12th Annual Independent Inventors Conference Comes to Raleigh, NC (11Sep2007)
Posted by Kristen Cichocki at September 24, 2007 10:13 PM
12th Annual Independent Inventors Conference Comes to Raleigh, NC (11Sep2007)
MEDIA ADVISORY
Contact:
Jennifer Rankin Byrne or Ruth Nyblod
(571) 272-8400 or
Jennifer.Rankin_Byrne@uspto.gov; ruth.nyblod@uspto.gov
12th Annual Independent Inventors Conference Comes to Raleigh, NC
United States Patent and Trademark Office, the National Inventors Hall of Fame®
Foundation and the NC State College of Textiles
WHAT 12th Annual Independent Inventors Conference, presented by the USPTO and the
National Inventors Hall of Fame̢ Foundation (NIHFF) in conjunction with North Carolina State University.WHO Inventors from the Raleigh РDurham area as well as nationwide.
Deputy Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Deputy Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Margaret J.A. Peterlin, Deputy Commissioner for Patent Operations Peggy Focarino and other top USPTO officials will share insights on the latest developments in the intellectual property system and how inventors are affected.
North Carolina's Secretary of State Elaine F. Marshall will discuss her role in the creation of new businesses and law enforcement leadership in the fight against counterfeit brand-name products and pirating of protected intellectual property.
Michael Sykes, a Wake Forest builder and winner of the 2007 Modern Marvels Invent Now® Challenge, will talk about his 25-year journey inventing a house that heats and cools itself without fuel or electricity.
Also presenting will be Louis Foreman, successful inventor and CEO of Enventys and Everyday Edisons Productions.WHEN Friday, September 14, 8:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m.
Saturday, September 15, 8:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m.WHERE Centennial Campus - College of Textiles, North Carolina State University
Raleigh, North CarolinaWHY This conference will offer novice and seasoned inventors alike the rare opportunity to hear from government and industry experts on an array of topics including the basics of protecting your invention, free resources available to inventors, and how to avoid common inventor pitfalls.
There will be ample time for attendees to network with experts and fellow inventors.HOW More information about the conference and online registration is available at
http://www.uspto.gov/main/homepagenews/bak2007aug03a.htm.Media should contact Jennifer.Rankin_Byrne@uspto.gov or ruth.nyblod@uspto.gov for more information. There is no charge for media to attend the conference.
USPTO, U.S. Chamber Team with U.S. Representative Earl Blumenauer to Educate Oregon Businesses about the Risks of Counterfeiting and Piracy (11Sep2007)
USPTO, U.S. Chamber Team with U.S. Representative Earl Blumenauer to Educate Oregon Businesses about the Risks of Counterfeiting and Piracy and the Importance of Intellectual Property Protection (11Sep2007)
MEDIA ADVISORY
Contact:
Jennifer Rankin Byrne or Ruth Nyblod
(571) 272-8400 or
Jennifer.Rankin_Byrne@uspto.gov; ruth.nyblod@uspto.gov
USPTO, U.S. Chamber Team with U.S. Representative Earl Blumenauer
to Educate Oregon Businesses about the Risks of Counterfeiting and Piracy
and the Importance of Intellectual Property ProtectionWashington, D.C. — The Department of Commerce's United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce will team with U.S. Representative Earl Blumenauer on Friday, September 14, to present a free educational forum that will highlight the growing threats of counterfeiting and piracy, while also providing information on how businesses can protect and enforce their own intellectual property rights in the U.S. and overseas.
Government and industry experts will discuss the risks and impacts of counterfeiting and piracy and how businesses can mitigate those risks by making intellectual property protection part of their business plan. They also will highlight U.S. government resources that are available to help businesses protect their intellectual property rights.
