application Essentials -- Introduction -- Key Definitions -- Misconceptions -- Introduction to Patent Practice -- Purpose of Patent -- Laws Governing Patents -- Important Dates -- Parts of a Patent -- Drawings (35 USC 113) -- Specification (35 USC 112) -- 112 f1 Requirement: Description, Enablement, and Best Mode -- 112 |2 Requirement: Parts of a Claim -- Reading a Claim -- Punctuation of Claim -- Definiteness of Claim -- Narrowing of Claim -- Dependent Claims (§112 f3-4) -- Multiple Dependent Claims (§112 |5) -- Dominant-Subservient Claims -- Means-Plus-Function Clauses (§112 |6) -- Process Claims -- Step-Plus-Function Clauses -- Ranges -- Negative Limitations -- Relative and Exemplary Terminology -- Markush Group -- Markush Alternates -- Jepson-Type Claims, Improvement Claims -- Mixed-Class Claims -- Product-by-Process Claims -- Novelty and Loss of Right to Patent: §102 -- Date of Invention -- Status of Invention -- Types of §102 Events -- §102(a) -- §102(b) -- §102(c) -- §102(d) -- §102(e) -- §102(f) -- §102(g) -- §102 Special Forms -- Obviousness /Nonobviousness (§103) -- §103(a) -- Manner of Invention -- Graham v. John Deere: Fundamental Inquiry -- Prima Facie Obviousness -- Prima Facie Requirements -- §102(e), (f), and (g) Events as §103 Prior Art -- Admission as Prior Art under §103 -- Rights and Procedures under the Patent Cooperative Treaty (PCT) -- Definitions -- Strategies -- PCT Process -- PCT Application -- Significant §102(e) Issues -- Pre-AIPA (Filed November 29, 2000 or Earlier) -- Post-AIPA (Filed November 29, 2000 or Later) -- Chapter 3 -- Online Patentability Search -- Introduction -- Anatomy of a Patent -- Patentability Search Online -- Patent Office Resources -- The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office -- Keyword Selection and Searching -- Patent Images -- Published Application Search -- Patent Classification Search -- Searching with Classification -- Patent Classification Example -- Searching the Gazette -- The European Patent Office -- The World Intellectual Property Organization -- Canadian Patent Office -- Internet Search Engines -- Technical Databases -- Patent Searches and IP Services -- Patent Copies and Search Facilities -- Chapter 4 -- Online Filing Basics -- Introduction -- USPTO -- Obtain a Customer Number -- Associate Customer Number with Patent Application(s) -- Request a Digital Certificate -- Obtain Access Codes -- Set Up the Software -- WIPO -- PCT-EASY Registration -- PCT-EASY Installation -- PCT-SAFE -- EPO -- Chapter 5 -- USPTO EFS Overview -- EFS Purpose -- EFS Software Overview -- What EFS Supports -- What EFS Does Not Support -- Basic Steps to Using EFS -- Getting Started -- Word Processing and Imaging Programs -- File Preparation -- Obtain Specification Authoring Tools -- Obtain Submission Software -- Obtain PTO Direct Security™ -- Technical Issues -- Setup -- EFS Software on Multiple Computers -- Use of EFS Software on a Network -- File Management -- Web Browser -- Operational Issues -- General -- Specification Authoring -- Figures, Drawings, Chemical Structures, and Mathematical Equations -- Additional Application Data -- View /Print -- Transmitting to the USPTO -- Receipt of Filing -- Fees /Payment -- Troubleshooting /Errors -- Chapter 6 -- USPTO EFS Scenarios -- Introduction -- Terminology -- Patent Application Publication Process and EFS Submissions -- New Utility Application -- The Applicant -- The USPTO -- Preparation for Authoring -- Specification -- Viewing -- Submission Folder -- Submission -- Notes -- EFS Filing Scenario with Compact Disc -- The Applicant -- The USPTO -- New Utility Application with Assignment -- Provisional Application -- 18-Month Publication -- The Applicant -- The USPTO -- Voluntary Pre-Grant Publication -- Amended Publication as First Pre-Grant Publication by the USPTO -- Redacted Publication Submission as First Pre-Grant Publication -- by the USPTO -- Redacted Publication Submission