United States and Swedish Patent Offices to Cooperate on International Search and Examination Services (17Sep2007)
Posted by Kristen Cichocki at September 24, 2007 09:52 PM
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.
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.
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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
USPTO to Test Impact of Public Input on Improving Patent Quality in the Computer Technologies (07Jun2007)
Posted by Kristen Cichocki at June 10, 2007 08:17 PM
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
United States Patent and Trademark Office Notification of Spring 2007 Business Methods Partnership Meeting (08May2007)
Posted by Kristen Cichocki at May 8, 2007 10:28 AM
United States Patent and Trademark Office Notification of Spring 2007 Business Methods Partnership Meeting (08May2007)
As part of the March 2000 business method action plan, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) announces the 2007 Business Methods Partnership Meeting to be hosted by the director and managers of the Business Methods workgroup. Members of the public are invited to attend the Partnership Meeting. The Partnership Meeting is an opportunity for an informal discussion on topics such as current interpretations of subject matter eligibility under 35 USC 101, issues surrounding tax strategy patents, classification and application assignment including the class 705 reclassification project, and other topics specific to business methods. While public attendees will have the opportunity to provide their individual input, group consensus advice will not be sought.
DATES AND LOCATION: The Partnership Meeting will be held on Tuesday, June 19, 2007, from 1:00 P.M.-5:00 P.M. at the USPTO MADISON AUDITORIUM (SOUTH), Concourse Level, Madison Building, 600 Dulany Street, Alexandria, VA 22313.
Requests for Attendance at the Partnership Meeting: Requests for attendance will be honored on a first-come, first-served basis according to the time and date of receipt of each request. In order to ensure a broad cross-section of attendees, the USPTO reserves the right to limit the number of attendees from any single organization or law firm. Therefore, organizations and law firms must designate their official representatives. Individuals will be notified of accepted requests for attendance by the USPTO no later than one week prior to the date of the meeting. Non-accepted requesters will also be notified by the USPTO. No one will be permitted to attend without an accepted request.
Requests for attendance at the Partnership Meeting should be submitted to the attention of Jeff Smith via facsimile at (571) 273-6763, or by electronic mail through the Internet to jeff.smith4@uspto.gov. Requests for attendance must include the attendee's name, affiliation, title, mailing address, and telephone number. Facsimile number and Internet mail address, if available, should also be provided. Requests must be received by June 5, 2007.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: Jeff Smith by telephone at (571) 272-6763 (in addition to the facsimile number and e-mail address given above).
USPTOâs EFS-Web Electronic Patent Filing System Celebrates Successful First Year (02May2007)
Posted by Kristen Cichocki at May 2, 2007 12:13 PM
USPTO's EFS-Web Electronic Patent Filing System Celebrates Successful First Year
Today More than Half of All New Patent Applications Filed Through EFS-Web
The Department of Commerce’s United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) announced today that EFS-Web, its Web-based filing system for patent applications, has exceeded the goals set forth for its first year. Most notably, for the first time in USPTO’s history, more new patent applications are being filed electronically each week than through the traditional paper application process. In addition, more than 700,000 applications and related documents have been filed using EFS-Web to date.
These milestones were celebrated today in a ceremony at the USPTO headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia, where Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO Jon Dudas also recognized the patent system users and USPTO staff who made EFS-Web’s first year a success. Special guest speakers included representatives from EFS-Web users Motorola and the law firm of Fish & Richardson, as well as independent inventor Michael Gurin. (See below for a full list of law firms, corporations and individuals who helped make EFS-Web’s first year a success.)
“EFS-Web has exceeded our expectations for its first year, and is a great step forward in making IP protection easier and more efficient, while improving patent quality,” said Under Secretary Dudas. “As corporations, law firms and inventors alike discover the many benefits of filing patent applications electronically, we expect the adoption rate to grow dramatically.”
Jonathan Meyer, SVP for Motorola, said, “We have found using EFS-Web has helped us to greatly streamline the patent process, saving us both time and money. We appreciate that the USPTO sought our input, and the input of other patent filers, as they were creating EFS-Web. The result is a system that truly meets our needs.”
Rolf Hille, Director of Practice Systems for Fish & Richardson, said, “As we continue to shift toward a paperless operation, the availability of EFS-Web has greatly helped us in accelerating that transition. In doing so, we are able to be more efficient and accurate in our day-to-day operations and in our efforts to secure patents for our clients.”
