Patent and Trademark Office – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

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Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) Appeals
Document Number: 2023-14014
Type: Notice
Date: 2023-07-03
Agency: Department of Commerce, Patent and Trademark Office
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, invites comments on the extension and revision of an existing information collection: 0651- 0063 Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) Appeals. The purpose of this notice is to allow 60 days for public comment preceding submission of the information collection to OMB.
Study of the Patent Pro Bono Programs; Request for Comments; Extension of the Comment Period
Document Number: 2023-13869
Type: Notice
Date: 2023-06-29
Agency: Department of Commerce, Patent and Trademark Office
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) recently sought public comments on topics related to the study of the patent pro bono programs identified in the Unleashing American Innovators Act of 2022. This study builds on the work the USPTO has conducted for over a decade, and has scaled during the Biden Administration, to bring more people in America into the innovation ecosystem. The USPTO believes that broadening access to the intellectual property system will create more jobs, foster economic prosperity, and promote the development of solutions for societal challenges. In response to stakeholder feedback, the USPTO is extending the comment period until August 11, 2023, to give interested members of the public additional time to submit comments.
Grant of Interim Extension of the Term of U.S. Patent No. 7,517,522; Recombinant ADAMTS13 (rADAMTS13), a Recombinant A Disintegrin and Metalloprotease With Thrombospondin Type-1 Motifs 13
Document Number: 2023-13707
Type: Notice
Date: 2023-06-28
Agency: Department of Commerce, Patent and Trademark Office
The United States Patent and Trademark Office has issued an order granting a one-year interim extension of the term of U.S. Patent No. 7,517,522 ('522 patent).
Request for Comments on Southeast Regional Office and Community Outreach Office Locations
Document Number: C1-2023-11987
Type: Notice
Date: 2023-06-21
Agency: Department of Commerce, Patent and Trademark Office
Standardization of the Patent Term Adjustment Statement Regarding Information Disclosure Statements
Document Number: 2023-12712
Type: Rule
Date: 2023-06-15
Agency: Department of Commerce, Patent and Trademark Office
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO or Office) is revising the rules of practice pertaining to patent term adjustment to require that the patent term adjustment statement regarding information disclosure statements be submitted on an Office form using the appropriate document code. The use of the Office form and document code will streamline certain aspects of prosecution by more accurately capturing and accounting for the patent term adjustment statement without unnecessary back-and-forth between the Office and applicant. It will also conserve resources by eliminating the need for a manual review of the patent term adjustment statement. Applicants who submit a patent term adjustment statement regarding information disclosure statements without using the Office form or the appropriate document code will need to request reconsideration of the patent term adjustment for the information disclosure statement to not be considered a failure to engage in reasonable efforts to conclude the prosecution (processing or examination) of the application. The Office conducts a redetermination of patent term adjustment in response to this request, and the redetermination will include the Office's manual review of the patent term adjustment statement.
Request for Comments on Southeast Regional Office and Community Outreach Office Locations
Document Number: 2023-12824
Type: Notice
Date: 2023-06-14
Agency: Department of Commerce, Patent and Trademark Office
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO or Office) is seeking information to inform the planning and design of the USPTO satellite offices (regional offices) and newly-authorized community outreach offices (COOs). The USPTO is also seeking information on potential locations for a future USPTO regional office in the southeast region of the United States (Southeast Regional Office or SERO) and a COO in the northern New England (NNE) region (Northern New England Community Outreach Office) that the USPTO was directed to establish under the Unleashing American Innovators Act of 2022 (UAIA), signed into law as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 on December 29, 2022.
Setting and Adjusting Patent Fees During Fiscal Year 2020
Document Number: 2023-11917
Type: Rule
Date: 2023-06-06
Agency: Department of Commerce, Patent and Trademark Office
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) published a final rule in the Federal Register on August 3, 2020, that includes a fee for patent applications that are not filed in the DOCX format, except for design, plant, or provisional applications. The effective date of this new fee was most recently delayed in a final rule published in the Federal Register on March 27, 2023, and was scheduled to become effective on June 30, 2023. Through this final rule, the USPTO is delaying the effective date of this fee until January 17, 2024.
