I. S-SIGNATURE EXAMPLES, 37 CFR 1.4(d)(2) effective September 21, 2004
A. BY INVENTORS, AFFIANTS (e.g., §§ 1.131 & 1.132), ASSIGNEES
AND PRACTITIONERS SIGNING AS INVENTORS
SIGNATURE TYPE
SIGNATURE
TREATMENT
1.
S-Signature within forward
slashes, name below
/John T. Smith/
John T. Smith
Proper Signature
Treat as signed, § 1.4(d)(2).
2.
S-Signature with spaces within
forward slashes, name below
/ John T. Smith /
John T. Smith
Proper Signature
Treat as signed, § 1.4(d)(2).
3.
S-Signature within forward
slashes, name below but no
line under the S-Signature
/John T. Smith/
John T. Smith
Proper Signature
Treat as signed, § 1.4(d)(2),
as a line is not required,
although it is recommended.
4.
Script font S-Signature
within slashes, name below
/John T. Smith/
John T. Smith
Proper Signature
Treat as signed, § 1.4(d)(2).
5.
Name above, S-Signature
within slashes, below
John T. Smith
/John T. Smith/
Proper Signature
Treat as signed, § 1.4(d)(2).
6.
S-Signature within slashes,
name on right side
/John T. Smith/ John T. Smith
Proper Signature
Treat as signed, § 1.4(d)(2).
7.
S-Signature within slashes,
name below, both signature
and name have typos
/Johon T. Smith/
John T. Smmith
Proper signature
Signer identifiable, typo
should be noted in record.
8.
S-Signature without slashes,
name below
John T. Smith
John T. Smith
Improper signature
Treat as unsigned due to
lack of slashes, § 1.4(d)2(i).
9.
Script font S-Signature without
slashes, name below
John T. Smith
PREFERRED
ü
Improper signature
Treat as unsigned due to
lack of slashes, § 1.4(d)2(i).
John T. Smith
10.
S-Signature within double
slashes, name below
//John T. Smith//
John T. Smith
Improper signature
Treat as unsigned due to
extra slashes, § 1.4(d)2(i).
11.
S-Signature within slashes
/John T. Smith/
Improper signature
Treat as unsigned as no
name provided, § 1.4(d)(2)(iii).
12.
Graphic symbol S-Signature
within slashes, name below
/J/
John T. Smith
Improper signature
Treat as unsigned due to
use of graphic symbol, § 1.4(d)(2)(i).
13.
Improper punctuation symbols in
S-Signature within slashes,
name below
/Good?Great!!!/
John T. Smith
Improper signature
Treat as unsigned due to
use of ? and ! symbols, § 1.4(d)(2)(i).
NOTE: Signatures by assignees are also required to be by: 1) an appropriate party of the assignee to sign;
2) supported by evidence that the proper assignee is submitting the document. The assignee of the
entire interest, or all partial assignees, must sign any correspondence (§§ 3.71(b) & (c)).
October 27, 2004
Page 1
I. S-SIGNATURES EXAMPLES (continued)
B. BY PRACTITIONERS OF RECORD OR ACTING IN A REPRESENTATIVE CAPACITY
1.
SIGNATURE TYPE
SIGNATURE
TREATMENT
S-Signature & reg no.
/John T. Smith, Reg.# 999999/
John T. Smith
Treat as signed, § 1.4(d)(2).
within slashes, name below
2.
Proper Signature
S-Signature & reg no.
/John T. Smith, Reg.# 999999/
Proper Signature
within slashes, name below
John T. Smith
Treat as signed, § 1.4(d)(2),
but no line under S-Signature
PREFERRED
ü
as a line is not required,
although it is recommended.
3.
4.
5.
Script font S-Signature within
/John T. Smith/
Proper Signature
slashes, name & reg. no. below
John T. Smith, Reg. #999999
Treat as signed, § 1.4(d)(2).
S-Signature within slashes,
/Customer Number 555555/
Proper Signature
name below with reg. no.
John T. Smith, Reg. No. 999999
Treat as signed, § 1.4(d)(2).