WHAT Free educational forum to educate businesses about the threats of counterfeiting and
piracy and how to protect their intellectual property.WHO Featured speakers to include:
- U.S. Representative Earl Blumenauer
- Brad Huther, Senior Advisor of the U.S. Chamber’s Anti-Counterfeiting and Piracy Initiative
- John Koeppen, Attorney-Advisor, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
- Vanessa Backman, Assistant General Counsel, Adidas International
- Barbara T. Cason, Associate General Counsel and Director of Intellectual Property, Columbia Sportswear
- Jennifer Yruegas, Trademark Attorney, Nike
- Robin Taylor, Assistant U.S. Attorney and Computer Hacking Intellectual Property Coordinator, United States Department of Justice
WHEN Friday, September 14, 2007
Seminar begins: 8:30 a.m.
Industry Panel: 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Congressman Blumenauer Remarks: 12:30 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.WHERE Doubletree Hotel – Lloyd Center
1000 NE Multnomah Street
Portland, OregonThere is no charge to attend this event. Lunch will be provided.
Media who would like more information or wish to RSVP for the event should email Jennifer.Rankin_Byrne@uspto.gov or call 571-272-8400. Information on the USPTO’s efforts to educate small businesses about intellectual property theft can be found at www.stopfakes.gov/smallbusiness
April 2007 Revision of Patent Cooperation Treaty Procedures, Final rule [PDF] (10Sep2007)
April 2007 Revision of Patent Cooperation Treaty Procedures, Final rule [PDF] (10Sep2007)
View and/or download a PDF of this notice at the following url:
http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/com/sol/notices/72fr51559.pdf
United States and Swedish Patent Offices to Cooperate on International Search and Examination Services (17Sep2007)
United States and Swedish Patent Offices to Cooperate on International Search and Examination Services (17Sep2007)
PRESS RELEASE
Contact:
Brigid Quinn or Ruth Nyblod
(571) 272-8400 or
brigid.quinn@uspto.gov or ruth.nyblod@uspto.gov
United States and Swedish Patent Offices to Cooperate on International Search and Examination Services
Trial project part of USPTO efforts to reduce U.S. national patent application backlogs
The Commerce Department’s U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and the Swedish Patent and Registration Office (PRV) announced today that they have begun a pilot project to test the feasibility of the PRV performing search and examination services for the USPTO on international applications filed with the USPTO under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT).
The pilot is part of ongoing USPTO efforts to bring down the growing backlog of U.S. national patent applications waiting to be examined.
Each year, the USPTO receives over 50,000 PCT international applications in addition to over 400,000 national applications. The USPTO is testing whether, by having international applications processed elsewhere, it can dedicate more resources to examining the approximately 750,000 national applications currently in the pipeline, with the goal of increasing productivity and enhancing quality.
Under the terms of the pilot project, the PRV will process 50 PCT Chapter I applications covering a range of technologies. The USPTO will review the PRV’s work to ensure that it meets USPTO standards for quality and accuracy.
“We look forward to working with our Swedish colleagues to achieve our mutual goals of expediting review of patent applications while maintaining high quality examination” said Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO Jon Dudas. “Taking advantage of work completed by another office allows the USPTO to focus more of its resources on decreasing the time it now takes between the filing of an application and a final examiner decision.”
“The PRV is a competent PCT Authority since the start of the PCT system in 1978 and we have a long experience of patent search and examination” said Lars Björklund, acting Director General of the PRV. “We look forward to cooperating with the USPTO and thereby also taking responsibility to support and maintain the functionality of the PCT system.”
The PCT is an international agreement that simplifies the filing of patent applications in its 135 member states. A PCT application may be used as a national application for a patent in any of the designated PCT countries. International applicants request PCT search and examination reports to help them determine if an application meets basic patent criteria before committing to the high cost of translating and filing an application in one or more PCT countries. The USPTO and the PRV are among the national patent offices authorized to conduct PCT searches and examinations.
Error in GPO August 28 Printed TM Official Gazette (19Sep2007)
Error in GPO's August 28 Printed TM Official Gazette (19Sep2007)
OMISSION OF MARKS IN AUGUST 28, 2007, GOVERNMENT PRINTING
OFFICE PRINTED EDITION OF THE TRADEMARK OFFICIAL GAZETTE
Due to an error by the Government Printing Office (GPO), GPO's August 28, 2007 printed version of the Trademark Official Gazette (TMOG) published incorrectly. In particular, Book 2 of GPO’s printed August 28, 2007 TMOG omitted the content intended for publication in that volume, and instead mistakenly contained the content designated to print in Book 2 of the following week’s edition.
