First-Inventor-to-File Public Forum

The USPTO’s First-Inventor-to-File (FITF) Public Forum is this coming Monday, March 17, 2014, at the USPTO headquarters, Madison Auditorium, in Alexandria, Virginia from 12:30 to 5 pm ET. The forum is being held on the first anniversary of the FITF implementation. You are invited to attend in person or via webcast (access instructions below):
Access Instructions:
First-Inventor-to-File Public Forum
Monday, March 17, 2014
12:30 to 5 pm ET
Webcast access:
Event number: 996 792 614
Event password: 12345
Click here to access the event: (https://uspto-events.webex.com/uspto-events/onstage/g.php?t=a&d=996792614)

All presentation materials will be available in advance of the forum on the AIA (FITF) micro-site at (http://www.uspto.gov/aia_implementation/index.jsp)

 Agenda: 

•  12:30 to 1:00 PM - Meet and Greet
•  1:00 to 1:15 PM - Welcome -  Janet Gongola, Senior Advisor to the Deputy Director: Opening Remarks -  Michelle K. Lee, Deputy Under Secretary and Deputy Director 
•  1:15 to 2:15 PM - Will My Application Be Examined Under AIA (FITF) Or Not? - Cassandra Spyrou, QAS in TC 2800
•  2:15 to 3:00 PM FITF -- A Year in Review - Tom Hughes, SPE in TC 3700
•  3 to 3:15 PM BREAK
•  3:15 to 4:20 PM FITF Overview and Tips on Responding to Prior Art Rejections - Kathleen Fonda, Senior Legal Advisor Office of Patent Legal Administration
•  4:20 to 4:30 PM Tour of the AIA (FITF) Website - Kathleen Bragdon, QAS in TC 1600
•  4:30 to 5:00 PM Q&A Panel Discussion (Hughes, Spyrou, Fonda, Bragdon) Christopher Grant, QAS in TC 2400 (Moderator) 

Visit the AIA micro-site (http://www.uspto.gov/aia_implementation/index.jsp)  to view other newly added features.

America Invents Act (AIA) 2nd Anniversary Forum

The USPTO is hosting a second anniversary forum on the America’s Invents Act (AIA)on September 16, 2013. The event will be live at the USPTO's Alexandria campus in the Madison Auditorium from 1 to 5 pm (noon to 4 pm Central time)and will be webcast at the same time. Webcast instructions are available below. USPTO subject matter experts from the Patents Business Unit and administrative patent judges from the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) will discuss many AIA provisions, including current filing statistics and "do's and don'ts" as follows:

• Patent Panel: prioritized examination (aka Track One), preissuance submissions, inventor's oath/declaration, supplemental examination, and micro-entity discount
• First-inventor-to-file Workshop: demonstration of examiner hands-on training using a mock application for examination
• PTAB Panel Discussion: inter partes review and covered business method review

Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions during each segment.

Webcast Access Info:

• Event number: 991 788 621
• Event password: 123456
• Event address for attendees: https://uspto-events.webex.com/uspto-events/onstage/g.php?d=991788621&t=a

Teleconference information:

• Call-in toll number (US/Canada): 1-650-479-3208
• Access code: 991 788 621

AIA Public Forum, March 8, 9:00 AM

What: Public Forum to discuss the first-inventor-to-file final rules and guidance
When: Friday, March 8, 2013, 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM Eastern Daylight Time (9:00-11:30 AM Central Time)
Where: Madison Auditorium on the USPTO’s Alexandria campus or
Webcast on the AIA micro-site (Instructions for viewing the webcast are forthcoming.)
Topics: first-inventor-to-file final rules and guidance; new patent service fees; and the micro entity discount (both fees go into effect on March 19, 2013)

Visit the AIA micro-site to view other newly added features.

Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC) External User Day Event

On Friday, Dec. 14, 2012, from 8:30 a.m. to noon (EST) the United States Trademark Office (USPTO) will host the next Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC) External User Day event at its campus in Alexandria, Virginia. Information about the event is available from a USPTO press release or on the CPC Web site. The event "is designed to provide external stakeholders with in-depth information about the October 2012 CPC launch package, as well as insight into upcoming CPC training platforms, in advance of the official launch of the CPC system in January 2013."

There is no fee to register for the event. Registration will be on a first-come, first-serve basis. To register, please email your name and phone number to CPC_Users_Day@uspto.gov.

If you are not able to attend in person, check the USPTO website at www.uspto.gov the day before the event for instructions about accessing the webcast.

Intellectual Property Webinar Series

NIST MEP (National Institute of Standards and Technology Manufacturing Extension Partnership) began a patent webinar series on June 13, 2012 that continues every 2nd Wednesday of the month until January 29, 2013 from noon-1:30 pm (1:00-2:30 pm ET). The webinars seek to "bridge the knowledge gap on Intellectual Property Law Issues between the US Government and various stakeholders." One registration provides access to all webinars including archives for those already presented. Archives are also available on the webinar information and sign-up page. Upcoming topics include:

• September 12 – Researcher’s Life After Invention Disclosure Topics: Working with university TTOs, agreements, within the context of AIA
• October 10 – Working with a Patent Attorney/Agent and USPTO Topics: Working with the right TT Officer and law firm, addressing the documents needed for a proper application submission, drafting proper specification/drawings/claims, effective use of interview, understanding a final and non-final rejection
• November 14 - Patent Trial and Appeal Board Topics: Post-final rejection, post-grant review, appeal process, inter partes re-exam
• December 12 – Protecting IP in Global Markets: Understanding a PCT, international issues on IP procurement, markets and competitors
• January 9, 2013 - Picking the Right Global Markets Topics: To where and how do I export? What programs are out there to help?

Past topics included:

• June 13 - Patents 101 Topics: Overview of the patent process with examination of each of the statutory requirements for patentability: useful, novel, non-obvious, enabling, and acceptable patentable subject matter
• August 8 – Intellectual Property, non-patented Topics: Trade secrets, trademarks, copyrights

Webcasts of Patent & Trademark Public Advisory Committee Meetings

The USPTO will webcast public sessions of the Patent Public Advisory Committee (PPAC) and the Trademark Public Advisory Committee (TPAC).

The PPAC meeting will be webcast on Friday, Feb. 13, 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Instructions for accessing the session and an agenda are available at http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/com/advisory/notices/meetings2009feb13.htm.

The TPAC will be webcast on Friday, Feb. 20, 9 a.m to noon. Instructions for accessing the session and an agenda are available at http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/com/advisory/notices/meetings2009feb20.htm