| Mail Issues, Office Closures, Postal Emergencies, etc. |
Referenced Items (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126) |
(57) Relief Available to Patent and Trademark Applicants, Patentees,
Reexamination Parties, and Registered Trademark Owners Affected by the
Severe Flooding Impacting the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul
"On behalf of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), I
want to express our deepest condolences for the loss of life, injuries, and
damage that have impacted the people of Brazil as a result of the recent
severe flooding there," said Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual
Property and USPTO Director Kathi Vidal.
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO or Office)
considers the effects of the severe flooding in the Brazilian state of Rio
Grande do Sul beginning on April 27, 2024, to be an "extraordinary
situation" within the meaning of 37 CFR 1.183, 2.146(a)(5), and 2.148 for
affected patent and trademark applicants, patentees, reexamination parties,
and registered trademark owners.
Patent-Related Correspondence-Time Periods for Reply
Patent applicants and reexamination parties affected by the severe
flooding in Rio Grande do Sul may request that the USPTO restart the time
period for reply set in an Office communication. For patent applications
and reexamination proceedings pending in the USPTO as of April 27, 2024,
having one or more inventors, an applicant, an assignee, a patent owner, or
a correspondence address in the areas of Rio Grande do Sul affected by the
severe flooding, in which a reply to an Office communication is
outstanding, and for which the statutory or non-statutory time period set
for reply has not yet expired, the USPTO will, on an applicant's or a
reexamination party's request, restart the time period for reply set in the
Office communication. The USPTO may restart the time period for reply by
either withdrawing and reissuing the Office communication or sending a
notice stating that the time period for reply to the Office communication
is being restarted. The Office communication must have been outstanding on
April 27, 2024. The request must be made prior to the expiration of the
statutory or non-statutory time period set for reply and within sufficient
time so that the USPTO can restart the time period for reply to the Office
communication prior to the expiration of the statutory or non-statutory
time period (as permitted to be extended under 37 CFR 1.136(a), or as
extended under 37 CFR 1.550(c) or 37 CFR 1.956). The request must be
accompanied by a copy of this notice in order to permit the USPTO to
quickly identify it as a request for relief and facilitate timely
processing. The inclusion of a copy of this notice will be treated as a
representation that the need to restart the time period for reply set in
the Office communication was due to the effects of the severe flooding in
Rio Grande do Sul. The request should be sent via the USPTO patent
electronic filing system (Patent Center) using document code PET.RELIEF or
by mail to Mail Stop Petition, Commissioner for Patents, P.O. Box 1450,
Alexandria, VA 22313-1450. If necessary, updates to the correspondence
address of record should be provided to ensure receipt of subsequent Office
communications.
Patent-Related Correspondence-Petitions to Revive
For patent applicants or patent owners who, beginning on April 27, 2024,
were unable to timely reply to an Office communication due to the effects
of the severe flooding in Rio Grande do Sul, which resulted in the
application being held abandoned or the reexamination prosecution being
terminated or limited, the USPTO will waive the petition fee in
37 CFR 1.17(m) when the patent applicant or patent owner files the reply
with a petition under 37 CFR 1.137(a). See 35 U.S.C. 41(a)(7). The
inclusion of a copy of this notice with the required reply to the
outstanding Office communication will be treated as a representation that
the delay in filing the reply was due to the effects of the severe flooding
in Rio Grande do Sul and as a request that the Office waive, at its own
initiative, the petition fee under 37 CFR 1.17(m). The USPTO advises any
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patent applicant or patent owner who seeks to file a petition to revive
under 37 CFR 1.137(a) with a request to waive the petition fee under
37 CFR 1.17(m) due to the effects of the severe flooding in Rio Grande do
Sul, to promptly file the petition under 37 CFR 1.137(a) accompanied by the
required reply (but not the petition fee under 37 CFR 1.17(m)) and a copy
of this notice. The petition under 37 CFR 1.137(a) must be filed by
October 28, 2024, in order to be entitled to a waiver of the petition fee
under 37 CFR 1.17(m). A petition to revive under 37 CFR 1.137(a) due to the
effects of the severe flooding in Rio Grande do Sul may be submitted via
the USPTO patent electronic filing system (Patent Center) using document
code PET.RELIEF or by mail to Mail Stop Petition, Commissioner for Patents,
P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313-1450.