Inventor Michael Gurin, President of CogniTek Management Systems, added, “As an independent inventor in the rapidly changing worlds of alternative energy and nanotechnology, I have found that EFS-Web has become an important part of how I do business. In fact, I’ve filed more than a dozen patent applications using EFS-Web in the last year alone.”
The shift from a paper-based system to an electronic environment offers several advantages for patent filers. Patent system users can file applications and related documents virtually anytime and anywhere. Filers may use their existing software, and may submit documents by simply attaching PDF files. EFS-Web offers additional practical flexibility to the intellectual property community by allowing staff to file documents prepared and reviewed by patent attorneys. Filers may also pay filing fees over the Internet.
EFS-Web submissions are automatically processed through the USPTO. Patent filers receive rapid access to their applications through the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system, so they can view their submissions online and confirm that documents have been securely and accurately received. EFS-Web also offers visual proof that patent applications and documents have been received in the form of an automatic electronic receipt.
Developed with extensive input from the intellectual property community, EFS-Web launched on March 16, 2006, as a simple, safe, and secure way to file patents online. More than 80 corporations, law firms and independent inventors participated in the EFS-Web pilot program. Prior to deployment, nearly 200 pilot participants attended EFS-Web onsite and Web-based trainings.
Electronic Exchange of Priority Documents [signed 23 April 2007]
Posted by Kristen Cichocki at April 25, 2007 09:55 AM
Electronic Exchange of Priority Documents [signed 23 April 2007]
View and/or download a PDF of this notice at the following url:
http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/pac/dapp/opla/preognotice/eepd.pdf
Nanotechnology Customer Partnership Meeting May 3, 2007 (09APR2007)
Posted by Kristen Cichocki at April 10, 2007 09:18 AM
Nanotechnology Customer Partnership Meeting May 3, 2007
United States Patent and Trademark Office
Alexandria, Virginia 22313
South Auditorium, Madison Building
This Nanotechnology Customer Partnership initiative is designed and developed to be a forum to share ideas, experiences, and insights between individual users and the USPTO. The USPTO does not intend to use these customer partnership groups to arrive at a group consensus. Individual opinions are sought from varying participants, and the meetings are intended to be informal in nature. These customer partnership groups are formed with full recognition of the USPTO's responsibility under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), and are not established as FACA compliant committees.
We value our customers and the feedback provided from individual participants is important in our efforts to continuously improve the quality of our products and services. Your willing participation in this informal process is helpful in providing us with new insights and perspectives.
DATE AND LOCATION : This meeting is scheduled for Thursday, May 3, 2007, from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm, in the South Auditorium, Madison Building, Concourse Level, located at 600 Dulany Street, in Alexandria, Virginia.
Requests for Attendance at the Partnership Meeting
Due to space limitations, please RSVP by e-mail to jill.warden@uspto.gov or by telephone to Jill Warden at (571) 272-1267 to confirm your attendance. If it becomes necessary to restrict the number of attendees, we will do so on a first come-first served basis.
Interim Procedures For Implementing The April 1, 2007, Changes To The Regulations Under The Patent Cooperation Treaty And Status Of Proposed Fee Changes [signed 30 March 2007]
Posted by Kristen Cichocki at March 31, 2007 09:50 AM
Interim Procedures For Implementing The April 1, 2007, Changes To The Regulations Under The Patent Cooperation Treaty And Status Of Proposed Fee Changes [signed 30 March 2007]
View and/or download a PDF of this notice at the following url:
http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/pac/dapp/opla/preognotice/pct_interim_procedures.pdf
Examination of Patent Applications Containing Nucleotide Sequences [signed 22 February 2007] (12Mar2007)
Posted by Kristen Cichocki at March 12, 2007 01:51 PM
Examination of Patent Applications Containing Nucleotide Sequences
[signed 22 February 2007] (12Mar2007)
View and/or download a PDF of this notice at the following url:
http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/pac/dapp/opla/preognotice/sequence02212007.pdf
United States and Australia to Extend Cooperation on Patent Search and Examination Services (07Feb2007)
Posted by Kristen Cichocki at February 7, 2007 07:00 PM
PRESS RELEASE
Contact:
Brigid Quinn or Ruth Nyblod
(571) 272-8400 or
brigid.quinn@uspto.gov
ruth.nyblod@uspto.gov
United States and Australia to Extend Cooperation on Patent Search and Examination Services
On January 24, 2007, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and IP Australia agreed to extend a project under which IP Australia provides search and examination services on international patent applications filed with the USPTO under provisions of the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT).
