Comments on: USPTO Needs Improved Work-flow Management http://www.ipwatchdog.com/2009/06/12/uspto-needs-improved-work-flow-management/id=4081/ Patents, Software Patents, Patent Applications & Patent Law Thu, 09 Feb 2012 02:54:32 +0000 hourly 1 By: Dale B. Halling http://www.ipwatchdog.com/2009/06/12/uspto-needs-improved-work-flow-management/id=4081/#comment-7602 Dale B. Halling Wed, 22 Jul 2009 19:47:17 +0000 http://www.ipwatchdog.com/?p=4081#comment-7602 Improving the workflow at the USPTO is critical for our technology economy. In order to improve the spirit of the examining corp we need to debunk the myth that numerous bad patents are being issued. A couple of excellent papers on this point are "Patent Grant rates at the United State Patent and Trademark Office" (http://jip.kentlaw.edu/art/volume%204/4%20Chi-Kent%20J%20Intell%20Prop%20108.pdf) and "Bad Science in Search of "Bad" Patents" (http://works.bepress.com/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1000&context=rkatznelson). My suggested reforms to reduce pendency include changing the "count" or "point" system for examiners - see http://hallingblog.com/2009/07/10/three-steps-to-reduce-patent-pendency-times/. My suggested reforms for the patent system generally include regional offices for the USPTO. This would increase retention rates for examiners and increase the probability of being adequately funded. According to one UK patent attorney, when the UK patent office moved from London to Wales they saw a marked increase in the quality of the people the patent office was able to attract. For my other suggested reforms see http://hallingblog.com/2009/05/29/real-patent-reform/ Improving the workflow at the USPTO is critical for our technology economy. In order to improve the spirit of the examining corp we need to debunk the myth that numerous bad patents are being issued. A couple of excellent papers on this point are “Patent Grant rates at the United State Patent and Trademark Office” (http://jip.kentlaw.edu/art/volume%204/4%20Chi-Kent%20J%20Intell%20Prop%20108.pdf) and “Bad Science in Search of “Bad” Patents” (http://works.bepress.com/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1000&context=rkatznelson).

My suggested reforms to reduce pendency include changing the “count” or “point” system for examiners – see http://hallingblog.com/2009/07/10/three-steps-to-reduce-patent-pendency-times/.

My suggested reforms for the patent system generally include regional offices for the USPTO. This would increase retention rates for examiners and increase the probability of being adequately funded. According to one UK patent attorney, when the UK patent office moved from London to Wales they saw a marked increase in the quality of the people the patent office was able to attract. For my other suggested reforms see http://hallingblog.com/2009/05/29/real-patent-reform/

]]> By: Kerosene http://www.ipwatchdog.com/2009/06/12/uspto-needs-improved-work-flow-management/id=4081/#comment-5267 Kerosene Fri, 12 Jun 2009 13:28:57 +0000 http://www.ipwatchdog.com/?p=4081#comment-5267 posted on an earlier thread that may not see traffic: Gene, Thought you might be interested in this random post at Patently-O: Prosecutor 6k said… I just wanted to acknowledge that, within the past couple months, I have been very pleased by the responsiveness and general way things are going at the PTO. I’ve had three applications get FOAMs within 6 months of filing, I’ve had petitions and other minor submissions acted on within a week of submitting them, and I’ve found Examiner’s attitudes generally more pleasant and less combatitive. I’ve dogged mightily on the USPTO in the past, but I wanted to recognize good behavior when I see it. ::gold star:: <a href="http://www.patentlyo.com/patent/2009/06/bits-and-bytes-1.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.patentlyo.com/patent/2009/06/bits-and-bytes-1.html</a> Three FOAMs within 6 months of filing! posted on an earlier thread that may not see traffic:

Gene,

Thought you might be interested in this random post at Patently-O:

Prosecutor 6k said…
I just wanted to acknowledge that, within the past couple months, I have been very pleased by the responsiveness and general way things are going at the PTO. I’ve had three applications get FOAMs within 6 months of filing, I’ve had petitions and other minor submissions acted on within a week of submitting them, and I’ve found Examiner’s attitudes generally more pleasant and less combatitive. I’ve dogged mightily on the USPTO in the past, but I wanted to recognize good behavior when I see it. ::gold star::

http://www.patentlyo.com/patent/2009/06/bits-and-bytes-1.html

Three FOAMs within 6 months of filing!

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