Fix non-embedded fonts for USPTO filing

[mhallpdx]

Hi,

The United States Patent and Trademark Office does not allow submission of PDF files with non-embedded fonts.

I know how to create documents from Word, etc. that comply with this requirement, but I frequently get PDFs from other sources that do not have  all their fonts embedded, especially the asian fonts.

I know that one possible fix is to print the existing PDF as a PDF image.  However, when I do this my file size becomes MUCH larger than the original.  Re-printing to PDF seems like a very kludgy fix.  Another very iffy fix I've used for large PDFs is to print the PDF document on paper and just scan it with our office scanner, which will keep the file size small but is a waste of time and paper.

Is there no better way to deal with the issue of non-embedded fonts?

[Bill12 · Accepted solution]

If you can read the fonts, there is a preflight routine for embedding fonts I think. You may be able to embed them with PDF Optimize. This does not always work for me. You say that printing to a new PDF is a kludge, but I find it often to be the easiest way to get the fonts embedded. Before printing and rescanning, I would save as a TIFF and then reopen the TIFF files in Acrobat as a new PDF -- a lot simpler than printing and scanning and with better quality. I consider the scanning or equivalent to be a lot more of a kludge than just printing to a new PDF.

[mhallpdx]

*sigh* ...I guess your options and my options are all kludges, since Adobe doesn't give an actual "embed fonts" command.

But thank you for the TIFF suggestion.  I will stick with the "print to PDF" option, and keep the TIFF as a secondary option if file size is an issue.

Thanks.

[Bill12]

Did you look under preflight. I can do that later on my tablet and see what is there. As I recall, there is a setup to embed fonts, but then I could be wrong. If so, that is by far the cleanest way to get the fonts embedded. When you save, be sure to use Save As. If you want to save as a prior version, use either Reduce File Size or PDF Optimize in Acrobat.

[CtDave]

Need Acrobat 9 Pro or Pro Extended -

Advanced > Preflight

In the Preflight dialog, open the "Options" drop-down menu and select "Create New Preflight Profile".

Give the new profile a name & save it.

In the dialog, at the left you'll see your new profile.

Locate and click on "Fixups" (2nd from bottom).

Over to the right, over the listing of fixups that appears, there is a find/search field.

Enter "embed" (the first three letters will do).

Two fixups are available.

--| Embed Fonts

--| Embed Fonts (even if text is invisible)

Select one. Under the fixup list there is an arrow pointed to the left. Click it. The center pane will display the selected fixup.

Click Save then OK.

The profile is available for use.

A Batch Sequence could be made that uses this Preflight profile to permit processing many PDFs at "one go".

[If you do not want to DIY, then use the "out of the box" profile located in the PDF fixups Group.

Both "Embed" profiles are there.]

Be well...

Message was edited by: CtDave

[mhallpdx]

Oh, so there is a way to do this?  That's good to know.  Unfortunately I only have Acrobat standard, so I will not be able to use any preflight features.  But thank you for the explanation.

[Bill12]

Sounds like printing to a new PDF is your best solution. Be sure to use a job option that embeds the fonts.

[CtDave]

mhallpdx,

If you've not already come across it -
Rick Borstein's Blog has an article that may be of interest to you
(or others involved with USPTO submissions).

"PDF Creation and Font Embedding for USPTO Submissions"
http://blogs.adobe.com/acrolaw/?p=60

n.b., Rick's article closes with a reference to PDF being submitted to ISO for consideration.
Since mid-2008, PDF has been an ISO Standard (32000).

Be well...

[boo1818]

I just want to add if anyone else has tried all the "fixes" like me and STILL could not get it, here's what I did: Used the snipping took to take a "picture" of my drawings. Saved it as JPEG, which is important because at first I saved it as GIF. Then I used Adobe to create a new file combining mutiple "snips". Finally it uploaded to the USPTO website with zero issues....this was after spending 6 hours trying all these other ways to embed fonts only to have the website keep rejecting it. Hope this helps someone!

[Test Screen Name]

I suspect it will be rejected later, when they realise that you have deleted all the text with these awful "fixes".