Glossary
- Patent agent
- A non-lawyer registered by the USPTO to prepare and prosecute patent applications.
- Patent attorney
- A lawyer admitted to a state bar who has also passed the patent bar and is registered with the USPTO.
- Registration number
- The number the USPTO assigns to each registered patent attorney and agent; it can be checked in the USPTO's practitioner search.
- OED
- The USPTO's Office of Enrollment and Discipline, which approves exam applications, registers practitioners and handles discipline.
- Patent prosecution
- Preparing, filing and arguing a patent application before the USPTO until it is granted or abandoned.
- Office action
- An examiner's written decision on an application, to which the applicant replies.
- USPTO
- The United States Patent and Trademark Office.