The unexamined patent application inventory is the number of new utility, plant, and reissue (UPR) patent applications in the pipeline at any given time that are awaiting initial written feedback from a patent examiner, known as a "First Office Action". Continuation, continuation-in-part, and divisional applications are included in the total.
The total inventory is the total number of patent applications pending before the agency at any stage of prosecution, including both unexamined applications and applications that have received their office actions.
First Office Action pendency is the average number of months from the patent application filing date to the USPTO's First Office Action mailing date. The term "pendency" means that the application is pending or awaiting a decision. The First Office Action pendency number displayed is the average number of months for all applications that have a First Office Action mailed over the past three-month (one quarter) period.
This is the measure of total pendency, as traditionally measured. Historically, pendency has been measured as the average number of months from the patent application filing date to the date the application has reached final disposition (e.g., issued as a patent or abandoned), which is called a “disposal”. This pendency includes the time periods awaiting action by the USPTO, as well as any time awaiting a reply from an applicant.
The Traditional Total Pendency number displayed is the average number of months for all applications--excluding applications in which a Request for Continued Examination (RCE) has been filed--which are “disposed” over the past three-month (one quarter) period.
Total pendency including Request for Continued Examinations (RCEs) is the average number of months from the patent application filing date to the ultimate disposal of the application, irrespective of any intermediate abandonments due to the filing of an RCE.
Patent data overview
View current and historical patent trend data for examiner staffing, examination efforts, inventory, and pendency
Technology Center level data
In response to stakeholder feedback, the USPTO is providing detailed data at the Technology Center level, including filings, pendency, staffing, productivity, and inventory levels. To access the data, please click on the below link.
Download the Technology Center Data as an XLSX spreadsheet