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment Request; DOCX Submission Requirements
Document Number: 2023-11913
Type: Notice
Date: 2023-06-06
Agency: Department of Commerce, Patent and Trademark Office
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, invites comments on the proposed information collection: DOCX Submission Requirements. The purpose of this notice is to allow 60 days for public comment preceding submission of the information collection to OMB.
Extension of the Option for Submission of a PDF With a Patent Application Filed in DOCX Format
Document Number: 2023-11910
Type: Notice
Date: 2023-06-06
Agency: Department of Commerce, Patent and Trademark Office
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is continuing to modernize and streamline its patent application systems to support robust and reliable patent rights, speed the issuance of patents, and reduce the costs and barriers of global patent protection. The submission of patent applications in DOCX format facilitates the USPTO's ongoing efforts. The USPTO previously announced that, for a temporary period, it was providing patent applicants with the option to submit an applicant-generated PDF version of an application along with the DOCX file(s) when filing the application in Patent Center. This temporary period was scheduled to end on June 30, 2023. In response to stakeholder requests, the USPTO is extending the option until further notice.
Request for Comments on Southeast Regional Office and Community Outreach Office Locations
Document Number: 2023-11987
Type: Notice
Date: 2023-06-06
Agency: Department of Commerce, Patent and Trademark Office
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO or Office) is seeking information to inform the planning and design of the USPTO satellite offices (regional offices) and newly-authorized community outreach offices (COOs). The USPTO is also seeking information on potential locations for a future USPTO regional office in the southeast region of the United States (Southeast Regional Office or SERO) and a COO in the northern New England (NNE) region (Northern New England Community Outreach Office) that the USPTO was directed to establish under the Unleashing American Innovators Act of 2022 (UAIA), signed into law as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 on December 29, 2022.
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) Actions
Document Number: 2023-11889
Type: Notice
Date: 2023-06-05
Agency: Department of Commerce, Patent and Trademark Office
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, invites comments on the extension and revision of an existing information collection: 0651- 0040 (Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) Actions). The purpose of this notice is to allow 60 days for public comment preceding submission of the information collection to OMB.
Reducing Patent Fees for Small Entities and Micro Entities Under the Unleashing American Innovators Act of 2022; Correction
Document Number: 2023-11759
Type: Rule
Date: 2023-06-02
Agency: Department of Commerce, Patent and Trademark Office
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (Office or USPTO) makes a correction to a final rule that published on March 22, 2023, amending patent fees for small and micro entities set forth in its regulations to implement the provisions of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023which included the Unleashing American Innovators Act of 2022 (UAIA). This rule fixes an error in the applicability of certain amendments to international applications under the Patent Cooperation Treaty.
Expansion and Extension of the Climate Change Mitigation Pilot Program
Document Number: 2023-11660
Type: Notice
Date: 2023-06-01
Agency: Department of Commerce, Patent and Trademark Office
On June 3, 2022, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) implemented the Climate Change Mitigation Pilot Program as a component of its ongoing efforts to encourage and incentivize innovation in the climate space and as an example of its commitment to policies tackling climate change. The initial phase of the programending June 5, 2023has sought to positively impact the climate by accelerating the examination of patent applications for products and processes designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Through this notice, the USPTO is expanding the program to include innovations in any economic sector that are designed to make progress toward achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions. This includes innovations designed to remove greenhouse gases already present in the atmosphere; reduce and/or prevent additional greenhouse gas emissions; and/or monitor, track, and/or verify greenhouse gas emission reductions. The USPTO is also increasing the filing limitations for petitions under the program and extending the duration of the program. These changes will permit more applications to qualify for the program, thereby allowing more innovations that will aid in achieving national climate goals to be advanced out of turn for examination. As with the existing program, applications accepted into the expanded program will be advanced out of turn (accorded special status) for first action on the merits. The conditions, eligibility requirements, and guidelines of the expanded program will be the same as those established for the existing program, unless modified by this notice. By expanding and extending the program, the USPTO aims to emphasize the urgency of zero- and negative-emissions solutions, and further encourage investment in an equitable, clean energy future.
