October 29, 2010
CONTACT: Peter Pappas or Richard Maulsby
(571) 272-8400 or peter.pappas1@uspto.gov;
Press Release, 10-52
Independent Inventors Conference Kicks Off Nov. 4 at USPTO Headquarters
Post-It® Notes co-inventor Art Fry to give keynote speech
Washington, D.C. – The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) will hold its annual Independent Inventors Conference on Nov. 4 and 5 at its headquarters in Alexandria, Va. Co-sponsored by the USPTO and the National Inventors Hall of Fame®, the conference is one of many outreach programs offered by the USPTO to assist independent inventors.
USPTO Director David Kappos and Art Fry, co-inventor of Post-It® Notes and a 2010 National Inventors Hall of Fame inductee, will be the featured keynote speakers at this year’s conference. Fry will speak at Thursday’s conference luncheon, and Kappos will speak at Friday’s luncheon.
“The USPTO is strongly committed to the independent inventor community,” said Kappos. “Communicating vital information that applicants need to successfully obtain a patent is a major element of our support to independent inventors, and the Independent Inventors Conference provides a great opportunity for those individuals to network with us and learn practical tips for streamlining patent prosecution.”
On Wed., Nov. 3, a pre-conference workshop will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. for beginners interested in learning about the basics of patents and the importance of intellectual property protection. The workshop is included with the conference registration fee.
Also new this year is an evening workshop Fri., Nov. 5, for inventors with pending or patented technology. This is an educational and highly interactive workshop with inventors helping fellow inventors to articulate the impact of their inventions and believe in their innovations. Attendees will receive a market research report complete with an annual sales forecast, probability of success, and a fair market royalty matrix.
Conference attendees will receive practical tips along with information on marketing and licensing, patent application preparation, patent and trademark searching, local resources, and lessons learned from successes and failures. Attendees will also have the opportunity to network one-on-one with experts and provide feedback on how the USPTO can better serve them.
The conference will feature numerous experts and employees of the USPTO who will discuss topics such as the fundamentals of searching and filing trademark applications and the interplay between patents, trademarks and copyrights. Participants will also learn about invention marketing companies, the benefits and pitfalls of filing a provisional patent application, and things to consider when finding, selecting and working with a patent attorney or agent. Sessions will offer advanced tips for seasoned inventors as well.
"Independent inventors have always been drivers of innovation in America," said Kappos. "We at the USPTO are committed to dialoguing with them as often as possible and making sure their concerns are heard.”
Additional speakers and presenters at this year’s conference include:
- Robert Stoll, USPTO Commissioner for Patents;
- Louis Foreman, founder and CEO of Eventsys and executive producer of the Emmy award winning PBS series Everyday Edisons;
- George Peters, founder and president of Lancer 1, Inc. and successful independent inventor;
- Michael Lee, vice president of the Licensing Executive Society;
- Michael Diep, inventor of the EmeryCat® Board;
- Warren Tuttle, president of the United Inventors Association;
- Ken Bloemer, executive director USA National Innovation Marketplace;
- Thom Ruhe, director of entrepreneurship for the Kaufman Foundation
- John May of the Angel Inventor Association and New Vantage Group.
For more information on the conference or how to register, visit http://www.uspto.gov/inventors/independent/aiic_main.jsp. For more details on outreach programs the USPTO offers to independent inventors, visit http://www.uspto.gov/inventors/independent/index.jsp
Media interested in attending the conference should contact either Peter Pappas at peter.pappas1@uspto.gov or Richard Maulsby at richard.maulsby@uspto.gov. There is no charge for media to attend the conference.
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