Patent-Related Correspondence-Payment of Maintenance Fees
For patentees who, beginning on April 27, 2024, were unable to timely
pay a patent maintenance fee due to the effects of the severe flooding in
Rio Grande do Sul, the USPTO will waive: (1) the surcharge in 37 CFR 1.20
(h) for paying a maintenance fee during the six-month grace period
following the window to pay the maintenance fee, and (2) the petition fee
in 37 CFR 1.17(m) for accepting a delayed maintenance feepayment when the
patentee files the maintenance fee payment with a petitionto accept a
delayed maintenance fee under 37 CFR 1.378(b). See 37 CFR 1.183.
Patentees who seek to pay a maintenance fee during the six-month grace
period following the window to pay the maintenance fee with a request to
waive the surcharge in 37 CFR 1.20(h) must mail the payment and request to
Mail Stop Maintenance Fee, Director of the United States Patent and
Trademark Office, P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313-1450; or submit them
via facsimile to 571-273-6500.
The request must be accompanied by a copy of this notice in order to
permit the USPTO to quickly identify it as a request for relief and
facilitate timely processing. The inclusion of a copy of this notice with
the payment of the maintenance fee during the grace period will be treated
as a representation that the late payment of the fee was due to the effects
of the severe flooding in Rio Grande do Sul and as a request that the
Office waive, at its own initiative, the surcharge under 37 CFR 1.20(h).
This waiver may only be appropriately requested where the original window
of time to pay the maintenance fee without the surcharge required by
37 CFR 1.20(h) expired on or after April 27, 2024, and the delay in paying
the fee was due to the effects of the severe flooding in Rio Grande do Sul.
The USPTO advises patentees who need to file a petition to accept a
delayed maintenance fee payment due to the effects of the severe flooding
in Rio Grande do Sul, where the maintenance fee payment was required to
have been paid on or after April 27, 2024, to promptly file a petition
under 37 CFR 1.378(b), (using USPTO form PTO/SB/66, "Petition to Accept
Unintentionally Delayed Payment of Maintenance Fee in an Expired Patent
(37 CFR 1.378(b)"), accompanied by the applicable maintenance fee payment
(but not the petition fee under 37 CFR 1.17(m)) and a copy of this notice.
The inclusion of a copy of this notice will be treated as a representation
that the delay in payment of the maintenance fee was due to the effects of
the severe flooding in Rio Grande do Sul and as a request that the Office
waive, at its own initiative, the petition fee under 37 CFR 1.17(m). The
petition must be filed by April 28, 2025, in order to be entitled to a
waiver of the petition fee under 37 CFR 1.17(m). A petition to accept a
delayed maintenance fee payment under 37 CFR 1.378(b) due to the effects of
the severe flooding in Rio Grande do Sul may be submitted via the USPTO
patent electronic filing system (Patent Center) using document code
PET.RELIEF or by mail to Mail Stop Petition, Commissioner for Patents,
P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313-1450.