Adoption of Updated WIPO Standard ST.26; Revision to Incorporation by Reference
Document Number: 2023-11365
Type: Rule
Date: 2023-05-26
Agency: Department of Commerce, Patent and Trademark Office
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO or Office) is adopting the recently revised World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Standard ST.26, version 1.6, approved November 25, 2022, for incorporation by reference into its regulations addressing application disclosures containing nucleotide and/or amino acid sequences. The USPTO is also correcting a grammatical oversight in one of its sequence regulations. The USPTO first amended its rules in 2022 to incorporate by reference certain provisions of WIPO Standard ST.26. In addition to simplifying the process for applicants filing in multiple countries, the ST.26 requirement to submit a single sequence listing in eXtensible Mark-up Language (XML) format provides better preservation, accessibility, and sorting of the submitted sequence data for the public. Among other improvements, the new version of ST.26 clarifies requirements, improves descriptions, and corrects editorial mistakes.
Future Strategies in Anticounterfeiting and Antipiracy
Document Number: 2023-10770
Type: Notice
Date: 2023-05-25
Agency: Department of Commerce, Patent and Trademark Office
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is working across government and with the private sector to address counterfeiting and piracy. As part of that effort, the USPTO wants to learn what interested parties are observing and seeks their insights into anticounterfeiting and antipiracy strategies. In particular, the USPTO requests information on current anticounterfeiting and antipiracy strategies that have proven effective, as well as ideas for future strategies. To facilitate discussion among members of the public regarding the future of anticounterfeiting and antipiracy, the USPTO will host a roundtable on the topics listed in this notice on October 3. Any additional roundtables will be announced through the Federal Register.
Request for Comments Regarding the Motion To Amend Pilot Program and Rules of Practice To Allocate the Burdens of Persuasion on Motions To Amend in Trial Proceedings Before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board
Document Number: 2023-10565
Type: Proposed Rule
Date: 2023-05-23
Agency: Department of Commerce, Patent and Trademark Office
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO or Office) currently implements a pilot program for motion to amend (MTA) practice and procedures in trial proceedings under the America Invents Act (AIA) before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB or Board). The USPTO seeks public comments on whether the MTA Pilot Program's procedures should be made permanent, and if so, whether any modifications would be beneficial. Additionally, the USPTO previously issued rulemaking covering the allocation of the burdens of persuasion in MTA proceedings. The USPTO seeks public input on the practical effects of the rules on the parties and AIA proceedings, and whether modifications to the rules, or additional guidance on implementing the rules, would be beneficial. Lastly, the USPTO seeks input on whether the Board should have broader authority to raise sua sponte grounds in the MTA process.
Changes to the Representation of Others in Design Patent Matters Before the United States Patent and Trademark Office
Document Number: 2023-10410
Type: Proposed Rule
Date: 2023-05-16
Agency: Department of Commerce, Patent and Trademark Office
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO or Office) proposes to amend the rules of practice in patent cases and the rules regarding the representation of others before the USPTO to create a separate design patent practitioner bar whereby admitted design patent practitioners would practice in design patent proceedings only. Presently, there is only one patent bar that applies to those who practice in patent matters before the Office, including in utility, plant, and design patents. The potential creation of a design patent practitioner bar would not impact the ability of those already registered to practice in any patent matters, including design patent matters, before the USPTO to continue to practice in any patent matters before the Office. Furthermore, it would not impact the ability of applicants for registration who meet the current criteria, including qualifying for and passing the current registration exam, to practice in any patent matters before the Office, including design patent matters. Expanding the admission criteria of the patent bar would encourage broader participation and keep up with the ever-evolving technology and related teachings that qualify someone to practice before the USPTO.
Expanding Admission Criteria for Registration To Practice in Patent Cases Before the United States Patent and Trademark Office
Document Number: 2023-10409
Type: Notice
Date: 2023-05-16
Agency: Department of Commerce, Patent and Trademark Office
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO or Office) previously published a notice requesting comments on the scientific and technical requirements to practice in patent matters before the USPTO. Specifically, the Office sought input on whether it should revise the scientific and technical criteria for admission to practice in patent matters to require the USPTO to periodically review certain applicant degrees on a predetermined timeframe, make certain modifications to the accreditation requirement for computer science degrees, and add clarifying instructions to the General Requirements Bulletin for Admission to the Examination for Registration to Practice in Patent Cases before the United States Patent and Trademark Office (GRB) for limited recognition applicants. The USPTO has considered the comments and, based on the support for the proposals, is implementing updates to the GRB. Expanding the admission criteria of the patent bar would encourage broader participation and keep up with the ever- evolving technology and related teachings that qualify someone to practice before the USPTO.
