Journeys of Innovation

LOOK OUT!: Garrett Brown

 

Each month, our Journeys of Innovation series tells the stories of inventors or entrepreneurs whose groundbreaking innovations have made a positive difference in the world. 

Captivated by innovation and storytelling as a child, Garrett Brown was many things—folk singer, car dealer, copywriter, radio personality—before he invented the Steadicam and Skycam, whose stable, gliding shots have captivated movie and television audiences ever since. At 78, with more than 50 patents, 70 films, an Oscar, and an Emmy to his name—among other impressive awards and honors—he is still inventing, this time on what could be a revolutionary new alternative to walkers and wheelchairs.

Read the story now.

Updated trademark examination guide on specimens

The USPTO has issued an update to the trademark examination guide titled “Examination of Specimens for Use in Commerce: Digitally Created/Altered or Mockup Specimens.” The updated guide addresses examination guidelines regarding digitally created or altered and mockup specimens. In particular, the updated guide revises the procedures for requests for information about the use in commerce of such specimens.

 

The guide can be found on the Trademark examination guides page of the USPTO website. For questions about the guide, email TMPolicy@uspto.gov.

Trademark -- New exam guide on generic.com terms

The USPTO issued a new examination guide titled "Generic.com Terms after USPTO v. Booking.com." The guide sets out procedures for examining applications for generic.com terms, which are any combination of a generic term and generic top-level domain designating an entity or information, such as “.com” or “.biz.”

These procedures were updated in light of United States Patent and Trademark Office et al. v. Booking.com B. V.

You can find the exam guide on the Trademark examination guides page of the USPTO website. For questions about the guide, email TMPolicy@uspto.gov.

New benchmark USPTO study finds artificial intelligence in U.S. patents rose by more than 100% since 2002

The number of artificial intelligence (AI) patent applications received annually by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) more than doubled from 2002 to 2018, according to a new report published today by the USPTO, “Inventing AI: Tracing the diffusion of artificial intelligence with U.S. patents.” During those 16 years, annual AI patent applications grew from 30,000 in 2002 to more than 60,000 in 2018.

Accompanying the 100% increase of AI-related patent applications was unprecedented growth and broad diffusion of AI across technologies, inventor-patentees, organizations, and geography that attest to the growing importance of AI for all of those seeking intellectual property protection.

“I am pleased to see this rapid increase in artificial intelligence patent applications received by the USPTO, as artificial intelligence is becoming an integral part of our everyday lives,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross. “I commend the USPTO for quickly adapting to this increase in AI-related patents and for supporting American patent filers as they utilize new technologies to enhance the lives of people across the globe.”

“Artificial intelligence is becoming ingrained in the daily life of Americans, facilitated by its rapid integration into products such as voice recognition systems in mobile phones, robotic appliances, satellites, search engines, and so much more,” said Andrei Iancu, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO. “As this major new report demonstrates, the expansion of AI is a long-term trend that is accelerating every year. Unlocking the potential of AI will provide the basis for future U.S. economic growth and prosperity, and is something that the USPTO will continue to facilitate with our corps of patent examiners and other professionals who specialize in the nuances of this broad-based and far-reaching technology.”

The study’s authors developed their own AI algorithm to examine all U.S. patent applications published from 1976 through 2018. They found that patents containing AI appeared in 9% of technologies in 1976, spreading to more than 42% of technologies by 2018. While the growth of AI patent applications came in all AI-related technologies, “planning and control” and “knowledge processing” were the two categories that recorded the greatest increase in AI use.

The number of individual inventor-patentees active in AI also expanded dramatically during this period, from 1% in 1976 to 25% in 2018. There was similar growth in AI activity by organizations, with most of the top 30 AI companies being in the information and communications technology sector. The top five U.S. patent owners at time of grant from 1976 to 2018 were IBM, Microsoft, Google, Hewlett Packard, and Intel.

While AI inventor-patentees between 1976 and 2000 tended to be concentrated in larger cities and technology hubs, the report found that from 2000 to 2018 there was a marked diffusion of AI into other areas of the country, with notable growth in the Midwest.