S-Signature within slashes,
/John T. Smith/
John T. Smith, Reg. #999999
Treat as signed, § 1.4(d)(2).
/John T. Smith/ Reg. #999999
John T. Smith
Treat as signed, § 1.4(d)(2).
name below with reg. no.
6.
S-Signature within slashes, and
with reg. no. to the right,
Proper Signature
Proper Signature
name below
7.
8.
9.
Reg. no. to left of S-Signature
Reg. #999999 /John T. Smith/
Proper Signature
within slashes, name below
John T. Smith
Treat as signed, § 1.4(d)(2).
Name above, S-Signature and
John T. Smith
Proper Signature
reg. no. within slashes below
/John T. Smith, Reg.# 999999/
Treat as signed, § 1.4(d)(2).
S-Signature and reg. no. within
/John T. Smith, Reg.# 999999/ John T. Smith
slashes, name on right side
10.
Proper Signature
Treat as signed, § 1.4(d)(2).
S-Signature and reg. no. within
Bill Jones
Proper Signature
slashes, name below; John T.
by /John T. Smith, Reg.# 999999/
Treat as signed, § 1.4(d)(2).
Smith signing his signature for
John T. Smith
Acceptable because of John T. Smith's
Bill Jones (whose name appears
signature, for himself.
first)
11.
S-Signture within double slashes,
//John T. Smith//
Improper signature
name and reg. no. below
John T. Smith, Reg. #999999
Treat as unsigned due to
extra slashes, § 1.4(d)(2)(i).
12.
S-Signature within back slashes,
\John T. Smith\
Improper signature
name and reg. no. below
John T. Smith, Reg. #999999
Treat as unsigned due to back
slashes instead of forward slashes,
§ 1.4(d)(2)(i).
13.
S-Signature without slashes,
John T. Smith
Improper signature
name and reg. no. below
John T. Smith, Reg. #999999
Treat as unsigned due to lack
of slashes, § 1.4(d)(2)(i).
October 27, 2004
Page 2
ü
ü
I. EXAMPLES OF S-SIGNATURES (continued)
B. BY PRACTITIONERS OF RECORD OR ACTING IN A REPRESENTATIVE CAPACITY (continued)
14.
Script font S-Signature without
John T. Smith
Improper signature
slashes, name and reg. no. below
John T. Smith, Reg. #999999
Treat as unsigned due to lack
of slashes, § 1.4(d)(2(i).
15.
Graphic symbol S-Signature within
/Jface/
Improper signature.
slashes, name and reg. no. below
John T. Smith, Reg #999999
Treat as unsigned due to usage
of graphic symbol, § 1.4(d)(2(i).
16.
Improper punctuation symbols in
/Good?Great!!!/
Improper signature.
S-Signature within slashes,
John T. Smith, Reg #999999
Treat as unsigned due to use
name and reg. no. below
17.
S-Signature within slashes and
of ? and ! symbols, § 1.4(d)(2(i).
/John T. Smith/ Reg #99999
reg. no. to right
Improper signature.
Treat as unsigned as no name
provided, § 1.4(d)(2(iii).
18.
S-Signature within slashes and
/John T. Smith/
Improper signature.
name below
John T. Smith
Treat as unsigned as no registration
number provided, § 1.4(d)(2(ii).
19.
S-Signature and reg. no. with only
Bill Jones
Improper signature.
1 slash, name below.
by/ John T. Smith, Reg.# 999999
Treat as unsigned as no slash
John T. Smith signing
John T. Smith
mark is after signature, § 1.4(d)(2(i).
his signature for Bill Jones (whose
name appears first)
20.
S-Signature and reg. no. within
Bill Jones
Improper signature.
slashes, John T. Smith signing
by /John T. Smith, Reg.# 999999/
Treat as unsigned as no signer
name provided, § 1.4(d)(2(iii).
his signature for Bill Jones (whose
name appears first)
October 27, 2004
Page 3
II. HANDWRITTEN SIGNATURE EXAMPLES, 37 CFR 1.4(d)(1)
A. BY INVENTORS, AFFIANTS, ASSIGNEES & PRACTITIONERS OF RECORD EXAMPLES
SIGNATURE TYPE
SIGNATURE
TREATMENT
PREFERRED
1.
