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Patent Public Advisory Committee
Quarterly Meeting
Interview Practice
Tim CallahanDirector, Technology Center 3700
Tariq HafizDirector, Technology Center 3600
August 3, 2017
Interview Practice @ USPTO
• Interview Trends
• Automated Interview Requests (AIR)
• Resources
• Looking Ahead
TRENDS
Interview Practice
Interview TimeFY 2008 – FY 2016
0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
70,000
80,000
90,000
100,000
110,000
120,000
130,000
140,000
150,000
160,000
170,000
180,000
190,000
200,000
210,000
220,000
230,000
Fiscal Year
Ho
urs
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Percent of Serial Disposals Having at
Least One Interview - by MonthFY 2008 – FY 2016
12%
14%
16%
18%
20%
22%
24%
26%
28%
30%
32%
34%
20
07/1
0
20
07/1
2
20
08/0
2
20
08/0
4
20
08/0
6
20
08/0
8
20
08/1
0
20
08/1
2
20
09/0
2
20
09/0
4
20
09/0
6
20
09/0
8
20
09/1
0
20
09/1
2
20
10/0
2
20
10/0
4
20
10/0
6
20
10/0
8
20
10/1
0
20
10/1
2
20
11/0
2
20
11/0
4
20
11/0
6
20
11/0
8
20
11/1
0
20
11/1
2
20
12/0
2
20
12/0
4
20
12/0
6
20
12/0
8
20
12/1
0
20
12/1
2
20
13/0
2
20
13/0
4
20
13/0
6
20
13/0
8
20
13/1
0
20
13/1
2
20
14/0
2
20
14/0
4
20
14/0
6
20
14/0
8
20
14/1
0
20
14/1
2
20
15/0
2
20
15/0
4
20
15/0
6
20
15/0
8
20
15/1
0
20
15/1
2
20
16/0
2
20
16/0
4
20
16/0
6
20
16/0
8
20
16/1
0
20
16/1
2
20
17/0
2
20
17/0
4
20
17/0
6
Pe
rce
nt
% of Serial Disposals Having at Least 1 Interview
Total InterviewsFY2012 – FY 2016
0
50000
100000
150000
200000
250000
300000
2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Inte
rvie
ws
Year
Phone Interviews
2014-2016
0
50000
100000
150000
200000
250000
2014 2015 2016
Ph
on
e I
nte
rvie
ws
Year
Video Conference Interviews
FY2014 – FY2016
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
2014 2015 2016
Inte
rvie
ws
Year
VIDEO
AUTOMATED INTERVIEW
REQUESTS (AIR)
Interview Practice
Automated Interview Requests
https://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice
AIR Form
• New web-based tool
• Permits Applicants to schedule an interview with an examiner
Automated Interview Requests
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
INT
ER
VIE
WS
MONTH
New Form Paragraph
Starting January 2017 – New paragraph in
Office Actions:
RESOURCES
Interview Practice
Interview Practice Website
• Visit our website to find out more about:– USPTO Air form
– Video Conferencing
– TC Interview Specialist
– Policy and Guidance
– Training and FAQs
http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice
Video Conferencing Interviews
• Internet Usage Policy has been updated to permit oral
authorization for video conferencing interviews
• MPEP § 502.03 now allows a oral request to authorize a video
conferencing interview, instead of submitting a written
request.
• USPTO also has a new form PTO/SB/439 which makes it
easier to give internet authorization and is available via
EFS-WEB.
• One-on-one WebEx training with an interview specialist is
available by request to [email protected]
TC Interview Specialists
• Subject matter expert on interview practice and policy in
each Technology Center
• To assist Examiners and Applicants in facilitating effective
interviews
• The list of TC Specialists can be found here:http://www.uspto.gov/patent/laws-and-regulations/interview-practice/interview-specialist
Public Interview Rooms
• When an Applicant is visiting a USPTO campus, Video conference rooms are available to facilitate meetings with remote examiners.
• Video conferencing is also available anytime anywhere from your own office.
• There is a Public Interview Room at every USPTO campus.
Public Interview Room Usage
FY2015 – FY2017
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
2015 2016 2017
INTE
RV
IEW
S
YEAR
Public Interview Room Usage
LOOKING AHEAD
Interview Practice
Interview Experience Survey
• USPTO is launching an Interview Experience Survey soon in
response to Applicants desire to share feedback on the
interview experience
• The survey will be given to Applicants who use the AIR form
to schedule their interview and to the Examiner of record
• Feedback from both Applicants and Examiners will be
evaluated to determine future improvements
Coming Soon
• Developing new video for the Interview
Practice website
• Updating a tool that the examiners use to
fill out an interview summary form
• Beginning discussions for FY18 interview
training
Patent Public Advisory Committee
Quarterly Meeting
Interview Practice
Tim CallahanDirector, Technology Center 3700
Tariq HafizDirector, Technology Center 3600
August 3, 2017
Questions and Comments
Tim CallahanDirector, Technology Center 3700
(571) [email protected]
Tariq HafizDirector, Technology Center 3600
(571) [email protected]
