PTO - Interview Stakeholder Survey

OMB Control Number: 0690-0030

Expiration Date: April 30, 2017

Stakeholder Interview Survey

DEFINITIONS

In-person or Personal Interview: An interview with the two parties in the same room.

Face-to-face video conference interview: An interview where the two parties can see and interact with each other using audio and video conference equipment. WebEx is the current software used by the USPTO for video conferences.

Telephonic Interview: An interview conducted using the telephone.

Interview: An interview is a discussion of patentability of a pending application between Examiner and Applicant.

1. Have you conducted an interview with an Examiner within the last 12 months?

1. Yes

2. No

2. How effective do you feel an interview is in advancing prosecution?

1. Very effective

2. Effective

3. Neutral

4. Not effective

3. Do you find that your requests for an interview are normally granted?

1. Always

2. Frequently

3. Sometimes

4. Rarely

5. Never

4. How often do you get Examiner-initiated interview requests?

1. Always

2. Frequently

3. Sometimes

4. Rarely

5. Never

5. Approximately how many interviews do you typically have with Examiners in a month?

1. 0

2. 1

3. 2-3

4. 4-5

5. 6 or more

6. On average, what percentage of your interviews are Examiner-initiated?

   1. Less than 25%

   2. Between 25% to 50%

   3. Between 50% to 75%

   4. Above 75%
      
      
      

7. How many face-to-face video conference interviews have you held with examiners in the last 12 months?

1. 0

2. 1

3. 2-4

4. 5-9

5. 10 or more

8. How effective is a face-to-face video conference interview as compared to an in-person (personal) interview?

1. More effective

2. As effective

3. Less effective

4. I have never had a face-to-face video conference interview

9. How effective is a face-to-face video conference interview as compared to a telephonic interview?

1. More effective

2. As effective

3. Less effective

4. I have never had a face-to-face video conference interview

10. If you have never held a face-to-face video conference interview, what is the primary reason? Check all that applies.

    1. I don’t know how to conduct a face-to-face video conference interview.

    2. I don’t think face-to-face video conference interview is an effective tool.

    3. I didn’t know that we are able use face-to-face video conference to conduct interviews.

    4. I have never offered or been requested to conduct a face-to-face video conference interview.

    5. Other______________________________

11. How often do you provide an agenda for an Applicant-initiated interview?

    1. Less than 25%

    2. Between 25% to 50%

    3. Between 50% to 75%

    4. Between 75% to 100%
       
       
       

12. Where do you get most of your information regarding interview practice?

1. Official USPTO publication and website

2. Colleague

3. Patent Blog

4. Examiner

5. MPEP

6. Other

13. How useful do you find the Interview Practice website on USPTO.gov? (Only ask if 12 A is selected)

1. Very Useful

2. Useful

3. Somewhat useful

4. Not useful

5. I have never visited the microsite

14. In your experience, how often do the following apply when you conduct an interview? (includes both Applicant-initiated and Examiner-initiated)

	Very often	often	Somewhat often	Not often
a) Explanation of the invention.
b) Discussion of prior art.
c) Clarification or better understanding of positions.
d) Reaching an agreement or advancing prosecution which promotes compact prosecution.
e) Discuss proposed amendments.

15. What is your preferred method of communication?

    1. Email

    2. Telephone

    3. In person

    4. Face-to-face video conference

16. How often are you contacted by an Examiner via e-mail?

1. Frequently

2. Sometimes

3. Rarely

4. Never

17. How often do you provide the office written authorization to communicate via email?

    1. Always

    2. Sometimes

    3. Rarely

    4. Never
       
       
       

18. In your opinion, how many of your past in-person interviews could have been equally as effective when conducted via face-to-face video conference?

    1. Less than 25%

    2. Between 25% to 50%

    3. Between 50% to 75%

    4. Between 75% to 100%
       
       
       

19. Based on your experiences with interviews, is there a need to increase awareness and/or training among examiners about interviews?

1. Yes

2. No

20. Do you think there are aspects of the interview process that can be improved?

    1. Yes

    2. No

21. Do you have any additional comments concerning interviews?