Patent-Related Correspondence-Late Submission of Inventor's Oath or
Declaration or Filing Fees
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For patent applicants who filed a nonprovisional application on or after
April 27, 2024, and prior to May 28, 2024, without an executed inventor's
oath or declaration or payment of the basic filing fee, search fee, and/or
examination fee due to the effects of the severe flooding in Rio Grande do
Sul, the USPTO will waive the surcharge set forth in 37 CFR 1.16(f) for the
late filing of the inventor's oath or declaration or basic filing fee,
search fee, and/or examination fee. Patent applicants seeking a waiver of
the surcharge must include a copy of this notice, along with the executed
inventor's oath or declaration or the basic filing fee, search fee, or
examination fee, in order to permit the USPTO to quickly identify it as a
request for relief and facilitate timely processing. The inclusion of a
copy of this notice will be treated as a representation that the late
filing of the inventor's oath or declaration or the basic filing fee,
search fee, or examination fee was due to the effects of the severe
flooding in Rio Grande do Sul and as a request that the Office waive, at
its own initiative, the surcharge under 37 CFR 1.16(f). A reply to a Notice
to File Missing Parts requiring the inventor's oath or declaration or the
filing fees (or other notice stating that the executed inventor's oath or
declaration has not been received) may be submitted via the USPTO patent
electronic filing system (Patent Center) using document code PET.RELIEF or
by mail directed to Mail Stop Missing Parts, Commissioner for Patents, P.O.
Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313-1450.
Patent-Related Correspondence-Petitions for Unintentionally Delayed
Domestic Benefit and Foreign Priority Claims
For patent applicants who, beginning on April 27, 2024, were unable to
timely file a benefit claim under 37 CFR 1.78(a) or (d) due to the effects
of the severe flooding in Rio Grande do Sul, the USPTO will waive the
petition fee in 37 CFR 1.17(m) when the patent applicant submits the
benefit claim with the appropriate petition under 37 CFR 1.78(c) or (e).
See 35 U.S.C. 41(a)(7). Similarly, for patent applicants who, beginning on
April 27, 2024, were unable to timely file a priority claim under
37 CFR 1.55 due to the effects of the severe flooding in Rio Grande do Sul,
the USPTO will waive the petition fee in 37 CFR 1.17(m) when the patent
applicant submits the priority claim with the appropriate petition under
37 CFR 1.55(e). The inclusion of a copy of this notice with a petition
under 37 CFR 1.78(c), 1.78(e), or 1.55(e) will be treated as a
representation that the delay in filing the benefit or priority claim and
the need to file the petition was due to the effects of the severe flooding
in Rio Grande do Sul and as a request that the Office waive, at its own
initiative, the petition fee under 37 CFR 1.17(m). The USPTO advises any
patent applicant who seeks to file a petition under 37 CFR 1.78(c), 1.78
(e), or 1.55(e) with a request to waive the petition fee under 37 CFR 1.17
(m) due to the effects of the severe flooding in Rio Grande do Sul, to
promptly file the petition under 37 CFR 1.78(c), 1.78(e), or 1.55(e) (but
not the petition fee under 37 CFR 1.17(m)) and a copy of this notice. The
petition under 37 CFR 1.78(c), 1.78(e), or 1.55(e) must be filed by
October 28, 2024, in order to be entitled to a waiver of the petition fee
under 37 CFR 1.17(m). A petition under 37 CFR 1.78(c), 1.78(e), or 1.55(e)
due to the effects of the severe flooding in Rio Grande do Sul may be
submitted via the USPTO patent electronic filing system (Patent Center)
using document code PET.RELIEF or by mail to Mail Stop Petition,
Commissioner for Patents, P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313-1450.
