Wednesday, November 23, 2016

Upcoming USPTO Events in the Texas Region


Tuesday, November 29, 2016: Examination Time Roundtable at the Texas Regional Office
The USPTO is soliciting public feedback in an effort to conduct a comprehensive study of examination time. The overall effort is called the Examination Time Analysis (ETA).

Monday, December 5, 2016: Patent Subject-Matter Eligibility - Roundtable 2 at the Texas Regional Office
This second roundtable will focus on receiving feedback regarding larger questions concerning the legal contours of eligible subject matter in the U.S. patent system. Additional details about the roundtables are in a Federal Register Notice, published Oct. 17, 2016.

Friday, December 9, 2016: Developing the Digital Marketplace for Copyrighted Works at the Texas Regional Office
The Texas Regional Office is hosting a webcast to discuss current initiatives and technologies used to develop a more robust an d collaborative digital marketplace for copyrighted works, and to consider ways forward to help achieve that result.

Tuesday, December 13, 2016: Patent Quality Conference Webcast in San Marcos, TX

Learn more about quality programs and results from the Enhanced Patent Quality Initiative, how patent quality impacts the U.S. Courts, and next steps the USPTO is taking to advance patent quality.  More information will be forthcoming.


Wednesday, December 14, 2016: Advanced Patent & Trademark Seminar in San Antonio, TX
This is part of our ongoing outreach to independent inventors, entrepreneurs, and small businesses. During this conference, you will have the opportunity to learn more about the patenting and trademarking process as it relates to your small business.
For inquiries about the event: please email texasregionalUSPTOEvents@USPTO.GOV, visit us at the https://www.uspto.gov/about-us/uspto-locations/dallas-texas, or call us at 469-295-9000.

Tuesday, November 22, 2016

Developing the Digital Marketplace for Copyrighted Works

The Department of Commerce's Internet Policy Task Force (Task Force) will hold a conference at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) facility in Alexandria, Virginia, on December 9, 2016, to discuss current initiatives and technologies used to develop a more robust and collaborative digital marketplace for copyrighted works and to consider ways forward to help achieve that result. This follows up on an earlier public meeting held by the Task Force on April 1, 2015, which focused on how the Government can assist in facilitating the development and use of standard identifiers for all types of works of authorship.
More information is available from a Federal Register Notice https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2016-11-21/html/2016-27934.htm .
For registration information to attend either in person in Alexandria or see a webcast at one of the USPTO's regional office, access https://www.uspto.gov/learning-and-resources/ip-policy/public-meeting-developing-digital-marketplace-copyrighted-works-dec

Friday, November 18, 2016

Round Table on Examiner Time Analysis

Please join us for the upcoming Round Table on Examiner Time Analysis on Tuesday, November 29, 2016.

The purpose of this discussion is to obtain public input to help us ensure that the Office’s examination time goals accurately reflect the amount of time needed by examiners to conduct quality examination in a manner that responds to stakeholders’ interests.

This event is free and open to the public. The registration link is https://www.uspto.gov/patent/initiatives/patent-examination-time-goals-roundtable-2

We look forward to seeing you on November 29th
 
Texas Regional Office USPTO Team
USPTO Texas Regional Office
(469) 295-9050
texasregionalusptoevents@uspto.gov
http://www.uspto.gov/about-us/uspto-locations/dallas-texas

Wednesday, November 16, 2016

AAU Contact Center will be closed from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 17, 2016

Please be advised that the USPTO Application Assistance Unit (AAU) Contact Center will be closed for a brief period on Thursday, Nov. 17, from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p..m.  The AAU Contact Center will respond to e-mails and voice messages when it reopens at 1:30 p.m.
For information on the AAU Contact Center please visit:
https://www.uspto.gov/learning-and-resources/support-centers/application-assistance-unit-aau

Tuesday, November 15, 2016

New Trademark App Open Source Code on Github

New Trademark App Open Source Code on Github
Tuesday, November 15, 2016 2:34 PM

Guest blog by Chief Technology Officer David Chiles

Improving the way the government delivers information technology (IT) solutions to its customers isn’t just a goal, it’s our mission. We at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office know that by publishing our open source code, the public can help us come up with new and better IT solutions. In advance of the new Federal Source Code Policy and in support of the Administration’s Open Government Initiative, we have been publishing content on Github for over a year, and it now includes source code for a mobile application for trademarks.

The new published source code on Github is for a sample application enabling a user to access and track the status of a trademark. This application enables the user to receive a push notification anytime the status of a trademark application changes. The idea for this app began with feedback from the leadership in Trademarks, and we believe that it will also be a useful tool for our own employees. We’re making our code for this application open to the public, so you can also use it in your own projects, improve it so it works best for you, or create an entirely new application.

Through our Open Data and Mobility Program, we’ve already made over 200 years of intellectual property information available to the public, and have published application program interfaces (APIs) so you can more easily search, use, and manipulate patent and trademark information. We want to make it as easy as possible for you to use our data.

