Patent attorneys frequently submit informal drawings along with the initial filing of a patent application. Informal drawings do not meet patent office standards and are only used  to determine if the patent application has merit. The process used to overcome patent office objections to drawings prior to the patent being issued is outlined below.

Please note: No mention is made here of preparing drawing from prototypes, engineering drawings, or other means. We frequently prepare drawings without an informal drawing provided and consider this part of our service.

Getting the drawings to us: Some methods by which we receive informal drawings include: mail, fax, overnight delivery, courier, and email.  We can also accept drawings in a variety of electronic formats.  Here is a listing of the formats we accept and the computer programs which can be used to create them.  We also visit clients to pick work up or clients drop it off at our offices. Mailing a good copy of the drawings that were submitted to the patent office is the most common method by which we receive drawings. Including a Form PTO-948 (Notice of Draftsperson's Patent Drawing Review from USPTO), an Annex C1 to Form PCT/RO/106 (Patent Drawing Review from PCT) or similar forms from other patent offices along with the drawings is also a good idea: we can see, specifically, what the patent office has rejected. Including the description of the drawings is also useful since this can answer questions that arise during the drawing process.

Scanning the drawings: After the drawings are received we scan them into our computer system. We then import the images into our drawing program and trace the bitmap. The bitmap is then deleted from the file leaving the image drawn in the computer, from which a high-resolution print can be created.

In-House Quality Control

Checking our work: After the drawing is created, it is checked by a second person. This person compares the created drawing to the informal drawing provided. The checker will use a highlighter on the informal drawing to make sure that all areas of the original agree with and correspond to the new drawing. Any differences are corrected at this point.

Final internal review: The drawing is then reviewed by a third person. This review is conducted to look at the big picture of the case. Do the new formal drawings accurately represent the informal drawings provided by the client? Markups in red pen are made on printouts of the formal drawings for drafter to revise if needed.

 

Drawings sent for review: After drawings are revised and approved, they are sent for review to the client. Depending on client preferences, drawings are typically either faxed for review or sent as Adobe Acrobat [PDF] files attached to E-mail. The password for the example PDF file is test. Click on the link to open or left click to download. 

Drawing backup: We archive all computer files of drawings in the event you require additional sets or file amendments, related cases or continuations.

Client revisions: After reviewing drawings, clients contact us with any revisions needed. We often find that a fax sent to us, marked up with any revisions, works the best. A circle around any changes quickly indicates to us the area that needs revision (See: "Editing Symbols" page). Some clients prefer to phone or E-mail any changes and this is fine with us.

Case completed: After all revisions are complete, we deliver the formal drawings using the method specified by the client. Much of the work is returned via regular mail or by courier for a local client. We include as many sets of drawings as are required by each patent office where the drawings will be filed, along with an extra set of drawings for the client's files. We also submit an invoice at this time. Clients receiving the drawings as files attached to E-mail messages (usually Adobe Acrobat [PDF] files) usually print out the final drawings at their own offices. See "Using e-Mail" page.