[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 181 (Wednesday, September 20, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64889-64890]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-20351]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Patent and Trademark Office

[Docket No. PTO-P-2023-0008]


Elimination of the Postal Postcard in the Patent Center 
Electronic Office Action Program

AGENCY: United States Patent and Trademark Office, Department of 
Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO or 
Office) transitioned to the Patent Center Electronic Office (e-Office) 
Action program in April 2023. The Patent Center e-Office Action program 
is designed to modernize the e-Office

[[Page 64890]]

action process and further streamline the USPTO's service delivery 
processes. The USPTO furnishes a courtesy postcard to Patent Center e-
Office Action program users as a reminder when there are available 
USPTO communications that have not been viewed or downloaded after a 
period of time. With the transition, the USPTO introduced a new option 
to receive the courtesy postcard by email (e-postcards) rather than by 
postal mail (postal postcards). In view of the new option to receive e-
postcards, the USPTO requested public comments on eliminating the 
postal postcard for all Patent Center e-Office Action program users. 
The USPTO is now eliminating the postal postcard as an option for all 
Patent Center e-Office Action program users.

DATES: The option to receive a courtesy postal postcard under the 
Patent Center e-Office Action program will no longer be available as of 
October 20, 2023. Patent Center e-Office Action program users may 
manually opt in to receiving e-postcards prior to that date. As of 
October 20, 2023, e-postcards will be the only option for the courtesy 
postcard, and the USPTO will automatically switch over any Patent 
Center e-Office Action program users who have not already opted in to 
receiving e-postcards. The USPTO will continue to mail postal postcards 
for seven days after October 20, 2023 for any unviewed correspondence 
in the queue as of October 20, 2023 for those program users who were 
receiving postal postcards prior to that date.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Eugenia A. Jones, Senior Legal 
Advisor, Office of Patent Legal Administration, at 571-272-7727; or 
Kristie A. Mahone, Senior Legal Advisor, Office of Patent Legal 
Administration, at 571-272-9016; or [email protected]. For 
technical questions, please contact the Patent Electronic Business 
Center (EBC) at 1-866-217-9197 (toll-free), 571-272-4100 (local), or 
[email protected]. The Patent EBC is open from 6 a.m. to midnight ET, 
Monday-Friday.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In April 2023, the USPTO migrated all 
participants from the Private PAIR e-Office Action program to the 
Patent Center e-Office Action program. The USPTO informed the public of 
the migration in advance. See Patent Center Electronic Office Action 
Program, 88 FR 20138 (Apr. 5, 2023) (April 2023 Notice).
    Under the current Patent Center e-Office Action program, users have 
the option to receive either a courtesy postal postcard through the 
United States Postal Service or a courtesy e-postcard by email. 
Courtesy reminder postcards are sent when none of the Office 
communications listed in the email notification have been viewed or 
downloaded in Patent Center within seven calendar days after the date 
of the notification and at least one of the listed Office 
communications requires the applicant's reply. In the April 2023 
Notice, the USPTO requested comments on eliminating the courtesy postal 
postcard as an option. The USPTO received one comment in response to 
the request for comments. The commenter did not express any views on 
eliminating the postal postcard and only made a general comment about 
Patent Center.
    The USPTO has determined that maintaining postal postcards is not 
necessary. Eliminating the postal postcard will reduce paper waste and 
mitigate the impact of potential postal delays. Furthermore, 
exclusively using e-postcards will enable the USPTO to continue to 
furnish courtesy reminders while more effectively streamlining service 
delivery processes. Therefore, the USPTO is eliminating the postal 
postcard as an option for all Patent Center e-Office Action program 
users. Instead, the USPTO will send a courtesy e-postcard notifying 
Patent Center e-Office Action program users if none of the Office 
communications listed in the email notification are viewed or 
downloaded through Patent Center within seven calendar days after the 
date of the email notification and at least one of the Office 
communications requires an applicant's reply. The USPTO will email 
courtesy e-postcards to the same email addresses assigned to the 
Customer Number for the correspondence address.
    Participation in the Patent Center e-Office Action program will 
continue to be optional. Additional information on the Patent Center e-
Office Action Program is available at www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/checking-application-status/e-office-action-program.

Katherine K. Vidal,
Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of 
the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
[FR Doc. 2023-20351 Filed 9-19-23; 8:45 am]
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