All of the content mistakenly omitted from GPO’s printed TMOG was timely and properly included in the USPTO’s electronic TMOG dated August 28, 2007. While the USPTO regrets the inconvenience to GPO’s customers as a result of the GPO printing error, the USPTO’s electronic TMOG is the official version. See 68 FR 37803 (June 25, 2003). The five most recent electronic editions of the TMOG are always easily accessible on the USPTO website at http://www.uspto.gov/web/trademarks/tmog/.
Because the marks in question correctly appeared in the official version of the August 28, 2007 TMOG, the opposition period for these marks remains unchanged, regardless of their omission from GPO’s printed TMOG.
Lower-Cost Trademark Bulk Data from U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (18Sep2007)
Lower-Cost Trademark Bulk Data from U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (18Sep2007)
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) announces plans to provide Trademark bulk data at lower cost. Effective January 1, 2008, the USPTO will change its distribution model for Trademark bulk data by eliminating all charges for downloadable daily files and reducing the price of retrospective data distributed on optical disc.
The following Trademark data files, currently available only by purchased subscription, will be downloadable at no cost as of January 1, 2008:
- Trademark Daily/XML files:
- Trademark Daily Applications file
(containing text data of applications filed, published for opposition, registrations issued, registrations renewed, registrations cancelled, registrations amended or corrected, registrations issued new certificates)- Trademark Daily Assignments file
(containing text data of ownership transfers)- Trademark Daily TTAB file
(containing text data of Trademark Trial and Appeals Board adversary proceedings)
- Trademark Daily Application Image 24 Hour Box
(containing images processed through the Trademark Image Capture and Retrieval System (TICRS) in a 24-hour Period, in JPEG (black and white, grey-scale, or color)) and TIFF (black and white) formats)In order to improve access to these downloadable data files, USPTO will implement a new account management and file retrieval system. New customers will be able to establish their own accounts online beginning January 1; existing customers will be transitioned to the new system.
The USPTO also offers optical discs containing Trademark Retrospective/XML files (Applications, Assignments, and TTAB), which are updated annually. After January 1 these discs will be available at a substantially lower cost; the ordering process for all optical discs will remain as described in the products and services catalog at http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/ac/ido/oeip/catalog/index.html.
Additional details will be provided later this fall - for the latest information, see “What's New at CIS” on the USPTO website at http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/cio/cis/prodsvc.htm. Please direct any questions or comments to Electronic Information Products Division, 571-272-5600 or ipd@uspto.gov.
USPTO and United Kingdom Intellectual Property Office to Pilot Patent Prosecution Highway (04Sep2007)
Posted by Kristen Cichocki at September 9, 2007 04:18 PM
USPTO and United Kingdom Intellectual Property Office to Pilot Patent Prosecution Highway (04Sep2007)
PRESS RELEASE
Contact:
Brigid Quinn or Ruth Nyblod
(571) 272-8400 or
brigid.quinn@uspto.gov or ruth.nyblod@uspto.gov
USPTO and United Kingdom Intellectual Property Office to Pilot Patent Prosecution Highway
Fast-track examination trial program will enhance quality and efficiency
The Commerce Department's U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and the United Kingdom Intellectual Property Office (UK IPO) today announced that they are now accepting applications for participation in a pilot Patent Prosecution Highway project established between the two offices. The Patent Prosecution Highway will leverage fast-track patent examination in both offices to allow applicants in both countries to obtain corresponding patents faster and more efficiently. It also will permit each office to benefit from work previously done by the other office, in turn reducing examination workload and improving patent quality.
"Patent offices worldwide must increase the depth and effectiveness of their cooperation. Our collective goal is to reduce duplication of work, speed up processing, and improve quality," said Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO Jon Dudas. "This pilot project with the UK IPO builds on our work with the Japan Patent Office, and contributes to a more rational international patent system."
