Now that the March 16, 2013 effective date of the first-to-file provisions of the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act (AIA) is fast-approaching, I have been reviewing the commentary in the USPTO’s February 14, 2013 Federal Register Notices publishing the final First Inventor To File rules and Examination Guidelines. Comment 12 of the Guidelines, which relates to experimental use, caught my attention. Continue reading this entry
Category Archives: Uncategorized
A First Look At Inter Partes Review Filings
Posted in Patent Office Practice; UncategorizedSince inter partes review proceedings became available on September 16, 2012, thirteen petitions for inter partes review have been filed. Of these, three were filed against patents examined in Group 1600: U.S. Patent 7,790,869, U.S. Patent 7,713,698, and U.S. Patent 6,258,540.Continue reading this entry
Join Me On September 18 For A Webinar On Supplemental Examination
Posted in Patent Office Practice; Patent Reform; UncategorizedOn Tuesday, September 18, 2012, at 2:00 pm eastern, I will be speaking on the IPO IP Chat Channel webinar on “Supplemental Examination: Rules & Strategy.” My distinguished co-panelists are Robert Bahr, Senior Patent Counsel in the USPTO’s Office of Patent Examination Policy, and Kurtis MacFerrin, Patent Counsel at Google Inc.
We will be reviewing the statute and rules governing supplemental examination, which is a new post-grant procedure by which patent owners can ask the USPTO to consider, reconsider, or correct information believed to be relevant to a patent, and immunize the patent from being held unenforceable based on conduct relating to that information. We also will discuss strategies and factors to consider when balancing the possible risks and benefits of this new option for patent holders.
For more information or to register, please visit the IPO IP Chat Channel webpage.
USPTO Issues Final Rules For America Invents Act Provisions That Take Effect September 16, 2012
Posted in Patent Reform; Uncategorized; USPTO Proposed Rule ChangesAs announced on the USPTO website, the final rules for the provisions of the America Invents Act (AIA) that take effect on September 16, 2012, will be published in the August 14, 2012 Federal Register. Pre-publication versions of the rules packages are available now in the Federal Register reading room. While I have not yet reviewed all of the final rules, it appears that the USPTO took public comments into consideration and made significant changes to some of the proposed rules. Applicants and practitioners should study the final rules packages and consider attending a USPTO “AIA roadshow,” where USPTO representatives will explain the new rules. Practitioners and applicants interested in the new patent trial proceedings also may want to register for and attend the Patent Nation Webinar program hosted by Foley & Lardner LLP on Monday, August 27, 2012. Continue reading this entry
Time Is Running Out To Comment On Proposed Rules For USPTO Board Patent Trial Proceedings
Posted in Patent Reform; Reexam; Uncategorized; USPTO Proposed Rule ChangesThe deadline for submitting public comments on the USPTO’s proposed rules for patent trial proceedings is next week, April 9 and 10, 2012. Specifically, public comments on the seven Federal Register notices containing the USPTO’s rulemaking proposals are due as follows:
- Rules of Practice for Trials before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board and Judicial Review of Patent Trial and Appeal Board Decisions—public comments due April 9, 2012;
- Practice Guide for Proposed Trial Rules—public comments due April 9, 2012;
- Changes to Implement Inter Partes Review Proceedings—public comments due April 10, 2012;
- Changes to Implement Post-Grant Review Proceedings—public comments due April 10, 2012;
- Changes to Implement Transitional Program for Covered Business Method Patents—public comments due April 10, 2012;
- Transitional Program for Covered Business Method Patents—Definition of Technological Invention—public comments due April 10, 2012;
- Changes to Implement Derivation Proceedings—public comments due April 10, 2012.
