USPTO"s Monthly Review for December

A Message from USPTO Director David Kappos
As part of our effort to communicate more effectively and to engage with our stakeholders and the public, the USPTO will be publishing a monthly newsletter that will recap the most significant announcements, initiatives and events from the previous month. The Monthly Review will supplement the other publications that are readily available via the USPTO’s new Subscription Center. I encourage you to go to the Subscription Center to sign up to receive all the latest news from the USPTO conveniently via email. 2011 promises to be another productive year for the USPTO, and we hope you’ll take advantage of these information resources to stay informed of all the latest developments.
Thanks, and happy new year!
David Kappos
Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property
and Director of the USPTO

USPTO to Open First Satellite Office in Detroit

U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke and USPTO Director David Kappos announced in December plans for the USPTO to open its first satellite office in Detroit, Mich., in 2011. The new office is expected to create more than 100 new jobs in its first year and provide a boost to the region’s innovation economy. The office will represent the first phase of the USPTO’s Nationwide Workforce Program, an effort to hire more patent examiners and seek out additional resources and technical expertise in locations across the country. More information can be found in the press release.

USPTO Creates Online Subscription Center as Part of Expanded Communications and Outreach Effort
The USPTO continues to expand its public outreach efforts with the launch of an online Subscription Center. The new hub will allow the public to connect to the USPTO with subscriptions to publications and updates. The Center enables the public to easily subscribe via e-mail to an array of USPTO newsletters and alerts. The hub can be found on the USPTO website at www.uspto.gov/subscribe. More information can be found in the press release.

USPTO Implements Pilot Program Effectively Allowing a 12-Month Extension to the Provisional Patent Application Period

The USPTO announced plans December 8 to implement a Missing Parts Pilot Program which will effectively provide a 12-month extension to the existing 12-month provisional application period, providing applicants additional time to find financial help, evaluate a product’s worth in the marketplace or further develop the invention for commercialization. This is achieved by a change to missing parts practice that will provide 12 additional months to perfect a non-provisional patent application. More information can be found in the press release and the Federal Register notice.

Events

USPTO Celebrates 30th Anniversary of the Bayh Dole Act
On December 9, the USPTO marked the 30th anniversary of the Bayh-Dole Act with a special program at its Alexandria, Va., headquarters featuring former U.S. Senator Birch Bayh (D-IN) and former U.S. Representative Robert Kastenmeier (D-WI). The Bayh-Dole Act created a uniform patent policy among the many federal agencies that fund research, enabling small business and non-profit organizations—including universities—to retain title to inventions made under federally funded research programs. More information on the event can be found in the press release.

USPTO Hosts Roundtable on Best Practices for Trademark Prosecution in the Current Electronic Environment
On December 3, the USPTO hosted a roundtable discussion to highlight best practices for trademark prosecution in the current electronic environment and obtain feedback on the state of electronic communications within Trademark operation. More information can be found in the Director’s Forum blog. A recorded webcast of the event is also available

                                                                       資料來源 : The United States Patent and Trademark Office   2011/01/11