Patent Bar Exam Gets a Facelift

With many new legislative changes reshaping USPTO policy, it is no surprise that the Examination for Registration to Practice in Patent Cases will be further updated in January 2014 to include the First-Inventor-to-File Final Rules.  Other policy changes will also be included in the new exam content.  Preparing students to sit for the patent bar is one of the focuses of the GW Master of Patent Practice Program.  Check back for further updates on our blog, and visit the USPTO's website at the link below to review some of the agency's new content.

http://www.uspto.gov/ip/boards/oed/exam/

The Road to the USPTO: Paved With Good Intentions or Bad Inventions?

As with anything, some inventions swim, and some inventions sink.  They say some roads are paved with "good intentions" and in the patent world, some are littered with "bad inventions."  It remains unknown as to whether the former somehow leads to the latter.  Securing a patent for your invention will have no bearing on whether consumers will line up to purchase your latest and greatest creation, but, arguably, if it satisfies the tests of usefulness, novelty and non-obviousness, it is likely something that has some level of consumer demand.  Check out the following article from Popular Mechanics on 10 patents, that may in fact complicate the average consumer's life, despite their arguable benefits to society.

http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/engineering/10-patents-that-make-simple-tasks-crazy-complicated#slide-1

Patent Trolls Beware

This week, House Judiciary Chair Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) announced that he intends to introduce a bill as early as next week that will address patent troll abuses.  On the Senate side, Senate Judiciary Chair Pat Leahy (D-VT) believes that his companion bill will be ready after recess.  The efforts of both members will combine numerous bills that have been introduced by lawmakers on this issue by both parties.  This news, combined with President Obama's commitment to addressing the patent troll issue, could force the offending trolls to halt their behavior in the near term.  For more information on the Coalition for Patent Fairness' efforts in this area, please visit the link below.

http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/50-groups-coalesce-fight-patent-trolls-151214

WIPO Patent Meeting in Geneva

On September 19, 2013, The World Intellectual Property Organization will host an event entitled: Access to Intellectual Property for Innovation: Evidence on Problems and Coping Strategies from German Firms.  There are several related documents on WIPO's website ready for review, including a paper by Professor Mueller from the Frankfurt School of Finance and Management.  Please click on the link below for a copy of her paper, and check in on the WIPO website for updates.

http://www.wipo.int/edocs/mdocs/mdocs/en/wipo_ip_econ_ge_4_13/wipo_ip_econ_ge_4_13_www_243943.pdf

JOB POSTING: Patent Search Analyst

Cardinal Intellectual Property, an Intellectual Property Search and Services company, is seeking a Patent Search Analyst. Analysts are responsible for conducting patentability, infringement, validity, freedom to operate, clearance, and landscape searches for our private clients, as well as performing search work through our government contract and rendering opinions* based on the search results. This role is free to work from a remote home office. Compensation is variable, based on production, providing the search professionals the ability to earn increased compensation with increased effort and/or efficiency.

*Please note: these opinions are not legal opinions. Cardinal IP is a legal services company, not a law firm.

Position Specifications:
• In the following technical areas a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree is required: Computer and Information Sciences; Chemical, Electrical, Mechanical, or Biomedical Engineering; Life Sciences; Physical Sciences
• In the areas of Biotechnology and/or Chemistry a minimum of a Masters Degree is required (PhD and/or JD preferred)
• Current high need areas are in the Mechanical, Biomedical, Electrical, and Computer arts.
• JD is a plus, but not required
• Prior art searching experience is a major plus
• Proficiency in database searching
• Excellent attention to details, analytical and critical thinking, proof-reading abilities, interpersonal communication, and organizational skills
• Ability to work effectively alone

Cardinal Intellectual Property is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

Contact:
Apply online by visiting this link: http://www.cardinal-ip.com/careers/careers.html. Cardinal Intellectual Property, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Preparing Patent Policy for the Internet of Things

You may have seen Cisco's commercial for "The Internet of Everything" and wondered just exactly what they are referencing.  The rapid innovation of machine to machine technologies has opened doors to new markets and business models, paving the way for efficiencies and improvements in our daily lives.  As the market adjusts accordingly to house the new inventions that will fall under the umbrella of what many call "The Internet of Things"(IOT) technologists and policymakers will also need to consider how we handle standards, and how the patent system accommodates these new inventions.  In Europe, some are advocating for "standards essential patents" to help protect innovators paths to the market and to also encourage increased R&D investment.  The 2013 Consumer Electronic Show (CES) shone a bright spotlight on IOT technologies, but the products that are hitting the market today are only the beginning.  As policymakers consider how to reduce the rate of patent infringement and large license agreements, they may lean toward the creation of new standards, in order to define certain technologies as "standards essential."  As such, these technologies would arguably become available to the general public on the same fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory terms (FRAND).  This pooling together of technologies would in turn, arguably, foster enhanced interoperability among a broad base of manufacturers, and increase consumer take-up of new technologies.  As IOT technologies are rolled out, it will be interesting to keep a close eye on the activity in the patent field.

Progress on USPTO Satellite Offices

In 2012, the USPTO identified Dallas, Denver, and Silicon Valley as areas where patent satellite offices should be opened.  The Detroit satellite office just celebrated its one year anniversary earlier this month.  The USPTO is currently operating out of temporary offices, with the hopes of moving their operations into permanent offices.  The three new locations are staffed by Patent Trial and Appeal Board judges, who are helping to reduce the inventory of appeals cases and AIA trials.  This expansion of the USPTO's presence will greatly help in educating the public on new changes to patent law, support independent inventors on the west coast, and allow the agency to more actively engage with the public.  For more information on this project, please visit:

http://www.uspto.gov/blog/