"The Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office builds on a similar pilot scheme with the Japan Patent Office which is already showing great promise," said Chief Executive of the UK Intellectual Property Office Ian Fletcher. "The UK Intellectual Property Office has high standards in efficiency and quality as reflected in our ISO 9001:2000 accreditation, and the PPH agreement with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office will make a contribution to raising these standards further. I am especially pleased that the improved efficiency and quality expected to arise from this PPH agreement is a direct result of the strong relations that exist between the UK Intellectual Property Office and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The PPH helps both offices in their goal of stimulating and rewarding invention and innovation and is a further step towards a global patent prosecution highway network," Fletcher continued.
Under the Patent Prosecution Highway, an applicant receiving a ruling from either the UK IPO or the USPTO that at least one claim in an application is patentable may request that the other office fast track the examination of corresponding claims in corresponding applications. Full requirements for participation in the trial program at the USPTO can be found at www.uspto.gov/web/patents/pph/pph_ukipo.html.
The purpose of the trial program is to gauge the interest of applicants and determine if the program improves quality and efficiency and reduces the workload at the USPTO and the UK IPO. The trial period is set to expire September 4, 2008, but may be extended for up to one year or terminated earlier depending on volume of activity and other factors. Both offices will provide notice of any adjustment in the trial period.
.
Patent Prosecution Highway Pilot Program between the United States Patent and Trademark Office and the United Kingdom Intellectual Property Office [signed 30 August] [PDF] (04Sep2007)
Patent Prosecution Highway Pilot Program between the United States Patent and Trademark Office and the United Kingdom Intellectual Property Office [signed 30 August] [PDF] (04Sep2007)
View comments at the following url:
http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/pac/dapp/opla/preognotice/pph_ukipo.pdf
Claims and Continuations Final Rules to Publish in Late Summer (25Jul2007)
Posted by Kristen Cichocki at July 28, 2007 04:14 PM
Claims and Continuations Final Rules to Publish in Late Summer (25Jul2007)
On July 9, 2007, OMB concluded its review of the Continuations and Claims rule changes. The final rules will be made public when they are published in the Federal Register, which is expected to be later this summer. The rules will become effective at least 60 days after publication in the Federal Register, and no earlier than October 1, 2007.
The abstracts of the rules currently available on the Federal Regulatory Information Web site (http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eoViewRule?ruleID=273406 and http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eoViewRule?ruleID=273407) reflect the abstracts of the Continuations and Claims notices of proposed rule-making that were published in January, 2006.
Draft KSR Training Guidelines Under OMB Review (20Jul2007)
Draft KSR Training Guidelines Under OMB Review (20Jul2007)
The USPTO has sent to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review draft final guidance for use by patent examiners in determining if an invention is obvious in view of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in KSR v Teleflex.
The USPTO will post the final guidance document on its website after OMB concludes its review. In the interim, the agency will begin training for examiners on implementation of KSR.