“AI has the potential to vastly broaden the inventor community in the United States,” said Director Iancu. “We have entered a new era of invention, entrepreneurship, and technological development. It is imperative that we train the next generation of Americans in the STEM subjects and innovation skills that will enable them to be part of this revolution.”

See the full report online. For more information, see the USPTO's Artificial Intelligence webpage.

Oct. 21: A USPTO Speaker Series fireside chat with Dr. Marian Rogers Croak

See and hear inventor Dr. Marian Rogers Croak at the next all-virtual installment of the USPTO Speaker Series Wednesday, October 21, from 3:30-4:30 p.m. ET. Dr. Croak, USPTO Director Andrei Iancu, and the audience will discuss her decades of work on advanced technologies for voice and data networks and the internet. The conversation will cover her career, what inspired her, and the future of innovation. Register for this special event and watch the discussion online.

Dr. Croak holds more than 200 patents and has more than 100 pending patent applications. Her many achievements include:

• Pioneering work advancing the Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) with inventions that made internet phone calls more reliable and secure.

• Text-to-donate technology inspired by Hurricane Katrina that revolutionized how people give to charitable organizations.

• Work on the telephone network and voting system used for American Idol.

Dr. Croak is now vice president for site reliability engineering at Google, Inc., where she works on initiatives such as the Loon project, which seeks to use high-altitude balloons as cell towers for WiFi access to trains in rural India and other parts of the world.

If you would like to submit a question to Dr. Croak in advance, please send it to directorspeakerseries@USPTO.GOV.

The USPTO Speaker Series is a regularly occurring program featuring American inventors and entrepreneurs who share their remarkable personal stories of invention, innovation, entrepreneurship, or leadership. View past Speaker Series programs on the USPTO’s YouTube channel.

Oct. 20: How the U.S. government can help you protect and enforce your IP in China

 Register to attend the latest in a series of USPTO webinars focused on intellectual property (IP) protection and enforcement in China. This free program, “How the U.S. government can help companies protect and enforce their IP in China,” will take place Tuesday, October 20, from 10-11:30 a.m. ET.

The webinar has been tailored to address the needs of small and medium-sized businesses and new-to-market firms, and it will include presentations by China IP specialists from several U.S. government agencies.

USPTO releases report on artificial intelligence and intellectual property policy

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) today released a report titled “Public Views on Artificial Intelligence and Intellectual Property Policy.” It takes a comprehensive look at a wide variety of stakeholder views on the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) across the intellectual property (IP) landscape, including patent, trademark, copyright, and trade secret policy, as well as developing issues about database protection. The new report represents the agency’s firm commitment to keeping pace with this rapidly changing and critical technology in order to accelerate American innovation.

"On February 11, 2019, President Trump signed Executive Order 13859 announcing the American Artificial Intelligence Initiative, our nation’s strategy on artificial intelligence," said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross. "As artificial intelligence technologies continue to advance, the United States will not cede leadership in global innovation. The Department of Commerce recognizes the importance of harnessing American ingenuity to advance and protect our economic security."

"The USPTO has long been committed to ensuring our nation maintains its leadership in all areas of innovation, especially in emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence," said Andrei Iancu, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO. "We appreciate the thoughtful comments our stakeholders have made to assist the USPTO in this endeavor. We will continue to work closely with the innovation community and experts in AI to encourage innovation and to strengthen the predictability and reliability of IP rights relating to AI technology. We want to ensure that significant innovation in and around this critical area continues."

"New AI technologies demand careful consideration in light of current intellectual property laws," added Laura Peter, Deputy Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Deputy Director of the USPTO. To that end, the USPTO proactively solicited public input through two formal Requests for Comments published in the Federal Register. In response, the agency received approximately 200 unique comments from a broad range of experts in foreign patent offices, bar associations, trade associations, academia, law firms, and companies in the electronics, software, automobile, medical, and pharmaceutical industries.

