First look at the EFS-Web Compatible Hardware and Software which includes information on compatible hardware and software, including operating systems (Mac OS-X, Windows, RedHat), browsers (Internet Explorer, Firefox), PDF creation software (Acrobat Reader, Acrobat, others), Java, security and cookies.

If that doesn’t answer your question, check the EFS-Web Announcements page and search for “Acrobat.”

On August 25, 2012, the USPTO released version 2.0 of Trademark Status and Document Retrieval (TSDR). On September 1st, all existing direct (static) hyper-links displaying TARR information will be redirected to TSDR. On September 8th, all existing direct (static) hyper-links displaying TDR information will be redirected to TSDR. Soon thereafter, the web pages at http://tarr.uspto.gov/ and http://tdr.uspto.gov/ will no longer be accessible. Please send any questions to TSDR@USPTO.GOV. Additional information about the TSDR 2.0 deployment is available here: TSDR 2.0.

There is an API for the new TSDR, but I haven’t seen much documentation beyond the examples that were mentioned in the TSDR 2.0 FAQ:

Status for serial number 78787878 as a pdf – http://tdrapi.uspto.gov/ts/cd/casestatus/sn78787878/download.pdf
Status for serial number 78787878 as a zip that includes XML and CSS files – http://tdrapi.uspto.gov/ts/cd/casestatus/sn78787878/download.zip
All documents for Serial Number 72131351 as a PDF – http://tdrapi.uspto.gov/ts/cd/casedocs/bundle.pdf?sn=72131351
All documents for Reference Number Z1231384 as a PDF – http://tdrapi.uspto.gov/ts/cd/casedocs/bundle.pdf?ref=Z1231384
All documents for Registration Number 3,500,030 as a PDF – http://tdrapi.uspto.gov/ts/cd/casedocs/bundle.pdf?rn=3500030
Documents sent/received on Nov 30th, 2003 for Serial Number 72-131351 as a PDF – http://tdrapi.uspto.gov/ts/cd/casedocs/bundle.pdf?sn=72131351&date=2003-11-30
All specimens for Serial Numbers 72131351 and 76515878 as a single PDF – http://tdrapi.uspto.gov/ts/cd/casedocs/bundle.pdf?sn=72131351,76515878&type=SPE
Metadata (in XML) about all documents for Serial Number 75008897 sent/received during 2006 – http://tdrapi.uspto.gov/ts/cd/casedocs/bundle.xml?sn=75008897&fromdate=2006-01-01&todate=2006-12-31
Metadata (in XML) about all documents for International Registration Number 0835690 sorted from earliest to latest – http://tdrapi.uspto.gov/ts/cd/casedocs/bundle.xml?ir=0835690&sort=date:A
The Registration Certificate for Registration Number 3,500,038 as a PDF – http://tdrapi.uspto.gov/ts/cd/casedocs/bundle.pdf?rn=3500038&category=RC
The Registration Certificates for Registration Numbers 3,500,038 and 3,500,039 as a ZIP of their original TIFF images – http://tdrapi.uspto.gov/ts/cd/casedocs/bundle.zip?rn=3500038,3500039&category=RC
Status for Serial Number 78787878 as html – http://tdrapi.uspto.gov/ts/cd/casestatus/sn78787878/content.html
Status for Serial Number 78787878 as XML – http://tdrapi.uspto.gov/ts/cd/casestatus/sn78787878/info.xml

Please let me know if you’ve seen any other API documentation out there…and I’ll update this post.

[UPDATE 2012-09-04]
I asked the USPTO last week if there was any additional documentation regarding the API. I was told that there is not.

From the above list (and looking at the XML), you can extrapolate the following:

The URLS start with: “http://tdrapi.uspto.gov/ts/cd”

Options include:

/casestatus/sn1234567/download.pdf [[status as a pdf]]
/casestatus/sn1234567/download.zip [[status as zip with xml and css files]]
/casestatus/sn1234567/content.html [[status as html]]
/casestatus/sn1234567/info.xml [[status as xml]]
/casedocs/bundle.pdf?sn=1234567 [[by serial number]]
/casedocs/bundle.pdf?rn=1234567 [[by registration number]]
/casedocs/bundle.pdf?ref=1234567 [[by USPTO reference number]]
/casedocs/bundle.pdf?ir=0835690 [[by international registration number]]
/casedocs/bundle.xml [[metadata in xml]]
/casedocs/bundle.zip [[a ZIP of the original TIFF images]]
&date=1999-01-01 [[docs sent/received on a date]]
&fromdate=2006-01-01&todate=2006-12-31 [[docs sent/received in a date range]]
&type=SPE [[specimens]]
&type=DSC [[Design Search Code]]
&type=ORC [[Registration Certificate]]
&type=DRW [[Drawing]]
&type=NOP [[Notice of Publication]]
&type=APP [[Application]]
&sort=date:A [[sorted from earliers to latest]]
&category=RC [[Registration Certificate]]

multiple matters can be requested by adding them comma separated
/casedocs/bundle.pdf?sn=1234567,2345678