Patent and Trademark Public Advisory Committees
Document Number: 2023-10148
Type: Notice
Date: 2023-05-12
Agency: Department of Commerce, Patent and Trademark Office
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) America's Innovation Agencyseeks nominations for up to three members of its Patent Public Advisory Committee (PPAC) to advise the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO on patent policy, and for up to three members of its Trademark Public Advisory Committee (TPAC) to advise the Director on trademark policy. Each new member, who can serve remotely, will serve a three- year term starting December 1, 2023. The members represent the interests of the public and the stakeholders of the USPTO.
Changes Under Consideration to Discretionary Institution Practices, Petition Word-Count Limits, and Settlement Practices for America Invents Act Trial Proceedings Before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board
Document Number: 2023-08239
Type: Proposed Rule
Date: 2023-04-21
Agency: Department of Commerce, Patent and Trademark Office
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO or Office) is considering modifications to the rules of practice for inter partes review (IPR) and post-grant review (PGR) proceedings before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB or Board) to better align the practices with the USPTO's mission to promote and protect innovation and investment in the same, and with the congressional intent behind the American Invents Act (AIA) to provide a less-expensive alternative to district court litigation to resolve certain patentability issues while also protecting against patentee harassment. The USPTO is considering promulgating rules the Director, and by delegation the Board, will use to exercise the Director's discretion to institute IPRs and PGRs; to provide a procedure for separate briefing on discretionary denial that will allow parties to address relevant issues for discretionary denial without encroaching on the pages they are afforded to address the merits of a case; to provide petitioners the ability to pay additional fees for a higher word-count limit; and to clarify that all settlement agreements, including pre-institution settlement agreements, are required to be filed with the Board.
Patent Public Advisory Committee Public Hearing on the Proposed Patent Fee Schedule
Document Number: 2023-08346
Type: Notice
Date: 2023-04-20
Agency: Department of Commerce, Patent and Trademark Office
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is announcing the date, time, and place of a public hearing that will be held by the Patent Public Advisory Committee (PPAC) on the USPTO's proposed setting or adjusting of patent fees pursuant to the USPTO's fee setting authority under section 10 of the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act (AIA), as amended. The USPTO will make its proposed patent fees availableas set forth in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this noticebefore the PPAC hearing. The public is invited to testify at the hearing and submit written comments regarding proposed patent fees.
USPTO AI Inventorship: Notice of Public AI Inventorship Listening Session-West Coast
Document Number: 2023-07953
Type: Notice
Date: 2023-04-17
Agency: Department of Commerce, Patent and Trademark Office
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) plays an important role in incentivizing and protecting innovation, including innovation enabled by artificial intelligence (AI), to ensure continued U.S. leadership in AI and other emerging technologies (ET). On February 14, 2023, the USPTO published a Federal Register Notice requesting comments regarding AI and Inventorship. The USPTO is announcing a public listening session on May 8, 2023, titled ``AI Inventorship Listening Session.'' The purpose of the listening session is to seek stakeholder input on the current state of AI technologies and inventorship issues that may arise in view of the advancement of such technologies, as set forth in the questions posed in the Federal Register Notice of February 14, 2023.
New Implementation Date for Patent Practitioner Registration Statement
Document Number: 2023-07887
Type: Notice
Date: 2023-04-14
Agency: Department of Commerce, Patent and Trademark Office
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO or Office) is delaying the implementation of the biennial mandatory registration statement required from registered patent practitioners and individuals granted limited recognition to practice before the USPTO in patent matters indefinitely.
