Comments on: Obama Administration Tackling Patent Backlog http://www.ipwatchdog.com/2009/05/18/obama-administration-tackling-patent-backlog/id=3531/ Patents, Software Patents, Patent Applications & Patent Law Thu, 09 Feb 2012 02:54:32 +0000 hourly 1 By: Gene Quinn http://www.ipwatchdog.com/2009/05/18/obama-administration-tackling-patent-backlog/id=3531/#comment-5771 Gene Quinn Fri, 19 Jun 2009 21:22:23 +0000 http://www.ipwatchdog.com/?p=3531#comment-5771 KPS- That sure would be wonderful. It is my understanding that the Commissioner would like this to happen, and that this sort of procedure approximates what the Office will train (or re-train) examiners to use. The Commissioner wants to encourage early contact with the representative or applicant, with efforts to identify allowable material. My understanding is that she would also like more late interviews so as to make it unnecessary for RCEs. I think that would happen almost immediately if they changed examiner production requirements. As long as there is an incentive for an examiner to require an RCE it will be difficult to get many on board with late interviews. Hopefully the Office can get it together. -Gene KPS-

That sure would be wonderful. It is my understanding that the Commissioner would like this to happen, and that this sort of procedure approximates what the Office will train (or re-train) examiners to use. The Commissioner wants to encourage early contact with the representative or applicant, with efforts to identify allowable material. My understanding is that she would also like more late interviews so as to make it unnecessary for RCEs. I think that would happen almost immediately if they changed examiner production requirements. As long as there is an incentive for an examiner to require an RCE it will be difficult to get many on board with late interviews. Hopefully the Office can get it together.

-Gene

]]> By: KPS http://www.ipwatchdog.com/2009/05/18/obama-administration-tackling-patent-backlog/id=3531/#comment-5764 KPS Fri, 19 Jun 2009 19:35:15 +0000 http://www.ipwatchdog.com/?p=3531#comment-5764 About two years ago, I got a phone call from an Examiner on a recently filed application. After I got over my initial shock, we spent the next hour discussing the application, and at the end of that time, had a set of claims that was acceptable to me and considered allowable by him. He explained that with this procedure, he could dispose of a case well within his allotted time. He got his brownie points and my client did not have to go through several office actions and RCEs. I am still waiting with bated breath for another examiner to do the same About two years ago, I got a phone call from an Examiner on a recently filed application. After I got over my initial shock, we spent the next hour discussing the application, and at the end of that time, had a set of claims that was acceptable to me and considered allowable by him.
He explained that with this procedure, he could dispose of a case well within his allotted time. He got his brownie points and my client did not have to go through several office actions and RCEs.
I am still waiting with bated breath for another examiner to do the same

]]> By: TT http://www.ipwatchdog.com/2009/05/18/obama-administration-tackling-patent-backlog/id=3531/#comment-3968 TT Tue, 19 May 2009 20:26:46 +0000 http://www.ipwatchdog.com/?p=3531#comment-3968 "and quality review becoming focused on helping examiners rather than punishing examiners for mistakes" Sounds good but there is a strong "gotcha" mentality within the USPTO. I think changing an agency's culture is a slow process, no matter what pretty words are used. “and quality review becoming focused on helping examiners rather than punishing examiners for mistakes”

Sounds good but there is a strong “gotcha” mentality within the USPTO. I think changing an agency’s culture is a slow process, no matter what pretty words are used.

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