PrintEFS
An Aid for Preparing
Bibliographic lnformation for a U.S. Patent Application
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) is pleased to offer a new
program on its Internet web site entitled "PrintEFS." This program will
assist applicants in preparing a standard application data sheet and
printing it to paper in a machine-readable format. When a PrintEFS
application data sheet is submitted with a new patent application, it
enables the PTO to electronically capture patent application
bibliographic information from that sheet greatly reducing the PTO's
processing time for providing the applicant with an automatic e-mail or
fax acknowledgement of papers received.
Bibliograhic information includes, for example, the name and address of
the applicant, the title of the invention, and the address of the
applicant's representative. Electronic capture of the bibliographic
information, from a properly formatted application data sheet, improves
the accuracy of patent application information. This, then, results in
more accurate filing receipts and other records. It also accelerates the
initial review process primarily by reducing the time spent searching
various patent application papers to locate the bibliographic
information. Additionally, the need for manual entry of this information
into PTO information systems is greatly reduced.
The application data sheets can be, and have previously been, produced
by hand or by a word processing template. The new PrintEFS system
however, is easier for the applicant and produces a far more accurate
application data sheet. Applicants who have been using the previously
distributed application data sheets are urged to try the PrintEFS system.
Acquiring PrintEFS:
Applicants with computer access to the Internet can use the PrintEFS
system by this two step process:
(1) First, the user downloads and installs on his or her computer a
reusable InternetForms Viewer and the PrintEFS authoring tool.
(2) Second, the user runs the PrintEFS program to produce an
application data sheet which may be printed and submitted with a new
patent application. The viewer and authoring tool may be reused.
The viewer and the authoring tool are obtained by clicking the Download
Viewer and Download Form links at the USPTO web site,
http://www.uspto.gov/printefs. The viewer is an Internet Web browser
extension that was supplied by Unisoft Wares Incorporated (UWI). Users
install the viewer and the authoring tool by double clicking each saved
file (viewer and authoring tool) and following the install instructions
provided within each program.
PrintEFS Technical Requirements:
The following computer hardware, software, and peripherals are needed:
(1) An IBM-compatible computer with Pentium 133 or above (Pentium 200 or
above recommended), 24 MB RAM (32 MB recommended);
(2) 20MB disk space;
(3) Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows NT;
(4) An Internet Service Provider;
(5) A web browser such as Netscape 3.0, Internet Explorer 3.0, or
later versions;
(6) A mouse; and
(7) A printer.
Using PrintEFS:
The PrintEFS authoring tool consists of the data entry screens listed
below. The applicant must provide the requested information that is
relevant to the application being submitted in the following categories:
(1) Inventor Information
(2) Correspondence Information
(3) Application Information
(4) Representative Information
(5) Prior Foreign Information
(6) Continuity Information.
The program includes easy-to-use tools such as indicators for mandatory
fields, drop-down lists, checkboxes. and tool tips. The program also
verifies the format of the information that the applicant enters in each
data entry field, and validates the information where possible. It then
prints the application data sheet(s) for the applicant to submit to the
PTO with his or her new patent application. The applicant may print a
copy of the data entry screens at any time, with filled information
fields or blank fields, and can save the entry screens to a file for
reuse. The applicant may later retrieve and modify the saved data entry
screens for other applications.
When a properly entered PrintEFS application data sheet accompanies a
new patent application a courtesy acknowledgement will be sent to the
electronic mail address applicant has provided. It will indicate that
the PTO has received and is processing the patent application. If an
electronic mail address is not provided, the courtesy acknowledgement
will be sent to the applicant using the fax telephone number listed in
the correspondence information, if any.
The use of PrintEFS and the use of the application data sheet are
optional. If an application data sheet is submitted in an application,
the applicant should carefully check the information he or she provides
in the application data sheet as this information will be used to
establish the PTO records for the application. If information on the
application data sheet is different from information provided in the
oath or declaration under 37 CFR 1.63, the information provided in the
application data sheet will still be used to establish PTO records for
the application. A supplemental application data sheet may be submitted
to correct or update information provided in a previous application data
sheet. A supplemental oath or declaration under 37 CFR 1.67 may be
required if information provided in the oath or declaration under 37 CFR
1.63 is not correct.
Review Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995:
The information collection involved in this notice is subject to the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq), and his been
reviewed by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). This review is
under OMB control number 0651-0032 and is approved through September 30,
2000. This collection of information is required by 35 U.S.C. 111,
112, 113, 115, 119, and 120. Use of the PrintEFS program and the
application data sheet format are voluntary. Information submitted by
applicant will be treated confidentially in accordance with 35 U.S.C.
122 and 37 C.F.R. 1.14. The USPTO estimates that it will take an
applicant 19 minutes to download and install the Internetforms viewer if
they are using a 28.8K modem or 11 minutes if they are using a 56.6K
modem. It will then take the applicant an additional 12 minutes to read
and understand the instructions, gather and enter the information, and
to print the bibliographic information.Since the viewer only needs to be
downloaded and installed on, it will only take the public 12 minutes to
complete the bibliographic information after the first time the PrintEFS
authoring tool is used. The USPTO anticipates that it will take the same
amount of time to complete and print the PrintEFS application data sheet
as it does to use alternativemeans to create the same paper printed
output.
For Further Information:
A copy of the PrintEFS Authoring Guide can be downloaded from the
USPTO's Internet Website at www.uspto.gov/PrintEFS. For Further
Information Contact: The USPTO Patent Assistance Center at
1-800-786-9199 or send an electronic message to PrintEFS@ uspto.gov.
August 6, 1999 NICHOLAS P. GODICI
Deputy Assistant Commissioner
for Patent Process Services