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Relief Available to Patent and Trademark Applicants, Patentees and Trademark Owners Affected by the Catastrophic Flooding in Thailand

Special accommodations are available to patent and trademark applicants, patentees, reexamination parties, and trademark owners affected by the catastrophic flooding that took place in Thailand in October and November 2011. In particular, the USPTO is making available various opportunities for relief to the following categories of affected patent and trademark applicants, patentees, reexamination parties, and trademark owners:

  1. applicants or reexamination parties having a patent application or reexamination proceeding pending in the USPTO as of November 12, 2011, having one or more inventors, an assignee, or a correspondence address in areas of Thailand affected by the flooding;
  2. patentees who were unable to timely pay a patent maintenance fee due to the effects of the flooding in October and November 2011;
  3. applicants who filed a nonprovisional application on or after November 12, 2011, and prior to December 13, 2011, without an executed oath or declaration or payment of the basic filing fee, search fee, and/or examination fee due to the flooding in October and November 2011; and
  4. trademark applicants and registrants with a correspondence or owner address in areas of Thailand affected by the flooding in October and November 2011.

READ FULL NOTICE>>>

 

 

Previous Legal Notifications Related to Security Issues and Emergencies

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is designating the interruption in service of the United States Postal Service (USPS) in the areas affected by Tropical Storm Lee and flooding due to weather-related incidents in Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Vermont beginning on Wednesday, September 7, 2011, as a postal service interruption and emergency within the meaning of 35 U.S.C. § 21(a) and 37 CFR 1.10(i) and 2.195(e).

Once the USPS, through its Internet Web site, has notified the public that this interruption in the service of the USPS has ended, the designation of this interruption and emergency within the meaning of 35 U.S.C. § 21(a) and 37 CFR 1.10(i) and 2.195(e) will terminate without further notice from the USPTO.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is designating the interruption in service of the United States Postal Service (USPS) as a result of the power outages in California beginning on Thursday, September 8, 2011, as a postal service interruption and emergency within the meaning of 35 U.S.C. § 21(a) and 37 CFR 1.10(i) and 2.195(e).

Once the USPS, through its Internet Web site, has notified the public that this interruption in the service of the USPS has ended, the designation of this interruption and emergency within the meaning of 35 U.S.C. § 21(a) and 37 CFR 1.10(i) and 2.195(e) will terminate without further notice from the USPTO. READ FULL NOTICE>>>

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is designating the interruption in service of the United States Postal Service (USPS) in the areas affected by Hurricane Irene in North Carolina, the mid-Atlantic and the Northeast beginning on Saturday, August 27, 2011, as a postal service interruption and emergency within the meaning of 35 U.S.C. § 21(a) and 37 CFR 1.10(i) and 2.195(e).

Once the USPS, through its Internet Web site, has notified the public that this interruption in the service of the USPS has ended, the designation of this interruption and emergency within the meaning of 35 U.S.C. § 21(a) and 37 CFR 1.10(i) will terminate without further notice from the USPTO. READ FULL NOTICE>>>

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is designating the interruption in service of the United States Postal Service (USPS) in the areas affected by the severe storms and tornadoes in Alabama beginning on Wednesday, April 27, 2011, as a postal service interruption and emergency within the meaning of 35 U.S.C. § 21(a) and 37 CFR 1.10(i) and 2.195(e).

As of May 16, 2011 or earlier, the USPS, through its Internet Web site, has notified the public that this interruption in the service of the USPS has ended, and thus the designation of this interruption and emergency within the meaning of 35 U.S.C. § 21(a) and 37 CFR 1.10(i) has terminated. READ FULL NOTICE>>>

On March 2, 2011, at approximately 11:00 p.m., the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Customer Service Window located in the Randolph Building in Alexandria, Virginia, was unexpectedly closed due to a power outage. In light of this emergency situation, the USPTO will consider Wednesday, March 2, 2011, to be a "Federal holiday within the District of Columbia" under 35 U.S.C. § 21 and 37 C.F.R. §§ 1.6, 1.7, 1.9, 2.2(d) 2.195 and 2.196. READ FULL NOTICE>>>

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) considers the effects of the earthquake and resulting tsunami in Japan on March 11, 2011, to be an "extraordinary situation" within the meaning of 37 CFR 1.183 and 37 CFR 2.146 for affected patent and trademark applicants, patentees, reexamination parties, and trademark owners. Since this catastrophic event occurred outside the United States and did not result in a postal service interruption in the United States Postal Service, the USPTO has no authority to designate a postal service emergency as authorized by 35 U.S.C. 21(a). READ FULL NOTICE>>>

In view of the official closing of the Federal Government offices in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, including the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), from Monday, February 8, 2010, through Thursday, February 11, 2010, the USPTO will consider each day from Monday, February 8, 2010, through Thursday, February 11, 2010, to be a "Federal holiday within the District of Columbia" under 35 U.S.C. § 21(b) and 37 C.F.R. §§ 1.6, 1.7, 1.9, 2.2(d), 2.195 and 2.196. READ FULL NOTICE>>>

In view of the official closing of the Federal Government offices in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, including the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), on Monday, December 21, 2009, the USPTO will consider Monday, December 21, 2009, to be a "Federal holiday within the District of Columbia" under 35 U.S.C. § 21(b) and 37 C.F.R. §§ 1.6, 1.7, 1.9, 2.2(d), 2.195 and 2.196. READ FULL NOTICE>>>

