Things You Should Know About Online Patent Filing

Online patent filing is a convenient way of applying for a patent in the US. It saves you from the hassles of paperwork and having to physically present yourself for the process and manually file everything. With the online patent filing, patent registration is easier and more accessible even for those who may not have the skill or time to navigate patent law. 

The Online Patent Filing Process in the US

The online patent filing services in the US are managed by uspto.gov. USPTO, or the United States Patent and Trademark Office, manages patent applications and all the due process. The online patent filing process is carried out in the Electronic Filing System, EFS-Web, and the Patent Centre. Let us look at what each of them is and their core functions. 

EFS-Web

The United States Patent and Trademark Office or USPTO’s official web-based patent application interface is called EFS-Web. It allows anyone to easily access the website, apply for a patent, and submit relevant documents. It allows users to carry out these processes without downloading any special software or changing the documents to be uploaded. 

Users can upload documents in PDF format directly and submit applications to the website directly in minutes. The EFS-Web interface is built to be safe, secure, and simple. It provides a filer with all the benefits of paper filings. Once the filing is complete, the user will receive acknowledgment of the submitted data. 

Patent Center

Patent Centre is a new tool that is added to the online services available for those seeking a patent online. The patent center aims to provide all of the services of EFS-Web through a single interface. 

The Patent Center is where users can apply for patents and manage all electronic filings. It provides a single user interface that is also user-friendly. It also incorporates Public PAIR (Patent Application Information Retrieval system) functionality. It comes as a replacement for the Electronic Filing System or EFS-Web and Private PAIR. 

Patent Centre also provides a training mode that gives a simulation platform for practice filing in the DOCX format. 

A patent center provides certain benefits over the older EFS-Web version, which include:

• Single user interface for filing and application management
• Uses existing uspto.gov accounts 
• Enhanced user experience
• Single DOCX file suffices for submission of claims, specifications, abstracts, and drawing
• Upload multiple files at once with drag and drop functionality 
• Receipts for submissions and payments are generated separately to avoid confusion
• Practice filing DOCX and PDF files in interactive training mode

Apply for Online Patent in the US 

Online patent services are available in the United States. However, it may be tricky for those who are not well versed in digital transactions. In such instances, one can always hire help from experts like IPExcel. 

At IPExcel, we are a team of patent experts with years of experience providing reliable patent filing services to our clients across the nation. Get in touch with us today!