after Initial Publication -- Corrected Publication Due to Error -- Computer Readable Format Biotechnology Sequence Listing -- for Pending Paper Application -- Filing an Assignment Recordation for a Previously Filed Patent -- Application Using EFS -- Application Data Sheet -- Case Study for a New Utility Application -- Overview -- Background -- Preparation for Authoring the Patent Application Specification Document -- Authoring the Patent Application Specification Document -- Creating Necessary Transmittals and the Cover Sheet -- Tracking Down the Application -- Chapter 7 -- USPTO: PASAT -- Introduction -- Getting Started -- Creating New Specifications -- Importing Specifications -- Loading Specifications -- Interface Features -- Menus and Menu Options -- Toolbars -- Shortcut Keys -- Office Assistant -- Status Bar -- Disabled Microsoft Word Features -- Editing Specifications -- Changing Tag and Entity Display -- Using the Specification Map -- Managing Selections -- Managing Paragraphs -- Adding Paragraphs -- Splitting Paragraphs -- Deleting Paragraphs -- Renumbering Paragraphs -- Managing Claims -- Adding Claims -- Adding Claim-Text Elements -- Indenting Claim-Text Elements -- Splitting Claim-Text Elements -- Deleting Claim-Text Elements -- Splitting Claims -- Deleting Claims -- Renumbering Claims -- Managing Claim Dependencies -- Creating Claim Dependency References -- Redefining Reference Targets -- Deleting Claim Dependency References -- Formatting Text -- Copy, Cut, and Paste -- Paste Paragraphs -- Paste Claims -- Removing Double Emphasis Tags -- Nonbreaking Spaces and Hyphens -- Smart Quotes, Apostrophes, Fractions, and Double Hyphens -- Reversing Operations -- Managing Complex Work Units -- Converting Equations, Formulae, Symbols, and Tables -- to TIFF Images -- Changing the Browser Display Font -- Managing Tables -- Managing Figures -- Adding Figures -- Reordering Figures -- Removing Figures -- Managing Special Characters -- Inserting Custom Characters -- Replacing Unknown Symbols -- Deleting Special Characters -- Entering Biological Deposit Data -- Spell Check -- Spell Check in Real-Time -- Spell Check in Batch Mode -- Finding and Replacing Content -- Validating and Previewing Specifications -- Validate Specification -- Previewing Specifications -- Saving and Exporting Specifications -- Saving Specifications -- Exporting Specifications -- Chapter 8 -- USPTO TSA -- Introduction -- Macro Setup -- Template Setup Procedures -- Overview of WordPerfect XML Template -- The Template Environment -- EFS Toolbars -- Keyboard Shortcuts -- Overview of EFS Tagging -- The Display Codes View -- Copy and Paste from Text Files -- Paste and Tag Paragraphs -- Insert Special Characters -- Methods of Tagging -- Resolving Tagging Errors -- Correcting a Text Insertion Error -- Correcting a Missing Tag Error -- Correcting an Attribute Error -- Using Undo to Correct an Error -- Using Redo to Correct an Error -- Authoring a Specification -- Create a New Specification -- Select Specification Sections -- Add MPEP Recommended Section -- Remove MPEP Recommended Section -- Create a New Section -- Title of Invention (Required) -- Cross-Reference to Related Applications (Optional) -- Continuity Data -- Referenced Applications and Patents -- Copyright Statement (Optional) -- Federal Research Statement (Optional) -- Compact Disc Appendix (Optional) -- Background of Invention (Optional) -- Summary of the Invention (Optional) -- Brief Description of the Drawings (Conditional) -- Brief Description of Sequences (Conditional) -- Detailed Description of the Invention (Required) -- Deposit of Computer Program Listings (Optional) -- What Is Claimed (Required) -- Basic Claim Tagging -- Additional Claims -- Indented Sections -- Dependent Claim Reference -- Display Claims -- Abstract of the Disclosure (Required) -- Figures (Optional) -- Preparation for Attaching Figures -- Attaching Figures -- Formatting Images -