Status of Office of Public Records Services

   The Office of Public Records (OPR) processes and fills orders for both
certified and uncertified copies of Patent and Trademark Office
documents and records assignments and other documents related to title.
This is an update of actual processing times during the month of
September 2000:

Document Services                         Goal                   Actual
                                                                 Processing
                                                                 Time

Certified Documents

Patent Application-As-Filed,               7 days                 7 days
  Expedited
Patent Application-As-Filed,              17 days                16 days
  Regular
Patent Related File Wrapper               25 days                43 days*
Patent Copy                               10 days                 6 days
Patent Assignments                        10 days                 9 days
Trademark Application-As-                  7 days                 5 days*
  Filed, Expedited
Trademark Application-As-                 17 days                15 days
  Filed, Regular
Trademark Related File                    25 days                29 days*
  Wrapper
Trademark Assignments                     10 days                10 days
Trademark Registration,                    5 days                 5 days
  Expedited
Trademark Registration,                   14 days                10 days
  Regular

Uncertified Documents

Expedited Patent Copies                    1 day                  1 day
Regular Patent Copies                      3 days                 3 days
Plant Patents                              3 days                 2 days
Patent Assignments                        10 days                 5 days
Patent Related File Wrapper               25 days                17 days*
Expedited Trademark Copies                 1 day                  1 day
Regular Trademark Copies                   3 days                 2 days
Trademark Assignments                     10 days                 8 days
Trademark Related File                    25 days                13 days*
  Wrappers

* Includes turnaround times for files on Official Search and File
Reconstruction.

During the month of September 2000, a total of 20,740 public orders
(35,162 copies) were filled and closed, or 9,427 orders more (3,629
copies less) than the FY-00 planning number of 11,313 orders (38,791
copies) to be closed for this month. The average turnaround times for
products remain in expected ranges.

Due to varying availability of media, customers will not be advised when
orders are not delivered within the published goal periods. However,
customers will be advised if any unexpected delay in their order has
been identified. Customers should use the above actual days to mail for
each product as a guide as to when they can expect their orders. In
determining expected delivery times, the day an order is received in the
Office is calculated as day zero. The next business day is day one.

Customers are encouraged to fax orders for copies directly to the
Document Services Division at (703) 308-9759 and to pay by PTO Deposit
Account, MasterCard, Visa, American Express or Discover. Copy orders may
also be placed through the Internet by accessing the PTO home page at
www.uspto.gov and selecting the "Order Copies" option. Information on
the status of pending orders may be obtained by calling (703) 308-9726
or 1 (800) 972-6382 (outside the Washington, DC Metro area), or via
E-mail: dsd\@uspto.gov.

Assignment Services

The Assignment Division is currently mailing recordation notices for
documents received in the Office of Public Records on August 16, 2000.
The cycle time to process, record, and mail notices is 45 calendar days.

October 11, 2000                                     PATRICK ROWE, Director
                                                   Office of Public Records