UKIPO: Dedicated Email Addresses

There are a number of dedicated email addresses used by the UK IPO in their day-to-day activities. As I get older, my already over-loaded brain refuses to remember anything with an “@” (which either the Dutch or Germans allegedly call a “monkey’s tail”) . I will therefore set them out below.

[The @ signs below have all been replaced with [at] to prevent crawling by automated spam-bots.]

In general, all emails should be a plain text email message (RFC822-compliant). The UKIPO will not accept MS-TNEF/RTF format messages or HTML format messages. Nor will they accept messages that are encrypted or digitally signed. Make sure you change your email settings appropriately.

The UKIPO will send a return email message confirming receipt of the any sent email – do not assume your email has been received until you receive this.

Extensions of time under Section 117B (e.g. for examination reports): pateot[at]ipo.gov.uk

For withdrawing a UK patent application: withdraw[at]ipo.gov.uk

• Example subject line: “Withdrawal of patent application number GBYYXXXXX.X”.
• The body text of the email message should contain a statement of withdrawal that is not ambiguous or conditional. Such a statement could read:”I withdraw patent application number GBYYXXXXX.X”.
• If you wish to file a subsequent application, and use this as a basis for a priority claim, then, inter alia, the withdrawal of the application should be made without leaving any rights outstanding. This can achieved using a statement such as “I withdraw patent application number GBYYXXXXX.X without leaving any rights outstanding”. Please note that making this statement rules out the possibility of later making a request to correct the withdrawal of a withdrawn application (resuscitation) or to request reinstatement of an abandoned application (i.e. leave any withdrawals to a professional).
• The email message should also contain some indication that the person withdrawing the application is authorised to do so, eg. “I am the applicant / the applicant’s agent for the application”.
• The email message should contain no attachments and the request to withdraw the application should not be contained in an attachment. The request should be made in the body of the message.
• Also see here.

Third Party Observations

For submitting third party observations under Section 21: section21[at]ipo.gov.uk

Form of email required

• Example subject line: “Third Party Observations under s.21 for patent application number GBYYXXXXX.X”.
• Observations can either be provided in the body text of the email or in an attachment. The attachment should preferably be in one of the following formats: MS Word, WordPerfect, PDF or plain text (.txt/.rtf).

Amendments

Filing amendments to a patent under Sections 27 or 75: litigationamend[at]ipo.gov.uk

Form of email required

• Example subject lines: “Proposal to amend patent number GBXXXXXXX under s75 before the courts [or the comptroller]” or “Proposal to amend patent number GBXXXXXXX under s27” as appropriate.
• The text may be provided as an attachment to the email.
• Use of “Track Changes” is encouraged.
• Accepted formats, inter alia, MS Word, WordPerfect, and PDF.

Observations on Patent Office Opinions

Filing observations for a UKIPO Opinion: opinions[at]ipo.gov.uk

Form of email required

• Example subject line: “Observations relating to Opinion No. [NN/YY]”.
• Observations can either be provided in the body text of the email or in an attachment. The attachment should preferably be in one of the following formats: MS Word, WordPerfect, PDF or plain text (.txt/.rtf).
• An acknowledgement may not be provided immediately.

[ Image: Modern lamp letter box at Abbey Mill, Tintern (Roy Parkhouse) / CC BY-SA 2.0 ]