Comments Regarding the International Effort to Harmonize the Substantive Requirements of Patent Laws (11Jul2007)
Posted by Kristen Cichocki at July 17, 2007 10:41 PM
Comments Regarding the International Effort to Harmonize the Substantive Requirements of Patent Laws (11Jul2007)
View comments at the following url:
http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/dcom/olia/harmonization/index.html
Addition of Japan Patent Office as Participating Foreign Intellectual Property Office in Electronic Exchange of Priority Documents [signed 10 July 2007] [PDF] (10Jul2007)
Addition of Japan Patent Office as Participating Foreign Intellectual Property Office in Electronic Exchange of Priority Documents [signed 10 July 2007] [PDF] (10Jul2007)
View and/or download a PDF of this notice at the following url:
http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/pac/dapp/opla/preognotice/jpo_pdx.pdf
Patent Cooperation Treaty Update [signed 28 June 2007] [PDF] (09Jul2007)
Patent Cooperation Treaty Update [signed 28 June 2007] [PDF] (09Jul2007)
View and/or download a PDF of this notice at the following url:
http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/pac/dapp/opla/preognotice/pctfeeupdate07.pdf
Extension of the Patent Prosecution Highway Pilot Program between the USPTO and the JPO(28Jun2007)
Posted by Kristen Cichocki at July 4, 2007 12:55 PM
Extension of the Patent Prosecution Highway Pilot Program between the USPTO and the JPO(28Jun2007)
View and/or download a PDF of this notice at the following url:
http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/pac/dapp/opla/preognotice/pphextension.pdf
Notice of the Removal of the Paper Search Collection of Registered Marks That Include Design Elements from Trademark Search Library in Arlington, VA (28Jun2007)
Notice of the Removal of the Paper Search Collection of Registered Marks That Include Design Elements from Trademark Search Library in Arlington, VA (28Jun2007)
View and/or download a PDF of this notice at the following url:
http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/com/sol/notices/72fr35429.pdf
A Victory for Inventors
A Victory for Inventors
Disciplinary Action Affirmed by CAFC
Recently the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC), affirmed disciplinary action taken by the USPTO against a registered patent attorney, who became involved in the activities of one invention promotion company and represented more than one thousand inventors. This important decision lends critical support to the USPTO's efforts to protect unsuspecting inventors from unscrupulous invention promoters. If you have questions please call Harry Moatz, Director of the Office of Enrollment and Discipline, 571-272-6069.
The USPTO urges all independent inventors to read the court's decision
Notice of Change of Address for Fastener Quality Act Correspondence (21Jun2007)
Posted by Kristen Cichocki at June 24, 2007 11:19 AM
Notice of Change of Address for Fastener Quality Act Correspondence (21Jun2007)
View and/or download a PDF of this notice at the following url:
http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/com/sol/notices/72fr30703.pdf
Notice Regarding the Trademark Official Gazette (22Jun2007)
Notice Regarding the Trademark Official Gazette (22Jun2007)
The Office expects the size of each of the July issues of the T rademark Official Gazette (OG) to be somewhat larger than usual. During the last six months, issues of the OG have generally included between 4,000 and 5,000 marks published for opposition. The Office expects that 6,000 - 7,000 marks may publish for opposition each week during July. In addition, the number of registration certificates issued each week in July will be larger than normal.
The larger OGs arise out of the Office's elimination of an unnecessary review of OG data, a cost-cutting, efficiency measure in the production of the OG. This measure decreases the time between approval for publication by the Examining Attorney and publication in the OG by about one week. The larger OGs in July result from a temporary overlap of work processed under the old and new production systems. After July, the size of the OG is expected to decrease, and will reflect work processed only under the new production system.
USPTO, U.S. Chamber Team with NC Secretary of State to Educate Local Businesses about the Risks of Counterfeiting and Piracy and the Importance of Intellectual Property Protection (08Jun2007)
Posted by Kristen Cichocki at June 10, 2007 08:21 PM
MEDIA ADVISORY
Contact:
Jennifer Rankin Byrne
(571) 272-8400 or
Jennifer.Rankin_Byrne@uspto.govJune 08, 2007
#07-23
USPTO, U.S. Chamber Team with NC Secretary of State
to Educate Local Businesses about the Risks of Counterfeiting and Piracy
and the Importance of Intellectual Property ProtectionWashington, D.C. —The Department of Commerce's United States Patent and Trademark (USPTO) and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce will team with the North Carolina Secretary of State on Wednesday, June 13, to present a free educational forum and news conference that will highlight the growing threats of counterfeiting and piracy, while also providing information on how businesses can protect and enforce their own intellectual property rights in the U.S. and overseas. Small businesses, which represent 98% of employer firms in the state of North Carolina*, are most at risk for counterfeiting and piracy because they often lack the knowledge and expertise to combat these problems.
Jon Dudas, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO, will discuss the risks and impacts of counterfeiting and piracy and how businesses can mitigate those risks by making intellectual property protection part of their business plan. Dudas will also highlight U.S. government resources that are available to help businesses protect their intellectual property rights.
