2012 August

Topics covered in this month’s Patent Prosecution Group Luncheon include a discussion of the USPTO proposed rules for implementing the America Invents Act (AIA) with respect o the new first-to-file standard for applications, submissions to remove references based on common ownership or origination from inventor, and proposed post-AIA examination guidelines.  The group also discussed newly available functionality in Google Patents, including a new “prior art finder” tool for automatically locating prior art references.  To download a copy of the presentation click here.

Topics covered in this month’s Trademark Group Luncheon include balancing of first amendment interests and trademark rights as applied to sports uniforms as well as a licensing debacle between Apple and the owner of the “iPad” trademark in China. The group delved into the copyright realm by discussing the protectability of a hookah base shape when that shape is a useful article that cannot be separated from its utilitarian elements. To download a copy of this presentation click here.