Patent Center

Patent Center has 100% of the functionality of EFS-Web, Public and Private PAIR, and is available to all users for electronic filing and management of patent applications. Patent Center Benefits Filing and application management are incorporated within a single user interface for enhanced user experience Uses existing USPTO.gov accounts and sponsors...

Change the Client Name for Matters That Have Invoices

There are instances when the client of a matter needs to change. Making this change is not an issue, unless the matter has invoices associated with it. In this situation, the client cannot be changed without deleting the invoices first. In order to keep everything intact, the solution is to create a duplicate matter. The old matter has a different A...

Update Matters from Private Pair, EspaceNet and TSDR

Matters can be updated from multiple sources from within the matter details page.  To do this, open the details page for a matter and click the “Update Matter” button on the left side of the screen.  A popup appears allowing one to configure the update as shown below. Published US patent applications, issued US patents and PCT cases filed in the US ...

Manually Creating a Matter

Aside from Excel imports or XML imports, matter can be created manually, as explained below. From the Matters module, click the Add button in the upper left corner of your screen. Complete the required information in the Add Matter popup window (shown below) and click the OK button. In the resulting Matter Details page you must, at a minimum, provid...

Email Conversations Tab (AppColl PM Plus)

Available for AppColl PM Plus, the Conversations Tab allows another view for the emails that are sent into AppColl for a particular matter. Now when an email comes to a Matter's Intake email, AppColl will display the message on the Conversations Tab in a similar way as your email inbox. With this feature, you can easily download attachments, view, a...

Generate Matter-Specific PTO Forms

With a few clicks AppColl can auto-populate many USPTO forms from data in your AppColl account. The form(s) are then exported to your computer as PDF file(s) which can be opened for viewing and/or editing in a PDF reader.   One or more forms can be generated for one or multiple matters. Forms can be generated for a single matter from the matter deta...

Ignore Matter Details Differences

AppColl can retrieve bibliographic information for your matters from Private Pair, PEDS, TSDR and EspaceNet. AppColl looks for any discrepancies between the data currently stored in AppColl and the data retrieved from one of the data sources mentioned above. If discrepancies are found, AppColl places a yellow triangle next to the data field(s) as sh...

Create or Remove Matter Connections

Please Note:  Updating matters from Private Pair, PEDS, EspaceNet or TSDR will automatically add priority connections for patent and trademark matters. However, subject matter connections must be added manually or via a spreadsheet import. Matter Families, which are also known as "Related Matters" are built by establishing priority or subject matter...

Matter Statuses and Dates

Each patent and trademark matter in AppColl must have a status. In general, a matter's status is based on one or more dates in the matter itself. However, some statuses can be manually set. For example, if a matter only has a filing date, the matter status is 'Pending'. In general, the latest date is used to determine the status. For example, if a m...

Retrieve U.S. Trademark Applicants from TSDR

By default, AppColl does not retrieve U.S. trademark applicants from TSDR. However, users can enable retrieval and decide where the applicant is stored. From the Settings page in the upper right corner of any screen, scroll down to the USPTO Import Settings section. Click the "Import Trademark Applicant as matter" checkbox and select one of the radi...

PrivatePair/TSDR/EspaceNet/Google Patents Status Indicators

AppColl interfaces with many public and private databases to retrieve information for patents and trademarks. At times, one or more of these database may become unreachable or have significant delays. With the PTO's shift from digital certificates to MyUSPTO sponsorships, Private Pair has had significant delays and times where the system isn't avail...

Update the AttorneyRef for Multiple Matters

The AttorneyRef is the unique identifier for all your matters. For patent and trademark matters, we generally recommend these values match the values in Pair and TSDR. There may be situations where you want to mass update the AttorneyRef for some or all matters. You can do this by exporting data to an Excel spreadsheet, making the changes and import...

Work with Abstracts, Images, Claims and Claim Counts

Abstracts, images and claims for patent matters are managed from the abstract/image/claims tab In the matters module. Google is currently under contract with the USPTO to make published patent information generally available. AppColl automatically queries Google Patents to add the abstract, claims and primary figure for all U.S. patent publications ...

