Inventors: Learn to think like a patent examiner with STEPP's four-day course - RESCHEDULED

This event has been rescheduled to August 6-9. Please refer to this listing for updates and information.  

If you are a United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) registered patent attorney or agent, it helps to think like a USPTO patent examiner. Get a better understanding of how examiners make decisions by attending the Stakeholder Training on Examination Practice and Procedure (STEPP) agent-attorney four-day course, August 6-9, 2024.

Registration for this interactive, virtual course ended on Tuesday, July 16.

Registration closed

Virtual courses are led by USPTO trainers, and the course material is based on the same training material developed for training new USPTO examiners. The training focuses on how our examiners review patent applications according to the Manual of Patent Examining Procedure (MPEP). Attendees must complete pre-activity homework, which includes several computer-based training (CBT) modules and reading of resource materials.

The training has four separate modules that build upon each other, from days one to four. Similar to the training of new examiners at the USPTO, a sample application will be provided to each trainee and will be the focus of exercises during each module.

• Day one focuses on the role of an examiner and the steps an examiner takes when reading an application for the first time.
• Day two uses the information gathered during day one to plan and conduct a search. In addition, 35 U.S.C. §§ 101 and 112 are emphasized.
• Day three uses the information gathered during day two to map prior art to claims using 35 U.S.C. §§ 102 and 103.
• Day four finishes the mapping art to claim discussion and focuses on how examiners write their office actions.

For a detailed schedule, please view the Inventor 4-day course general schedule.

Visit the STEPP webpage to learn more about the program, or for more information, email STEPP@uspto.gov.