The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) recently announced its plan to open the first-ever USPTO satellite office in Detroit, Michigan.  While the specific location and anticipated opening date will be announced in the coming months, the Detroit satellite office is expected to open sometime in 2011.  The new Detroit office is expected to create more than 100 jobs in its first year alone.  The USPTO hopes that the new Detroit office will help to reduce the current backlog of more than 700,000 patent applications.

The announcement marks the first phase of the USPTO’s Nationwide Workforce Program which is an effort to hire more patent examiners and seek out additional resources and technical expertise in locations across the country.  Once the Detroit office is up and running and the USPTO has had an opportunity to evaluate this first satellite office, the USPTO will consider opening additional offices with the hopes of providing the patent applicant community with greater access to the USPTO and the services it offers.

Please click here for the official USPTO announcement.