Inventor As-Filed Name for a Matter

On many occasions the name of an inventor may change between patents filed by that inventor. When certain PTO forms are filed the "as-filed" name ideally should be used in the forms for a matter. AppColl works most effectively if any one inventor has just one contact record with one name. To allow for matter specific variations of inventor names, Ap...

Regenerate Tasks for Matters

Changing or creating new task types take effect immediately. However, they are not applied retroactively. If you wish new or edited task types to apply to all existing matters, please follow the below instructions. First, in the Matters module, select the matter(s) needing the updated task type by checking the checkbox on the left of the matter in t...

What Tasks are Created When I File an Application?

The following charts outline the tasks that are created when U.S. Utility Applications and PCT Applications are added to AppColl.   U.S. Utility Applications (including continuation applications) Most of the following task types are created: When the Filing Date changes         and While the Matter Type contains “Utility”        and While the Countr...

Reassign Roles to Multiple Matters

Each matter may have multiple persons involved, such as attorney, partner, contributor, client, assignee, paralegal, foreign associate or law firm. You can easily update these values for multiple matters at once by following the steps below:   In the Matters module, select all of the matters you wish to change by clicking the check boxes for each ma...

How can I find and import all my U.S. Trademarks based on Attorney Name

It's possible to retrieve all your U.S. Trademarks by attorney name by using the TESS system.  Here's the steps. 1) Go to http://tmsearch.uspto.gov 2) Next click the "Word and/or Design Mark Search (Free Form)" link.3) Enter search string of ("attorney name") [AT]  such as ("john smith")[AT] and click "Search Query" 4) This will return a list of all...

What Information is Imported into U.S. Trademarks from TSDR?

Once U.S. Trademarks are  updated from TSDR , the following information is imported.  Client - comes from the Applicant field in TSDR Serial or Registration Number - If a matter only includes a reg number, AppColl imports the serial number. If a matter only has a serial number, AppColl imports the reg number, provided the case is registered. Title D...

Differences Between Matter Assignee and Client Fields

The Client field is normally used to indicate the entity that is paying for the work being performed on a matter. The Assignee is used to indicate the entity that has ownership of the matter. Often these entities will be the same. If so, only fill the Client field; if they are different, complete both fields. One primary use of the Assignee field is...

Import Priority or Subject Matter Connections between Patent Matters

Priority and Subject Matter connections can be added to your patent matters in a few different ways. XML files from Private Pair   XML files imported from Private Pair contain priority connection information for all U.S. matters and PCT matters filed directly in the U.S. As such, these connections are automatically added, during XML imports. Please ...

Expiring Matters

AppColl automatically updates matters to an "Expired" Status when the Expiration Date for the matter is greater than or equal to the current date. As such, future expiration dates can be added and matters will properly update to 'Expired' once the date is reached. Please note:  AppColl automatically adds an expiration date for Provisionals when a fi...

Yellow Triangles Next to Matter Fields

AppColl displays a yellow triangle next to any field in Matter Detail pages when a discrepancy exists between the information stored in AppColl and the information AppColl received from one of Private Pair (via XML files), EspaceNet or TSDR. AppColl receives information from the USPTO in two ways. For U.S. Trademarks, AppColl retrieves (weekly) upda...

Delete a Client and all it's Matters

There are times when you may want to delete a client and all its matters from your account. Here are the steps for doing so. Please note that all invoices and billing items associated with the client must also be deleted. In the Matters module, filter for all matters for the client you wish to remove. Once you have the result set, check the top of t...

Matter Next External Task and Due Date

When adding or changing tasks, AppColl automatically updates two fields in the Matters module, the Next External Task and the Next External Task Due Date, with information from the task with the nearest due date that has an external deadline type for a particular matter. These fields can be useful when creating reports from the Matters module and ar...

Add Custom (User-Defined) Fields to Matters

You can add custom fields in the matters module - up to 16 string fields and 4 date fields - to store information associated with a matter that is unique to your account. These custom fields appear in matter detail pages around the middle of the page. When setup, these fields have identical functionality to the built-in fields. They can be added as ...

Populate the Application Data Sheet (ADS) Form AIA/14

AppColl provides a mechanism for generating the US PTO's AIA/14 Application Data Sheet, by extracting information from your database and automatically populating the form, which can then be downloaded as a complete PDF file. The following article explains which portions of the form AppColl can populate and by which means.   Please Note : This articl...

