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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Goudy Old Style",serif;color:#1F497D">How does postponing the release date of IPAS/Assignment Center allow the PTO to “incorporate valuable stakeholder feedback” when no one outside the PTO appears
to have any idea what the new system will look like? Apparently, they’re incapable of running both the new system and the existing systems in parallel for even a short time (at least for non-PTO users), so unless the stakeholders providing the feedback are
PTO Assignment Branch personnel complaining that it doesn’t work right, I don’t see how the delay gives them any benefit. Perhaps they just now realized that they might need to lay on EBC agents to answer questions and need the extra time to train them. If
so, that’s yet another management failure by the PTO.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Goudy Old Style",serif;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Goudy Old Style",serif;color:#1F497D">As for the assertion that “Our first priority is always the success of our customers,” I realize that’s nothing but corporate puffery, but the Patent Center
experience surely makes that laughable.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Goudy Old Style",serif;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Goudy Old Style",serif;color:#1F497D;mso-ligatures:none;mso-fareast-language:ZH-CN">Best regards,<br>
<b>Richard A. Schafer | Schafer IP Law</b></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond",serif;color:#1F497D;mso-ligatures:none;mso-fareast-language:ZH-CN"><br>
</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Goudy Old Style",serif;color:#1F497D;mso-ligatures:none;mso-fareast-language:ZH-CN">P.O. Box 230081 | Houston, TX 77223<br>
M: 832.283.6564 | </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Goudy Old Style",serif;color:#1F497D;mso-ligatures:none"><a href="mailto:richard@schafer-ip.com"><span style="color:#0563C1">richard@schafer-ip.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Goudy Old Style",serif;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none">From:</span></b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none"> Patentcenter <patentcenter-bounces@oppedahl-lists.com>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Goldberg, Judi via Patentcenter<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Friday, January 19, 2024 1:11 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> For bug reports, feature requests, and tips and tricks about Patent Center. <patentcenter@oppedahl-lists.com><br>
<b>Cc:</b> Goldberg, Judi <jgoldberg@leydig.com><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [Patentcenter] PTO continues to change its story on launch of IPAS (Assignment Center)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">Just got this alert. I’m glad they postponed the start date, but did I miss where we could provide valuable additional stakeholder feedback? I have so many questions
about the new system….<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none"><img border="0" width="491" height="411" style="width:5.1145in;height:4.2812in" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.jpg@01DA4AE6.C86BC350"></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none">From:</span></b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none"> Patentcenter <<a href="mailto:patentcenter-bounces@oppedahl-lists.com">patentcenter-bounces@oppedahl-lists.com</a>>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Barrett, Scott R. via Patentcenter<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Friday, January 19, 2024 11:54 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> users of Patentcenter <<a href="mailto:patentcenter@oppedahl-lists.com">patentcenter@oppedahl-lists.com</a>><br>
<b>Cc:</b> Barrett, Scott R. <<a href="mailto:Scott.Barrett@wilmerhale.com">Scott.Barrett@wilmerhale.com</a>><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [Patentcenter] PTO continues to change its story on launch of IPAS (Assignment Center)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#B8312F">[External Email]</span></strong><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Century Schoolbook",serif">This apparently was delayed to February 5<sup>th</sup>…<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Century Schoolbook",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none"><img border="0" width="607" height="77" style="width:6.3229in;height:.802in" id="Picture_x0020_13" src="cid:image002.png@01DA4AE6.C86BC350"></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Century Schoolbook",serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Century Schoolbook",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none">From:</span></b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none"> Patentcenter <<a href="mailto:patentcenter-bounces@oppedahl-lists.com">patentcenter-bounces@oppedahl-lists.com</a>>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Richard Schafer via Patentcenter<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, January 16, 2024 10:00 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> For bug reports, feature requests, and tips and tricks about Patent Center. <<a href="mailto:patentcenter@oppedahl-lists.com">patentcenter@oppedahl-lists.com</a>><br>
<b>Cc:</b> Richard Schafer <<a href="mailto:richard@schafer-ip.com">richard@schafer-ip.com</a>><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [Patentcenter] PTO continues to change its story on launch of IPAS (Assignment Center)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<div style="border:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:2.0pt 2.0pt 2.0pt 2.0pt;display:inline-block">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:#FEE867"><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:red;mso-ligatures:none">EXTERNAL SENDER</span></b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none">
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Goudy Old Style",serif;color:#1F497D">Well, the system availability page says ETAS and EPAS will not be available after the maintenance period ends at 11 pm, and we should use IPAS instead. EPAS
and ETAS still say the new system will be available on the 22<sup>nd</sup>. So if that’s accurate, either no assignment handline will be available the entire weekend or IPAS gets a 3-day head start.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Goudy Old Style",serif;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Goudy Old Style",serif;color:#1F497D">At the moment, any attempt to reach assignments.uspto.gov gets a DNS PROBE FINISHED NXDOMAIN error, so the PTO hasn’t put up even an “under construction” website,
