Image File Wrapper aka ePhoenix. What is IFW? IFW is an electronic version of the paper file wrapper currently used at the USPTO.

Image File Wrapper

aka

ePhoenix

What is IFW?

IFW is an electronic version of the paper file wrapper currently used at the USPTO

Benefits of IFW

Instant and concurrent access to a Patent Application

Decreased risk of lost or damaged papers

Reduced physical storage space for applications

Application View

Once a message is opened, the application is available for viewing:

Select TOC to view the Table of Contents information

Table of Contents (TOC) Tab

Papers may be sorted by field name

Field names may be added or removed

Palm content codes were used to create document codes

EFW GUI

Electronic File WrapperGraphic User Interface

EFW Benefits

Provides Integrated And Consistent Access To Our Data

Designed with input from our employees

Allows For Future And Rapid Growth To Meet Changing Needs

• Docket pulls data from PALM.

• Hot Docket is defined by the Examiner.

• IFW mailbox and messages are integrated into EFW-GUI.

EFW-GUI at Startup

EFW-GUI Tool Bar: Application Number and Examiner Selection

• Examiners can open an Application in EFW-GUI by typing in the Application Number > (Direct Access).

• Examiners can also open:

• Patents, PCTs, Pre-Grant Publications, and Attorney Dockets by typing the document number and/or using their BCR to scan the document’s Bar Code.

To open the Application double-click an Application Number from the Docket. EFW-GUI will attempt to pull up documents scanned into IFW, but will default to PACR Images when IFW Images are not available.

EFW-GUI: Opening an Application

EFW-GUI: Table of Contents – Bib Data

Double-click on Bib Data from ToC to find information pertaining to:

• Bib Data

• Application History

• Assignment Data

• Attorneys

• Continuity/Foreign Data

• Pre-Grant Publication

• Post Examination

• Location

Note: This is the same data as found on the PALM Intranet.

• Examiners can open documents by selecting the document name from

the ToC (on the left).

• Additionally, Examiners can switch between documents by selecting the drop-down arrow beside the document name found under the Image Window’s Title Bar.

Prior-Art and Prosecution Tabs found in IFW are also viewable in EFW.

EFW-GUI: Navigation Options

EFW GUI Side-by-Side Documents

Image OCR On The Fly

Examiners can easily OCR text from the images in EFW-GUI. Select OCR > “Click and Drag” a box around the text to be OCR’d > Let go of the mouse to allow EFW to begin the OCR process.