Default Attorney

A default attorney can be specified for a client in the AppColl contacts module. In addition to generally indicating which attorney is responsible for a particular client, the setting has two specific uses in AppColl. 1) It is used in the PM Invent feature of AppColl to route an invention disclosure to a particular attorney. Click  here  for more in...

Complexity Field

AppColl has a standard complexity field that is available in the the Tasks, Matters and Billing modules. This field does not have any specific interpretation by the system, but it is intended to be used to indicate the complexity of the associated items such that schedules and billing costs can be adjusted accordingly. For example, you could create ...

Manually Create Account Syncs to a PM Plus or Tandem Account

While an account sync can be created by following the steps here, you can also create one manually. This is necessary if you are creating a sync to an existing AppColl account. Before a sync can be manually added between a source and destination account (i.e., another PM Plus/Pro or Tandem account), the accounts must be authorized to sync with each ...

Multiple Country Matter Duplication

It is sometimes necessary to create multiple child matters for different countries that all share the same parent. For example, when creating matters for designated states from an EP matter.  This can now be done easily in AppColl by using the Multi-Country Duplicate feature. All relevant information is copied from the current matter to the created ...

Background Operations

A background operation is processing that occurs "in the background" while a user is performing other tasks in the system. The two main background operations are updating matters from the US PTO via the Update Matter button on the matter details page and scheduled reports, which run at specified days and times. To view background operations that are...

How to Send Annuity Information to CPi

AppColl has created some reports that can be sent to CPi for annuity payments. The reports are created as a csv file that can only be run by scheduling the them in the report scheduler and emailing the results to yourself or CPi. The following video explains the necessary steps to set up this process. Please note there are two reports that CPi would...

Increase the Matter Count for your Account

You may add more users by navigating to the Account Management area:  1) Hover over the settings icon at the top right of any AppColl screen.  2) Select Manage Account.   3) Click on the Logins / Matters tab.  4) In the Matters row, enter the number of Matters you would like total for your account. If you have maxed out your matters, increase the nu...

List of all available columns for Matters

This is the list of all columns available from the summary list view in the Matters module. Most columns apply to both Patents and Trademarks. AbandonedDate: The date when a patent/trademark application is officially abandoned. Abstract: The patent abstract. ActualCost: Legacy information. Please do not use. AdverseParties: Parties who are adverse t...

Reassigning Tasks For a Matter

Occasionally the attorney or paralegal assigned to work on a particular matter changes. AppColl has a command in the Matters module to quickly change the owner of all open tasks for a matter to the newly assigned people. To reassign all open tasks for one or more matters to their default values based on the task types do the following: Update the co...

Matter Continuity Chains

When managing your matters, it's important to be able to easily view priority connected matters and their continuity chain. This can be especially important for tracking the progress of patent applications or other intellectual property matters. When you're in the matter details page, you can see the Continuity Chain, which illustrates how an Applic...

WIPO DAS Codes

AppColl can auto-populate the Application Data Sheet (form AIA/14) for a U.S. patent application stored in AppColl. The Foreign Priority section of the AIA/14 allows for entering a WIPO DAS Code (called Access Code in the form) for each foreign priority connection. AppColl allows for entering a DAS code for each foreign patent as well as priority co...

Selecting Matters for Invoice

You have three options to select the matters that will be included in an invoice. The selection is made using the "Matter:" dropdown. Note that billing items included in the invoice are subject to other criteria, such as start and cut-off date. All Matters Billing items for all matters for the selected client are available for inclusion in the invoi...

Import New Matters from a Spreadsheet

Importing matters from a spreadsheet is the primary means for getting your data into AppColl. The following videos and instructions will assist you in this process. Scroll to the bottom to watch the videos on the below steps. Click Here  to learn about advanced features of the importer. Attachments Matter Import Template.xlsx Populating the Spreadsh...

European patent with unitary effect (Unitary Patent)

To indicate that a European patent has unitary effect, select the “Unitary Effect” checkbox to the right of the country name. Please note that this checkbox only appears if the country selected is “European Patent Office” (EP).     You can use the “UnitaryEffect” field in reports and filters to show Unitary Patents.    ...