WHAT Free educational forum to educate businesses about the threats of counterfeiting
and piracy and how to protect their intellectual property.WHO Featured speakers to include:
- Jon Dudas, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO
- North Carolina Secretary of State Elaine Marshall
- George E. B. Holding, United States Attorney, U.S. Department of Justice.
- Brian Monks, Vice President, Anti-Counterfeiting Operations, Underwriters Laboratories
- Rob Calia, Senior Manager, Global Anti-Counterfeiting and Piracy Initiative, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
WHEN Wednesday, June 13, 2007
News Conference 9:00 - 9:30 a.m.
Educational Forum 9:30 a.m - 4:00 p.m.WHERE McKimmon Conference and Training Center
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, NC 27695There is no charge to attend this event. Lunch will be provided.
Media who would like more information or wish to RSVP for the event should email Jennifer.Rankin_Byrne@uspto.gov or call 571-272-8400.
USPTO to Test Impact of Public Input on Improving Patent Quality in the Computer Technologies (07Jun2007)
MEDIA ADVISORY
Contact:
Brigid Quinn or
Ruth Nyblod
(571) 272-8400 or
brigid.quinn@uspto.gov
ruth.nyblod@uspto.govJune 07, 2007
#07-21
USPTO to Test Impact of Public Input on Improving Patent Quality in the Computer Technologies
Peer Review Pilot is Part of Agency Efforts to Promote Quality as Shared ResponsibilityThe Department of Commerce's U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) today released details of a pilot project that could help expedite and improve the examination process in computer technologies. The Peer Review Pilot will give technical experts in computer technology, for the first time, the opportunity to submit annotated technical references relevant to the claims of a published patent application before an examiner reviews it.
"Studies have shown that when our patent examiners have the best data in front of them, they make the correct decision," said Jon Dudas, director of the USPTO. "Examiners, however, have a limited amount of time to find and properly consider the most relevant information. This is particularly true in the software-related technologies where code is not easily accessible and is often not dated or well documented."
The pilot is a joint initiative with the Community Patent Review Project (CPRP), organized by the New York Law School 's Institute for Information and Policy. The pilot will begin on June 15, 2007 and will run for one year.
Technical experts in the computer arts registering with the CPRP website will review and submit information for up to 250 published patent applications. To ensure a broad cross section of computer technology is reviewed, no more than 15 applications will be allowed from any one person or organization.
Existing law allows USPTO to accept prior art from the public, but it doesn't allow the public to submit any commentary related to the art without the approval of the applicant. Thus, consent will be obtained from all applicants whose applications are volunteered and selected for this pilot.
To expedite review of applications used in the pilot, they will be assigned to an examiner as soon as a submission is received from the CPRP. This will shorten the time it normally takes in the computer arts from filing an application to a final decision. Only one submission from the CPRP of up to 10 annotated references will be accepted for each application in the pilot.
This pilot is just one facet of USPTO's broader efforts to find new ways to get the best information in front of examiners before they make a final decision on a patent application. To ensure a vibrant, modern patent system, USPTO also supports implementation of "applicant quality submissions" which would include search and support documents from applicants.
USPTO supports expanding the ability of third parties to submit to the USPTO information they believe is pertinent to a pending application, a concept included in patent modernization legislation now under consideration in the U.S. Congress. In combination, the peer review pilot, applicant quality submissions and expanded third party submissions encourage a highly participatory examination process that will lead to more efficient and effective review of patent applications.
