A useful handover tells the drafter and filing practitioner which facts are confirmed and which decisions remain open. This is a suggested work organization, not an observed timetable for a particular law firm.

Keep an interview record

Ask about the prior solution, actual improvements, alternatives, tests and disclosures already made. Record technical contributions so the responsible practitioner can assess inventorship and applicant issues. AI should not infer inventorship from a byline or an attendee list.

Prepare three handover packages

Package	Contents	Question it should answer
Technical	Disclosure, original drawings, real data and open items	How does it work and what is missing?
References	Identifiers, originals, dates and relevant passages	Is the document real and why is it relevant?
Filing	Approved files, changes, applicant data and instructions	Which exact version will be submitted?

The responsible practitioner determines the scope, timing and procedural requirements of information disclosure. A shared table or AI search result is not proof that all IDS obligations have been fulfilled.

Preserve scope and source through revision

Record the reason, technical basis and affected sections for each substantive change. “Make it broader” is not enough: return to the available disclosure and intended protection. When an office action arrives, work from the actual notice, original application and cited documents, not just a pasted rejection paragraph.

Freeze the filing version

The USPTO application guide provides a starting point for document and formality checks. A team's final review can record file versions, applicant and inventor information, priority or related applications, execution requirements, fees and the filing owner.

If a file changes after approval, reconfirm the affected material. Retain the actual receipt and submitted copies and assign subsequent notices and deadlines. A successful file download is not official filing evidence.

Where CNIPA.AI fits

The US drafting workspace can support draft preparation and eligible exports for review. It does not establish that IDS submissions, signatures, Patent Center filing or US representation have been completed.

Which records matter most?

Keep the confirmed disclosure, substantive changes and their basis, the approved version and the official submission copy. See the nonprovisional document guide and international handover workflow for the surrounding checks.

❖ INVITATION

US Patent Team Handover: Inventor Interviews, References and Filing Review