Trademarks for Humanity Awards Competition Program
Document Number: 2023-07125
Type: Notice
Date: 2023-04-11
Agency: Department of Commerce, Patent and Trademark Office
Pursuant to its statutory authority to conduct intellectual property programs, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO or Office) is launching a pilot program to promote and incentivize brand owners who offer products and services that help address humanitarian issues utilizing a federally registered trademark. The pilot program will be conducted as an awards competition. For the inaugural program, the humanitarian theme will be the environment. Participating trademark owners will submit program applications describing how the provision of their goods or services, in connection with a trademark registered by the USPTO, has addressed a humanitarian environmental problem impacting people or the planet.
USPTO AI Inventorship: Notice of Public AI Inventorship Listening Session-East Coast
Document Number: 2023-07289
Type: Notice
Date: 2023-04-07
Agency: Department of Commerce, Patent and Trademark Office
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) plays an important role in incentivizing and protecting innovation, including innovation enabled by artificial intelligence (AI), to ensure continued U.S. leadership in AI and other emerging technologies (ET). On February 14, 2023, the USPTO published a Federal Register Notice requesting comments regarding AI and Inventorship. The USPTO is announcing a public listening session on April 25, 2023, titled ``AI Inventorship Listening Session.'' The purpose of the listening session is to seek stakeholder input on the current state of AI technologies and inventorship issues that may arise in view of the advancement of such technologies, as set forth in the questions posed in the Federal Register Notice of February 14, 2023.
Patent Center Electronic Office Action Program
Document Number: 2023-07087
Type: Notice
Date: 2023-04-05
Agency: Department of Commerce, Patent and Trademark Office
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO or Office) will begin transitioning to the Patent Center Electronic Office (e-Office) Action program upon publication of this notice. The Patent Center e-Office Action program is designed to modernize the e-Office action process and further streamline the USPTO's service delivery processes. Implementation of the Patent Center e-Office Action program is another step in the USPTO's transition to Patent Center, a more modern, user-friendly system that provides improved system performance and a more intuitive user experience. Once fully implemented, the Patent Center e-Office Action program will replace the existing e- Office Action program available to users of the Private Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. In addition, the Patent Center e-Office Action program offers a new option for users to receive courtesy postcards by email (e-postcards) as a reminder that there are available USPTO communications that have not been viewed or downloaded. The USPTO is implementing the e-postcard option based on feedback from customers, particularly to reduce paper consumption and mitigate the impact of potential postal delays. Through this notice, the USPTO seeks public comments on eliminating the postal postcard for all Patent Center e-Office Action program users in the future. As with the existing program, participation in the Patent Center e-Office Action program is optional.
Grant of Interim Extension of the Term of U.S. Patent No. 9,314,630; Symplicity Spyral® System, Symplicity Spyral® Catheter, and Symplicity G3 Generator
Document Number: 2023-06665
Type: Notice
Date: 2023-03-31
Agency: Department of Commerce, Patent and Trademark Office
The United States Patent and Trademark Office has issued an order granting a one-year interim extension of the term of U.S. Patent No. 9,314,630 ('630 patent).
Setting and Adjusting Patent Fees During Fiscal Year 2020
Document Number: 2023-06289
Type: Rule
Date: 2023-03-27
Agency: Department of Commerce, Patent and Trademark Office
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO or Office) published a final rule in the Federal Register on August 3, 2020, that includes a fee for patent applications that are not filed in the DOCX format, except for design, plant, or provisional applications. The effective date of this new fee was most recently delayed in a final rule published in the Federal Register on December 29, 2022 and was scheduled to become effective on April 3, 2023. Through this final rule, the USPTO is delaying the effective date of this fee until June 30, 2023.
Reducing Patent Fees for Small Entities and Micro Entities Under the Unleashing American Innovators Act of 2022
Document Number: 2023-05382
Type: Rule
Date: 2023-03-22
Agency: Department of Commerce, Patent and Trademark Office
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (Office or USPTO) amends patent fees for small and micro entities set forth in its regulations to implement the provisions of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023which included the Unleashing American Innovators Act of 2022 (UAIA). The UAIA, signed into law on December 29, 2022, supports the USPTO's efforts to reduce the innovation ecosystem's barriers to entry. The UAIA increased fee discounts for small entities from 50% to 60% and fee discounts for micro entities from 75% to 80% for fees for filing, searching, examining, issuing, appealing, and maintaining patent applications and patents. The UAIA also increased fee discounts for small entities from 75% to 80% for filing a basic nonprovisional utility application electronically.
