Reestablishment of the Patent and Trademark Office as the United States Patent and Trademark Office

Résumé

The Patent and Trademark Office Efficiency Act reestablishes the Patent and Trademark Office as the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), an agency of the United States, within the Department of Commerce. USPTO will continue to issue patents, register trademarks, and disseminate information about patents and trademarks under the policy direction of the Secretary of Commerce, but will otherwise exercise independent control of its budget allocations and expenditures, personnel decisions and processes, procurements, and other administrative and management functions. This notice will explain some key aspects of USPTO's new functions and authorities.