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USPTO Holding Patent Quality Summit on March 25-26
March 10, 2015
The USPTO is holding a Patent Quality Summit on March 25-26 at their headquarters in Alexandria, VA. The purpose of the summit is to discuss specific proposals with the goal of improving patent quality. A Federal Register Notice of February…
Read MoreUnited States Completes Membership Process for Hague System for the International Registration of Industrial Designs
February 18, 2015
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) recently announced that the United States has deposited the official instruments needed to ratify the Geneva Act of the Hague Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Industrial Designs (the “Hague System”). The…
Read MoreWoodard, Emhardt Celebrates National Inventors’ Day
February 11, 2015
In 1979, President Jimmy Carter declared February 11 as National Inventors’ Day to celebrate the United States patent system and the role played by inventors in promoting technological progress. February 11 is a significant choice for the date of National…
Read MoreUSPTO Reduces Electronic Trademark Filing Fees
December 31, 2014
Beginning on January 17, 2015 the fee for electronically filing a trademark application will drop $50 to $225 for an application with confirms to an existing classification (TEAS Plus) and $275 for all other applications. The USPTO just issued a…
Read MoreUSPTO Launches New Beta Website
December 26, 2014
The USPTO has publicly launched a beta version of its new website. The site is part of the agency’s rollout of “next Generation” technologies that will improve the experience of doing business with the USPTO. The USPTO’s new site aims…
Read MoreUSPTO Releases New Guidelines on Patent Subject Matter Eligibility Following Alice Corp.
December 19, 2014
On December 16, 2014, the USPTO released its interim guidance (2014 Interim Guidance on Patent Subject Matter Eligibility) for use by USPTO personnel in determining subject matter eligibility under 35 U.S.C. 101. The new guidance was prepared in view of…
Read MoreUSPTO Extends After Final Consideration Pilot Program
September 26, 2014
The USPTO has announced that it will extend the After Final Consideration Pilot 2.0 (AFCP) Program through September 30, 2015. The program was previously scheduled to expire on September 30, 2014. The PTO further announced that Examiners will begin sending…
Read MorePatent Examination Guidelines in View of the Alice Decision Presentation
August 22, 2014
The following presentation discusses the recent patent examination guidelines for patentable subject matter issued by the USPTO concerning the recent Alice decision. To view the presentation, visit: Examiner Guidelines from Woodard, Emhardt, Henry, Reeves & Wagner, LLP
Read MoreSupreme Court Rules Streaming Broadcast Television via a Pay Service over the Internet Without Paying Licensing Fees Illegal
June 27, 2014
On Wednesday, June 25, the Supreme Court ruled that Aereo violated copyright laws by publicly performing copyrighted works. Aereo is a startup whose business model revolves around recording broadcast television programming and storing the programming on their servers. The programming…
Read MoreWashington Redskins Trademarks Canceled
June 27, 2014
On Wednesday, June 18, the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board canceled the “Redskins” mark in a 2-1 decision stating that it is “disparaging to Native Americans.” A similar case was filed in 1992 and was overturned by a federal district…
Read MoreRegarding “Patent Trolling”, Plaintiff Ordered to Pay Attorney’s Fees after First Application of New Standard for Awarding Attorney’s Fees in Patent Cases
June 19, 2014
In the case of Lumen View Tech. LLC v. Findthebest.com, Inc. , the Southern District of New York has become the first court to hand down an opinion and order following the Supreme Court decision of Octane Fitness, LLC v.…
Read MoreFederal Circuit Clarifies Response Requirements for an Indefiniteness Rejection
May 7, 2014
The Federal Circuit recently released its opinion for the case In re Packard, providing guidance as to when the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) may properly reject a claim as failing to meet the definiteness requirements of 35…
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