New Collaborative Search Pilot Program with the Japan Patent Office

From the Federal Register, Vol. 80, No. 132 (Friday, July 10, 2015) [Pages 39752-39759] [FR Doc No: 2015-16846]
SUMMARY: The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is initiating a joint Work Sharing Pilot Program with the Japan Patent Office (JPO) to study whether the exchange of search results between offices for corresponding counterpart applications improves patent quality and facilitates the examination of patent applications in both offices. In the pilot program, each office will conduct a prior artsearch for its corresponding counterpart application and exchange the search results with the other office before
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either office issues a communication concerning patentability to the applicant. As a result of this exchange of search results, the examiners in both offices may have a more comprehensive set of references before them when making their initial patentability determinations. Each office will accord special status to its counterpart application to first action. First Action Interview (FAI) pilot program procedures will be applied during the examination of the U.S. application and make the search results of record in the form of a Pre-Interview Communication.
DATES: Effective date: August 1, 2015.
Duration: Under the United States-Japan Collaborative Pilot (US-JP CSP) program, the USPTO and JPO will accept petitions to participate for two years from its effective date. During each year, the pilot program will be limited to 400 granted petitions, 200 granted petitions where USPTO performs the first search and JPO performs the second search, and 200 granted petitions where JPO performs the first search and USPTO performs the second search. The offices may extend the pilot program (with or without modification) for an additional amount oftime, if necessary. The offices reserve the right to terminate the pilot program at any time.
See the complete text at: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2015-07-10/html/2015-16846.htm

More information is also available from the Collaborative Search Pilot Program page at http://www.uspto.gov/patents-getting-started/international-protection/collaborative-search-pilot-program-csp or by emailing CSP@USPTO.GOV.

2nd Patent Quality Chat on July 14th

If you missed the first Patent Quality Chat webinar on June 9 hosted by Deputy Commissioner for Patent Examination Policy Drew Hirshfeld on the topic Clarity of Record, a one-hour video recording can be found at http://helix-1.uspto.gov/player/20150609_PatentQuality.html and is also linked on the Patent Quality Chat webpage http://www.uspto.gov/patent/initiatives/patent-quality-chat along with the slide presentation.

On Tuesday, July 14 from 12:00 - 1:00 pm EDT, the second Patent Quality chat will be hosted by Director of Technology Center 2400 Timothy Callahan on the topic Face-to-Face Examiner Interviews: A Demonstration of USPTO Tools. See instructions for accessing the chat at http://www.uspto.gov/patent/initiatives/patent-quality-chat (scroll down to the section, Webcast Instructions).

Regularly scheduled on the second Tuesday of each month, these Patent Quality Chats are a lunchtime webinar series designed to provide information on various patent quality topics and to continue the dialogue between the USPTO and its stakeholders about enhancing patent quality.

Future webinar dates of Sept. 8, Oct. 13, and Nov. 10 are scheduled and may include topics such as Office of Patent Quality Review (OPQA) Processes, Compact Prosecution, and Special Programs for Patent Prosecution. No registration is required for these free webinars.

Changes in the Requirements for Collective Marks

Changes in Requirements for Collective Trademarks and Service Marks, Collective Membership Marks, and Certification Marks
Final rule
Federal Register Volume 80, Number 112 (Thursday, June 11, 2015)] [Pages 33170-33190]

SUMMARY: The United States Patent and Trademark Office (``USPTO'') is amending the rules related to collective trademarks, collective service marks, and collective membership marks (together ``collective marks''), and certification marks to clarify application requirements, allegations of use requirements, multiple-class application requirements, and registration maintenance requirements for such

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marks. These rule changes codify current USPTO practice set forth in the USPTO's ``Trademark Manual of Examining Procedure'' (``TMEP'') and precedential case law. These changes also permit the USPTO to provide the public more detailed guidance regarding registering and maintaining registrations for these types of marks and promote the efficient and consistent processing of such marks. Further, the USPTO is amending several rules beyond those related to collective marks and certification marks to create consistency with rule changes regarding such marks and to streamline the rules, by consolidating text and incorporating headings, for easier use.

DATES: This rule is effective on July 11, 2015.

To see the complete rule access: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2015-06-11/html/2015-14267.htm

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cynthia Lynch, Office of the Deputy Commissioner for Trademark Examination Policy, at (571) 272-8742 or tmpolicy@uspto.gov.

Patent Quality Chats from USPTO

(Click on poster to enlarge it.)
For more information, access http://www.uspto.gov/patent/initiatives/patent-quality-chat

National Summer Teacher Institute on Innovation, STEM, and Intellectual Property

Notice from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO):

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) will host its 2nd Annual National Summer Teacher Institute on Innovation, STEM, and Intellectual Property on July 12-17, 2015 in Dallas, Texas. This multi-day professional development training opportunity is designed to help middle and high school teachers incorporate concepts of making, inventing, and intellectual property creation and protection into classroom instruction. Participants are expected to implement lessons learned into their classrooms in order to support development of a STEM/Innovation- learning ecosystem. The program is open to teachers nation-wide. Apply to be a part of this exciting program. Travel and lodging expenses, in accordance with the Federal Travel Regulations and USPTO travel policy, will be covered for teachers who are traveling more than 50 miles to the venue. For more information, review our FAQ. Space is limited! Apply Now! (Requires Adobe Reader®)

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