As the report indicates, the majority of commenters believe the U.S. legal system is well equipped to handle the emerging issues raised by AI. However, many commented that the USPTO and IP stakeholders must keep a close eye on legal and scientific developments in AI to ensure the United States keeps up with this critical technology.

See the full report online. For more information, see the USPTO's Artificial Intelligence webpage.

Fee schedule updates

The USPTO has made several changes to the fee schedule. 

Changes effective October 1—PCT fees to foreign offices:

• 1701: International filing fee (first 30 pages—filed electronically without ePCT or PCT-EASY .zip file)—fee increase from $1,236 to $1,337

• 1710: International filing fee (first 30 pages—filed electronically with ePCT or PCT-EASY .zip file)—fee increase from $1,136 to $1,229

• 1702: International filing fee (first 30 pages)—fee increase from $1,337 to $1,446

• 1703: Supplemental fee (for each page over 30)—fee increase from $15 to $16

• 1705: Handling fee—fee increase from $201 to $217

• 1706: Handling fee—90% reduction, if applicant meets specified criteria—fee increase from $20.10 to $21.70

More information is available on the PCT fees page of the USPTO website.

Changes effective October 2—FY 2020 final patent fee rule:

On October 2, the first patent fee increase in almost three years became effective. As a reminder, the surcharge for non-DOCX filings will be effective on January 1, 2022. To learn more about the fee changes, please visit the Summary of FY 2020 Final Patent Fee Rule page.

The fee schedule provides information and fee rates for products and services provided by the USPTO. For more information, call the USPTO Contact Center at 571-272-1000 or 800-786-9199.

USPTO celebrates Made in America Week by highlighting great American inventions

In celebration of President Donald J. Trump designating October 4-10 as “Made In America Week,” the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is highlighting on its social media channels throughout the month of October a number of great American inventions that have improved the quality of life for all nations.

“'Made in America' is synonymous with great American inventions that have benefited not only Americans, but all mankind,” said Andrei Iancu, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO. “For more than two centuries, the halls of the USPTO have seen more than 10 million patents representing inventions that have positively impacted the course of human events, leading to healthier, more productive, and more prosperous lives.”

Over the coming month, observers can follow the listings of great American inventions on the USPTO social media channels, including Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

Attend the Hispanic Innovation and Entrepreneurship Program

Don’t miss the USPTO’s free, online Hispanic Innovation and Entrepreneurship Program, a chance for independent inventors, entrepreneurs, small business owners, and intellectual property (IP) professionals to learn about resources available to the Hispanic innovation community. Register early for this special event

Take this opportunity to:

• Learn from accomplished innovators, inventors, entrepreneurs, and business owners about best practices

• Discover helpful resources available to innovators

• Get practical tips on obtaining and protecting your IP

Agenda (subject to changes)
 

1 – 1:15 p.m. ET: Welcome

1:15 – 2 p.m. ET: Keynote Speaker Roselin Rosario-Meléndez, Ph.D, Polymer and Cosmetics Chemist Associate Principal Chemist, L'Oréal

2 – 3 p.m. ET: Networks and Resources Panel This panel will showcase service and support organizations for Hispanic inventors and entrepreneurs and the resources available for anyone getting started or in business.

Moderator:
Eliseo Ramos-Feliciano, Supervisory Patent Examiner, USPTO

Panelists:
Lu Cordova, Governor's Advisor on Efficiencies and Digital Transformation at State of Colorado
James Foy, Founder of Hispanics and Technology
Oscar Garcia, Managing Director of Training, Manos Accelerator
Sandi Mays, CIO, CXO and Co-Founder at Zayo Group
Nicole Quiroga, President and CEO, Greater Washington Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

3 – 4 p.m. ET: USPTO Resource Overview This presentation will focus on free USPTO services and support for inventors, entrepreneurs, and small business owners

Presenters:
Sean Wilkerson, Innovation Development Program Manager, Office of Innovation Outreach, USPTO
Matthew Martin, Pro Bono Assistant Coordinator, USPTO

For more information, or to ask questions about the program, email InnovationOutreach@USPTO.gov.