Attachment_5.a_PCT_Printing_and_Mailing_Final_03-03-09_(3).pdf

Attachment 5.a

PCT Printing and Mailing

The following documentation is being provided to eliminate the use of the black and red folders used for PCT printing and mailing of outgoing correspondence. The past process of the Patent Application Specialist printing documents and placing them in the black or red folders to be copied and mailed will be replaced by the use of POWER which stands for PCT

Operations Workflow and Electronic Review System.

This process allows for the Contactor staff to be able to assign and monitor workflow through the use of System Admin Console and POWER workflow.

The use of both systems will provide staff the ability to do the following transactions.

Mail forms to applicants.

Soft scan images into IFW.

Submit PALM transaction once date is set.

Send electronic transmission of forms and Record copies to

International Bureau (IB).

Mail Search Copies and RO forms to ISA/EP, KR and AU, as appropriate.

Mail miscellaneous documents to JPO.

The following steps should be taken for assigning documents to be printed and mailed out using System Admin Console.

1. Supervisor of Copies and Mailing opens up System Admin Queue to monitor and assign cases to workers that will mail forms and record copies.

2. Once the console opens select Work Distribution.

3. Double click on Copies & Mailing to view the serial numbers to be assigned.

16bis Exceptions 4

19.4 Exceptions 2

Article 11 1

Bib Data Review/PTOSS 255

Copies&Mailing 203

Demand Backlog 3

Demand LSS Backlog 1

Demand LSS1 300

Demand Over Backlog 3

Demand Overdue Resp 69

Once you double click on Copies and Mailing the following screen will open to view the serial numbers to be assigned.

PCT U.S. serial number

4. Select the serial numbers to be assigned by clicking on the serial number once.

5. After highlighting the serial numbers to be assigned, select Assign to

User button. This will open a drop down box so user can be select to assign the serial number, and then select “OK”.

Assign to User button

Drop down box to select name

Once this has been done the serial numbers have been assigned to user. To view success close window and then open up again to see that the serial number was assigned to user.

Assigned user: KDIGGS

The following steps should be taken for processing documents to be printed and mailed out, using POWER workflow.

1. Once items have been assigned to users, double click on the POWER icon on your desktop.

2. After this is done, POWER main menu will open to allow user to view the serial numbers that were assigned to them. Single click the Docket tab.

Single click Docket

Once this is done the POWER application queue will open to allow user access to the serial numbers that were assigned.

3. User double clicks on the serial number in the top portion of the window

“Work step Content” to allow the serial number to drop down to the bottom portion of the window ”Applications Assigned to User” in order to print or mail out correspondence. The user can not act on the application until this is done.

Work Step content assigned to user

Assigned work to be printed and mailed

Important Note

Please proceed with the following instructions as they apply after opening up the serial number.

If red ball is found in section Security /Classification on “Chapter I – Review

Summary” continue with Step 4.

If no red ball is found in “Chapter I – Review Summary” skip Step 4 and continue with Step 5.

4. Double click on serial number in the “Application Assigned to User” to open Review Summary window.

If red ball appear on Security/Classification item listed in “Review

Summary” as seen in window below, send case back to PAS Supervisor with message “Application contain Security/Classification error level

Red Ball”.

Red Ball

The following steps should be taken to send message back to PAS

Supervisor if Red Ball is found in Security/Classification section.

To send message back to PAS Supervisor, select the “Completed” icon from the tool bar as seen below.

Completed icon

User will be prompted “Do you want to send the application”, select yes.

Once “Send To” window opens select radio button “User Mailbox” and select the PAS Supervisor name to which that PAS is assigned to that processed the application.

*See attached list to see which PAS processor is assigned to which

Supervisor.

In the message area type the following message”Application contain

Security/Classification error level Red Ball”.

Then select send button to send application back to the PAS Supervisor.

PAS processor name

5. Double click on serial number, once this is done click “F” for the Forms package in the top left corner of the following window.

For form package

6. Select “Completed folder” to review the forms to be printed and mailed.

Follow instructions provided on the “B folder” instruction sheet to note which items need to printed and mailed from IFW and POWER. Review forms to make sure that an address and signature are on the forms.

7. Print out the B folder instruction sheet from the Completed folder. This document contains all instruction as to what needs to be mailed, copied, printed or if CD’s need to be burned. (Example of B Folder on pg.21)

8. Follow instructions on the B folder instruction sheet as they apply. If any discrepancies are noted from the B folder instruction sheet send message back to the PAS Supervisor with message of your finding as found in step 4. Do not send documents to Sent folder.

