About the USPTO
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has been serving the economic interests of America for more
than 200 years. We are responsible for granting US intellectual property rights for patents and
trademarks. Our efforts have provided inventors exclusive rights over their discoveries. It's an effort
that continues to contribute to a strong global economy, to encourage investment in innovation and to
cultivate an entrepreneurial spirit for the 21st century.
History
The USPTO is serving its third century of excellence. Growing from one building in Washington, D.C. to
occupying portions of many buildings in Arlington, VA and presently to our new location in our Alexandria
campus, we’ve experienced tremendous growth over the years – mainly due to the phenomenal increase in
patent and trademark applications. The USPTO plays a vital role in the scientific, technical and economic
development of our nation by granting inventors patents for their inventions – and has done so for over
200 years.
On April 10, 1790, George Washington signed the first Patent Act of the United States into law.
At that time, both the Secretary of State and the President signed off on patents – a process that soon
became unmanageable and called for the dedication of another part of the government. In 1793,
the responsibility of reviewing and granting patents was given to the clerks office in the Department of
State. On June 1, 1802 the Secretary of State appointed Dr. William Thornton as first clerk at
the Department of State, giving him sole responsibility over patent review and issuing – effectively
beginning the first patent office.
Millions of inventors have sought protection for their inventions through the USPTO. From Thomas Edison’s
electric lamp and Alexander Graham Bell’s telegraphy, to the Wright brothers’ flying machine and John
Deere’s steel plow and more, the great innovative spirit of our nation has been made possible by the USPTO.
In 1881, trademark registration was added to the functions of the Patent Office. The USPTO
receives more than 326,000 patent applications and 232,000 trademark applications every year.
More than 6.3 million patents have been issued since the patent act was first signed into legislation.
The USPTO is more than an approval system – it houses one of the largest repositories of
scientific and technical knowledge in the world. It is an organization dedicated to the
promotion and progress of science and the useful arts, to bolstering the strength and vitality of the U.S.
economy by protecting new ideas and investments in innovation and creativity. The USPTO is at
the cutting edge of the nation’s technological progress and achievement.
USPTO and the Federal Government
The USPTO is housed under the United States Department of Commerce – the cabinet-level department that
promotes U.S. economic development and technological advancement – with such ventures as the national
census, establishment of standard weights and measures and promotion of American business at home and
abroad. Along with the Patent and Trademark Office, the Department of Commerce also houses the:
- Economics and Statistics Administration (including the Bureau of the Census and the Bureau of Economic
Analysis)
- Bureau of Export Administration
- Economic Development Administration
- International Trade Administration
- Minority Business Development Agency
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
- National Telecommunications and Information Administration
- Technology Administration (comprising the Office of Technology Policy, the National Institute of
Standards and Technology, and the National Technical Information Service)
Organizational Chart
To review the USPTO Organizational Chart,
click here.
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