The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) recently replaced the Electronic Patent Assignment System (EPAS) and Electronic Trademark Assignment System (ETAS) with Assignment Center.
Sometime after the transition, a programming oversight inadvertently allowed unauthorized access to certain bibliographic information. This bibliographic information was limited to the application number (the two-digit series code plus the six-digit serial number) and title of the invention.
The USPTO has issued error notices and McCoy Russell has already established processes that have managed this issue proactively. The firm’s collaborative and dedicated action teams continue its meticulous processes and review all inbound documentation and update docketing for its clients.
We note the USPTO first identified the software error on March 28, 2024, and promptly rectified it by March 29, 2024. It is important to clarify that only application numbers and titles were disclosed; applicant specifications and claims were not accessible during this incident.