Patent-Related Correspondence-Petitions for Restoration of Domestic Benefit
and Foreign Priority Claims
For patent applicants who are filing or have filed a nonprovisional
application on or after April 27, 2024, who meet the requirements for
restoration of the right to claim the benefit of a provisional application,
and who missed the 12-month time period under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) due to the
effects of the severe flooding in Rio Grande do Sul, the USPTO will waive
the petition fee in 37 CFR 1.17(m) when the patent applicant files a
petition under 37 CFR 1.78(b) to restore the benefit of a provisional
application. See 35 U.S.C. 41(a)(7). The nonprovisional application must
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have been filed within two months from the expiration of the 12-month time
period. For patent applicants who are filing or have filed a nonprovisional
application on or after April 27, 2024, who meet the requirements for
restoration of the right of priority, and who missed the 12-month time
period under 35 U.S.C. 119(a) (or the six-month time period under
35 U.S.C. 172 in a design application) due to the effects of the severe
flooding in Rio Grande do Sul, the USPTO will waive the petition fee in
37 CFR 1.17(m) when the patent applicant files a petition under 37 CFR 1.55
(c) to restore the right of priority. Note that the nonprovisional
application must have been filed within two months from the expiration of
the 12-month time period (or six-month time period in a design
application). The inclusion of a copy of this notice with a petition under
37 CFR 1.78(b) or 1.55(c) will be treated as a representation that the
delay in filing the nonprovisional application and the need to file the
petition was due to the effects of the severe flooding in Rio Grande do
Sul and as a request that the Office waive, at its own initiative, the
petition fee under 37 CFR 1.17(m). The USPTO advises any patent applicant
who seeks to file a petition under 37 CFR 1.78(b) or 1.55(c) with a request
to waive the petition fee under 37 CFR 1.17(m) due to the effects of the
severe flooding in Rio Grande do Sul, to promptly file the petition under
37 CFR 1.78(b) or 1.55(c) (but not the petition fee under 37 CFR 1.17(m))
and a copy of this notice. The petition under 37 CFR 1.78(b) or 1.55(c)
must be filed by October 28, 2024, in order to be entitled to a waiver of
the petition fee under 37 CFR 1.17(m). A petition under 37 CFR 1.78(b) or
1.55(c) due to the effects of the severe flooding in Rio Grande do Sul may
be submitted via the USPTO patent electronic filing system (Patent Center)
using document code PET.RELIEF or by mail to Mail Stop Petition,
Commissioner for Patents, P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313-1450.
Patent-Related Correspondence-Petitions for Restoration in International
Applications
For patent applicants who are filing or have filed an international
application on or after April 27, 2024, who meet the requirements for
restoration of the right of priority under Patent Cooperation Treaty Rule
26 bis.3 to an earlier application, and who missed the 12-month priority
period due to the effects of the severe flooding in Rio Grande do Sul, the
USPTO will waive the petition fee in 37 CFR 1.17(m) when the patent
applicant files a petition under 37 CFR 1.452 to restore the right of
priority. Note that the international application must have been filed
within two months from the expiration of the 12-month priority period. The
inclusion of a copy of this notice with a petition under 37 CFR 1.452 will
be treated as a representation that the delay in filing the international
application and the need to file the petition was due to the effects of the
severe flooding in Rio Grande do Sul and as a request that the Office
waive, at its own initiative, the petition fee under 37 CFR 1.17(m). The
USPTO advises any patent applicant who seeks to file a petition under
37 CFR 1.452 with a request to waive the petition fee under 37 CFR 1.17(m)
due to the effects of the severe flooding in Rio Grande do Sul, to promptly
file the petition under 37 CFR 1.452 (but not the petition fee under
37 CFR 1.17(m)) and a copy of this notice. The petition under 37 CFR 1.452
must be filed by October 28, 2024, in order to be entitled to a waiver of
the petition fee under 37 CFR 1.17(m). A petition under 37 CFR 1.452 due to
the effects of the severe flooding in Rio Grande do Sul may be submitted
via the USPTO patent electronic filing system (Patent Center) using
document code PET.RELIEF or by mail to Mail Stop Petition, Commissioner for
Patents, P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313-1450.
Patent-Related Correspondence-Contact Information
Patent-related inquiries concerning this notice may be directed to the
Office of Patent Legal Administration at 571-272-7704 (571-272-7703 for
reexamination) or PatentPractice@uspto.gov.
Patent Trial and Appeal Board-Related Correspondence
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For proceedings before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB), a
request for an extension of time where the effects of the severe flooding
in Rio Grande do Sul have prevented or interfered with a filing before the
Board can be made by contacting the PTAB at 571-272-9797 or by email at
Trials@uspto.gov (for AIA trials), PTAB_Appeals_Suggestions@uspto.gov (for
PTAB appeals), or InterferenceTrialSection@uspto.gov (for interferences).
