Patent office unveils plans for updated filing system
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The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office announced plans to update its patent filing and viewing systems.
Work on the initiative — called eCommerce Modernization, or eMod — will launch this summer. Officials hope to introduce a pilot of the new systems in a year, according to a blog post on the initiative written by USPTO Deputy Director Russ Slifer. The new systems will replace the agency’s EFS-Web, Public PAIR and Private PAIR systems.
“For patent examiners, the updated systems will streamline patent submission, review, and management processes, and increase accuracy of application processing and publication,” Slifer wrote in an advance copy of the post obtained by FedScoop.
He adds, “Overall, a more easy to use electronic patent application process will improve efficiency, communication, and patent quality.”
USPTO’s Director Michelle Lee has touted IT improvements as a strategy for improving patent quality, which itself is a major priority for the agency. The office is also working to increase its efficiency and cut into its backlog of nearly 570,000 patent applications.
The news of the new filing system comes months after the patent office rolled out Patents End-To-End, a platform meant to streamline how the agency evaluates patent applications
Slifer encouraged users to give the agency feedback on the project’s Ideascale page, via email at eMod@uspto.gov or by attending one of the agency’s outreach events.
“I will continue to share updates with you on eMod, as we work to make our patent application process as effective, efficient, and user friendly as possible,” he wrote.