This agreement is a continuation of the project launched between the two offices in 2005, and is scheduled to begin on March 1, 2007 and run 12 months.
Cooperation on PCT search and examination work is part of the USPTO's ongoing efforts to improve examination efficiency and quality, while reducing the growing backlog of U.S. national patent applications waiting to be examined. USPTO found that the quality and accuracy of the work done by IP Australia during phase one warrants extending the project and increasing the number of applications it processes.
In this phase of the project, IP Australia will process up to 1,200 PCT applications over the course of one year, covering a range of technologies. The USPTO will continue to review IP Australia's work to ensure that it meets USPTO standards for quality and accuracy.
"High quality and timely examination of patent applications advances science and technology and creates the certainty innovators need in capital driven markets," noted Jon Dudas, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO. "A growing backlog is detrimental to U.S. innovation and the economy. This project builds on the long history of cooperation between the USPTO and IP Australia and gives us the ability to open another front in our battle to reduce our growing backlog."
IP Australia's Director General, Ian Heath explained why IP Australia was pleased to sign up to a new phase of the project, " Participation in this project is a significant opportunity for IP Australia to move closer to its vision of being an office of choice and for enhancing its international reputation. It represents a further step towards achieving the goal of reducing re-work between offices and making mutual exploitation of work a reality for the ultimate benefit of Australian innovators and the IP system as a whole. "
Each year, the USPTO receives about 50,000 international PCT applications in addition to nearly 450,000 national applications. Cooperation with IP Australia will allow the USPTO to dedicate more resources to examining the over 800,000 national applications currently in the pipeline, with the goal of increasing productivity and enhancing quality.
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 IP Australia are among the national patent offices authorized to conduct PCT searches and examinations.
Federal Circuit Proposes Requiring Digital Briefs
Posted by Stephen M. Nipper at February 2, 2007 04:40 PM
The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit proposes to amend its rules by adopting Federal Circuit Rules 28(a)(15) and (16), Rule 28(j), Rule 30(k), and Rules 31(b), (e), and (f); and by deleting Federal Circuit Rule 32(e). These rule changes would require the filing of a digital version of every brief and appendix filed by a party represented by counsel, unless counsel certifies that submission of a brief or appendix in digital format is not practical or would constitute hardship…
More information: http://www.fedcir.gov/rule_28_jan_22_2007.pdf
Change in Procedure for Handling Nonprovisional Applications Having Omitted Items (30Jan2007)
Posted by Kristen Cichocki at January 30, 2007 10:14 AM
Change in Procedure for Handling Nonprovisional Applications Having Omitted Items
[signed 29 January 2007]
[30 January 2007]
View and/or download a PDF of this notice at the following url:
http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/pac/dapp/opla/preognotice/omitteditems.pdf
USPTO Announces New Key Member to Management Team (23Jan2007)
Posted by Kristen Cichocki at January 24, 2007 12:38 PM
PRESS RELEASE
Contact:
Brigid Quinn or Ruth Nyblod
(571) 272-8400 or
brigid.quinn@uspto.gov
ruth.nyblod@uspto.gov
#07-05
USPTO Announces New Key Member to Management Team
John Love Named Deputy Commissioner for Patent Examination Policy
Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property Jon W. Dudas has named John J. Love deputy commissioner for patent examination policy for the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Love most recently served as the acting deputy commissioner for patent examination policy.
As deputy commissioner, Love is responsible for changes in patent practice, rules of practice and procedures, examining priorities, and classification of technological arts. He leads the operations of the Patent Legal Administration, Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) Legal Administration, the Office of Petitions, and International Liaison.
"John Love is an important member of USPTO's senior management team," noted Under Secretary Dudas. "With his many years of service and dedication to the patent system, I know he will make major contributions by providing the legal and practical guidance necessary to ensure high-quality, efficient patent examination."
"John's extensive patent practice and policy experience, wealth of legal knowledge, and proven leadership abilities make him an invaluable asset to the patent team. His rapport with the patent examining corps, managers and the public will help us expertly meet the many challenges of the coming years ," said Commissioner for Patents John Doll.
Love joined the USPTO in 1969 and has served the agency in a variety of leadership positions, including director of the technology center with responsibility for examining business method patents and computer related inventions. He was appointed to the Senior Executive Service in 1988.
