Exploring methods to track the status of both published and unpublished patent applications at the United States Patent and Trademark Office without incurring costs?
In the realm of patent management, it can be a dere-licking nightmare for companies with large patent application portfolios. A recent demonstration of the TIP tool to an in-house IP counsel, who works in a team of five for an innovation-heavy company with over 5,000 employees, showcased a potential solution to this chaos. This enterprise files around 120 patent applications every quarter, and with the complexity that entails, efficient management tools are paramount, such as the USPTO Patent Center.
Just contemplating the type of insights required from their patent portfolio to strategize quarterly IP activities might make your brain hurt. Add to that the influx of inventors seeking updates on their patent cases and you've got yourself a quandary.
During the discussion, the question arose: is there an effortless and budget-friendly way to obtain patent application status updates from the USPTO?
That was precisely the objective of the founders of Triangle IP when they launched the TIP Tool. Let's delve into how it works in a zestful manner.
Three Methods for Tracking Your Patent Application Status
- Patent Office - Laborious
- Patent Counsel – Overpriced
- Triangle IP's TIP tool - A Total Breeze
#1 - Patent Office - Laborious
The Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) System is part of the USPTO's viewable electronic patent database system. Navigating this system can be a tangled mess, emphasizing the need for effective patent strategies for small businesses and large corporations.
Public PAIR
Public PAIR is a searchable and free system hosting full-text literature and images from public patent applications. While patent lawyers might relish this system, inventors can also hunt for their patent application status at no fuss. You can access published applications, patents, and priority applications through this system.
Recently, the Public PAIR ended its run and transitioned to the Patent Center, the new tool for patent management in a single user-friendly interface.
Source - Patent Center
Private PAIR
Private PAIR is the unpublished half of the PAIR system. Patent holders and attorneys can utilize it to access a specific patent draft (unpublished patent) and check its current status.
Despite its convenience for those who meet the specific requirements (registered patent lawyer/agent, independent inventor, or person granted limited recognition, and having a valid USPTO account), accessing information for many applications can still be a mammoth task.
Note: Learn more about Patent Strategies for Small Businesses and Large Companies.
#2 – Patent Counsel - Overpriced
Your patent counsel (attorney) probably filed your patent applications initially. Counsel handles correspondence between you and your local patent office, and records everything in a docketing system. The system subsequently generates comprehensive reports – which come with a hefty price tag (hundreds, if not thousands of dollars) for your attorney to convert into digestible insights.
Must read: Why C-Suite Executives Should Break Away from Spreadsheets for Reviewing IP Updates
#3 - Triangle IP's TIP Tool - A Total Breeze
Can you imagine effortlessly obtaining the status of each patent case in your portfolio without:
- Racking up hundreds of dollars in billable hours from your patent attorney
- Drowning in reports
A simple inquiry shouldn't come with a steamer-cost. Companies should have the option to know their patent portfolio status whenever they desire – and our TIP Tool provides that autonomy at no added expense.
At a Glance
The TIP Tool boasts an overview of your entire patent portfolio. In a jiffy, you can see how many patents are approved, patented, pending, or discontinued.
Source - The Portfolio Tab in the TIP tool with a Sample Patent Portfolio
Detailed View
In the same portfolio tab, you'll find a table below the overview. The table showcases every patent application you've worked on, along with their docket numbers, tags, examiners, relevant dates, and status.
The TIP Tool populates the table with automatic updates from the USPTO PAIR system to monitor the progress of your patent applications. It also notifies you of any patent rejections received for your cases.
Source - The Portfolio Tab in the TIP tool with a Sample Patent Portfolio
Last Words
Our goal was to obliterate the obstacles of high costs and lengthy processes by offering something more accessible and transparent. And thus, the TIP Tool was born – putting you at the epicenter of your patent management efforts. It's the quickest, most affordable way to check both published and unpublished patent application statuses with automatic syncs with the USPTO.
Additionally, it's the only software tool offering a comprehensive view of the entire IP cycle within your organization – from abstract ideas to final patents, all in a single, easy-to-understand kanban view.
Ready to see the TIP Tool in action? Give our interactive product demo a spin!
- In the realm of patent management, companies with large patent application portfolios often face a daunting task, as shown during a discussion with an in-house IP counsel of an innovation-heavy enterprise.
- This enterprise, with over 5,000 employees, files around 120 patent applications every quarter, underscoring the need for efficient management tools such as the USPTO Patent Center.
- The question that arose during the discussion was: Is there an effortless and budget-friendly way to obtain patent application status updates from the USPTO?
- Triangle IP's TIP Tool was launched to address this need, offering a streamlined solution for patent application status tracking.
- The Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) System, part of the USPTO's viewable electronic patent database system, is a laborious method for tracking patent application status.
- While Public PAIR, a free system hosting full-text literature and images from public patent applications, is accessible to inventors, navigating the system can be complex, emphasizing the need for patent strategies in businesses of all sizes.
- The Private PAIR system provides convenience for those who meet certain requirements, but accessing information for many applications can still be a challenge.
- Patent counsels (attorneys) may handle correspondence between companies and the local patent office, but their services often come with a hefty price tag for comprehensible reports.
- The TIP Tool offers an affordable alternative, enabling companies to effortlessly check the status of each patent case in their portfolio without racking up hundreds of dollars in billable hours.
- The TIP Tool provides a comprehensive view of the entire IP cycle within an organization, from abstract ideas to final patents, all in a single, easy-to-understand interface, making it an essential tool for both small and large businesses in data-and-cloud-computing, finance, education-and-self-development, enterprise, and technology.
