The US Patent Office needs more training

**WorstPE** · 02-04-10, 03:24 PM

http://industry.bnet.com/technology/...mands-resends/

I know, the headline seems like a joke. After all, what do you do if someone inadvertently fed a page upside down into the fax machine? You simply turn the page over or, if you get an electronic version, use the reader software to rotate it. Apparently this is not within the standard operating procedures of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. No, if your fax comes in upside down, they send you a message in return saying that they can’t accept it and to re-fax. Here’s a copy of the letter that a source, who regularly deals with the USPTO, passed along to me:

I’ve sharpened it a bit with Photoshop, but in case you still find it hard to read, here’s the text:

SubmitterUnited States Patent and Trademark Office
Notice of Document Faxed Upside Down

Your request to record a document in the United States Patent and Trademark Office was received via electronic fax on [date and time in 2010 omitted].

The faxed submission was received upside down. We are unable to continue processing these images.

Please resubmit your document.

If you have any questions, you may contact our customer service center at [number omitted].

Office of Public Records

Usually when I see something really peculiar, I try to put myself in the place of the person doing what seems inane and think of reasons why perhaps it makes more sense than it seems. Only, I can’t see any possible reason. What, it’s faster to send a fax in return and wait for a response? They don’t have technology that allows turning the images around? Maybe the patent for that particular nicety of image processing is lost somewhere, probably filed upside down.

If they get the 15 percent increase in fees, will they at least agree to rotate the images? So much for radical improvement. I still can’t get over that they appear to have a form letter for this.

An upside down fax is too much for one person to handle by themselves.

**Rawr** · 02-04-10, 03:29 PM

This is awesome.

**...bigdog...** · 02-04-10, 03:32 PM

I suppose it depends on how they are receiving their faxes. Likely, it's automated, meaning the fax isn't ever printed, but goes straight into a digital image/scan. So..if you send it upside down, then the images are upside down, and then the document is fucked up.

so.... do it right.

**Rawr** · 02-04-10, 03:34 PM

Yeah, but even if it's automated, it is able to recognize that it is wrong. How hard is it for it to then automatically just flip it over. (That probably would have cost less than to make an email response for the problem)

**...bigdog...** · 02-04-10, 03:36 PM

Originally Posted by Rawr

Yeah, but even if it's automated, it is able to recognize that it is wrong. How hard is it for it to then automatically just flip it over. (That probably would have cost less than to make an email response for the problem)

by the time a human sees it....it's a bit late to be editing people's documents. And then, you're also talking about 100's and 1000's of pages for even individual patents. Huge documents. Not simple point and clicks.

AND, then you have a paper trail showing that the USPTO edited the papers, rather than them being the same document that was submitted to them (important for auditing and legal purposes).

submit your shit the way they say to do it. You have to put your CC in the right way at the ATM, right? Yoy have to put your money in the right way to buy a coke, right?

Do it right. especially on things that matter, slackers. The USPTO is not your mother.

**WorstPE** · 02-04-10, 04:12 PM

Way to ruin the humor of the article...

**...bigdog...** · 02-04-10, 04:16 PM

Originally Posted by WorstPE

Way to ruin the humor of the article...

it was humorous?

**bust331** · 02-04-10, 04:21 PM

Originally Posted by ...bigdog...

Originally Posted by WorstPE

Way to ruin the humor of the article...

it was humorous?

Yep

**flame** · 02-04-10, 08:50 PM

Originally Posted by ...bigdog...

submit your shit the way they say to do it. You have to put your CC in the right way at the ATM, right? Yoy have to put your money in the right way to buy a coke, right?

We spend the extra money to buy bill acceptors that will take bills any way but sideways. I want your money I'll take it upside down. Then again when your bill acceptor is in a bar... it helps to make it simple.

But at least I know my work isnt the only place still using a fax machine.