Handwritten with name
below
Proper signature
No change, recommended for
non-practitioners to include name.
ü
2.
Handwritten with name
and registration number
below
Proper signature
No change, recommended for practitioners
to include name and reg. no.
ü
3.
Handwritten
Proper signature
No change, name not required, § 1.4(d)(1).
4.
Handwritten within
multiple slashes
Proper signature
No change, name not required, slashes
not required or prohibited, §1.4(d)(1).
5.
Handwritten within
slashes
Proper signature
No change, name not required, slashes
not required or prohibited, §1.4(d)(1).
B. BY PRACTITIONERS SIGNING IN A REPRESENTATIVE CAPACITY (37 CFR 1.34) (NOT OF RECORD) EXAMPLES
1.
Handwritten
Proper signature
See § 1.4(d)(1). Name in addition to
signature is required by § 1.34, see
1283 OG 148 (June 22, 2004).
2.
Handwritten within
multiple slashes
Proper signature
Slashes not required or prohibited, §1.4(d)(1).
Name in addition to signature is required by
§ 1.34, see 1283 OG 148 (June 22, 2004).
John T. Smith, Reg. No. 99999
3.
Handwritten within
slashes
John T. Smith, Reg. No. 99999
4.
Handwritten with reg. no.
Improper signature
Treat as unsigned; no name provided
as required by § 1.34, see 1283 OG 148
(June 22, 2004).
Reg. No. 99999
5.
Proper signature
Slashes not required or prohibited, §1.4(d)(1).
Name in addition to signature is required by
§ 1.34, see 1283 OG 148 (June 22, 2004).
Handwritten with name
Improper signature
Treat as unsigned; no registration number
provided as required by § 1.34,
see 1283 OG 148 (June 22, 2004).
John T. Smith
6.
Handwritten with
slashes
Improper signature
Treat as unsigned; no name and registration
number provided as required by § 1.34,
see 1283 OG 148 (June 22, 2004).
7.
Handwritten with
slashes
Improper signature
Treat as unsigned; no name and registration
number provided as required by § 1.34,
see 1283 OG 148 (June 22, 2004).
October 27, 2004
Page 4
ü
III. S-SIGNATURE EXAMPLE
PERMITTED ON CURRENT OFFICE CREATED FORMS:
Fillable Office forms found on the Office’s website will be treated, if
appropriately completed, as compliant with 37 CFR 1.4(d)(2).
Requirements for placement of signature, name and registration number:
October 27, 2004
5
IV. EFS CHARACTER CODED SIGNATURE EXAMPLE
37 CFR 1.4(d)(3) (Note: this form of signature was previously
permitted under a waiver of the rules for EFS. EFS documentation did
not require forward slashes until August 23, 2004):
A. CREATION (INPUT):
How to input a signature into an EFS menu, which creates an EFS
character coded form, which is then transmitted via EFS to the office.
Example, EFS payment form menu:
October 27, 2004
6
IV. EFS CHARACTER CODED SIGNATURE EXAMPLE (continued):
B. APPEARANCE IN IFW:
When the Office prints out an EFS filed document that has an EFS character coded
signature, it is recognizable as an EFS submission by the inclusion of Electronic
and Stylesheet Version numbers. Example, EFS Power of Attorney form:
October 27, 2004
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IV. EFS CHARACTER CODED SIGNATURE EXAMPLE (continued):
C1. HOW TO RECOGNIZE AN EFS PAPER AS IT APPEARS IN IFW:
To assist in identifying EFS filings (e.g., new applications and IDSs), look for an EFS Data
Sheet (which does not contain a signature). A sample older format EFS datasheet includes:
October 27, 2004
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IV. EFS CHARACTER CODED SIGNATURE EXAMPLE (continued):
C2. HOW TO RECOGNIZE AN EFS PAPER AS IT APPEARS IN IFW:
To assist in identifying EFS filings (e.g., new applications and IDSs), look for an EFS Data
Sheet (which does not contain a signature). A sample of the latest format EFS datasheet
which includes list of the electronic documents that were filed:
October 27, 2004
9
