AIA Blog
USPTO to Host Preview of New Electronic Filing System for New Administrative Trials
From Janet Gongola, Patent Reform Coordinator:
The USPTO will preview its new electronic filing system, called the Patent Review Processing System (PRPS), to be used for making filings in connection with the new administrative trials of inter partes review, post grant review, and covered business method review that become available on September 16, 2012. The preview will take place on Thursday, September 6, 2012, from 10 am to noon Eastern Daylight Time at the Alexandria campus in the Madison North Auditorium. The preview also will be webcast.
WebEx Access Information:
Event number: 991 880 392
Event password: 123456
Event address for attendees: https://uspto-events.webex.com/uspto-events/onstage/g.php?d=991880392&t=a
At the preview, representatives from the Patent Trial and Appeal Board will demonstrate the system, including how to register to use the system, to file a petition seeking a trial, to pay petition fees, to join the proceeding as a patent owner, and to file motions and other documents. The preview will be helpful for any practitioners or administrative personnel who anticipate filing documents in the new proceedings. There will also be an opportunity to ask questions for in-person and webcast participants. WebEx participants will be able to submit questions through the WebEx chat session.
Posted at 09:40PM Aug 25, 2012 in Congressional Testimony |
USPTO Testifies Before Senate Judiciary Committee on AIA Implementation
From Director David Kappos:
On Wednesday, June 20, 2012, I testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee about the agency's implementation of the AIA. This was the second Congressional oversight hearing directed to AIA implementation since the new legislation was signed into law. Previously, on May 16, 2012, I testified before the House Judiciary Committee about our AIA implementation activities.
In brief, I informed the Senate Judiciary Committee that the agency remains on track to issue final rules for various new provisions that go into effect on September 16, 2012, and is actively preparing proposed fees rule following two fee setting hearings held in February 2012. I also informed the Committee that the agency has successfully implemented other provisions including (i) prioritized examination for which over 4000 applications have been received, over 2300 first Office actions have been issued, and 200 patents have granted; (ii) the pro bono program, which started in Minneapolis/St. Paul and is now operational in Denver with plans to expand to 4 additional areas by the end of the calendar year; and (iii) the satellite office program with the first office opening in Detroit in July and additional office locations to be announced later this summer. All of the agency's implementation activities energize international harmonization efforts, as I discussed at the end of my testimony.
A copy of my testimony along with a webcast of the hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee is available via the links below. I invite you to review them for even more information about our AIA implementation activities and international harmonization.
Posted at 12:00AM Jun 29, 2012 in Congressional Testimony |
USPTO Testifies Before Congress About AIA Implementation
From: Director David Kappos
On Wednesday, May 16, 2012, the House Committee on the Judiciary held a hearing on the USPTO’s implementation of the AIA, the first oversight hearing on this historic legislation. I testified along with six others representing various companies and intellectual property law associations. You can view a webcast of the complete hearing along with my testimony here:
I am pleased to share a brief synopsis of my testimony. The agency has completed implementation of 7 provisions in the AIA and currently is working to implement 9 additional provisions. To that end, we are reviewing more than 350 public comments, making modifications to the proposed rules in response thereto, and preparing to issue final rules no later than August 16, 2012. Additionally, the agency has completed 2 studies—an analysis of the prior user rights defense and a report on international patent protection for small businesses—and will soon be delivering a report about genetic testing to Congress in mid-June 2012. Lastly, the pro bono program has been launched in Minneapolis/St. Paul and Denver, and our first satellite office will open this summer in Detroit. I look forward to continuing opportunities to share the progress of our AIA implementation activities with Congress and our stakeholders in the coming months.
Posted at 12:00AM May 18, 2012 in Congressional Testimony |