although that’s probably antithetical to the New Way of Working at the PTO.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Goudy Old Style",serif;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Goudy Old Style",serif;color:#1F497D;mso-ligatures:none;mso-fareast-language:ZH-CN">Best regards,<br>
<b>Richard A. Schafer | Schafer IP Law</b></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond",serif;color:#1F497D;mso-ligatures:none;mso-fareast-language:ZH-CN"><br>
</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Goudy Old Style",serif;color:#1F497D;mso-ligatures:none;mso-fareast-language:ZH-CN">P.O. Box 230081 | Houston, TX 77223<br>
M: 832.283.6564 | </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Goudy Old Style",serif;color:#1F497D;mso-ligatures:none"><a href="mailto:richard@schafer-ip.com"><span style="color:#0563C1">richard@schafer-ip.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Goudy Old Style",serif;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none">From:</span></b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none"> Patentcenter <<a href="mailto:patentcenter-bounces@oppedahl-lists.com">patentcenter-bounces@oppedahl-lists.com</a>>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Randall Svihla via Patentcenter<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, January 16, 2024 7:31 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> For bug reports, feature requests, and tips and tricks about Patent Center. <<a href="mailto:patentcenter@oppedahl-lists.com">patentcenter@oppedahl-lists.com</a>><br>
<b>Cc:</b> Randall Svihla <<a href="mailto:rsvihla@nsiplaw.com">rsvihla@nsiplaw.com</a>><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [Patentcenter] PTO continues to change its story on launch of IPAS (Assignment Center)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Perhaps the new-and-improved-greatest-thing-since-sliced-bread IPAS or Assignment Center will go live on January 22, 2024.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none">From:</span></b><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none"> Patentcenter <<a href="mailto:patentcenter-bounces@oppedahl-lists.com">patentcenter-bounces@oppedahl-lists.com</a>>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Richard Schafer via Patentcenter<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, January 16, 2024 8:25 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> users of Patentcenter <<a href="mailto:patentcenter@oppedahl-lists.com">patentcenter@oppedahl-lists.com</a>>; E-trademarks <<a href="mailto:e-trademarks-bounces@oppedahl-lists.com">e-trademarks-bounces@oppedahl-lists.com</a>><br>
<b>Cc:</b> Richard Schafer <<a href="mailto:richard@schafer-ip.com">richard@schafer-ip.com</a>><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [Patentcenter] PTO continues to change its story on launch of IPAS (Assignment Center)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Goudy Old Style",serif">I love the customer-focused attitude of the PTO.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Goudy Old Style",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Goudy Old Style",serif">On January 11, the PTO announced that Assignment Center would replace EPAS and ETAS on January 22, 2024. But what do I see today on the PTO status page?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Goudy Old Style",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left:.5in;line-height:15.75pt;background:white">
<b><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:#1B1B1B">Electronic Patent Assignments System (EPAS) and Electronic Trademark Assignments System (ETAS) Maintenance</span></b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:#1B1B1B"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left:.5in;line-height:15.75pt;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-variant-ligatures: normal;font-variant-caps: normal;orphans: 2;widows: 2;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;text-decoration-thickness: initial;text-decoration-style: initial;text-decoration-color: initial;word-spacing:0px">
<span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:#1B1B1B">The USPTO Certified Copy and Assignments (CC&A) Product team will replace the EPAS and ETAS systems with IPAS (Assignment Center), <b>from 9 a.m. until 11 p.m. on Friday, January
19 ET.</b><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left:.5in;line-height:15.75pt;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-variant-ligatures: normal;font-variant-caps: normal;orphans: 2;widows: 2;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;text-decoration-thickness: initial;text-decoration-style: initial;text-decoration-color: initial;word-spacing:0px">
<span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:#1B1B1B">During the maintenance period and after, the EPAS and ETAS products will not be available. Please use the new product at: <a href="https://assignmentcenter.uspto.gov/" target="_blank"><b><span style="color:#005EA2">https://assignmentcenter.uspto.gov</span></b></a>. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Goudy Old Style",serif">So apparently they’ve moved the date again, this time in a way that eliminates the ability to record assignments nearly all day Friday, January 19. After all, we couldn’t
expect the PTO’s IT staff to work over the weekend, could we?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Goudy Old Style",serif;mso-ligatures:none;mso-fareast-language:ZH-CN"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Goudy Old Style",serif;mso-ligatures:none;mso-fareast-language:ZH-CN">Best regards,<br>
<b>Richard A. Schafer | Schafer IP Law</b></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond",serif;mso-ligatures:none;mso-fareast-language:ZH-CN"><br>
</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Goudy Old Style",serif;mso-ligatures:none;mso-fareast-language:ZH-CN">P.O. Box 230081 | Houston, TX 77223<br>
M: 832.283.6564 | </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Goudy Old Style",serif;mso-ligatures:none"><a href="mailto:richard@schafer-ip.com"><span style="color:#0563C1">richard@schafer-ip.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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