Trademark-Related Correspondence
For trademark applications and registrations with a correspondence or
owner address in the areas of Rio Grande do Sul affected by the severe
flooding as of April 27, 2024, in which an Office action (final, non-final,
post-registration, or other), a notice of allowance, or other Office notice
requiring a response (collectively referred to as "Office communication" in
this notice) is outstanding, the USPTO will, upon written request, withdraw
the Office communication and reissue it with a new response period. The
request must be made prior to the deadline for responding to the Office
communication and must indicate that the need for the reissuance of the
Office communication is due to the effects of the severe flooding in Rio
Grande do Sul. The request should be sent via e-mail to TMPolicy@uspto.gov
with "Flood Relief" in the subject line and should include the serial
number or registration number. Updates to the correspondence information of
record must be provided using the Trademark electronic filing system
"Change Address or Representation (CAR)" form to ensure receipt of
subsequent Office communications.
For trademark applications and registrations with a correspondence or
owner address in the areas of Rio Grande do Sul affected by the severe
flooding as of April 27, 2024, that were abandoned or canceled due to the
inability to timely respond to a trademark-related Office communication due
to the effects of the severe flooding in Rio Grande do Sul, the USPTO will
refund the petition fee to revive the abandoned application or reinstate
the canceled registration. The "Petition to Revive Abandoned Application"
form should be used to request the revival of an abandoned application, and
the "Petition to Director" form should be used to request the reinstatement
of a canceled registration. The petition must include a statement that the
failure to respond to the Office communication was due to the effects of
the severe flooding in Rio Grande do Sul. The petition fee is required in
order to submit the form, but it will be refunded if a request is sent to
TMPolicy@uspto.gov.
Trademark-Related Correspondence-Contact Information
Trademark-related inquiries concerning this notice may be directed to
TMPolicy@uspto.gov.
Trademark Trial and Appeal Board- Related Correspondence
For applications or registrations involved in a proceeding before the
Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB), a request (in ex parte appeals) or
a motion (for trial cases) may be filed for an extension or reopening of
time, or a suspension of proceedings, as appropriate. The request or motion
must be filed using the TTAB's electronic filing system, must indicate that
it is being made due to the effects of the severe flooding in Rio Grande do
Sul, and must provide any other information available in support of the
request or motion.
General Information Regarding Patent-Related and Trademark-Related
Statutory Time Periods and Requirements
This notice does not grant waivers or extensions of dates or
requirements set by statute. For example, the following patent-related time
periods or requirements are not extended or waived: (1) the period set
forth in 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d) to file a nonprovisional patent application
claiming the benefit of a prior-filed foreign application; (2) the period
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set forth in 35 U.S.C. 119(e) during which a nonprovisional application
claiming the benefit of a prior filed provisional application must be filed
in order to obtain the benefit of the provisional application's filing
date; (3) the copendency requirement of 35 U.S.C. 120 between a parent
application that issues as a patent and a later filed child application,
which requires that the child application be filed prior to the issuance of
the parent application; (4) the three-month time period to pay the issue
fee set forth in 35 U.S.C. 151; and (5) the 35 U.S.C. 304 two-month time
period from the date of patentee service, for a requester to file, in an
ex parte reexamination, a reply to a statement filed by the patentee.
The following statutory trademark-related time periods are not extended,
and statutory fees are not waived: (1) the 36-month period set forth in
15 U.S.C. 1051(d) within which a statement of use must be filed, and the
associated fee(s); (2) the periods set forth in 15 U.S.C. 1058 and 1141(k)
for filing affidavits of continued use or excusable nonuse, and the
associated fee(s); (3) the period set forth in 15 U.S.C. 1059 for filing a
renewal, and the associated fee(s); (4) the period set forth in 15 U.S.C.
1063 for filing an extension of time to oppose, which must be filed prior
to the expiration of the 30-day period after publication; and (5) the
periods set forth in 15 U.S.C. 1063 and 1064 for filing an opposition or
cancellation proceeding at the TTAB.
June 18, 2024 KATHERINE K. VIDAL
Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and
Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office
[1524 OG 204]