Technology & Digital Tools Flashcards
7 cards from real PPC practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Technology & Digital Tools flashcards as text
Which USPTO digital certificate type must a registered patent practitioner obtain to sign and submit documents electronically with a legally binding digital signature?
Answer: USPTO PKI Certificate
The USPTO requires its own Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) digital certificate for practitioners to create legally binding electronic signatures on submitted documents.
A patent paralegal receives a Notice of Allowance. Which Patent Center action must be completed within three months of the mailing date to avoid paying late fees?
Answer: Pay the issue fee
Upon receiving a Notice of Allowance, the applicant must pay the issue fee within three months of the mailing date to avoid surcharges.
What is the primary function of the Patent Trial and Appeal Board's (PTAB) Consolidated Trial Practice Guide as a digital resource for paralegals?
Answer: It consolidates rules and practices for AIA trial proceedings like IPR and PGR
The PTAB Consolidated Trial Practice Guide is the authoritative resource explaining procedural rules for AIA trial proceedings including Inter Partes Review and Post-Grant Review.
When a foreign priority document must be submitted to the USPTO, which electronic portal should a paralegal use if the document is available through the Patent Cooperation Treaty digital library?
Answer: Request retrieval via the Priority Document Exchange (PDX) program
The Priority Document Exchange (PDX) program allows the USPTO to electronically retrieve certified priority documents directly from participating foreign offices, eliminating manual submission.
A paralegal is configuring docketing software for a new client with a large international portfolio. Which docketing parameter is most critical to set correctly to avoid missing PCT national phase entry deadlines?
Answer: The international filing date and designated countries
National phase entry deadlines (30 or 31 months from priority date) depend on the international filing date and the specific countries designated, making these the most critical parameters.
Which tool within the USPTO website provides a searchable database of Patent Examining Procedure (MPEP) sections to help paralegals research procedural requirements?
Answer: MPEP E9R-10.2019 online search interface on USPTO.gov
USPTO.gov hosts the full online searchable MPEP, which is the authoritative procedural manual for all USPTO examination and filing requirements.
Under current USPTO requirements, what must accompany an electronically filed oath or declaration for a patent application submitted after September 16, 2012 (AIA)?
Answer: An S-signature or a PKI digital signature meeting 37 CFR 1.4 requirements
Post-AIA electronic declarations require either an S-signature (e.g., /John Smith/) or a USPTO PKI digital signature compliant with 37 CFR 1.4.