United States Patent and Trademark Office OG Notices: 16 September 2003

                         United States Postal Service
                    Interruptions and Emergency Terminated

   The power outage on Thursday, August 14, 2003, resulted in a
number of United States Postal Service (USPS) post offices throughout
the Northeast and Midwest United States being closed or not accepting
mail. The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) published a
notice on Friday, August 15, 2003, on its Internet Web site designating
this interruption in the service of the USPS as a postal service
interruption and an emergency within the meaning of 35 U.S.C. 21(a)
and 37 CFR 1.6(e). The USPS has notified the USPTO that this
interruption in the service of the USPS ended on Saturday, August 16,
2003. Therefore, the USPTO has terminated the designation of this
interruption in the service of the USPS as a postal service
interruption and an emergency within the meaning of 35 U.S.C. 21(a)
and 37 CFR 1.6(e).

   Correspondence that would have been filed with the USPTO under
37 CFR 1.10 on Thursday, August 14, 2003, through Saturday, August 16,
2003, but which was not filed due to the USPS service interruption,
should now be filed with the USPTO under 37 CFR 1.10 with a statement
that the correspondence would have been deposited with the USPS on
Thursday, August 14, 2003, Friday, August 15, 2003, or on Saturday,
August 16, 2003, but for this designated interruption in the "Express
Mail" service of the USPS.

   The provisions of 35 U.S.C. 21(a) and 37 CFR 1.6(e) apply
only to postal interruptions and emergencies. The provisions of 35
U.S.C. 21(a) and 37 CFR 1.6(e) do not provide for the granting of a
filing date to correspondence as of the date on which it would have
been filed but for other exigencies, such as the unavailability of a
computer or word processing equipment, or the inaccessibility of an
office or building other than a USPS facility.

   Inquiries concerning this notice may be directed to Eugenia
Jones by e-mail at eugenia.jones@uspto.gov or telephone at 703-306-5586.

August 19, 2003                                            JON W. DUDAS for
                                                             JAMES E. ROGAN
                                            Under Secretary of Commerce for
                                  Intellectual Property and Director of the
                                  United States Patent and Trademark Office

The following notice was published August 15, 2003, on the USPTO's Internet
Web site (www.uspto.gov)

                  UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE INTERRUPTIONS

   The United States Postal Service (USPS) has informed the United
States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) that as a result of the power
outage on Thursday, August 14, 2003, a number of post offices throughout
the Northeast and Midwest United States are closed or are not accepting
mail. The USPTO is designating the interruption in the service of the
USPS as a postal service interruption and an emergency within the meaning
of 35 U.S.C. 21(a) and 37 C.F.R. 1.6(e).  As soon as the USPTO receives
further information from the USPS as to when postal services in the
affected areas will be resumed, the USPTO will post the information on
the USPTO's Internet Web site at www.uspto.gov and a final notice will be
published in the Official Gazette.

   Correspondence that would have been filed with the USPTO under 37
CFR 1.10 during this USPS service interruption, but which was not filed
due to the USPS service interruption, should be filed promptly after the
termination of the USPS service interruption with a statement that the
correspondence would have been deposited with the USPS but for the
designated interruption or emergency in "Express Mail" service.

   Inquiries concerning this notice may be directed to Eugenia Jones by
e-mail at eugenia.jones@uspto.gov or telephone at 703-306-5586.