[Patentcenter] New Patent Center Bug?

[Bruce Young]

I filed a PCT application using a zip file generated by ePCT on 1/9 and did not pay the fee as I usually wait until the 102 form is received to make sure that the USPTO and I agree on the fee amount. As of today, I have not yet received the PCT/RO/102 PCT filing Receipt showing fees due, so I decided to go online and pay the fees now anyway to avoid the possibility of a surcharge. When I get to the page in Patent Center to select the proper fee, there is no option for fee code 1710 International filing fee (first 30 pages - filed electronically with ePCT or PCT-EASY .zip file), only fee code 1701 International filing fee (first 30 pages - filed electronically without ePCT or PCT-EASY .zip file). This is very similar to the bug CP111 listed in the Patent Trouble Tickets, but that one was related to paying the fee with the initial filing. That bug is listed as fixed under Archived Resolved Issues on Patent Center | USPTO<https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center>. Has anyone else tried to pay the .zip Internation Filing fee after the initial filing? Had you received your 102 form yet?

For extra credit, the fee payment page has the following note (which I believe is meant to provide direction on what to do if the fees have changed from the time the application was actually filed so the fees due do not correspond to current fees):
The online fee payment amounts in Patent Center are set to the current fee schedule. The transmittal fee, international filing fee, international search fee or other fee amounts payable for a PCT international application may not equal the online fee payment amount. As a result, online fee payment through Patent Center should not be utilized when the online fee amount is not equal to the fee amount that is desired to be paid. See MPEP 502.05(II)(E) for alternative means of fee payment.

The problem is that there is no MPEP502.05(II)(E). MPEP 502 is directed to depositing correspondence, not payment of fees. MPEP 509 is directed to payment of fees. I assume that they are referring to faxing a CC card payment authorization (MPEP  509(II)) or written authorization to pay using a Deposit Account (MPEP 509.01(I)) but who knows.

-Bruce Young
(712) 541-9822

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