Roundtable for Input re. the Patent Application

The Wed., Nov. 13, 2013 Federal Register (vol. 78, no. 219) contains a public meeting notice (details provided in the following summary):

SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA), the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) published a notice inviting written public comment on the renewal of information collection 0651-[[Page 68038]]0032, Initial Patent Applications. The USPTO plans to conduct a roundtable to obtain additional public input regarding the burden associated with the Initial Patent Applications collection and ways to potentially reduce it. By providing this additional opportunity for public input, the USPTO hopes to increase the level of stakeholder participation in this information collection renewal. The roundtable will be open for any member of the public to provide input.

DATES: Roundtable: The roundtable will be held on Wednesday, December 11, 2013, beginning at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT), and ending at 12:00 p.m. EDT.

Registration: Registration for the roundtable is requested by December 4, 2013.

More information is available from http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2013-11-13/html/2013-27101.htm

Pro Bono Assistance Program

Announcement from the USPTO:

The Pro Bono program launched in June 2011 was designed to assist financially under-resourced independent inventors and small businesses. The USPTO has recently announced a new charter agreement placing the responsibility of the regional pro bono programs in the hands of a newly formed advisory council. Over 30 representatives from regional inventor assistance programs, major IP associations and IP law school programs were present at the ceremony that took place in the chambers of Chief Judge Randall Rader of the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit on Friday, October 25. The advisory council will be responsible for the existing pro bono programs and those yet to come.

To learn more about the Pro Bono program, go to the following USPTO internet pages:

• http://www.uspto.gov/inventors/proseprobono/index.jsp
• From the Director’s blog: http://www.uspto.gov/blog/director/entry/new_pilot_program_to_provide (Jun 20, 2011)
• Articles in Inventor’s Eye about the pro bono program:
  • http://www.uspto.gov/inventors/independent/eye/201212/ProBONO.jsp (December 2012)
  • http://www.uspto.gov/inventors/independent/eye/201108/probono.jsp (August/September 2012)

A link to the Pro Bono page also appears on Fondren's Inventor Resources/Training page.