United States Patent and Trademark Office

• Pages: 132-133

132 U.S. GOVERNMENT MANUAL

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United States Patent and Trademark Off‌ice

600 Dulany Street, Arlington, VA 22313

Phone, 571–272–8400. Internet, http://www.uspto.gov.

Under Secretary for Intellectual Property and

Director

DAVID KAPPOS

Deputy Under Secretary for Intellectual

Property and Deputy Director

SHARON BARNER

Commissioner for Patents ROBERT STOLL

Commissioner for Trademarks LYNNE G. BERESFORD

[For the Patent and TrademarkOff‌ice statement of organization, see the Federal Register of Apr. 14, 1975, 40

FR 16707]

The United States Patent and Trademark

Off‌ice (USPTO) was established by the

act of July 19, 1952 (35 U.S.C. 1) to

promote the progress of science and the

useful arts by securing for limited times

to inventors the exclusive right to their

respective discoveries for a certain period

of time (Article I, Section 8 of the United

States Constitution). The registration of

trademarks is based on the commerce

clause of the U.S. Constitution.

USPTO examines and issues patents.

There are three major patent categories:

utility patents, design patents, and plant

patents. USPTO also issues statutory

invention registrations and processes

international patent applications.

Through the registration of trademarks,

USPTO assists businesses in protecting

their investments, promoting goods and

services, and safeguarding consumers

against confusion and deception in the

marketplace. A trademark includes any

distinctive word, name, symbol, device,

or any combination thereof adopted

and used or intended to be used by a

manufacturer or merchant to identify

his goods or services and distinguish

them from those manufactured or sold

by others. Trademarks are examined by

the Off‌ice for compliance with various

statutory requirements to prevent unfair

competition and consumer deception.

In addition to the examination of

patent and trademark applications,

issuance of patents, and registration of

trademarks, USPTO advises and assists

government agencies and off‌icials in

matters involving all domestic and global

aspects of intellectual property. USPTO

also promotes an understanding of

intellectual property protection.

USPTO provides public access to

patent, trademark, and related scientif‌ic

and technical information. Patents and

trademarks may be freely reviewed and

searched online at www.uspto.gov or

at designated Patent and Trademark

Depository Libraries. There are 80 Patent

and Trademark Depository Libraries

located within the United States and the

territory of Puerto Rico. Additionally,

USPTO’s Scientif‌ic and Technical

Information Center in Alexandria,

VA, houses over 120,000 volumes of

scientif‌ic and technical books in various

languages; 90,000 bound volumes of

periodicals devoted to science and