U.S. government agency within the Department of Commerce that grants patents and registers trademarks.
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is a federal agency of the United States operating within the U.S. Department of Commerce. It is responsible for examining applications and granting patents to inventors, as well as registering trademarks. The agency in its current form was established on July 4, 1836, and adopted the name United States Patent and Trademark Office under the American Inventors Protection Act. Its headquarters are located in Alexandria, Virginia (600 Dulany Street), with regional offices including Detroit, San Jose, and Dallas. The USPTO is funded entirely by fees paid by its users rather than by taxpayer dollars. It also advises the President of the United States, through the Secretary of Commerce, on domestic and international intellectual property policy.
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