First-Time Filer Expedited Examination Pilot Program
Document Number: 2023-04695
Type: Notice
Date: 2023-03-09
Agency: Department of Commerce, Patent and Trademark Office
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO or Office) and its Council for Inclusive Innovation (CI\2\) are developing strategies to create a more equitable and diverse innovation ecosystem. As one strategy, the USPTO is implementing the First-Time Filer Expedited Examination Pilot Program, designed to increase accessibility to the patent system for inventors who are new to the patent application process, including those in historically underserved geographic and economic areas. The program expedites the first Office action for program participants. Expediting the first Office action reduces time-based barriers for inventors who may otherwise be unable to participate in the patent system, thereby advancing opportunity in the innovation ecosystem. The program requires participants to be reasonably trained in the patent application process so they can engage effectively with the Office and maximize the benefit of expedited examination. The pilot program website identifies a collection of free training resources for anyone interested in learning more about the patent application filing process. This notice outlines the conditions, eligibility requirements, and guidelines of the program.
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Native American Tribal Insignia Database
Document Number: 2023-04759
Type: Notice
Date: 2023-03-08
Agency: Department of Commerce, Patent and Trademark Office
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, invites comments on the extension and revision of an existing information collection: 0651- 0048 Native American Tribal Insignia Database. The purpose of this notice is to allow 60 days for public comment preceding submission of the information collection to OMB.
Manual of Patent Examining Procedure, Ninth Edition, Revision of July 2022
Document Number: 2023-04345
Type: Notice
Date: 2023-03-03
Agency: Department of Commerce, Patent and Trademark Office
To provide updates to patent examination policy and procedures in a single source, which will improve access to essential guidance for all stakeholders and help to ensure issuance of robust and reliable patents that promote and protect innovation, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO or Office) issued a revision of the Ninth Edition of the Manual of Patent Examining Procedure (MPEP), published in February 2023 (July 2022 revision). The MPEP provides patent examiners and the public with a reference work on the practices and procedures relative to the prosecution of patent applications and other proceedings before the USPTO. The MPEP contains instructions to examiners, as well as other material in the nature of information and interpretation, and outlines the current procedures that examiners are required or authorized to follow in the normal examination of patent applications and during other Office proceedings.
Establishing Permanent Electronic Filing for Patent Term Extension Applications
Document Number: 2023-04162
Type: Rule
Date: 2023-03-02
Agency: Department of Commerce, Patent and Trademark Office
To further advance the United States Patent and Trademark Office's (USPTO or Office) information technology strategy of achieving complete beginning-to-end electronic processing of patent-related submissions, the USPTO is revising the Rules of Practice in Patent Cases to require that patent term extension (PTE) applications, interim PTE applications, and any related submissions to the USPTO be submitted electronically via the USPTO patent electronic filing system (Patent Center or EFS-Web). The rule changes reduce the administrative burden on PTE applicants and improve administrative efficiency by facilitating electronic file management, optimizing workflow processes, and reducing processing errors.
USPTO Officially Transitions to Issuing Electronic Patent Grants in 2023
Document Number: 2023-03809
Type: Rule
Date: 2023-02-28
Agency: Department of Commerce, Patent and Trademark Office
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is implementing electronic patent issuance to reduce pendency of patent applications, foster a green economy by reducing paper waste, and permit complete issued patents to be viewable and printable by both the applicants as well as the public immediately upon issuance in Patent Center, the USPTO's electronic patent application filing and management system. Patent grants will no longer be issued on paper, and as a result, they will no longer be mailed to the correspondence address of record as part of the patent issuance process. During a transition period, the USPTO will provide a paper copy of the electronic patent grant as a courtesy ceremonial copy, delivered to the patentee's correspondence address of record. After the transition period, a selection of patent grant copies, including the ceremonial copy, will be available for purchase at a nominal charge. The electronic patent grant will be the official statutory patent grant.
