The Patent Dispatch: April 2015

Friday, April 24, 2015

Patent Application Alert System

Message from the USPTO:

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) through its partnership with Reed Technology and Information Services are pleased to announce the release of the Patent Application Alert Service. The Patent Application Alert Service, https://www.uspatentappalerts.com/index.php, is a system that will provide customized email alerts when patent applications of interest are published. This service will provide, to the public, free direct access to the published applications that meet their search criteria.
These customized email alerts may help the public identify prior art for “pre-issuance” submission into these applications. The pre-issuance submission process was established under the American Invents Act (AIA), and to date, the Office has received more than 2,600 submissions across all technologies. More information on the pre-issuance submission program and how members of the public can participate can be found at http://www.uspto.gov/patent/initiatives/third-party-preissuance-submissions.html.

The Patent Application Alert Service is the result of collaboration between the USPTO and its various stakeholders during a public roundtable on crowdsourcing and pre-issuance submissions to identify relevant prior art held in April 2014. The Office is excited that this new service is a direct result of its continued stakeholder engagement and that it may be used to enhance the quality of examination and issued patents.

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Find Legal Representation for Patenting - Free Webinar

Message from the USPTO:

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is hosting a free webinar on Thursday, May 21, 2015 from 2 to 5 pm Eastern Time (1 to 4 pm CST) about resources to help applicants secure legal representation and assistance with patent filings to protect their inventions. The webinar is an especially excellent opportunity for independent inventors and those interested in learning more about the patent system to discover what services the USPTO has to offer.
The webinar will feature discussions and questions/answers with agency experts on the following topics:

Availability of free attorney representation in nearly all states for under-resourced independent inventors and small businesses in filing and prosecuting patent applications through the Patent Pro Bono Program;
Availability of free assistance in drafting and filing either patent or trademark applications through various law school clinics across the country; and
Resources for inventors to learn about the patent application process and how to file their own applications as pro se applicants (i.e., without legal representation).
Mark your calendars to attend! A detailed event agenda and webinar access instructions are available at: http://www.uspto.gov/patent/initiatives/executive-actions/uspto-webinar-patent-pro-se-pro-bono-and-law-school-clinic
Learn more about USPTO tools and services to address patent filing needs by consulting:

Patent Pro Bono Program: http://www.uspto.gov/patents-getting-started/using-legal-services/pro-bono
Law School Clinic: http://www.uspto.gov/learning-and-resources/ip-policy/public-information-about-practitioners/law-school-clinic-1
Pro Se Assistance Program: http://www.uspto.gov/patents-getting-started/using-legal-services/pro-se-assistance-program
Inventor and Entrepreneur Resources: http://www.uspto.gov/learning-and-resources/inventors-entrepreneurs-resources

Going Global with Intellectual Property Webinars

Message from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) about free webinars to expand knowledge of international aspects of global property:

Webinar Series Schedule

Tuesday: Copyrights – April 28, 1 p.m. ET (noon CST)
Webinar overview: There is no such thing as “international copyright,” but most countries do offer copyright protection to foreign works under certain conditions that have been greatly simplified by international copyright treaties and conventions. Nonetheless, today’s businesses are increasingly facing both national and global copyright issues through protection and use of copyrighted materials in the digital age. This webinar will lay the foundation with a brief explanation of the Berne Convention, followed by a discussion of the ways in which copyright laws in the countries of the world are similar or different, and conclude with examples of typical scenarios encountered by today’s businesses in protecting and using copyrighted works on the internet. Participants also will be provided a “refresher” on what copyright is and the importance of copyright to all businesses, regardless of the industry or nature of the business.
Presenter:
Susan Anthony is the Acting Director for the Global Intellectual Property Academy (GIPA), in the USPTO’s Office of Policy and International Affairs in Alexandria, Virginia. GIPA provides training and education on all intellectual property issues – patents, trade secrets, trademarks, and copyright – for foreign and U.S. government officials, U.S. small-to-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and to the general public. Ms. Anthony has a broad range of experience and expertise in almost all facets of intellectual property protection and enforcement, in the United States and abroad.
Wednesday: Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) – April 29, 1 p.m. ET (noon CST)
Webinar overview: Discover how filing an international patent application under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) can simultaneously assist you in seeking patent protection for your invention in 148 countries around the world. Also, learn how the PCT provides guidance to collaborating patent offices on patent granting decisions, and offers the public access to technical information relating to intellectual property issues.
Presenter:
Michael Neas is the Deputy Director of the International Patent Legal Administration at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Mr. Neas has spoken extensively on PCT subject matter to organizations such as national and local bar associations, and foreign IP Offices. In addition, Mr. Neas and his staff provide training on the filing and prosecution of PCT and United States (U.S.) national stage applications to inventors, applicants, patent practitioners, patent examiners, and paralegals. His staff also provides direct assistance on PCT and U.S. national stage applications via the USPTO’s PCT Help Desk call center.
Thursday: Trademarks – April 30, 1 p.m. ET (noon CST)
Webinar overview: Well-protected, strong trademark rights provide a competitive edge in the marketplace. Trademarks distinguish your business from those of your competitors by signaling it as the source of particular goods and services and assuring consumers that a certain level of quality accompanies those goods and services. As such, trademarks often represent one of the most valuable assets that a company can own. This webinar will equip today’s businessperson with a fundamental understanding of this valuable form of intellectual property and offer a framework for protection of their marks at home and abroad. Although protection of trademarks can be complex and varies country by country, by learning some basic strategies, today’s business person can safeguard these important assets whether the company does business on a national or international basis.
Presenter:
Susan M. Richey is the Deputy Chief Administrative Trademark Judge on the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Ms. Richey has been a frequent speaker on IP issues, has authored several law review articles and has co-authored a book on trademark valuation. She has served as a member of the Editorial Board of the Trademark Reporter, as chair of the INTA Panel of Neutrals, and as a member of INTA’s Academic Committee. Before joining the TTAB in 2014, Ms. Richey served as a Professor of Law and Associate Dean of the University of New Hampshire School of Law.