October 1, 2015

The USPTO has announced the deployment of the Version 2.1 of the Next Generation Trademark Manual of Identification and Classification of Goods and Services (IDM-NG) available at tmidm.uspto.gov. The IDM-NG search system and results display have been updated to include…

September 11, 2015

The United States Patent and Trademark Office has launched a new website—the USPTO Patents Petitions Timeline. The new website provides the average pendency and success rates (over the past 12 months) for each type of petition that can be filed…

June 15, 2015

This overview presentation discusses the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) and provides some practical guidance about international patent prosecution using both the Paris Convention as well as the PCT process. It also provides a general overview of both the Paris Convention…

March 10, 2015

The USPTO is holding a Patent Quality Summit on March 25-26 at their headquarters in Alexandria, VA. The purpose of the summit is to discuss specific proposals with the goal of improving patent quality.  A Federal Register Notice of February…

February 18, 2015

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) recently announced that the United States has deposited the official instruments needed to ratify the Geneva Act of the Hague Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Industrial Designs (the “Hague System”). The…

December 31, 2014

Beginning on January 17, 2015 the fee for electronically filing a trademark application will drop $50 to $225 for an application with confirms to an existing classification (TEAS Plus) and $275 for all other applications. The USPTO just issued a…

December 26, 2014

The USPTO has publicly launched a beta version of its new website. The site is part of the agency’s rollout of “next Generation” technologies that will improve the experience of doing business with the USPTO. The USPTO’s new site aims…

December 19, 2014

On December 16, 2014, the USPTO released its interim guidance (2014 Interim Guidance on Patent Subject Matter Eligibility) for use by USPTO personnel in determining subject matter eligibility under 35 U.S.C. 101. The new guidance was prepared in view of…

September 26, 2014

The USPTO has announced that it will extend the After Final Consideration Pilot 2.0 (AFCP) Program through September 30, 2015. The program was previously scheduled to expire on September 30, 2014. The PTO further announced that Examiners will begin sending…

May 7, 2014

The Federal Circuit recently released its opinion for the case In re Packard, providing guidance as to when the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) may properly reject a claim as failing to meet the definiteness requirements of 35…

November 15, 2013

35 U.S.C. § 154(b) allows for extension of patent term for design and utility patents filed after May 29, 2000. The statute provides for patent term adjustment for delays caused by the USPTO. “A Term” adjustments result from untimely responses…

October 2, 2013

The United States Patent and Trademark office will remain open during the government shutdown that began October 1, 2013. The Office will remain open, using prior year reserve fee collections to operate as usual for approximately four weeks. If the…