Hacker News Reader

Comment by yeutterg | Hacker News Reader

In case the "small staff" thing doesn't work out...

A patent agent I know recommended this in case the electronic filing system shuts down: Send in your filing via USPS Priority Mail Express with tracking, and retain all copies and receipts. According to him, the date you postmark the letter becomes your filing date. Also, this apparently does not apply to private shipping services like UPS and DHL.

View on HN

Used to do this exclusively. Now it requires a $200+ fee.

Beats nothing, if you’re up against a deadline. Unregistered filing saved me last week.

Great to know. Thanks!

Hmm, wonder what would happen if USPS lose your application? Sure, you have the tracking number, but no way to prove what was sent.

Just send it again when you realize it was lost?

Not an expert, but I think the point of having the receipt of postmark gives you a paper trail that says you filed on that day. Whether or not it made it to the USPTO.

I assume this means you would have to ship from the post office directly or your tracking at least gets an update beyond "label created." Typically, the first tracking step I get is for my city's distribution center.

I'm just curious: is your patent agent friend still working?

Yes, I am currently working on a provisional with him. To be clear, he does not work for the USPTO. He helps companies file patents and has taken a test to prove that he is capable of doing so.

Yeah, I know someone exactly like this. I was asking because I was wondering if this person I know was still working during the shutdown, or if things had possibly gotten so backed up that they couldn't do any more work until the government re-opened and they were furloughed by their employer.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com