Patent Quality Initiative

Patent Quality Web Header - Building a World-Class Patent Quality System

Leading in Quality Excellence - Every Interaction Counts

Intellectual property (IP) intensive industries support at least 40 million jobs in the U.S. and contribute more than $5 trillion - or nearly 35 percent - to our gross domestic product. Our new quality initiative comes as there is increased recognition and appreciation around the world of the importance of IP.

The dedicated efforts of our employees over the last few years have significantly reduced our patent application backlog and pendency. We want to continue to build on those efforts, and recent America Invents Act (AIA) legislation passed by Congress supports doing just that.

The AIA allows us to set our fees and retain fees collected above our appropriated level. This means our financial health is more stable than in the past, giving us a unique opportunity to further expand our quality efforts throughout the entire process.

We have heard from many stakeholders that they would prefer we invest any excess fees we collect back into our organization and that's the approach we will follow as we focus on our new quality initiative.

The goal is to build more confidence in our patent system by improving patent quality and the public perception of the patent system overall, making the system understandable and usable by all inventors, and ensuring each of our customers feels they have been treated fairly and professionally throughout the patent application process.

Quality Focus

Checkbox iconProvide the best work products and services at every stage of the patent process

Checkbox iconImprove the customer experience with emphasis on excellent customer service

Checkbox iconProvide excellence in measuring patent quality ensuring appropriate quality metrics target examination issues requiring attention

Bullhorn iconQuality Summit

The USPTO will hold a Quality Summit on March 25 and 26, 2015 at the Madison Building, USPTO Headquarters, in Alexandria, Virginia. This Summit will be broadcast via webinar and recorded for later viewing. For webinar participants, participation in all Summit sessions, including the group brainstorming sessions, will be possible. In order to best prepare for the Quality Summit, the USPTO requests that those interested in attending the Quality Summit send an email to WorldClassPatentQuality@uspto.gov indicating their planned attendance by March 18, 2015. ► View Proposed Agenda

Deputy Commissioner for Patent Quality

Resources

 

Share
Print