By Yuri Mikulka and Jeffrey J. Zuber of Zuber & Taillieu LLP
The Federal Circuit has determined that the maximum fine for violation of the federal false marking statute should be applied on a per article basis, rather than the “per decision” basis applied by a majority of district courts in the past. In The Forest Group, Inc. v. Bon Tool Co.,… More...
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) and the UK Intellectual Property Office (“UKIPO:) have agreed to develop an action plan for reducing patent processing backlogs in both offices. More...
The significant changes to the examiner “count system” that were announced by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) on September 30, 2009, took effect last week. More...
The European Council (“EU”) has agreed to adopt a sweeping regulatory package that establishes a single patent system that includes a new patent court in the European Union. More...
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) is providing patentees with the ability to request a recalculation of their patent term adjustment without a fee or petition as is normally required pending completion of necessary modifications to the USPTO’s computer program for calculating patent term adjustments. More...
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) has launched a pilot program that will give small entity inventors having two or more patent applications currently pending greater control over the priority in which their applications are examined while also reducing the backlog of unexamined patent applications pending before the USPTO. More...
The U.S. Commerce Department’s Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) has implemented a pilot program to accelerate the examination of certain “green” technology patent applications. More...
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) has issued a new Final Rule rescinding highly controversial regulations, proposed by the previous administration, that patent applicants felt unduly restricted their capacity to protect intellectual property. More...
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) is expanding its First Action Interview Pilot Program in which an applicant is entitled to an interview with the patent examiner prior to the first office action on the merits in a new utility application. More...
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) is currently developing a Patents Ombudsman Pilot Program (“Program”). More...
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) has provided Interim Examination Instructions for Evaluating Patent Subject Matter Eligibility ( “Interim Eligibility Instructions”) for use by USPTO personnel in their review of patent applications to determine whether the claims in a patent application are directed to patent eligible subject matter under 35 U.S.C. § 101 pending a final decision from the U.S. Supreme Court in Bilski v. Kappos, S.Ct. No. 08-964 (cert. granted June 1, 2009). More...