USPTO Launches Humanitarian Awards Pilot Program
Posted in Patent Office Practice; UncategorizedThe USPTO has announced that it is launching its pilot program “to incentivize the distribution of patented technologies to address humanitarian needs.” As explained in the Federal Register Notice, “the pilot program will be run as an awards competition.” The program will be open to owners of granted patents and pending patent applications in four technology areas: Medical Technology, Food & Nutrition, Clean Technology, and Information Technology. Selected applicants will receive “a certificate redeemable to accelerate select matters before the USPTO” as well as public recognition, “including an award ceremony at the USPTO.” Program applications will be accepted from March 1, 2012, through August 31, 2012, or until 1,000 program applications are accepted. Up to 50 winners will be accepted.Continue reading this entry
USPTO Weighs In On Copyright Issues
Posted in Patent Office Practice; UncategorizedLast week was a big week in U.S. copyright law. On Wednesday, the Supreme Court issued its decision in Golan v. Holder, upholding § 514 of the Uruguay Round Agreements Act, which in effect gave copyright protection to certain preexisting works of Berne member countries that are protected in their country of origin, but not protected in the United States (e.g., were in the public domain in the United States). Coincidentally (?), on the same day, a number of popular websites “went dark” to protest the Stop On-line Piracy Act (SOPA) bill pending before Congress. (Proponents of SOPA say that it is necessary to protect intellectual property rights in the internet age, while opponents say that it would promote censorship and stifle the “free market” of the worldwide web.) Not to be left out, on Thursday, the USPTO issued a position paper on the “Fair Use of Copies of [Non-Patent Literature]” in the patent examination process. Continue reading this entry
USPTO Updates Special Programs
Posted in Patent Office Practice; UncategorizedLast week, the USPTO issued two separate Federal Register Notices updating several of its special programs: the Patent Application Backlog Reduction Stimulus Plan, the Green Technology Pilot Program, and the Extended Missing Parts Pilot Program. Continue reading this entry
We Wrote The Book On Patent Reform
Posted in Patent Reform; UncategorizedJust in time for holiday gift-giving, to make good on your New Year’s resolution to figure out what the America Invents Act is all about, and to kick-off your 2012 library purchases:
As summarized by the publisher:
The Leahy-Smith America Invents Act makes the most sweeping changes to the U.S. patent law in nearly 60 years. America Invents Act: Law & Analysis is the definitive, must-have resource to ensure understanding of and compliance with the new America Invents Act.
Authored by top U.S. patent law firm Foley & Lardner, this title presents a definitive explanation of the new patent reform legislation. The authors bring clarity to the complex and confusing provisions of the America Invents Act, as well as insight into how the Act could be interpreted.
America Invents Act: Law and Analysis will be an invaluable resource to help you:
• Understand the implications of the new patent reform act through clear and straightforward explanations.
• Quickly find the correct effective date for important changes in the law.
• Gain practical guidance on how the Act may be interpreted so you can anticipate how the Act may affect your clients.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1. Introduction – Courtenay C. Brinckerhoff and Sharon S. Barner
Chapter 2. The First-To-File Provisions – Courtenay C. Brinckerhoff
Chapter 3. Derivation and Derivation Proceedings – Antoinette F. Konski
Chapter 4. Changes Impacting Patent Prosecution – Lauren L. Stevens, Lorna L. Tanner and Courtenay C. Brinckerhoff
Chapter 5. Transitional Program for Covered Business Methods – Paul S. Hunter
Chapter 6. Inter Partes Review and Post-Grant Review – Jacqueline D. Wright Bonilla
Chapter 7. Provisions Related to Litigation – Debra D. Nye
Chapter 8. Other Components of AIA – Lauren L. Stevens, Lorna L. Tanner and Jacqueline D. Wright Bonilla
Appendix A The America Invents Act
Appendix B Patent Act Redline Version
Appendix C Side-by-Side Comparison of Old and New Patent Act Sections
Appendix D Comparison of Selected Sections of Pre-AIA and AIA U.S. Patent Law
Appendix E Revision of Standard for Granting an Inter Partes Reexamination Request
Appendix F Ex Partes Quarterly Report – September, 2011
Appendix G Inter Partes Quarterly Report – September, 2011
Reminder: File New Applications Electronically To Avoid New Fee!
Posted in UncategorizedAs I wrote previously, the America Invents Act created a surcharge on patent applications that are not filed electronically. That sucharge took effect on November 15, 2011.
The “Electronic Filing Incentive” Fee
The America Invents Act (AIA) calls the new application filing fee surcharge an “Electronic Filing Incentive.” It appears in section 10 of the AIA:
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