9. Review forms in the Completed folder.

Review each form in the completed folder to make sure an address is present on documents to be mailed.

The contractor should also review form to make sure a box is checked on the form as well as a signature is present on the form in the

Completed folder. If discrepancies are found send message back to the PAS Supervisor. Do not send documents to the Sent folder.

If instructions on B folder instruction sheet indicate to print Sequence

Listing or burn CD copy of Sequence Listing always perform this action before sending forms to the “Sent folder”. If problem occurs while trying to print or burn CD do not send forms to the completed folder until problem has been resolved.

10. Printing, Mailing and Sending Forms to the Sent Folder.

If all Forms in the “Completed folder” are found to be correct and all instructions can be completed then the forms can be printed and mailed out according to the B folder instruction sheet including document to be printed from IFW.

Highlight all forms located in the Completed folder.

Once this is done select the “Send” button located at the bottom of

POWER.

Prompt button will appear “Do you want to move forms”? Select

“Yes”.

Prompt button will appear noting that forms have been placed in the

“Send folder”, select “Okay”.

When print window appears, select Print

Do not mail Inventory Sheet or B folder sheet. Supervisor shall provide instruction on handling these documents.

Mail forms and CD’s as instructed on the B folder sheet.

11. Sending application to the Next “Work Step”.

Click on blue “Completed” icon as shown to send application to Next

“Work Step”.

Completed icon

User will be prompted “Do you want to send the application”, select yes.

The following should be applied in forwarding the applications to the next “Work Step”.

If Fees were paid according to item 2 of the B folder Instruction sheet proceed in the following manor

Select radio button “Work Step”, then select “Done Processing” from the drop down menu.

Select “Send” to forward application to “Done Processing” queue.

If Fees were not paid according to item 2 of the B folder Instruction sheet proceed in the following manor

Select radio button “Work Step”, then select “16bis Exceptions” from the drop down menu.

Select “Send” to forward application to “16bis Exceptions” queue.

12. Open up next application in “Power Application Queue”.

The following steps should be taken to print attachments to be mailed.

If an application included a form such as an RO 146 to which an attachment is to be mailed proceed with the following.

Select application from “Application Assigned to user queue.

Window will open with message to print attachment.

Double click attachment.

When the attachment opens, print the attachment to be mailed with the forms.

Follow any instructions found in the comment area of the B folder

Instruction sheet.

Example of B Folder Instruction Sheet

Instructions for Preparing Search Copy CD for ISA/RU

Effective: January 1, 2012

IAP Search Copy CD Burning

To access the Search Copy Packages in the POWER folder

1. Go to the following POWER folder: \\w-power-11\power\ROSP\SEARCHCOPIES to locate search copy package(s) ready for ISA/RU.

NOTE: To simplify your future work, it is highly recommended that you map your O drive to “\\w-power-11\power\ROSP\SEARCHCOPIES\”. This is one time task. If you experience any difficulty in mapping your O driver (or any drive letter you prefer to use), please contact Albert Kim (x27370) for assistance.

In the example below, the first search copy package is named as “20111122”, indicating that the package was prepared November 22, 2011.

2. Right-click over each search copy package file. If there is more than one search copy packages [as shown in the above screen-shot], then please select all by following the next three steps:

a. Select the first file name.

b. Press the Shift key but do not release until the next step is complete.

c. Select the last file name.

Make sure that all the package file names that must be burn into CD are highlighted.

Right-click over the highlighted file name(s) will display the window file operation menu. Select “Send To” “DVD RW Drive (D:)”.

This will display the following ”Burn a Disc” window.

Select “Write a CD/DVD player.

3. Click Next to continue. A message on your monitor will inform you that you have files waiting to be burned to disc.

To prepare the Search Copy Packages CD

4. Place a CD-R in your DVD-RW drive on your computer. This will be the lower CD drive if you have multiple disc drives with your workstation.

5. Click Burn to disc. This step will display the Burn to disc window as shown below.

Enter today’s date as the Disc title.

Click Next to continue.

6. The CD Writing Wizard will show that the files are burning to the CD-R.

7. When the CD Writing Wizard is complete, select Finish

The CR-R Drive on your CPU will open.

Remove the CD-R, write each package number on the CD-R using indelible ink. For example, “2011104-2011110” would indicate search copy files for the week Friday November 4 through Thursday November 10, 2011.

Place the CD-R in a jewel case (CD case)

8. [IMPORTANT] After the CD copying is complete, move the search copy package file(s) to the “DELETE” folder using the Window’s drag-and-drop method over the selected package file name(s). This will help us to determine which package(s) have been prepared and mailed to ISA/RU.