National Medal of Technology and Innovation Nomination Evaluation Committee Meeting
Document Number: 2023-03957
Type: Notice
Date: 2023-02-24
Agency: Department of Commerce, Patent and Trademark Office
The National Medal of Technology and Innovation (NMTI or Medal) is the nation's highest honor for technological achievement, bestowed by the president of the United States on America's leading innovators. The Medal is awarded to individuals, teams (up to four individuals), companies or divisions of companies for their outstanding contributions to America's economic, environmental and social well- being. The NMTI Nomination Evaluation Committee will meet in a closed session on March 13, 2023. The primary purpose of the meeting is to discuss the relative merits of the people, teams, and companies nominated for the NMTI.
Request for Comments on USPTO Initiatives To Ensure the Robustness and Reliability of Patent Rights
Document Number: 2023-03119
Type: Notice
Date: 2023-02-14
Agency: Department of Commerce, Patent and Trademark Office
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is extending the comment period for the notice titled ``Request for Comments on USPTO Initiatives to Ensure the Robustness and Reliability of Patent Rights'' that was published in the Federal Register on October 4, 2022. The notice's comment period was previously extended until February 1, 2023. The comment period is now extended a second time; this will be the last extension of the comment period.
Sixth Extension of the Modified COVID-19 Prioritized Examination Pilot Program for Patent Applications
Document Number: 2023-03216
Type: Notice
Date: 2023-02-14
Agency: Department of Commerce, Patent and Trademark Office
To continue to support the acceleration of innovations in the fight against COVID-19 during the public health emergency, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO or Office) is extending the modified COVID-19 Prioritized Examination Pilot Program, which provides prioritized examination of certain patent applications. Requests that are compliant with the pilot program's requirements and are filed on or before May 11, 2023, will be accepted.
Request for Comments Regarding Artificial Intelligence and Inventorship
Document Number: 2023-03066
Type: Notice
Date: 2023-02-14
Agency: Department of Commerce, Patent and Trademark Office
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) plays an important role in incentivizing and protecting innovation, including innovation enabled by artificial intelligence (AI), to ensure continued U.S. leadership in AI and other emerging technologies (ET). In June 2022, the USPTO announced the formation of the AI/ET Partnership, which provides an opportunity to bring stakeholders together through a series of engagements to share ideas, feedback, experiences, and insights on the intersection of intellectual property and AI/ET. To build on the AI/ET Partnership efforts, the USPTO is seeking stakeholder input on the current state of AI technologies and inventorship issues that may arise in view of the advancement of such technologies, especially as AI plays a greater role in the innovation process. As outlined in sections II to IV below, the USPTO is pursuing three main avenues of engagement with stakeholders to inform its future efforts on inventorship and promoting AI-enabled innovation: a series of stakeholder engagement sessions; collaboration with academia through scholarly research; and a request for written comments to the questions identified in section IV. The USPTO encourages stakeholder engagement through one or more of these avenues.
Public Meeting on Innovation Driven by Artificial Intelligence
Document Number: 2023-01645
Type: Notice
Date: 2023-01-26
Agency: Department of Commerce, Patent and Trademark Office
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) plays an important role in incentivizing and protecting innovation, including innovation driven by artificial intelligence (AI), to ensure continued U.S. leadership in AI and other emerging technologies (ET). The USPTO's Texas Regional Office will host a public meeting on innovation driven by AI on February 8, 2023, at 11 a.m. CT. The meeting will be held in collaboration with the Dallas Bar Association (DBA) Intellectual Property (IP) section and the State Bar of Texas IP section. This will be the third meeting in the USPTO's AI/ET Partnership Series. First announced in June 2022, the AI/ET Partnership provides an opportunity to bring stakeholders together through a series of engagements to share ideas, feedback, experiences, and insights on the intersection of IP and AI/ET.
Final Rule Eliminating Continuing Legal Education Certification and Recognition for Patent Practitioners
Document Number: 2023-01552
Type: Rule
Date: 2023-01-26
Agency: Department of Commerce, Patent and Trademark Office
This final rule adopts, without change, an interim final rule with a request for comments published in the Federal Register on November 14, 2022, that eliminated provisions of the Code of Federal Regulations related to voluntary continuing legal education (CLE) certification and recognition for registered patent practitioners and individuals granted limited recognition to practice in patent matters before the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO or Office).
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