Patent and Trademark Office August 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) solicits comments on its draft strategic plan for 2007-2012. The Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA) requires Federal agencies to establish a strategic plan covering not less than five years, and to solicit the views and suggestions of those entities potentially affected by or interested in the plan. The USPTO's current plan, The 21st Century Strategic Plan for 2003- 2008, may be viewed on the USPTO Web site at https://www.uspto.gov as can the agency's draft plan for 2007-2012.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (Office) is, in this final rule making, revising the rules of practice relating to the filing date requirements for ex parte and inter partes reexamination proceedings for consistency with the provisions of the patent statute governing ex parte and inter partes reexamination proceedings, and to permit the Office to have the full statutory three months to address a request for reexamination that is complete. The Office is specifically revising the rules to require that a request for ex parte reexamination or for inter partes reexamination must meet all the applicable statutory and regulatory requirements before a filing date is accorded to the request for ex parte reexamination or for inter partes reexamination.