As America’s Innovation Agency, we hope that our open source initiatives will spur innovation and create new ideas. We are looking to the public to come up with the next greatest idea, like we recently did through our Cancer Moonshot Challenge.

Let us know how you like our Trademark app, and keep an eye on our Github page as we’ll be publishing more and more open source projects.

Monday, November 14, 2016

Patent Subject Matter Eligibility Roundtable on Dec. 5, 2016

The Federal Register Volume 81, Number 219 (Monday, November 14, 2016) [Page 79463] has a roundtable and comment request notice regarding patent subject matter eligibility.

SUMMARY: The United States Patent and Trademark Office publishes this notice to announce that interested persons may participate at the USPTO's Alexandria, VA office for its Roundtable to be held on December 5, 2016.

DATES: This notice is applicable to Roundtable 2 being held December 5, 2016, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., PST Stanford, CA. Written comments are due by January 18, 2017.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information regarding registration and speaker presentations should be directed to the attention of Elizabeth Shaw, by telephone at 571-272-9300, or by email at Elizabeth.shaw2@uspto.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On October, 17, 2016, the USPTO published in the Federal Register a notice of public roundtables and request for comments related to patent subject matter eligibility. (81 FR 71485). The USPTO publishes this notice to announce that in addition to those USPTO offices identified in the October 17, 2016 notice, the public is also invited to participate at Roundtable 2 by appearing, in person, at the USPTO Headquarters, 600 Dulany Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314.

Please see the October 17, 2016 notice for registration instructions and further information on the Roundtables.

Dated: November 7 2016.

Michelle K. Lee,
Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office. [FR Doc. 2016-27279 Filed 11-10-16; 8:45 am]

For more information, please see https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2016-11-14/html/2016-27279.htm

See more information about attending at Stanford or at the USPTO at https://www.uspto.gov/learning-and-resources/ip-policy/rulemaking/patent-subject-matter-eligibility-roundtable-2-webcast

Tuesday, November 8, 2016

The Federal Register Volume 81, Number 214 (Friday, November 4, 2016,Pages 76867-76870), 37 CFR Part 6, contains the following final rule:

SUMMARY:

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) issues a final rule to incorporate classification changes adopted by the Nice Agreement Concerning the International Classification of Goods and Services for the Purposes of the Registration of Marks (Nice Agreement). These changes are effective January 1, 2017, and are listed in the International Classification of Goods and Services for the Purposes of the Registration of Marks (11th ed., ver. 2017), which is published by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

DATES: This rule is effective on January 1, 2017.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Catherine Cain, Office of the Deputy Commissioner for Trademark Examination Policy, at (571) 272-8946 or TMFRNotices@uspto.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Purpose: As noted above, this final rule incorporates classification changes adopted by the Nice Agreement that will become effective on January 1, 2017. This rule benefits the public by providing notice regarding these changes.

Summary of Major Provisions: The USPTO is revising Sec. 6.1 in part 6 of title 37 of the Code of Federal Regulations to incorporate classification changes and modifications that will become effective January 1, 2017, as listed in the International Classification of Goods and Services for the Purposes of the Registration of Marks (11th ed., 2017) (Nice Classification), published by WIPO.

The Nice Agreement is a multilateral treaty, administered by WIPO, which establishes the international classification of goods and services for the purposes of registering trademarks and service marks. As of September 1, 1973, this international classification system is the controlling system used by the United States, and it applies to all applications filed on or after September 1, 1973, and their resulting registrations, for all statutory purposes. See 37 CFR 2.85(a). Every signatory to the Nice Agreement must utilize the international classification system.

For more information: https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2016-11-04/html/2016-26682.htm

Wednesday, November 2, 2016

Patent Quality Forums and Chats and Patent Public Advisory Committee Meetings

The USPTO is offering several avenues for interested parties to learn more about patent operations and provide input about patent quality.

  • Patent Quality Chats are a lunchtime free webinar series held the second Tuesday of every month from 12 - 1 pm ET. See more information including how to access a chat.
  • Patent Quality Forums will take place at five sites around the country. The first event will be held in Washington, D.C. on November 3, 2016 and the Series will continue with events in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Kansas City, Missouri; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; and Portland, Oregon throughout the month. The Washington, D.C. event will also be webcast for those unable to attend in person. All Patent Quality Forum Series events are open to the public but require registration since space is limited. See more information.
  • The Patent Public Advisory Committee (PPAC) meets quarterly at the USPTO in Alexandria, Virginia. The PPAC reviews the policies, goals, performance, budget, and user fees of patent operations and advises the director on these matters. You can attend the meeting in person or online. The next meeting will be November 3, 2016 from 9:00 AM - 3:30 PM ET. See the details at https://www.uspto.gov/about-us/events/ppac-quarterly-meeting?utm_name=.