The USPTO’s Office of Patent Stakeholder Experience offers ongoing services for patent applicants.

Its Patents Ombudsman Program provides assistance to applicants and attorneys throughout the application process, including during initial filing, patent examination, and post-examination. Applicants receive help when the normal processing has stalled.

The program also renders assistance on the merits where there is an issue with case prosecution concerns. It is not intended to circumvent normal communication between applicants or their representatives and examiners, or supervisory patent examiners. For more information, go to uspto.gov/Ombudsman. 

The Pro Se Assistance Program offers similar support, specifically for those filing patents without the help of a registered patent attorney or agent. For more information, go to uspto.gov/ProSePatents. Also, the staff in the Application Assistance Unit is trained to assist with a broad range of questions and issues pertaining to pre-examination processing of patent applications by the Office of Patent Application Processing, and the post-examination processing of patent applications by the Office of Data Management. Call toll-free at 888-786-0101 or go to HelpAAU@uspto.gov for details.