What is Patent Docketing?

The definition of Patent Docketing

Patent Docketing is the calendarization of events associated with the patent prosecution journey. The events include pre-filing activities, patent application filing activities, and the grant and patent maintenance activities.

The Process Management

If you are managing a few patents probably you can utilize an excel sheet and track the requisite dates. The patent docketing becomes complex with the increase in the number of patents. Imagine, if you have a large number of patents even two hundred or more, you will have a difficult time managing the patent prosecution. Law firms with a focus on patent practices must establish a strong patent docketing process. Large patent law firms use software and hire a team of docketing specialist to manage the complete process.

What are the uses of the Patent Docketing?

United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) takes years to grant a patent. When there are hundreds of patent applications the process of docketing helps in managing the patent prosecution process efficiently. There are filing deadlines, documents, forms, drawings and statements that need to be tracked down. Patent Docketing ensures that all the deadlines are met and all the documents are correctly labeled and kept in the correct folder so that the documents can be retrieved as and when required.

What is Docketing Process?

In the past, there used to be a lot of paperwork in patent law firms. Docketers’ used to label each document and place them in the relevant files. Nowadays, after the introduction of Softwares, paperwork has shifted to electronic files. As a result, the docketing process now includes entering each document into an electronic database. This electronic database helps attorneys easily fetching the list of required documents and deadlines. Also, docketers must also send daily docketing work completed and activities reports to the attorneys so that the attorneys can take relevant actions.

What is virtual patent docketing?

Virtual Patent (IP) Docketing is also known as Remote IP Docketing or Managed IP Docketing or Outsourced IP Docketing. In this process, a team of remote IP Docketers works at a fixed monthly cost. This process helps in reducing the costs of hiring, training and maintaining the inhouse IP docketers team. Menteso IP is thoroughly experienced in managing the docketing system remotely. You can also contact Menteso IP for queries related to remote/virtual IP docketing.

Docketing Softwares

There are a number of patent docketing softwares available in the market. All the softwares help in tracking the deadlines, as well as, managing the complete patent docketing process. Further, many softwares are extremely smart. They automatically get a document feed from the USPTO and create the tasks for the attorneys. Furthermore, some softwares are complex. Such complex softwares keep a track of patent applications in multiple countries. We wrote an article about basic docketing softwares. Here it is, Four best IP docketing softwares for small and medium law firms. The four best docketing softwares include AppColl, Alt Legal, DocketTrak, and FlexTrac. We generally recommend AppColl for our clients unless there is a specific or highly complex need.

Do you need patent docketing services? Check the Menteso IP approach.

Patent Docketing services become important if:

• you think you won’t be able to manage the business needs together with the unproductive work of calendarization, docketing or paralegal
• time is short and you can not manage hiring, training and maintaining a docketing team
• you need docketing experts from day one
• the docketing software is new and it needs to be managed,
• you need expert help to set up the system or process. Menteso IP can rescue you in all situations.

We wish to see your docketing system up and running. Contact us today.