Need a few ethics CLE credits? Tired of having to get your ethics CLE credits by listening to or attending programs on subjects that have nothing to do with what you actually do for a living, which is intellectual property law? Well, here is one ethics CLE credit that relates to patents.

MCLE: Ethics issues with US patent and PCT powers of attorney

If you have the Windows Calculator program running [in Windows Vista, 7 or later], and press “Control +E,” it gives you the ability to calculate the difference between two dates.

[Via: Reddit]

Updated 2012-03-14 to add information re versions of Windows, and to add a second screenshot.

I tell them the same thing I always do…send me a copy and I’ll glance at it for you, but the chances are that it is either an outright scam, or an offer for services they probably don’t need (e.g., the client I talked with last week that received a solicitation that included an offer to register their Service Mark with U.S. Customs).

It makes you wonder…how many trademark owners fall victim to these scams every year?

At least the old “Chinese domain name” scam looks fishy. But, the trademark service solicitations are a different thing. They’re very carefully drafted, clearly intending to either (1) trick the trademark owner into thinking the communication came from the Trademark Office itself, or (2) scare the trademark owner into thinking they need to take immediate action (and send the solicitation firm immediate payment).

When the problem was invention promotion companies, the Federal Trade Commission and USPTO stepped in and addressed it, issuing a number of different publications (such as THIS ONE, and THIS ONE, THIS ONE, and THIS ONE), and promulgating regulations/prosecuting the crooks accordingly. Of course, that wasn’t until hundreds of millions of dollars had been conned out of small inventors that action was taken. But at least they did something.

Where’s the USPTO on this issue (other than creating a short warning published on the USPTO website)? Where’s the FTC?

Other trademark attorneys are sick and tired of the inaction. They’ve decided to take matters into their own hands. Erik M. Pelton has started a petition. Another law firm (Leason Ellis LLP in New York) has actually filed a civil lawsuit against one solicitor.

At least one state, California, has a state statute meant to address issues like this: California Civil Code Section 1716. Sadly, my state (Idaho) doesn’t have such a statute. Does yours?

It’s time for trademark attorneys to start asking their clients to ALWAYS send copies of such solicitations to them. Then, we need to start forwarding them (with the client’s permission, of course) to our state representatives, Governors, and state Attorney Generals (along with a copy of the California statute), asking for similar “payment solicitation” legislation to be added to our respective states’ codes.

It’s time…

USPTO Director David Kappos and other members of the USPTO’s senior leadership team invite you to join them online for a live webinar examining implementation of the America Invents Act and the proposed USPTO patent fees announced earlier this month. The program will be held on Tuesday, February 21, 2012 from 4:30 – 5:30 p.m. Eastern Time. While some questions will be taken from the public during the live event, the public is encouraged to submit questions by noon, Thursday, February 16 by email to webinar@uspto.gov.
The address to participate in this online webinar is: https://uspto-events.webex.com/uspto-events/onstage/g.php?d=998930187&t=a
Date and Time: Tuesday, February 21, 2012 4:30 p.m., Eastern Standard Time (New York, GMT-05:00)
Event number: 998 930 187
Event password: 123456
Teleconference Information — Call-in toll number (US/Canada): +1-408-600-3600 Access code: 998 930 187

Wow. Check out these changes:

• Design patent application filing/examination/search fees increase from $530 to $1180.
• RCE filing fee increasing from $930 to $1700.
• Total maintenance fees (combined 4, 8 and 12 year) increase from $8710 to $12,800.
• Notice of Appeal increase from $620 to $1500.

Stiles’ book is a complete instruction manual for new patent staff: explaining the entire patenting process and terminology, walking them through (step-by-step) how to file something via EFS-Web, and includes quite a few flowcharts, checklists, and form letters. It is a great resource for new staff (and new patent attorneys).