FAQ - Register Alert
Questions
- What is Register Alert?
- What is the European Patent Register?
- Why do you recommend logging off instead of just closing the browser window after using Register Alert?
- Who can use Register Alert?
- What are the browser requirements for Register Alert?
- Why does Register Alert log me out after a certain period of time?
- Why has Register Alert (formerly WebRegMT) been moved into the European Patent Register?
- Can I still access other Online Services using my smart card?
- Are the files allocated to me as a representative automatically listed on the "Monitored Applications" screen in Register Alert?
- Can I continue using my current username/password login or has this been affected by the migration of the smart card accounts?
- How do I change my password?
- What do I do if I forget my username or password?
- How do I change my username?
- Is it important to use capital letters when I enter my user name/password?
- Are the e-mails I receive via Register Alert encrypted?
- Why do I receive an error message when I try to enrol for password access to Register Alert?
- Logging in via the Online Services (formerly epoline) portal with my smart card still works. Why is this?
- Why can I no longer see my monitored applications when I log in to Register Alert?
- Why is the Federated Register panel button 'greyed out'?
- Can I merge my two profiles with different usernames into a single profile?
- I've forgotten my username/password. What should I do?
- Why have I not received any e-mail notifications from Register Alert?
- How up to date are the Register Alert notifications?
- What is a Register event?
- Which events trigger a "most recent event"?
- Why do lapses for which a Register Alert notification is sent not appear in the INPADOC section?
- Which application/publication number formats are accepted?
- Can I delete my profile?
- Can I merge two accounts, each with its own username, into a single account?
Answers
What is Register Alert?
The Register Alert service allows you to monitor most changes to data in the European Patent Register. You can automatically monitor up to 1 000 files of your choice. As part of the service you can choose to have Register Alert send you and up to four others an e-mail every time there is a change triggering a Register event to one of your selected files.
What is the European Patent Register?
The European Patent Register contains all the publicly available information on European patent applications as they pass through the grant procedure, including oppositions, patent attorney/EPO correspondence and more. It also provides for public file inspection.
Why do you recommend logging off instead of just closing the browser window after using Register Alert?
By logging off, you prevent anyone else from accessing your Register Alert account and finding out which applications you are monitoring.
Who can use Register Alert?
Register Alert can be used by anyone who registers for a username/password
What are the browser requirements for Register Alert?
To be able to use all the features in Register Alert without restriction, you must have either Internet Explorer 6.0 upwards or Mozilla Firefox 1.0 upwards.
Why does Register Alert log me out after a certain period of time?
The system logs you out automatically after 30 minutes of idle time for security reasons. If this happens, all you have to do is log in again.
Why has Register Alert (formerly WebRegMT) been moved into the European Patent Register?
The integration of Register Alert into the European Patent Register means that it is easier for us to develop new functions and features that would not have been possible if Register Alert had remained a separate application requiring smart card authentication. In other words we can now improve the product and deliver a better service to our users. Using a username and password to log into Register Alert provides the necessary level of security for the service provided.
Can I still access other Online Services using my smart card?
Yes, smart card authentication remains valid and is required for critical transactions such as Online Filing and Online Fee Payment. Please follow this link to access these services: http://www.epo.org/service-support/online-services-software.html
Are the files allocated to me as a representative automatically listed on the "Monitored Applications" screen in Register Alert?
No, you have to enter the applications you want to monitor yourself.
Can I continue using my current username/password login or has this been affected by the migration of the smart card accounts?
If you had a username and password before the migration, you can still access your profile in the new Register Alert with the same username/password as before.How do I change my password?
Once logged in to Register Alert, if you wish to change your password please click Logged in as [xxx] at the top right corner of the page. You will be able to change your password and to edit your user details.What do I do if I forget my username or password?
Click on Forgotten login details.How do I change my username?
As was the case before the integration of Register Alert into the European Register, the username cannot be changed. However you can export your list of monitored files and import it into a new Register Alert account which you can create with your own chosen username and password.
Is it important to use capital letters when I enter my user name/password?
The username can be written in upper or lower case, it is not case-sensitive. However the password is case-sensitive, which means that upper and lower case letters have to be entered in the given format.
Are the e-mails I receive via Register Alert encrypted?
No, they are not.
Why do I receive an error message when I try to enrol for password access to Register Alert?
It may be that you are using diacritics, symbols or punctuation marks in the mandatory fields of the registration form. Special characters, such as ö, ä, ø, &, £, etc. as well as commas and full stops will generate an error message ("Please fill in the missing information") and should therefore be avoided.
Logging in via the Online Services (formerly epoline) portal with my smart card still works. Why is this?
The login to Register Alert via smart card is still available for operational reasons, though this access will be disabled in the very near future. You are therefore advised to use the replacement username/password already received to avoid any confusion when access is finally disabled.
Why can I no longer see my monitored applications when I log in to Register Alert?
You are probably logged in with a username and password under which you never monitored applications. During the migration, an account was created for every smart card user who accessed WebRegMT via Online Services. Only the data of the users who were using smart card authentication to monitor their files have been transferred to the newly created account.
Each username corresponds to a different profile: if you were using an account with username and password before the migration, you should continue to log in with the user details of this original profile.
Why is the Federated Register panel button 'greyed out'?
The service is currently being tested. Access to the Federated Register will be available soon. Please check the EP Register editorial for updates on this.Can I merge my two profiles with different usernames into a single profile?
User profiles cannot be merged, but your list of monitored applications can be exported from one profile and imported into another. Register Alert e-mail notifications can be activated or deactivated under Preferences -> Notification.
I've forgotten my username/password. What should I do?
Please follow this link to request a new password or username reminder https://register.epo.org/espacenet/forgottenlogin
Why have I not received any e-mail notifications from Register Alert?
If you have not received any e-mail notifications, you should check whether
- your browser is supported by our service
- you have ticked the box e-mail notification under Preferences/Notification
- your selected profile monitors the event(s) you are expecting
- your personal spam filter is blocking e-mails sent by RegisterAlertautomatedMail@epo.org
- a Register event has actually occurred
How up to date are the Register Alert notifications?
- For outgoing communications: Register Alert notifications are triggered once the event are coded by the EPO, and the documents the communications refer to are visible
- either on the same day (e.g. ADWI letters) or
- on the day of despatch or
- for F2006A: on the day it is transmitted to the EPO post room.
- For incoming communications: Register Alert notifications are triggered once the communications are coded by the EPO. This explains why a document in All documents might have a date that precedes the date of the Register Alert notification.
What is a Register event?
A Register event is an event that triggers a Most recent event in About this file and appears in Event history. In the case of monitored applications, it also triggers an e-mail notification.
For a list of the most recent events that trigger a Register Alert e-mail, check the link below:
Which events trigger a "most recent event"?
For a list of all the "most recent events" that trigger a Register Alert e-mail message check the link below
Register eventsWhy do lapses for which a Register Alert notification is sent not appear in the INPADOC section?
The INPADOC date is usually updated a week after the Register Alert notification is sent.
Which application/publication number formats are accepted?
Application numbers:
99100026 (8 digits)
Publication numbers:
EP811545
EP1023455
WO9504154
WO9912805
WO02051231 (format from 1 July 2002)
Can I delete my profile?
No, you cannot delete a profile yourself. However, you can stop receiving e-mail notifications by deactivating the checkbox in Preferences -> Notification.
NOTE: If you are a regular user of Register Alert you will notice that its functionality has not changed with the integration into the European Patent Register, so the current Help/FAQ is still valid. We will, of course, update it as new Register Alert functions and features become available or are added.