PTO Publishes Proposed Rules for Inter Partes Review, Post Grant Review, etc.

In February 2012, the USPTO announced publication of its proposed rules for contested cases, including inter partes review, post grant review, the transitional program for covered business methods, and derivation to implement the America Invents Act (AIA). See the details in the links below:

• Proposed Rule of Practice for Trials before the PTAB (77 Fed. Reg. 6879, Feb. 9, 2012)
• Proposed Trial Practice Guide (77 Fed. Reg. 6868, Feb. 9, 2012)
• Proposed Rules for Inter Partes Review (77 Fed. Reg. 7041, February 10, 2012)
• Proposed Rules for Post Grant Review (77 Fed. Reg. 7060, February 10, 2012)
• Proposed Rules for the Transitional Program for Covered Business Methods (77 Fed. Reg. 7080, February 10, 2012)
• Proposed Rule for the Technological Invention Definition (77 Fed. Reg. 7095, February 10, 2012)
• Proposed Rule for Derivation Proceedings (77 Fed. Reg. 7028, February 10, 2012)

Publication opens a sixty-day comment period on the proposed rules. Director Kappos encouraged the patent community to comment on the rules and attend an AIA roadshow where the PTO will discuss proposed rules and receive public feedback.  

See the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act Implementation web page for details and the AIA Roadshow schedule in 2012.

Copyright © 2012 Robert Moll. All rights reserved.