For more information on the peer review pilot go to < http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/pac/dapp/opla/preognotice/peerreviewpilot.pdf > [PDF]
###
Pilot Concerning Public Submission of Peer Reviewed Prior Art [signed 04 June 2007] [PDF] (06Jun2007)
Pilot Concerning Public Submission of Peer Reviewed Prior Art [signed 04 June 2007] [PDF] (06Jun2007)
View and/or download a PDF of this notice at the following url:
http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/pac/dapp/opla/preognotice/peerreviewpilot.pdf
Simplification of the Electronic Exchange of Priority Documents [signed 04 June 2007] [PDF] (06Jun2007)
Simplification of the Electronic Exchange of Priority Documents [signed 04 June 2007] [PDF] (06Jun2007)
View and/or download a PDF of this notice at the following url:
http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/pac/dapp/opla/preognotice/pdxsimplified.pdf
REPORT OF THE UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE CONCERNING THE PAPER SEARCH COLLECTION(08Jun2007)
REPORT OF THE UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE CONCERNING THE PAPER SEARCH COLLECTION
OF REGISTERED MARKS THAT INCLUDE DESIGN ELEMENTS
(08Jun2007)
View and/or download a PDF of this notice at the following url:
http://www.uspto.gov/web/trademarks/reports/reportcongress20070604.pdf
USPTO CELEBRATES A DECADE OF TELEWORK (04June07)
Posted by Kristen Cichocki at June 4, 2007 09:38 PM
PRESS RELEASE
Contact:
Jennifer Rankin Byrne or
Ruth Nyblod
(571) 272-8400 or
jennifer.rankin_byrne@uspto.gov
ruth.nyblod@uspto.gov
USPTO CELEBRATES A DECADE OF TELEWORK
Trademark Work at Home Pilot Program in 1997
Led the Way for Agency's Telework Success
The Department of Commerce's United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) today celebrated the ten-year anniversary of its Trademark Work at Home program, the agency's first telework initiative. Based on this successful model, the USPTO expanded its telework offerings to include business units across the agency, with more than 3,000 of the USPTO's approximately 8,500 employees currently participating in some form of telework. Over the past decade, USPTO has received accolades as a leader in the federal government for its successful and innovative telework programs.
The Trademark Work at Home program started as a small pilot project, with 18 trademark examining attorneys working from home three days per week and sharing office space with other program participants two days a week. The hope was that current technology could be leveraged to allow employees to enjoy the benefits of working remotely, while still meeting the same qualitative and quantitative goals as their colleagues who worked in the office five days a week.
After the Trademark Work at Home pilot proved to be successful, the USPTO ultimately grew its telework initiative to include patent examiners and employees in other business units throughout the agency. The ability to telework continues to gain popularity among USPTO employees. Among trademark examining attorneys, 85% of those who are eligible choose to telework. In the patents organization, the USPTO has a goal that 3,000 patent examiners will be teleworking by 2011.
Jon Dudas, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO, said, "Today we celebrate the anniversary of our Trademark Work at Home Program, which helped to demonstrate how beneficial the practice of telework could be to our entire agency. Telework programs are critical to our strategic vision, and we look forward to working with the Office of Personnel Management and Congress to expand these programs to eventually allow for a nationwide work force."
Telework offers countless benefits to the USPTO, its employees and the environment, including:
- Employee Quality of Life: Allowing employees to telework gives them more time with their loved ones and less time on the road. USPTO employees report that the ability to telework helps them have a better balance between their professional and personal lives.
- Employee Retention: The USPTO has seen that offering employees the ability to telework helps with employee retention, allowing the agency to retain highly qualified employees, saving hiring and training costs and contributing to a high quality of work.
- Maximizing Office Space: As more USPTO employees choose to telework, more office space is made available. This, in turn, gives the agency more flexibility to hire more staff without having to acquire and pay for additional space.
- Reducing Emissions: Telework can mean a significant reduction in auto emissions. For example, among the nearly 950 trademark examining attorneys and patent examiners working remotely four days a week, auto emissions are reduced up to 5,000 tons per year*, compared to if they drove to the office every day.
Rather than taking a “one size fits all” approach, the USPTO has more than a dozen telework programs to address the specific needs of its business units and employees. All of these programs follow procedure set forth in the USPTO Enterprise-wide Telework Policy and are overseen by an agency-wide telework coordinator.
USPTO has received a number of awards for its Trademark Work at Home program. These awards include the 2007 Work-Life Innovative Excellence Award presented by the Alliance for Work-Life Progress, the Telework Program with Maximum Impact on Government for 2006 by the Telework Exchange Tele-Vision Awards; the Telework in the Federal Government Leadership Award for 2004; and several others.