Determine whether the inventor qualifies as a USPTO micro entity, small entity, or large entity under 37 CFR 1.27 and 1.29. Use this tool BEFORE calculate_filing_fees so the fee math uses the right entity status. Pro se inventors regularly default to 'large entity' and pay 4x the fees they should have. The tool returns the determination, full step-by-step reasoning through the 1.29(a) prongs (gross income, prior filings, assignment obligations), the certification form to file (SB/15A or SB/15B), and a practical note about how to certify correctly. Inputs needed: the inventor's gross income last year, count of prior US nonprovisional applications they have been named on, whether their employer has any obligation to claim ownership of this invention.

Compute the itemized USPTO filing fees under 37 CFR 1.16 for a specific filing scenario: basic filing fee, search fee, examination fee, excess independent claim fees (per claim over 3), excess total claim fees (per claim over 20), multiple dependent claim flat fee, and application size fee (per 50 sheets over 100). Use for budgeting and for comparing scenarios (e.g., 'what does it cost if I add two more claims?'). Returns each line item with its CFR citation, the total, a list of costs NOT included (issue fee, maintenance fees, extensions), and a practical note about which fees commonly surprise first-time filers. If entity status is uncertain, call check_entity_status first.

Given a provisional patent application's filing date, compute every date the inventor needs to track: the 12-month statutory deadline to file a nonprovisional claiming priority under 35 USC 119(e), a month-10 internal target (best practice, not statutory, but the deadline pro se filers should treat as 'real'), the 1-year inventor-disclosure grace-period reference under 35 USC 102(b)(1), and the 12-month PCT deadline if foreign filings are planned. Applies 37 CFR 1.7(a) weekend/federal-holiday rollover automatically. Use when an inventor mentions a provisional filing date or asks 'when is my nonprovisional due'.

Compute the response deadline for a USPTO Office Action and the cost of buying additional time. Uses 37 CFR 1.134 (shortened statutory period, typically 3 months, 2 for restriction requirements), 37 CFR 1.136(a) (extensions up to 5 additional months), and 37 CFR 1.17(a) (extension fees by entity status). Returns the statutory deadline, the absolute 6-month maximum under 35 USC 133, and a table of extension options with cumulative deadline and fee for each additional month. Use when an inventor receives an Office Action or is deciding whether to buy an extension.

Determine whether an Information Disclosure Statement is currently required, which filing window the application is in (before first Office Action / between OA and final / after final or allowance / with RCE), which form to use (SB/08A for patent citations, SB/08B for non-patent literature), and whether the 37 CFR 1.97(e) certification or the 1.17(p) fee is required at this stage. The duty of disclosure under 37 CFR 1.56 is one of the most-violated rules in pro se prosecution. Use this tool whenever an inventor learns of new prior art or asks about IDS.

Map a plain-language description of what the inventor wants to do to the correct USPTO PTO/SB or PTO/AIA form, with the form number, full name, direct USPTO download URL, when the form is used, and the most common procedural gotchas for that form. Use when an inventor describes an intent (e.g., 'I want to certify micro entity status', 'I need to disclose prior art', 'I need to abandon my application') but does not know the form number. Returns up to 5 best matches ranked by relevance.