MEDIA ADVISORY Contact (media inquiries only): Maria V. Hernandez 703-305-8341 maria.hernandez2@uspto.gov June7, 2001 #01-24

USPTO PARTICIPATES IN MINNESOTA INVENTORS CONGRESS June 8-10, 2001 Community Center Fieldhouse Redwood Falls, Minn. The Department of Commerce's United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), Office of Independent Inventors (OIIP) is participating in the Minnesota Inventors Congress, "EXPO 2001," June 8-10, 2001 in Redwood Falls, Minn. This conference consists of various workshops for inventors and entrepreneurs. USPTO representatives will address conferees, detailing the patent process and describing the initiatives the USPTO is currently undertaking to establish new lines of communication, education and support systems for inventors/entrepreneurs. In March of 1999, the USPTO opened a new office aimed at meeting the special needs of independent inventors. OIIP establishes new mechanisms to better disseminate information about the patent and trademark processes and fosters regular communication between the USPTO and independent inventors. OIIP has a web site that offers educational and outreach programs for independent inventors, covering all aspects of the patent and trademark process, including how to file an application and what's patentable. The link for the web site is http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/com/iip/index.html. For more information on the Minnesota Inventors Congress and "EXPO 2001" visit http://www.invent1.org/ or call 1-800-468-3681 # # #