Posts in Patents
USPTO Responds to Patent Bar Gender Gap Inquiry, Mulls Changes to Registration Process
The 2020 “Progress and Potential” report produced by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) focused on women and inventorship. Recently, however, members of Congress asked the …
Hatch-Waxman and BPCIA Cases and Trends to Watch in 2021
As we turn the page to 2021, we expect at least two major cases to be resolved that could have long-lasting effects on where and how Hatch-Waxman and …
How Patents Enable Mavericks and Challenge Incumbents
Advocates for “patent reform” have long argued that reducing patent protection will open up markets and accelerate innovation by lowering entry barriers and expanding access to existing …
ipAwarenessAssessment: Inventors and Business Owners Should Start Their IP Journey with this USPTO-NIST Tool
The ipAwarenessAssessment (the Tool) is engineered for both business owners and inventors so that they can comprehensively value their intellectual property (IP) and manage their IP portfolios …
New Year, New Models: How the Pandemic May Forever Change Practice at the USPTO
Last year brought unprecedented changes as to how the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) conducts business. Prior to the pandemic, the USPTO was already a …
US Inventor Backs SCOTUS Petition to Clarify Claim Construction Principles
Inventor advocacy group US Inventor has filed an amicus brief in support of a petition to the U.S. Supreme Court asking the justices to clarify “[w]…
Green, Yellow, Or Red: What Color Is Your Patent Examiner and Why Should You Care?
Examiners at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) can be categorized into three different “types,” namely, green, yellow and red Examiners. Knowing the type of …
Patent Filings Roundup: Fortress Gets Into the 5G SEP Game; Judge Gilstrap Stays Trial for Reexam After Board Denied Under Fintiv; Fintiv Case Transferred
All eyes this week were on the USPTO Director’s chair and the inauguration, and yesterday the USPTO posted a farewell blog and speech, confirming that Andrei …
Western District of Texas Gets an Upgrade: A Look at the New Waco Courtroom
Anyone who is familiar with the fortunes of Waco, Texas over the past few years will recognize the remarkable transformation of the city in most every respect. …
Biden’s Opportunity to Protect American Innovation
When Joe Biden became President-elect Biden, he asked us to imagine a new, more hopeful version of America. He urged us to work toward leaving a “grim …
Inaugural NCEAI Innovation Discussion Underscores Data-Driven, Solution-Based Approach
Last week, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) hosted its first National Council for Expanding American Innovation (NCEAI) Innovation Chat virtually, featuring a discussion between …
Successful After Final Petitions Can Help Advance Prosecution (Part V)
While researching the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s (USPTO) treatment of final Office actions for previous articles (Part I, Part II, Part III and Part …
Washington Insiders Say Farewell to 2020 and Look Ahead to 2021
As we thankfully see 2020 fading into the rear-view mirror and all look forward to a hopefully much better 2021, we want to take a moment to reflect on …
Innovation Alliance Urges Biden Administration to Support Patent Rights
On January 11, Brian Pomper, Executive Director of the Innovation Alliance, sent a letter to President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris urging support for strong patent rights and …
From Agent to Examiner and Back Again: Practical Lessons Learned from Inside the USPTO
As a Patent Agent, the work product coming out of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) seemed random to me. This article shares what I …