Serco Processes 4 Millionth Patent Application for U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

HERNDON, Va., Nov. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Serco Inc., a provider of professional, technology, and management services, announced today that the Company recently processed their 4 millionth patent application for the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO). USPTO is the government agency that grants U.S. patents and registers trademarks. Since 2006, Serco has performed classification and other analysis services through awarded contracts including Pre-Grant Publication (PGPubs) Classification Services, Initial Classification and Reclassification (ICR) Services, and Full Classification Services (FCS) contracts. 

Serco's Intellectual Property (IP) team is responsible for the analysis of the full disclosure including claims, specifications, and drawings in patent applications to identify the subject matter contained in each application and to assign the appropriate U.S. and international classification symbols representative of proposed inventions.  These classifications are critical elements to the patent process and are used to enable examiner and public search as well as for internal routing of documents at the USPTO. 

In processing 4,000,000 applications, Serco patent classification experts have analyzed more than 56,000,000 claims, and assigned more than 18,000,000 classification symbols with a quality measure greater than 95%.  Serco exceeded contractual timeliness measures by delivering over 99.99% of these applications to the USPTO on-time.  Serco has received multiple awards and recognitions from the government for exceeding quality and timeliness standards. 

On the program, Serco has driven innovation by integrating artificial intelligence (AI) and other automated toolsets into business processes that streamline the classification decision process and enhance classification quality. The Serco IP Program is located in Harrisonburg, VA and currently employs over 100 scientists, engineers, and IP professionals. Additionally, the team supported the USPTO's classification transition to the Cooperative Patent Classification system launched as a joint effort between the USPTO and the European Patent Office (EPO) in 2010. 

U.S. Congressman Bob Goodlatte, who has visited the facility on multiple occasions, congratulated Serco for their support of the USPTO and processing their 4 millionth application. "America is the world leader in innovation and creativity," said Congressman Goodlatte. "The strength of our economy and American jobs rely on a strong patent system that fosters an environment of innovation.  Congratulations to Serco on achieving this milestone and continuing to help make America more competitive."

"We take great pride in the work our team does for the USPTO because it promotes U.S. innovation and assists the USPTO in achieving their mission of providing timely and high quality protections to U.S. inventors," said Tom Watson, Senior Vice President of Serco's Federal Services Business Unit.

In addition to the patent classification services to the USPTO, the Serco IP team offers a variety of search, analysis, and training services to legal practitioners and corporate clients.  The team provides the strategic framework for efficient and successful approaches to identifying relevant prior art in patent litigation or patent prosecution.  For more information on all of our IP services visit www.SercoPatentSearch.com.

About Serco Inc.

Serco Inc. is a leading provider of professional, technology, and management services. We advise, design, integrate, and deliver solutions that transform how clients achieve their missions. Our customer-first approach, robust portfolio of services, and global experience enable us to respond with solutions that achieve outcomes with value. Headquartered in Herndon, Virginia, Serco Inc. has approximately 6,000 employees and annual revenue of $1 billion. Serco Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Serco Group plc, a $4 billion international business that helps transform government and public services around the world. More information about Serco Inc. can be found at www.serco-na.com. 

SOURCE Serco Inc.

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