Prevent a Patent
Before It Issues
A Third-Party Preissuance Submission (3PPS) is a statutory mechanism that allows any member of the public to place prior art directly in front of a USPTO examiner — before a patent is granted. The window is narrow. The rules are strict. This site explains both.
"The submission must be made in writing, and must identify the application to which it is directed, and must be filed before the date a notice of allowance under § 1.311 is mailed."
up to 3 items
thereafter
closes on NOA
after filing
Guides & Tools
3PPS 101: The Workflow
Understand the 4-step process, required documents, and what happens after you file. A layman's guide to 35 U.S.C. § 122(e) without dense legalese.
Time-sensitiveStatutory Deadline Calculator
The filing window is "brittle" — it can close with no warning. Enter a publication date and first office action date to check your eligibility window.
Most common failure pointDrafting Guide & Lab
The USPTO rejects submissions containing "legal arguments." Learn the critical difference between factual descriptions and argumentative language, with compliant examples.
Read before you fileStrategic Risks & Tradeoffs
Filing a 3PPS can actually strengthen the patent you're trying to challenge. Understand the double-edged sword and when holding art for an IPR makes more sense.
Step-by-stepInteractive Filing Checklist
A structured pre-flight checklist covering identification, document preparation, fees, and EFS-Web submission. Don't file without checking this first.
ComparativeUS vs. EPO vs. PCT
The US 3PPS system is arguably the most restrictive in the world. See how it compares to Third-Party Observations at the EPO and WIPO in timing, cost, and content rules.
Let an AI agent walk you through your submission
Paste the prompt below into Claude Code or any AI coding agent. It will fetch a structured playbook from this site and guide you step-by-step: identify the application, gather prior art, draft compliant Concise Descriptions, and complete the filing checklist.
I want to file a Third-Party Preissuance Submission (3PPS) with the USPTO. Fetch and follow the instructions at https://3pps.info/for/agents to guide me through the full process — from identifying the target application and gathering prior art, to drafting compliant Concise Descriptions of Relevance and completing the filing checklist.
A 3PPS is not a pre-grant opposition. You cannot argue with the Examiner. You cannot participate in the proceedings. You submit documents, provide a factual description, pay the fee, and walk away. What the Examiner does with your submission is entirely at their discretion.