Patent Law Updates | New Statutes, Regulations and Rules
November 10, 2009
USPTO Plans New Patent Ombudsman Pilot Program
Patent Ombudsman Pilot Program
Docket No.: PTO-P-2009-0032, 10/21/2009
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) is currently developing a Patents Ombudsman Pilot Program (“Program”). The USPTO explained that the Program is intended to provide patent applicants, attorneys and agents with assistance in application-specific issues, including prosecution advancement concerns. The USPTO added that the Program is not intended to circumvent normal communication between pro se applicants or applicant’s representatives and examiners or Supervisory Patent Examiners (“SPEs”).
According to the USPTO, the majority of patent applications filed with the USPTO proceed through the examination process consistent with established USPTO procedure. However, some patent applicants, attorneys, and agents have expressed…
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