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) will be closed on Friday, December 26, 2008. Since Thursday, December 25, 2008, is  Federal holiday, the USPTO will consider both Thursday, December 25, 2008, and Friday, December 26, 2008, to be a “Federal holiday within the District of Columbia” under 35 U.S.C. § 21(b) and 37 C.F.R. §§ 1.6, 1.7, 1.9, 2.2(d), 2.195 and 2.196. ....... .  READ FULL NOTICE>>>


  • Processing of, and Requirements for, the Filing of Duplicate Applications and Papers in Patent Applications in view of USPS Mail Delays (21Dec2001)
    Although mailed correspondence is being received by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO or Office), many papers that were mailed by first class mail or Express Mail through the United States Postal Service (USPS) in October and November of 2001 have had their delivery delayed.
  •  Questions and Answers Concerning Express Mail Temporary Address (05Dec2001)
    On Friday, November 16, 2001, the United States Postal Service (USPS)  temporarily and immediately suspended Express Mail service to Washington, D.C., ZIP Codes 202xx through 205xx (e.g., 20231). On Tuesday, November 20, 2001, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) posted a notice ...The USPTO received the following questions concerning the above-mentioned notice :... .   READ FULL NOTICE>>>
  • Office of Enrollment and Discipline Address Change (21Nov2001)
    The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) since October 21, 2001, has been experiencing an interruption in delivery of United States Mail sent to the 20231 zip code. ... In view of the foregoing, OED is requesting that all mail for enrollment and disciplinary matters be addressed to the following new address.
  • [Use of Mail, FAX, E-Mail & Other Delivery methods]
    Mitigation of Delays in Mail Deliveries to the USPTO (09Nov2001)
    The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) since October 21, 2001, has been experiencing an interruption in delivery of United States Mail sent to our 20231 zip code. The USPTO has received very little correspondence sent to the 20231 zip code in the past few weeks. In view of these circumstances.....   READ FULL NOTICE>>>
  • The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is pleased to announce that, over the weekend, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed that all 88 samples taken at the USPTO tested negative for Anthrax. ...  READ FULL NOTICE>>>
  • United States Postal Service Interruptions and Emergency Terminated (31Oct2001)
    The tragic events in New York City on September 11, 2001, resulted in all Post Offices in the borough of Manhattan being closed. Currently, only the Church Street Post Office in Manhattan remains closed as a result of the events of September 11, 2001, and all other Post Offices throughout Manhattan are open for business.
  •   Notice Concerning Safety of USPTO Mailings - UPDATE (25Oct2001)
    As has been previously announced, non-trademark communications mailed from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) before October 20, 2001, were routed through the U.S. Postal Service's Brentwood Sorting Station in Washington, D.C., where workers are diagnosed as having contracted anthrax. On October 22, 2001, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) advised us that it was highly unlikely that mail passing through the Brentwood postal facility was contaminated and poses any threat.. ...   READ FULL NOTICE >>>
  •   Notice Concerning Safety of USPTO Mailings (24Oct2001)
    In response to inquiries that the Office has received from its customers, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has obtained reassurance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) about the safety of mailings from the USPTO. ...   READ FULL NOTICE >>>
  •   Notice of U.S. Postal Service Interruptions (13Sep2001)
    The United States Postal Service (USPS) has informed the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) that as a result of the tragic event in New York City on September 11, 2001, all post offices in the borough of Manhattan are closed on September 12, 2001. These post offices will remain closed until further notice.

    The USPTO is designating the interruption in the service of the USPS in the borough of Manhattan as a postal service interruption and an emergency within the meaning of 35 U.S.C. 21(a). Accordingly, the USPTO will consider the provisions of 37 C.F.R. 1.6(e) as now in effect. As soon as the USPTO receives further information from the USPS as to when postal services in the borough of Manhattan will be resumed, the USPTO will post the information on the USPTO website at www.uspto.gov and a final notice will be published in the Official Gazette regarding the postal interruption in New York City.

    It would be appreciated if members of the public would bring to the USPTO's attention any other post office closings related to current events. Such information can be brought to the USPTO's attention by contacting Eugenia Jones by e-mail at  eugenia.jones@uspto.gov or telephone at 703-306-5586, or by contacting Carol Smith by e-mail at  carol.smith@uspto.gov or by telephone at 703-308-8910 (ext 149)....  READ FULL NOTICE >>>
  •  Notice of USPTO Closure and Designation of September 11, 2001 under 35 U.S.C. § 21(b) for Purpose of Determining Timeliness of Actions or Fees (11Sep2001)
    The United States Patent and Trademark Office, as of approximately 10:30 a.m., September 11, 2001, has been closed for official business as a result of an order by the Office of Personnel Management. In the emergency situation of this day, the Patent and Trademark Office will consider September 11 a "federal holiday within the District of Columbia" under 35 U.S.C. § 21(b). Although normally the Patent and Trademark Office does not consider days on which the agency is closed for only part of the day as a federal holiday, it is making an exception for the unusual circumstances of this date. As a result of the closing of public transportation and particular circumstances in the immediate vicinity of the Office, parties are discouraged from coming to the Patent and Trademark Office in order to make filings on September 11.

    Any action or fee due on September 11, 2001, will be considered as timely for the purposes of, e.g., 35 U.S.C §§ 119, 120, 133 and 151, if the action is taken, or the fee paid, on the next succeeding business day on which the Patent and Trademark Office is open. 37 C.F.R. § 1.6(a)(2) provides that correspondence deposited as Express Mail in accordance with 37 C.F.R. § 1.10 will be considered filed on the date of its deposit.  TEXT & IMAGE OF ORIGINAL SIGNED DOCUMENT >>>

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