Love received his undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Detroit. He earned a juris doctor degree from Georgetown University, and is a member of the Virginia State Bar.
USPTO Statement on Ceasing Annual Top 10 Patents Holders List (22Jan2007)
USPTO Statement on Ceasing Annual Top 10 Patents Holders List
Beginning this year, the USPTO will no longer release an annual list of top 10 organizations receiving the most U.S. patents. The 2006 data will be available in April in the annual “Patenting by Organizations” report on the agency's web site (www.uspto.gov). This report profiles U.S. patents granted to U.S. and international organizations receiving 40 or more patents each year.
In ceasing publication of the top 10 list, the USPTO is emphasizing quality over quantity by discouraging any perception that we believe more is better.
For the past four years USPTO has focused on the quality of the patents it issues. We are now seeing the results of those efforts. Last year patent quality was the best in over 20 years, and the agency also had the lowest rate of patents approved in more than 30 years.
Over the past four years the USPTO has implemented numerous programs to enhance the quality of patent examination. These include:
• rigorous in-process and end-process reviews of examiners' work and written certification and recertification examinations to ensure examiners remain up-to-speed on patent law, practice and procedure.
• increasing the number of “second-pair-of-eyes” reviews of initial decisions to grant patents.
• implementing eight-month university-style training programs to teach patent examination coursework to new examiners in a collegial and collaborative environment.
• establishing a unit of patent examiners solely devoted to reexamining patents for which evidence raising a substantial new question of patentability is found after the patent is granted.
• improving the quality of USPTO work life to attract the best pool of new patent examiners by offering opportunities to work from home.
• implementing electronic processing of patent applications to make the patent examination process more efficient and effective.
Brigid Quinn
Spokesperson, USPTO
Deputy Director of Public Affairs
USPTO Begins New Electronic Priority Document Exchange Program (19 January 2007)
Posted by Kristen Cichocki at January 20, 2007 02:51 PM
USPTO Begins New Electronic Priority Document Exchange Program
(19 January 2007)
On January 16, 2007, the United States Patent and Trademark Office, along with the European Patent Office (EPO), implemented a new service to allow certified copies of patent application priority documents to be exchanged between the two offices electronically. Priority documents have to be filed when applicants wish to claim an earlier application filing date in one patent office based on a prior filing in another. The new service, which is free of charge to applicants, is the result of a 2005 agreement between the USPTO and the European Patent Office. Priority document exchange will get underway between the USPTO and the Japan Patent Office (JPO) later this year. Information on how to use the system can be found below.
Under the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property, a treaty that provides a number of important rights for innovators, a patent applicant may file an application in one Paris Convention member country (the priority document), and within 12 months, file corresponding applications in other member countries, while obtaining the benefit of the first application's filing date. This 12-month period allows applicants to make important decisions about where to file subsequent applications to seek protection for their inventions. Paris Convention filings are a critical component in many applicants' global business and patenting strategies and represent a substantial portion of worldwide patent activity. In order to obtain the benefit of an earlier filing, however, applicants are generally required to file paper copies of the priority document in each of the later-filing offices at their own expense. The new service allows the USPTO and EPO, with appropriate permissions, to obtain electronic copies of priority documents filed with the other office from its electronic records management system at no cost to the applicant.
This electronic exchange of copies of priority documents promotes sharing of information between the intellectual property offices and reduces the administrative costs associated with handling paper copies of priority documents and scanning them into the offices' electronic image record management systems.
Forms (PTO/SB/38 and PTO/SB/39) and instructions are available on the USPTO's Web site: http://www.uspto.gov/web/forms/index.html#patent . Applicants are strongly encouraged to check the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system to determine whether the USPTO successfully retrieved the priority document. The applicant will be notified if the retrieval attempt is unsuccessful and that a paper copy of the certified copy of the priority document must be provided before the U.S. application issues as a patent.
For further information, see Federal Register Notice: http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/com/sol/notices/72fr1664.pdf
Changes to Implement Priority Document Exchange Between Intellectual Property Offices, Final rule (16 Jan2007)
Posted by Kristen Cichocki at January 17, 2007 11:53 AM
Changes to Implement Priority Document Exchange Between Intellectual Property Offices, Final rule (16 Jan 2007)
[16 January 2007]
View and/or download a PDF of this notice at the following url: