The heads of five major intellectual property offices met in Jeju, Korea to address current challenges facing their offices. Pictured here are (L to R) JPO Commissioner Takashi Suzuki, EPO President Alison Brimelow, KIPO Commissioner Jung-Sik Koh, SIPO Commissioner Tian Lipu and USPTO Director Jon Dudas.

Blueprint Laid Out for Work-Sharing Among Five Intellectual Property Offices
The elimination of unnecessary duplication of work among the offices, enhancement of patent examination efficiency and quality, and guarantee of the stability of patent rights is the vision

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) announced the development of a blueprint for work sharing among five major intellectual property offices (IP5) to address the common challenges they are currently facing. The heads of the IP5 met at Jeju, Korea, on October 27 and 28, 2008, to discuss a shared vision for work sharing and collaboration.

The meeting was chaired by Dr. Jung-Sik Koh, commissioner of the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO). Also attending were Alison Brimelow, president of the European Patent Office (EPO); Takashi Suzuki, commissioner of the Japan Patent Office (JPO); Tian Lipu, commissioner of the State Intellectual Property Office of the People's Republic of China (SIPO); and Jon Dudas, under secretary of Commerce for intellectual property and director of the USPTO.

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2009 Trademark Expo Set for May 8-9

Apply to Exhibit Here

The United States Patent and Trademark Office will hold its annual Trademark Expo next May 8-9 at the agency’s headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia. The 2008 Expo attracted 7,000 people and received wide media coverage. Next year’s two day event will focus again on educating the public about the value and important role trademarks play in our society and the global marketplace. It will feature themed displays, company booths, costumed characters interactive exhibits and trademark related seminars for attendees. An intensified effort will be made this year to attract school children to the event.

All individuals, companies, non-profit organizations and educational institutions that own a valid registered United States trademark are invited to apply to exhibit. The deadline for applications is January 9, 2009. Applications will be evaluated on the following criteria: Brand recognition, educational value of the proposed exhibit and category diversity. Space is limited so apply today. Those selected to exhibit will be notified by February 1, 2009.

To view photos of the 2008 Expo go here

Answers to frequently asked questions about the Expo are available here.

Apply to Exhibit Here.

(Left to Right) Lynne Beresford, USPTO Commissioner for Trademarks; Ambassador Warren Tichenor, U.S. Mission in Geneva; and Francis Gurry, WIPO Director General.

USPTO participates in ratification of Singapore Treaty

Ambassador Tichenor of the U.S. Mission in Geneva, Switzerland, and USPTO Commissioner for Trademarks Lynne Beresford deposited the U.S. instruments of ratification of the Singapore Trademark Law Treaty with the newly appointed World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Director General Francis Gurry on October 1, 2008. The U.S. is the 8th Member State to have ratified the Treaty. Two more Member States or intergovernmental organizations having a regional trademark office need to ratify before Singapore is in force. Fifty-five countries signed the Treaty at the end of the diplomatic conference signifying their intention to eventually join the treaty. Lois Boland, Director of the USPTO Office of Intellectual Property Policy and Enforcement and IP Attachés at the U.S. Mission in Geneva, Deborah Lashley-Johnson and Nancy Omelko also attended the event.

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USPTO Identifies New Applicability Date of Certain Provisions in "Claims and Continuations" Final Rule

In a notice published in the Federal Register, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) alerted the public to a new applicability date of regulatory provisions dealing with related applications in the “Claims and Continuations” Final Rule. This Final Rule was permanently enjoined by the district court in Tafas v. Dudas on April 1, 2008, and the decision is currently on appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

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