Automatically generated forms should use the latest USPTO information

[SadiqA2304]

Automatically generated forms, which are triggered by USPTO eOffice Actions, may use out-of-date information in certain circumstances, such as first Office Actions.

In the initial stages after an application's initial filing, the USPTO has placeholder information is in the USPTO system such as "Docket Central" as the examiner and "OPAP" as the art unit. This information gets updated by the USPTO prior to the first Office Action being sent out.

As one (basic) example, I have an Office Action Response template that is generated when an Office Action is received. This template populates basic bibliographic information, such as title, inventor, examiner, art unit, etc. In the current implementation, Appcoll does not update the information in the Appcoll system before automatically generating documents; it uses whatever was in the system before. Appcoll updates its internal information after generating documents based on an eOfficeAction. On second and subsequent actions (with no examiner or AU change), this works fine. However, on first actions, it results in situations like Appcoll-generated form fields getting populated with the placeholder information such as "Docket Central" and "OPAP."

[SadiqA2304]

@RichardS3059 Do you have form letters attached to automatically generated tasks that are triggered when an eOfficeAction is received?

[SadiqA2304]

@gregg_appcoll All first actions/notices of allowances on my account have this issue.

[gregg_appcoll]

Hi Sadiq - do you have an example matter we can take a look at?

Thanks.

[RichardS3059]

@SadiqA2304 That certainly seems odd and I haven't seen that problem in my account.